Sweet Heart [Editing?]

011

The forest was so unwavering it made Sep's skin crawl. It seemed dark and spooky, and he hated it. Al stuck close to the axe-wielding blond, stood straight and was alert to every single movement; but, Sep just kept looking at the dark-haired man, back at the trail and would rub the goosebumps away from his muscles.

"So, you know?" Al's voice was hushed as he looked at his best friend. Sep cocked an eyebrow at the mysteriously general question. Yeah, he knew lots of things. What'd he mean?

"You're gonna have to be more specific, buddy," He said in a low voice, pursing his lips together afterwards. Al grunted softly, clearing his throat.

"About Ambrose, I mean. Did he tell you?" Sep stopped mid-step. Tell him...what? About his past? He kept walking ahead of Al. He looked around for any sign of his boy, sighing. Of course Alastair knew. He and Alan did find Ambrose in the woods first, so he could hardly be mad.

"He told me the other day." He looked at him, studying him. Al just kept stepping around Dusk Alum and Void Mantle. Alan would have their heads if they crushed any of his precious plant babies. Sep kept walking, keeping his axe close to him as they approached the natural stairs. From that cliff, you could see the heavy storm clouds hanging over Moon's Hollow not too far away. He sighed and followed Al down the wide slabs of basalt as he eyed the castle in the distance.

"Sep! Look!" He scrabbled down the rest of the stairs and joined Al where he was squatted next to a bag. Ambrose's bag. It's contents were strewn about the grass; marbles and a half-empty pack of cigarettes, a key ring with three keys, and a tiny notebook along with a pen. Sep grabbed his things and placed them back in the black velvet bag; his heart dropped into his stomach like a rock thrown into a river. He couldn't just be gone. He wouldn't leave his things either.

He shoved the bag into his pocket; his hand subconsciously hovering over it as if to protect it. Those were Ambrose's things. He fucking loved those marbles. He had jars and jars full of them at home. He made sure there weren't any left behind before hurrying after Al who had gone over to the trail leading to Moon's Hollow.
"Where else should we-Get down!" Al shoved the large man into a bush, scrambling after him as a scratchy/croaking noise filled the air. It sounded like a kazoo on steroids. Or a contented alligator times six. He groaned softly and covered his ears as the noise continued on. Al gave him a look filled with dread and sadness at hearing such a noise.

The alien surveying the clearing with a huge rifle-looking gun seemed to be scolding two smaller aliens. The one holding the gun had blood smeared across its visor, ichor-smeared claws resting against the trigger of the gun as it held it to its chest. It looked ready to shoot the other two to cease their sharp scratches and gargled pops. All three continued to argue, their language completely unintelligible to the two men hiding in the bushes. They held their breath, freezing themselves to the spot as their leader continued to gesture at the other two aliens angrily.

Sep noticed the fingers floating centimeters away from their stumpy, yet sleek, wrists. They looked pointed like needles that bent and straightened, mimicked fingers. He knew these things were not human at all. Maybe someone intended them to have human features such as hands but had failed miserably.

Not soon enough, they all went back through the forest. Sep, immediate rescue on his mind, quietly stood up from his spot in their super secret shrub and ignored Alastair's protests as he started creeping after them. Alastair bapped his shoulder noiselessly and made a gesture that meant 'what in the name of Hades are you doing?' Sep just flapped his hands at him and continued to tiptoe after the hulking alien beings.

Though, they were far through the forest ahead of them, they remained quiet. Shivering at the gouges made in the wet earth where their boot-claws had been. Their talons tore up roots and grass, it looked like a small airplane had crashed against the forest floor and left everything else untouched. Sep shivered, goosebumps crawling up his arms as he thought about what Alan would do to them. The blood soaking into the earth caught his eye as they went deeper and deeper into the woods.

The sky got darker, angrier, as they got closer to Reverse. He could tell Al was getting antsy and wanted to tell him he could turn back if he wanted. He knew his friend wouldn't leave that easily. Al knew he would suggest it. They both said nothing.

Soon, an old abandoned building made itself known between spots where there had supposedly been trees. However, it looked like they had been wrenched out of the ground with their roots and all. They both stared at a worn sign with weird looking symbols on it. Gazing around the place with intrigue.

"Now it's time to panic." This was said relatively calm. Alastair put his hands on his hips and looked at the crumbling building with an overwhelming sense of sarcasm while Sep smashed the sign with his axe for absolutely no reason.

The two edged towards the sad, grey building; afraid to touch it in case it triggered some high-tech alien alarm system with diagrams and blinky dials. The door seemed to have been taken out and replaced with a pair of double doors that looked like they slide open. Sep ran his fingers up and down the seam in the middle and grunted, looking around for a key hole of some sort. There wasn't one. He sighed and looked at Al, who was staring expectantly at a panel next to the door. He looked at Sep with the same expectant look and nodded slowly. Sep scowled and pursed his lips as he smashed his axe into it.

The door slid open.