Shadow Cursed

Chapter 5: The Truth

I awoke on the cold floor of the hallway again that night. Why was I here again? Trying to open each door, I quickly found out each one was locked including the one at the end of the hall. There was no snow or forest as I looked through the window. I was alone, and scared. Who or what brought me here? There must of been a reason to bring me back. The stranger wasn't around to explain anything.

I kept thinking of crazy reasons in my mind as time passed. Nothing made sense anymore. I was never told anything, just brought places I never understood why I was there. It got frustrating the more I thought about it until I gave up.

A small piece of folded up paper caught the corner of my eye. I picked it up in my hands hesitating before opening it slowly. The print was smaller than the last note, and less legible. I barely made out the words, Watch your back. A shiver went down my back at that moment, looking around, I was alone. Scared, I stuffed the note in my pocket.

Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock. I had observed the clock made sounds but it's hands never moved. Maybe it's batteries were dead and they forgot to change them. The sound of the clock slowly put my body to sleep, restless from the sleepless night I had.

Hours passed until I awoke to footsteps going down the hall again. People were actually here. Two voices followed with their foot steps. Quickly stumbling off the ground I hid behind a beam in the hallway.

"Are you sure you never got the message?" A voice I never heard asked a question.

A voice I recognized responded, "I checked and it was never received." He was here. What if he found me.

"I see," they thought for a minute, "This is very important so I'll send the message again. I'll be sure you get it this time."

"Would you like a seat in my office while we talk about this in private?" Something about the tone of his voice told me he knew I was here.

In a hurry they responded, "Sorry I must get going back, it was great seeing you again."

"Oh farewell, I'll see you again soon." They exchanged a handshake and he left.

My back against the wall I slumped to the ground and tried to not make a sound. After clearing his throat, "I know you're there. I could sense you a mile away."

Awkwardly standing up, "I don't know how I got here I swear. I woke up and I'm confused. I don't even know what time it is now."

He looked at his watch, "Well it's almost midnight in the real world."

Repeating his words slowly, "Almost midnight... In the real world..."

He took a step closer, as I took a step farther back in response. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I just want to see you closer."

"First of all, who are you. You never told me." Holding my guard up I wouldn't let him mess with me any longer.

He sighed, "Maybe we should go into my office and get comfortable before you ask anymore questions and people overhear us." Unlocked the door he welcomed me in, I hesitated before following him in. "Take a seat, and I'll get a drink. You must be thirsty."

The room was neatly furnished with an oak desk with a fancy chair to match, a couch and coffee table. There was one window in the room revealing a beautiful night sky outside with many sparkling stars. The walls were a dark green, and the floor dark brown floor boards. The walls were lined with shelves of books, all bound in leather and with gold writing on the covers. There was no dust on the selves or books. Walking over to the desk, his plaque read, Mr. Alric Varner. So that was his name.

In a rush I put my hand in my pocket and looked for the note I hid. To my surprise it was no longer there. The other note burned to ashes, then nothing. Why did I get two notes already? Was someone warning me of something I wasn't aware about?

I jumped a little, I didn't notive him come back into the room. "How are you feeling Isabella Caywood?" He returned with a can of soda and put it down on the desk. "You must have many questions about where you are and how."

"I guess I do. I've been thrown into this crazy mess and no one has explained anything to me."

He took a seat, " Ask me anything Isabella and I'll answer it."

I didn't need to think about a starting point. "Okay Alric, to start off, where am I?"

"A realm on earth, created for creatures like us to survive away from the humans." He sat up and look at me. "You know about realms don't you? You've read about them in your free time and found them quite interesting."

Stuttering on my words, "How did you... know... that...?" I blushed. I liked to read because I was never a people person.

"I've watched you out of curiosity, it's quite interesting how humans act." He seemed lost in words for a minute, "I would of never been able to blend in like one."

"Okay, so I'm in another realm and almost died in a dreamscape when I saw someone I once knew who is dead, and nearly got killed by some kind of wolf?" I took a sip after that all hit me again. "What else should I know?"

He smiled at me, "Picking up on stuff finally I see. You'll get the hang of it in no time." He got up and sat back in his chair.

I felt offended by that comment, "I'm not stupid, I'm just confused."

He patiently asked from his chair, "Anything else of utmost importance you must know?"

"Yes, how do I get home from here. Somehow I ended here and I can't get back."

He answered with a smile. "Leave the way you came. There's no other way."

"Leave the way I came..." I thought about it, "How did I get here?"

He started explaining, "You travel between realms by thought. You want to be somewhere you imagine the place and then you telelport there."

I was staring at the floor. How possibly do I teleport myself out of this realm back to home. I barely knew how I got here. "Okay I guess I gotta think of the hospital room and somehow I'll find myself there."

Relaxing my muscles, I thought of the home I always knew and loved. My room, my bed, and my friends. I thought about happy memories and felt my feet lifted off the ground and opened my eyes. I was back in the hospital room. The time was 2:15 am and the room was dark. Going back to bed I fell asleep and didn't wake until morning.