The Cult

Nothing But Desert Sand

Dude, this ride is taking ages, but I can't complain. I'm safe, I guess. We still have, like, 1,000,000,000 hours to go. Destini is kind enough to stop at a gas station (not really, we need to fill up the van) and let us get food. I won't talk to anyone, not after last night. I just don't know what happened. We've all done something bad that haunts us but this? This has been haunting me since- well, best not to talk about that now. I pay for the Russian fudge and yeet myself into the van again. I put my music on again and drown out all the bad thoughts.

🎵______________________________🎵
Now playing:
Evelyn Evelyn -
Evelyn Evelyn

:::
Evelyn, Evelyn

Why do we bother to stay?

Why are you running away?

Don't you feel like severing?

Everything's just come together at last.

It's broken, I don't want to play.

🎵______________________________🎵

I can feel ideas flooding through my mind. I can animate this song. I can animate my life. I can make it less depressing so people don't worry. 

Just as I get my tablet out to animate, I see a bright light out the window. Two people fall out of a, is that a fukin portal? One looks like they've got wings. The other seems to be glitching. And here I am, thinking that I'd seen everything. Before anyone else can see them the disappear again. Huh.

*~♤~*

The barren wasteland before me doesn't spark any inspiration. I'm not sure about whatever it was i saw out there but I can't worry about that, I have to worry about the future.

We're all flung to one side of the van. I hit my head real hard. I don't know about everyone else though.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!"
It was at this moment that I realized who was sitting beside me.
"LOOK OUT THE FRICKING WINDOWS!"
We look out the windows. I gasp, I feel tears pricking my eyes. The black spots are appearing. That was expected, but I didn't realize that they'd come so quick. It's the second stage. I know what happens if someone unlike us touches them, and it ain't pretty. My mind instantly flashes to my parents. They could, th-they could be, they could be corroding away at this moment and I'm miles away, unable to help them. I feel the warm tears flow down my face.
"I'm useless."
"Hey, no you're not."
"It's nice that you think that Jamie, but I could never convince myself. I know what I am. I know what you all think of me."
"What do we think of you then, Cynthia?"
"'It's that girl who isn't an orphan. Her parents are still alive, snobby bitch thinks she's one of us.'"
"We don't think that."
"Trust me, those motel walls were paper thin."
"Well, I don't think you're a snobby bitch."
"Oh, really?"
"I think you're, well..."

Silence.

Suspicions confirmed. I put my headphones on. I'm just about to put my music back on when-
"I think you're really pretty."
I pause, confused.
"You, you really think so?"
"Well, yeah."
I feel my face heat up. Wow. It's cliché but it feels, it feels nice. Nice to know that I'm not quite the ugly creature I think I am.
"Well, I think that you're pretty cute yourself."
We both go red and turn away. I put my headphones on and start animating. I put my stylus to the screen and begin to draw effortlessly. Wow. Just, wow.

*~♡~*

We've been driving for who knows how long now. Destini brakes randomly and I wake up. Huh, didn't know I was tired. As my eyes focus I realize that I've fallen asleep on Jamie's shoulder. Fucking hell. I can see why Destini stopped. There are two people running toward the van.
"What are you doing driving? It's not safe. Do you see those spots? Don't go near them othetwise-"
"We know."
"What?"
"We know."
The lady looks confused. She puts up her left hand.
"holy shit, she's like us."
I whisper. Destini raises her left hand.
"Oh thank God. I'm Carmen, and this is Mike. We thought you'd gotten lost."
"Carmen and Mike Sanders?"
"Yep, and you must be Destini. Have you got everyone?"
"Yep, all thirteen."
"Good, good. May we join you? Our veichle broke down."
"Of course. You are superiors of course."
Carmen and Mike climb into the van. It's a fucking bus at this point.

*~◇~*

Things are starting to look familiar now. I've seen this place in illustrations. Of course, the pictures didn't have all the black spots and shit so...
Anyway, it feels good to have a stretch after that... van? Bus? Road trip. Whatever it was. I take in the scenery. Mountains, rivers, flowers, life. But not for long. We have a few days before the sun vanishes, at most. I can see lots of others. Of course, this isn't all of us, this is just the countries worth.  We have a few days to calm down and prepare. Basically, the whole rundown is once the sun's gone, a "being" will take us somewhere safe. Maybe it's a portal like what I saw out in the desert. Faith walks up to me. She's basically my "big sister" even though she's about the same maturity level as me.
"Are you ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be cap'n."
I salute her.
"Follow me, I want to tell you something before anything else." If anyone was to know, I'd want it to be you."
"Wow, must be important then."
She makes me follow her to a place far away from everyone else.
"Did you see something in the desert?"
"I thought you were gonna tell me something?"
"Answer the question Cynthia."
"Yes, a portal, a person glitching the fuck out and a person with wings."
"They're looking for us."
"Oh no, did we do something bad?"
"No, they're good people."
"Da fuq are you on about Faith?"
"Do you believe in parallel universes?"
"Uh, yeah? I guess so."
"Promise that you won't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you."
"I promise."
"I mean it, not even your boyfriend I've there."
"Jamie isn't my boyfriend."
"Not yet."
I glare at Faith.
"Ok, ok, chill, just promise."
"I promise not to tell."
"Those people in the desert...

Those people were actually me."

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~🇷🇺~~~~~~~~~~~~*
1100 words! Yay I can do things
:) wow what a cliché plot twist lmao.

Now I'm gonna go to bed before my demons reach me cause I can see them now  k bye :)