Wayfarer [Bill Cipher x Reader] [REVISED]

Chapter Twenty-Two: In a Week

The sun dipped lower and lower in the sky, its watery blue congealing into cerulean as you continued down the trail. Following its twists and turns, the two of you drew deeper and deeper into the backcountry. The hills rose around you, rolling ridge upon rolling ridge spreading out before you.

Your muscles aching after hours of hiking, you finally ground to a halt at the side of the trail. With a sigh, you pulled out your phone and grimaced. It was four thirty already?

You waved Bill over. "Hey, it's getting close to five." You glanced down the trail in the direction you came from. "We better start heading back now if we want to make it back in time for dinner and the fireworks."

"Oh, c'mon. Can't we go just a little longer?" Bill asked. He rubbed the side of one of his calves, wincing. "I mean, we got until, what, eight?"

"Yeah, but Bill, aren't you tired?" You gestured to his legs. "I mean, it's pretty clear that you're sore already, and we have to hike all the way back. Are you sure that you can make it?"

He sucked a breath in, kneading his other calf. "On second thought... let's go back. I'm beat," he said. He looked off into the distance, his gaze growing unfocused. "I mean, not like an extra hour will make that much of a difference... "

You raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what do you mean, an extra hour won't make much of a difference?" you asked. "Isn't that the point of heading back early?"

He snapped his head in your direction. "Oh, what? Nothing, nothing. Forget I said anything," he said, turning his face back in the direction of the mountains once more. "Just... ya know, thinking out loud. C'mon. Let's go."

On that note, the two of you turned and began to make your way back down the trail.

Several hours later, you were peering at a winding stream. Clear water trickled over rounded granite pebbles, long strands of grass flopping over the surface. While it was a lovely scene, you'd never seen this particular place before. Heck, you didn't remember there being any streams this close to the trail before.

"Where the heck are we?" you said. "I don't know why, but I can't remember ever being here... "

Bill nodded. "Can't remember this place, either," he said. "Looks like ya took a wrong turn somewhere. Better back up and try again, huh?"

"I guess. But I'm pretty sure that we followed the right path... What happened?"

"Like I said, you took a wrong turn. Can't follow the right path and end up in the wrong place, right?"

"Yeah, but where did we go wrong?" you asked. "I don't remember taking any unfamiliar turns... "

"Don't ask me. I just know that you went wrong somewhere, okay?"

"Then where do we go to get back on the right path, then?"

He shrugged. "The last fork? That's as good a place to start as any. I don't remember seeing any places I didn't know up until here... "

"Well, then fine. We'll go back there. Come on, let's go, then!" You waved down the path.

The two of you marched until you got to a fork in the road... which you also didn't recognize. After all, you figured that you would remember such a beautiful display of blue blooms. "Wait, what?" you said. "Again? What is going on here? This wasn't here the last time we were here."

Bill rolled his eyes. "You're being terrible at directions, that's what's going on," he said. "No big mystery here."

"Well, then, give me a map, will you? I need to check where we are." You scratched your head. "I swear to God, I was positive we came this way."