Bubblegum Universe

CHAPTER 5

"No one has ever tried to figure out why it is so?"
"Of course we have."
"And."
"And we found a whole lot." I fastened my bag on my back, signalling her that I was all ears while we began to cross the bridge with a very quiet Kenneth.
"All I can tell you is that this road is like the heart and core of this universe. Even the earth from outta space looks like this. It is like the thing controlling this universe and every one here knows that."
    The first time I crossed the bridge,  there were a lot of things I had not taken note of either because I was frightened or because I was excited or maybe both.
"Why are they all smiling and that too in such creepy way." I asked Chimamanda.
"That's how the bridge likes it." She said. I looked up, to find out that she had said so through an equally creepy looking smile. I felt the goosebumps creep out on my body as visible as the ones on Kenneth's body. Everyone on the bridge kept smiling, talking to themselves through gritted teeth. I looked at Kenneth to see that he himself was already smiling and I couldn't help but to also put a creepy smile across my face. I didn't want to, but I did involuntarily like someone had tugged my lips upward, and made me smile.
The yarn-bubblegum bridge apart from the fact that it was floating in mid air, with no pillars holding it was and the fact that it seemed elastic, it was like every other road I had walked on both here and at home. It hard big and small portholes that somehow held muddy water. It had those railings that you could hold as you walked and strangely it also had those small ridges that mad cars slow down on the road. I mean why did you need them on the road where of course no cars ever passed. Being surrounded by strange things could completely drain you I mean even my best friend is not my best friend. I missed home so much,  I missed my world it hurt. The only souvenir I had from my world, was the boy standing beside me who had absolutely no sense of value. Even the clothes I had on were not mine.  I couldn't help but let a little bit of doubt slip into my head, maybe we wouldn't make it home. Maybe what we were doing at that point was a wild goose chase. I quickly swept those thoughts away, there was absolutely no need to get negative. Oh what I would have given to be at home on my very soft bed lazying around as I typed furiously on my phone which unfortunately didn't transport itself with me.
"What are you three doing together?" I heard a familiar voice say. Mayowa. In the real world, or at least my world, Mayowa and I never did get along. She didn't even get along with Amanda or Ranti. It was a three versus three thing in my world. Me,  Chimamanda and Ranti  versus Mayowa, Ifem and Sandra. They hated us as much as we hated. At first it was subtle but there. They tried hiding it, tried making it seem like they were on our side and then they decided to put a rift between  us. We turned on them and they just never tried to hide that they despised us ever since. But as she looked at us,  I didn't even know whose side she was on that is if she was on any side at all.
Mayowa was as tall as Amanda, their similarities and features were so striking, that one would think they were related. Same round face, tiny eyes small nose only difference was that she was more feminine in shape.
"I asked a question." She stated in her bitter bitchy voice.  I looked at the tall masculine girl in front of me who had a scowl, being in a different universe didn't change her stupid attitude. Then I looked at the tall masculine girl by my side she didn't seem pleased to see Mayowa but her nervous smile  masked it.
"Chimamanda what are you doing with her." She pointed her index finger at me already losing her patience as she eyed me with disgust.
"Since when do you hang with them? Losers? You are meant to be with me and Sandra remember? Besties". Referring to me as a loser or any other thing even looking at me in disgust didn't move me but calling Amanda her best friend shook the table. Even Kenneth couldn't help but to laugh and cover it up with a cough. I didn't know why it bothered me seeing that this wasn't my Chimamanda, but it did.
"Uhm ... uhm" Chimamanda began to stutter, sweating profusely as she found it impossible to form any words whatsoever. This was a side of her I had never seen, both here and at home. She was always confident, never cowered, never scared but here she was shitting her pants.
Mayowa had her thinking face on as she stared at us, "unless." She said still thinking, as if contemplating to make sure she was right and made no mistake. "Anti-universes." She said under her breath before finally spitting it out for the whole world to hear. "Anti-universes, you guys are anti-universes." Passersby where now gathering to where we were,  smiling faces closing in on us. Menacingly smiling at us, listening in on our conversations, giving us a chance to explain ourselves before they attacked us. Even at the face of what was meant to be a threat, I still kept my smile on face.
  "What did you do with the real Chimamanda?" Mayowa questioned like a detective. "What did you do with the real people." In my mind,  I was the real person, Kenneth was the real person and they, they were just from a universe that was not meant to exist but did. They were the fake people. My smile had dropped finally as though the  forcing my lip upward had washed away. But there was still a smile on Amanda's face. She was like them, but it seemed like they were too blind to see it.
     
      I didn't know what happened,  or how it did happened but I found us running,  running away from danger in order to save our lives. Running on this bridge though was hard and straining. I felt my energy being drained as the bridge stuck to our feet and dragged us in. Just as we were running, those ridges that I thought were useless finally came to use but unfortunately not to our service but that of the universe. It was safe to say the universe was against us. As we got closer to every ridge, they became higher and harder for us to come over draining us even more. It was as though the bridge had a mind of it's own and it realised that we were not meant to be here, and it was trying to slow us down, trying to stop us. I looked behind us to see that they were not running after us, instead they were walking toward us those creepy smiles perched on their faces and they were catching up to us. They knew, they knew somehow that their bubblegum yarny bridge would fight for them.
"Maybe we are not meant to run on this bridge." Kenneth stated between heavy breaths. He also noticed the people behind us but his theory was absolutely stupid I thought.
"No!!" I exclaimed,  I was still looking back at the mob who were walking toward us, their smiles getting even more creepy and menacing.
"Don't stop running it will suck you in if you do." I said to him.
    The bridge seemed even longer at this point, like it wasn't going to come to an end. I tripped. The adrenaline that was pumping through my veins was now times two as it felt like I was being swallowed by the yarns. It was like I was in a nightmare,  I couldn't move but at least I could talk.
"Help!!" I screamed. "Kenneth." The only name I allowed to come out of my mouth. The only name my brain would let me call.
"Tonia." He shouted back coming toward me and soon he was by side, trying to pull me up with all the energy he had in him all the strength he could muster. They were gaining in on us.
"Kenneth go." I said but he shook his head repeatedly saying no.
"Kenneth you need to leave, run before they catch you."
"Tonia shut up,  this is not a fucking Tv show I am not leaving you." He snapped at me but I couldn't care any less. He couldn't pull me up, I was stuck to the bridge. I started to cry.
"Please don't cry." He said to me, his voice sounding so weary.
"I'm going to die am I not?” I asked him already feeling extremely distraught.
"No you won't, you won't die." He assured me and with just one last pull, I was up on my feet. As I staggered he held me with his hand.
"Easy there, we don't want you falling again."
"Thanks." I said and his reply to that was a "run". And once again we both began to sprint, Amanda was nowhere in sight.

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Hiya how did you like this chapter? Another chapter done😊 I feel proud.
Let me know what you thought about this chapter. And if you come across any errors at all, do let me know😘