Gateway to Pandemonium [Open Novella Contest III] || Completed

IV

I broke out in a coughing fit, coughing up the thick black liquid of the river. I tried sitting up unto my knees as I heaved up more water. My limps gave out underneath me and I sank to the ground again. Something patted me on the back. I flinched and tried to crawl away, but my body refused to work with me. It was probably another creature trying to kill me.

"Hey, it's OK." A low, hoarse voice said. I still sputtered and coughed, luckily no more water came up although I did have the feeling of throwing up now. The water was definitely not water at all. It was more like drinking watery paint. I pushed my hair out of my face as much as I could and cautiously looked up.

A boy was crouched down about five feet away from me. He was dripping wet, his dark clothes sticking to his body and his hair was ruffled at some places and stuck to his face at others from the water. His skin was extremely pale, a blueish, icy white colour and in complete contrast with his dark hair. He was looking back at me, patiently studying me, not making a move to come closer. He looked about my age, not much older than eighteen. The most striking thing about him was that he was completely human, or looked it.

I slowly stopped coughing, but my breathing was still ragged and my throat burned. My stomach still wanted to empty itself further. My eyes flickered to the water where I was drowning not long ago. I couldn't remember being freed from the river-thing or being dragged from the water. But every part of me was glad for it.

I wanted to say something, speak the questions on my mind. Who was he? How did he free me from that thing? But most of all, if this was hell, what was he doing down here? However my mouth seems glued shut.

His eyes still observed me, his head ever so slightly tilted to the side.

"Are you OK?" He eventually asked me, resting his arms on top of his crouched legs. He looked like he could stay in that position forever and it still be the most comfortable thing ever.

I wanted to shout no, ask what kind of thing that was, ask him to get me out of here. I wanted to run back all the way through the forest and jump back through my mirror so I could curl up in my bed, tightly buried in my covers. But I curtly nodded, finally sitting up. I straightened my hair and looked down at my clothes. My shirt was torn and ripped in some places, but no so bad that crucial parts where showing. I lost a shoe with sock and all, but my pants were still fine. Only soaked. But I figured everything would dry quickly enough in this heat.

I jerked up my head as the boy stood up from his crouched position and stepped towards me. His steps were not too fast as to look threatening, but also not too slow to look as if I was a threat to him. He just idly came over and crouched back down right in front of me. His eyes never leaving my face, looking for any sort of reaction. My muscled tightened, but I didn't move away as he lifted his hand and traced a line over my cheek. I flinched away as something started burning. A drop of red glistered on his thumb.

"It would need stitches." He stated with his gruff voice as he examined the wound. The tone in his voice said the real thing he meant: there was no place near here to get it stitched.

"I'll be fine." I said, my own voice another kind of gruff. Not a characteristic sound, but a scratchy sound you get when you lose your voice. I scooted back from him again and then pushed myself up. I wobbled, dizzy from the loss of consciousness and lack of air I've had, but kept my balance. He stood up as well, still studying me. It started to unsettle me.

"Thank you, for getting me out of... there." I declared at last, motioning to the river.

"Did you drink any of the water?" His response was. I narrowed my eyes.