Several Short Storiesss

Walking Backwards 3

Disclaimer from the author (/;-;)/: the unsavory synonyms for posterior and feces are said multiple times in this chapter. Please feel free to replace the words with posterior and feces respectively when reading out loud or even in your head. I won't mind. <3 Tara

No. No. No. No. No.

I don't care what Green says, what Green does, what Green can do. I fall hastily out of my chair and crash into the green grass.

"Oh, are you alright?" Green asks. She dives under the table, stretching out her hand. I don't want to take it.

There it was again. The question they asked when I first got here.

Are you alright, are you alright, are you alright, are you alright? Are you alright? Are you alright?

Green clutches her head, pain-stricken on her features. 

"Koroka?" Goat-eyes joins us under the table. She stares at me, and for a moment, her eyes flicker back. Goat. Eyes. "What are you doing to her!?"

Are you, are you, are you alright? "I'm not doing anything!" I scream, clutching the grass, tuffs staining my hands. Goat-eyes reaches out, and Snake starts to join us too.

Are you alright, are you alright, are you alright, are you–

"NO!" It feels like the gross, dirt brown sky shatters. Green screams, her nose bleeds just a little bit. Goat-eyes is reacting too, stiffening up like her nerves are on fire. Her eyes are truly full-goat now, and she clutches her own ears.

Are you alright, are you al- are you, are you, are you–

I jump up, knocking the table to the side. "I'm not! I'm not, I'm not, I'm not!" Green is crying now, her nostrils dripping. No. No. No. No!

I run, on my feet, faster than I've ever run before.

I'm not alright, I'm not alright, I'm not alright, I'm not alright.

I bet Goat's the new scream now. What is wrong with her? What is wrong with them??

What's wrong with me?

Um, you've been kidnapped by animal girls, says the reasonable voice in my brain. I think you've earned the right to freak out a little.

I hear thudding footsteps behind me, and then a sharp cry. With that, the grassland comes alive. There are suddenly hills and ditches, trees and rocks. I leap over random streams before I'm caught at a ginormous river. It must be, like, twenty yards across. I turn around to see Snake sprinting after me murderously. Her arms and legs seem to be moving in perfect ninety-degree angles (not snake-like at all, she's killing her cosplay vibe). Is this really how I die? Kidnapped by druggies with colored contact lenses?

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" Snake shouts.

I've thought about it. I won't die by her hands. I jump into the river.

I'm not alright.

Bubbles float around me as I'm carried by the current. This water is thicker and way, way darker, almost like cough syrup, so I don't bob to the surface like I would...

Don't say it.

There is no way I'm not on Earth.

I'm about to shut my eyes before I see a shadow. She couldn't have followed me, right? But this shadow moves fluidly, swiftly with the current. I can't believe I didn't think about this. There could be killer fish, like piranhas! I hate piranhas!