【ＨＩＲＡＥＴＨ】- 𝒥. 𝒦𝒶𝒽𝓃𝓌𝒶𝓁𝒹

Ｔｈｅ ｔｒａｖｅｌ

Our footsteps are steady as we arrive at the caves. I share a look with Jonas, who gives an uncertain one back before we slowly reach for the police tape and crouch, getting under it as we walk forwards and back into the caves.

At first, Jonas reaches for his light but quickly turns on the small black box each of us got, but only he brought. I look at the light in my hand, spacing out for a second before I flinch at the startling crackling that fills the air. "Jesus" I whisper, starting to follow a briefly smirking Jonas as he walks further in, only this time we don't hit a dead end, only following the crackling sound.

"Don't walk so fast" I whine, stepping down a steep rock as Jonas reaches out his hand to me, helping me down. To my surprise, he doesn't let go, and we walk silently together, crouching down when we get further in.

Suddenly Jonas stop, eyebrows furrowing. I look out from behind him, my eyebrows furrowing as well when I realize the small door taking up space. "Sic Mundus creatus est?" Jonas read out loud, looking at the wording on the old door. He opens it, and I feel a cold breeze pass through at once, making me shiver as we start to crawl through. "Is this safe?" I ask, looking at the enclosed cave walls as Jonas lets go of my hand briefly to support himself better, crawling forward. The door shuts behind us, and I ignore my heartbeat getting much faster once I realize the small enclosed space we are currently in.

"Jonas" I whisper anxiously, the boy sending me a reassuring look as he opens the similar-looking door. I follow him, stepping out in an identical cave that we just left. With a staggering footfall, Jonas drags me with him out of the humid air, and soon enough - the only thing that hits us is the smell of the familiar forest and fresh, cold air enveloping us. We look into the night, and I can't help but push myself closer to the boy beside me.

"What is this Jonas?" I whisper although I do know that he doesn't know the answer. Jonas purse his lips for a few seconds, looking lost as he glances down at me, scanning my face for a few seconds before he swallows. "Come on" he mutter, his gentle hold around my wrist getting a little harder as he tugs me after him.

As we walk through the silent forest, I pretend I don't notice Jonas linking his hand with mine after a while, his fingers pushing past mine to hold my hand - I don't need to acknowledge it. I do cast a small look at him though, seeing his calculating gaze looking at his map. As the rain starts falling from the sky I mutter a curse and wrap my arms around myself, as if that would help. I only have on Jonas's sweater and an over sized jacket that is also Jonas's, and a waterproof hiking backpack. My clothes are not meant for this type of weather. The boy beside me frowns as he looks at me, noticing my attire as well, starting to walk a little faster.

When we get to the bus stop, I share a confused look with Jonas as we spot the missing poster on the walls, Mads Nielsen. That was Ulrich's brother, wasn't it? I suddenly feel unsure, and I look around me, seeing small differences that weren't there before we went into the caves. Jonas looks like he's on edge as well, looking at the missing poster deep in thought.

"What is going on?" Jonas mutter and I don't reply, only shivering in the cold as I brush some of my wet hair behind my ear. "This is weird" I comment, Jonas sighing as he looks over to me. His eyes filled with some sort of pain (as always), and he wordlessly zips open his jacket. "Come on" he mutter, watching as I hesitantly wrap my arms around his midriff under his jacket, resting my head on his chest as he wraps his jacket around my frame, our closeness making my body heat up slowly as I hide my flustered expression away from the boy holding me close to him in peace.

He smells like rain and a delicate aroma of cologne that lingered on his clothes. I'm familiar with it, considering I've been wearing his for the last two days. Jonas rests his chin on top of my head, his head leaned over to shield me from the rain. I almost want to cry as I brush my thumb against his lower back gently, not knowing how I'm supposed to go about pretending my feelings for him doesn't exist when he holds me like that - the careful, protective hold, that serene calmness that slows my breath and anxious heart rate.

Jonas breathes out slowly, his eyes slipped shut as he sniffles quietly. 'He's crying' I think to myself at once, but before I can look up at him in concern, headlights light up the otherwise dark street, a vintage car turning the corner, slowly coming to a stop in front of us.

Jonas tense, his hands clutching my frame a little harder as he slowly twists us around to look at the window is rolled down. I peak out from his jacket, my eyes watching as a small girl with some sort of familiarity I can't pinpoint look at us, a hint of envy crossing her eyes briefly before it disappears. "Can we give you a lift? A bit late to be walking around alone" A man asks, his voice loud so it can overpower the extreme rain. The girl watches us silently as I look up at Jonas, who in turn glance down at me, both of us confused and unsure. We've never seen these people before, ever, and since Winden is a small town - we usually see t least a glance of everyone who lives here. And who uses that kind of car?

"You shouldn't stay out in the rain for so long" The girl pipe up, looking at us. I get eye contact with her for a few seconds before I glance away, finding something about her extremely uncomfortable. "Why not?" Jonas question, his arms still tightly around me, as I lean against him inside his jacket.

"Because It's acid" the girl state, making me look at her in confusion. Jonas doesn't say anything either, so she furrows her eyebrows and leans more out of the car. "Chernobyl? People say its not in the rain anymore but I don't believe them." Jonas tense more, and I clutch the back of his shirt, inhaling sharply.

Have we traveled in time?

the thought is persistent, lingering in my mind as the man opens the door. "Hannah move over, Come on, hop in - I'll drive you home" I look up at Jonas, hoping he has some sort of idea of what to do, but instead of giving any response, he is looking at the girl in bewilderment. "Hannah?" He states suddenly, the girl perking up at the name as my eyes widen and I finally realize why she seemed so familiar. I look at her in horror, Jonas taking a step back before he finally speaks, turning me around as he starts to walk. "Thank, but we're okay" he starts to walk, and I glance over my shoulder as Hannah stare at me, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion until her father nudges her and she closes the door as they drive off.

"You don't think..." I trail off, the silent agreement from Jonas hanging in the air as we continue walking. His hold on my arm is tight, and as we walk into the forest again, I shuffle closer to him and soon enough we reach the hunting tree house right by a meadow, not too far away from the nuclear power plant. I climb up first, shivering as I back up into a corner, Jonas following soon after, his face pale and void as it has been the last few days. He walks over to me, sitting down beside me and leaning forward, the rain falling loudly outside. I lean my head back, staring up at the surprising water proof roof.

When I look back at Jonas, he is shivering as well, small breaths leaving him. I can feel the anxiety rippling off his frame, so I hesitantly straighten him up and zip opens his yellow raincoat, helping it off his frame before I hang it up on the opposite wall so it can dry. Jonas rests against the wall as I do so, and I reach into my backpack and pull out a blanket, sitting down again as Jonas leans his head on my shoulder, turning so his nose is brushing my neck.

I pull the blanket over us, and he breathes slowly, the air fanning my collarbone, sending goosebumps on my skin. I slowly lay down, using my backpack as a pillow, Jonas cuddling up to me, his head resting on my chest, his arm slowly pulling me closer by my waist. I breathe out, thinking he is too tired to realize what he is doing, how intimate he's being.

Funny how he was hoping that same thing.