At The Edge Of This World

10 - It's Time For a Change

You know that moment after a difficult class when your brain feels like mashed potatoes? That's me right now.

I spend the last half hour sitting in the same position on the couch. Hands, on my temples, elbows resting on my knees, a huge headache spreading from the back of my head to the front, making my eyesight blurry. If you ask me not my best moment.

Chris left over an hour ago, but that didn't stop the thoughts spinning in my head. In two days time, he'll leave again and start his journey. The only question was if I would go with him. He gave me until tomorrow afternoon to decide whether I'd follow him or not.

Hey...

A voice echoed through the room and I jumped from where I was sitting to search around for the sudden sound.

You must be very tired.

The voice sounded familiar. And then it hit me. After everything that happened, I forgot about him. Very odd, to forget about your internal self and your mind-blowing telepathic conversations.

"Hi, Maze!"

You look startled.

"Yeah, well. I should be! I thought I was alone and didn't expect anyone to start talking to me!" I mean what did he expect?

After my heartbeat rested to its normal I decided to continue talking with him. I swear to God if someone was to walk in right now and see me talking to myself they would definitely put me in an asylum or a psychiatric hospital. Whichever accepts people with similar conditions.

Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe he is the only person -is he a person?- I can talk to without them thinking I'm crazy.

"Can I ask you something?"

Anything!

His tone was cheerful. Even happy. Like he's not in my head right now, reading every thought that comes and goes like a newspaper.

"What'd you do if you were me? I mean a real person that has to decide for themselves."

Do you mean about the quest? Honestly, I probably would follow him. See what awaits me. See the world for what it really is from up close.

He has a point. My mother -well, Millstone mother- always said 'you won't realise how much you haven't seen until you travel'. Maybe this is my chance to leave this town and see the world outside the pages of a book, or the screen of my computer. To find my purpose in the world. Even though that might be a world of magic and mysteries.

We are all stories in the end. Just make it a good one.

"Matt Smith, heartbreaking episode. But you are right. I have to write my story eventually, and I choose to begin here. With this quest. Helping a friend."

I like Chris. He seems honest. Oh! Remember that time- well, every day actually- when you wanted to learn how to fight? Maybe you should ask him to train you!

"Yeah, ok. I'll text him tomorrow. Now is time to sleep."

I went to my bedroom and threw myself on my bed. Oh, how I missed you.

∆ ∇ ∆ ∇ ∆ ∇

*knock knock*

"Violet! What-"

"Is Chris here?"

"What?"

Turned out I couldn't sleep. Odd considering I could go two days straight without waking up. Not even for food. But my nightmares decided otherwise. It's been a month now and I keep seeing these weird dreams. Sometimes it's just the one I saw two or three days ago with the little girl.

Other times I'm trapped in a dark cell, ropes around my hands and legs. I can't see much, but I can feel the cold, wet air coming from under the locked metal door, my only exit from this prison.

It was 8 a.m., Saturday morning and I was standing outside of Marcus's house. I decided to go out for some fresh air, but my legs dragged me here. When Marcus opened the door, I could easily understand he just woke up. To be honest, I woke him up. His messy bed hair flew on every direction and his eyes hadn't fully opened up yet. The exhaustion was visible from five metres away.

"I have to talk to Chris. Is he here?"

"Ehm... Yeah, in the guest's room. I'll go get him." Chris' parents were close with Marcus'  and so they suggested to stay in their house for as long as he needs since his family wasn't around and was underaged to live alone in a motel room.

Well, at least that's what they know, according to old, normal Chris.

I went inside, but stayed behind the door, waiting for the boys to return.

From across the room, I saw Chris coming down the stairs with his pyjamas. He didn't look like he just woke up. Although he did seem tired. Maybe a little stressed.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked me quietly so no one else would wake up.

"You guessed it."

"Same. So, why are you here?"

"Right... Em. I'm in." I answered. My voice was uneasy.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm in. I'll come with you." It took him a minute to comprehend what I told him, but then he forced a weak smile and nodded. "Under one condition. You teach me how to fight." that took him off guard. I guess he wasn't expecting something like that.

"Ehm... Okay, I guess. I mean you'll need it." He yawned and rubbed his eyes. "I would tell you to hang out, but I had a rough night and I need to sleep."

"Yeah, sure. See you soon."

⧋

Oh, it's hard to write.

I wasn't expecting that when I started, but I won't stop now.

As you might have guessed, I won't update every week from now on because of school... (Ik hooray...!)

BUT fellow readers, I won't forget this story and I will find some time to write the next chapters.

Fare thee well, as our favourite Rob Benedict more than once sang :)