INFERNO: The Fiery Inception

CHAPTER 9

"When are you going to tell me what happened?" I asked.

"Soon Charlie, but we need to go to a place first" dad replied.

"I thought we only needed to reach home and now some other place, why can't you just tell me now?" I asked.

"You'll know" he said and turned his back on me, to take a phone call.

We were now in a car while dad drive us to god know where. And by 'we' I mean I, August, Alex, mom, dad, and Uncle Dylan.

Alex apologized for not coming to pay a visit and cried. She told me that for a moment she thought she had lost me, that I had died and the PTSD of the incident didn't let her go out of her house for a while. She said she had nightmares about the voice, well them it was good she never saw his face. It was a little funny because I thought she had died and was beating myself to it. I wanted to keep them away from harm and instead pulled her into it. I asked mom, dad and August but none of them told me where we were going, it seemed as if Alex and uncle Dylan knew where we were going but they too didn't bother to tell me when I asked, just giving me apologetic smiles. It was a long ride... well at least it felt long. Soon the building started to dissapear and it was just trees all around us. After what felt like an eternity dad stopped the car near a river. Everyone got out of the car,  and Alex helped me get out.

'Well...they don't look like they're here to swim' I thought looking at how we were all dressed. But they walked towards the river. And Alex slowed down to match my pace as I walked with crutches.

"Um...if you forgot let me remind you that I can't swim like this" I said pointing at my bandages. Mom looked at me and then turned back to the river without giving a second thought 'rude!' I thought as she took out a bottle. It was so small that I could have missed it. But the content was silver liquid. Was that mercury? She poured the liquid to the river. I looked at her totally confused and Alex chuckled at my confusion.

"Explanation please" I asked her.

"Just watch" she said.

"Thanks that helps" I said. 'Insert sarcasm' she ignored me so I had no choice but watch what my mom was doing. She was mumbling something. Is she okay? Part of the water turned silver.

"Whoa...what's happening?"I asked. And guess what, they ignored me again. Seriously! They act like I'm some 5 year old trying to butt into adult conversation (which I definitely didn't do when I was 5).

"August go get Charlie" mom said.

"What?" I asked when August picked me up and walked towards the river.

"See August, if you forgot let me remind you that I have bandages and stuff on me" what is doing? Is he mad or what? Before I could jump off him, he jumped into the river taking me with him.

God...

I shut my eyes tight, I couldn't feel the water. 'Oh my god, don't tell me I've gone completely numb or passed out or I am dead for heaven's sake' I thought.

"You can open your eyes" someone told. I slowly opened my eyes ready to see heaven. But what I saw was August smiling at me.

"You did not jump into the river?" I asked.

"I did" he said still smiling and from the look on his face he was waiting for my reaction.

"No you did not-" I turned to look at our car but-

"Whoa" I exclaimed.

"Beautiful isn't it?" I nodded. It really was breath taking, I was awestruck by its beauty...

"Wha- place- it?" I asked unable to form proper sentence.

Someone chuckled from behind to see mom, dad, Uncle Dylan and Alex smiling trying to hold back their laugh.

"Don't worry I reacted the same way when I came here the first time" Alex said. I stared at her dumbfound

"Actually we all did" August added putting me down. It took me a few moments to talk.

"You came here before?" I asked directing to Alex. Alex looked down and faced me again

"Yes, and trust me I wanted tell you but your mom wouldn't let me" I turned to mom and gave the look 'why?' she shrugged.

"I thought it would be safer if you were older" she reasoned. I said nothing and looked at the place. There were buildings like temples? I'm not sure. The place was ancient yet modern so normal yet not. There were floating bowls? Again, I'm not sure. I saw two girls making potion? Or was it Food?

"How did we get here?"I asked.

She showed me the bottled she had emptied into the river but to my surprise it was full.

"I thought you emptied it in the river" I asked. It was irritating I had a million and one questions and want to ask those right now but I was sure they wouldn't answer me yet. So I had to keep it in. But keeping your questions inside was a torture itself

"I did, but it refills itself" mom answered to my surprise as she only ignored my questions all day.

"What is it? How does it refill itself? What is this place? Are those girls making potions?" I continued hoping to get answers

"It's called 'silver route' everyone has a name for it in their own language, and it's made like this to refill itself once it's poured into a container. This place... well we'll talk about inside the gathering" she said. Gathering? The place where people gather? And it's called gathering? Talk about literal naming.

"The girls... are they making potion?" I asked Uncle Dylan, not being able to stop myself.

"No Charlie, they're making food" Uncle Dylan said holding back a laugh. Okay maybe an itsy-bitsy, incy-wincy part of me thought I was a witch; I can't deny that I am a bit disappointed that I wasn't a witch. I followed mom into a building more like a museum and temple combined. Its beauty can't be expressed in few words. There were paintings all around...each one said a million stories. Looking at it felt like listening to the stories those paintings are eager to tell. Those told stories of war, pain and sacrifices. People dying happily thinking that they would make a difference. People happily dying because they tried, because they faced what life had thrown at them. They were happy because they dying a hero.

"Charlie, come on" dad called. I hadn't realized I had stopped walking and was staring at the paintings. He walked back towards me and said

"You can look the paintings later, I'll even tell you the stories behind it but right now we have to go" I walked with him. The place was like a maze, just when we reach a door and I was sure we are standing in front of the 'gathering'. When Alex opened the door we reached a hallway, doors on either side. The doors were close to each other so I assumed that the rooms will be small. I went on and opened the door near me. I gasped....it was a gym, I huge gym, size of the first floor of my mansion. There were many people there too. There were teenagers, people of every age group. I couldn't avoid the fact that something was off with them. The way they moved? Looked at me? I don't know what but I certainly know that they're not like me and that scared me a little, it put me on guard.

"We can come here later" August said.

"How is this room so big? I mean there was only a little space between the doors" I asked.

"The rooms are enchanted" he said. The bulb inside me lighted, okay so there is a chance I'm a witch. I couldn't help but smile this place was just amazing. But there was dread too, anything good is not achieved easily. I knew It had a price.

"Come on, let's go" he said. I followed him quickly or as quick as I could, even though the injuries have healed it didn't heal enough to let me walk with zero discomfort. Finally we reached big oak doors, mom and dad stood in front of it and it opened itself (yep, more hope of me being a witch)

"Come inside" mom said. I followed her inside to reach the most beautiful room I've ever seen, it looked perfect. It even smelled perfection.

"Welcome to the gathering" Alex announced, a smile in her face and eyes glitering with happiness.