Verdant

A piece of me (Ryans POV)

Welcome to book two! We're going to be continuing with Ryan's Point of View for now.

Ryan's POV (continued):

It's... dark. Cold... filled with overwhelming silence. It was this kind of suffocating darkness for an unexplained amount of time until my vision returned, but I wasn't out in the field anymore. It was warmer now, a comforting warmth.

I sat up, this time with ease. Why wasn't I sore still? I couldn't feel any of my injuries... maybe I had time to heal? I would've known if I was moved... I think, and I'm certain not that much time could've passed. Last thing I remember was pain, I passed out in that field. I felt... alone.

I held my hand over my chest. There's no wound here. The sword had passed into my chest like it wasn't a real object, it was just a form of his energy. Yet hurt just as much as getting stabbed. Maybe worse.

If it knocked me out, there's no way to tell for sure if I'm in some kind of trance or dream right now. I need to be cautious. Guard your mind Ryan... stay calm. I looked around but saw nothing out of the ordinary. I was in the tree house, but it seemed larger. Everything had a more glowing tone to it as everything was neat and in order. Opposed to how it was last time. How it had been for five years. It seemed... lived in. Small details had changed, like a cabin. Yet it held the same objects as the treehouse. I couldn't see outside, it was just bright. So... this was a dream then? Or maybe a memory? I don't recognize the structure just the objects.

"Why are you sitting on the floor stupid." I heard a familiar voice from behind me.

I set my hands behind me onto the wooden floor for support and tilted my head back behind me. I looked up at the person standing over me who appeared upside down.

"H-how are you..." I was in awe seeing Skyler standing above me.

I shuffled clumsily to get up and tried to face her. I reached out and gently grabbed a strand of her hair in my hand and brushed through it with my fingers. A little awestruck by the marvel. It wasn't white anymore. It felt real. This has to be a dream though... but... was it wrong if me to hope it was just that everything had gone back to normal somehow? Without me? I was so tired of it all.

"You won..." I muttered with a small smile on my face.

That's unlikely though. I could've been out for a while and somehow everything fixed itself? Yeah that's a nice thought...

"Are you okay Ryan? You look like you lost me for another five years." Skyler asked puzzlingly with a small laugh. Gently grabbing my hand, holding it against her soft cheek.

"Y-yeah I'm okay..." I responded without much thought, only half in the conversation.

How could a dream feel this real though? James never had the ability to... well not one he'd used on me. I've heard of him putting people in dream like trances so he could guide them, but never something this lucid. Then again he's literally accidentally taken over my body before so I wouldn't put it past him. Even after all these years his abilities still puzzle me. Maybe I was dead? Actually that would be a relief. I'm only in my early twenties, but life is just tiring now.

"Then would you mind letting go of my hair?" She asked nicely with a light laugh and smile.

I hadn't realized I was tugging it a bit with my other hand. "Uh yeah s-sorry!" I apologized immediately releasing her hair.

"You don't seem like yourself today. You're so nervous all of the sudden." She spoke curiously grabbing my hands and holding them within her own with a smile.

Like myself today? What was going on? I was just surrounded by enemies and a childish Reverse Skyler, and now this? I must be dead, and this is a perfect reality or something. Ugh... she's so precious too.