Chapter 6, part 2

I'm not sure how long I wait. Manly because I suddenly can't remember why I'm waiting.  With every minute that goes by, my memory slips. The only thing that keeps me here, is the fear that's pumping through my vanes.

I try to focus. I was running.  and Jay....  what was his name?

my heart hammers inside my chest. He was on the ground. I'm alone. All alone.  a sinking feeling drops inside my stomach. I'm alone.

Images flash inside my head, trying to remember anything useful. But as soon as I find something, it’s lost.  My body on the other hand, feels everything. The rock’s edges are as sharp as knives. The ground underneath me is sinking slowly. It's cageing me in and without being able to see, full out panic sets in. I take a deep breath only to cough it out.
I'm going to die here, and no one cares.

Just as that thought enters my mind, a slit sensual breeze crosses my arm. It tickles and toys with my hair. It feels warm, even natural.

I reach my hand out and away from the rock. Sliding my fingers through the grass. Suddenly the grass sways around me. I snap up hitting my head on the rock. I don’t think about the pain.  I just listen. But, my ears only hear the wind in the distance, the rushing water near by, and the sweat dripping from my forehead. There’s nothing else. Whoever or whatever that moved the grass doesn’t make a sound. I hold my breath for a moment, just to make sure.

Something light as air touches my hand.  My body starts to shack deep within me. But, I keep my arm strached out. I can't seem to move it anyways. Besides, the shacking, every other muscle in my body feels sluggish.  Almost like I've forgoten how to move as well.

After a moment, I realize. It's just a leaf that touches my hand. But as soon as I breathe in deeply and calm my shacks. The leaf moves into delicate fingers and wraps around my hand.

“Shhhh. It’s okay.” A sweet high pitch voice comes from above me. I flinch. she’s so close to me, too close. How did she get that close without me hearing her?

The air picks up with excitement but it whispers, I can trust her. I'm okay.  I think. I'm going to live. I am safe from .... who?

“What?” My voice brakes.

“I’m Brooke.” She says. "You landed in my forest.”

My mind twists and turns. I wasn't in a forest. “No… I was…” What was I doing?

“Are you alright?  You landed pretty hard.” She says in a matter of fact way. “How come you didn’t use your feet?” 

I can’t think of a response for her. I’m not quite sure if I am all right, let alone if I can use my feet. I can’t even imagine how I got here, wherever here is. 

“You’re a world skipper aren’t you? Aren’t you supposed to use tilly after you skip?”

Every word Brooke says bounces in my head. I can’t make sense of any it. Skip?  Tilly?  I can’t grab onto the meaning for them. But I feel without a doubt, they're important words.

“I have tilly.  Did you run out?” She says.

I look up toward her voice, hoping that will slow her words down for a moment. She suddenly makes a sound in the grass for the first time. As she takes a small step backwards. 

“Oh my hiccups” She gasps . “Your eyes.”

I must look as horrible as I feel. because with a gust of wind, I know she’s gone. Her voice mutters in the distance. I can only make out one thing. 

“She needs this!” her voice is sharp as if she's fighting with someone. Maybe it's herself? I can only hope. I have no idea how I would deal with more people talking to me.

I slowly move my body away from the opening of the rock and wrench upright. I lean up against the rock, for support.  My heart picks up, hot flashes rush through my vanes and I’m dripping with sweat once more. I can’t help but wonder what Brooke saw in my eyes.  But she’s back before I can even stress too long.

“Here. Look up at me and keep your eyes open as much as you can.”

I lose focus. The colors around her swim inside my vision. I can’t tell if I looking up, down, left or right. I feel her cold leafish hand under my chin. My head moves easily with her and a rush of cold water drips over my eyes. I gasp and try to pull away, but Brooke holds her grip tight. The water burns like fire in a barrel. I scream as I close my eyes tight, trying pull away. But it doesn’t help, Brooke keeps pouring. 
“If you close your eyes I’ll have to get more water.”

I shake my head no. 
Brooke grabs my chin harder.

“I don't want to open your eyes for you. It will only hurt more.”

The water slows to a drip and with each drop it hurts ten times more than the fast pour.  My eyes flash open in pain. The water rushes over my eyes quickly.  The burning is still there but less painful. As soon as the water stops my head starts to shakes in agony. Brooke gently lets go.

  “Sorry” slips out of her lips, but I don’t give her the satisfaction of forgiving her.

I shriek back into the rock as fast as I can. Why? Why would she?  My eyes scream for relief.  But only flashes and flickers of yellow and red flames come. I want to rub them, but what if I make it worse? The fire is already blazing, could it end up burning the rest of me?

Chapter 6, part 1

When I was younger, I would lay in the grass watching the clouds shift and swirl into shapes. I'd feel the wind brush across my body. Feel it surge into a force deep inside of me and instantly know it was there for me.  To carry me away, to protect me, to fight for me, if only.
If only I could make myself small enough. If only I could hold onto it.

I never did figure out how to drift away with the wind. My body always felt glued to the earth, in a way that couldn't be broken. It was, unnatural and unforgiving.  But now, spinning and twisting with each movement of the wind. I no longer believe it's about making myself light or small or even holding on to it. It's a willingness of giving myself over to it. Of losing myself and giving up all of me.
All that I have been, all that I am, All that I'll become. I am the wind, screaming through the world as I make my path through it.

I no longer can tell which way is up or down.  Brilliant bright colors almost blinding in a way, twist with me. Somehow, I can't take my eyes off of them, no matter how bright they are. Blues, yellows and greens flash vibrantly and cruel. They tease with hope and possibilities that when I finely connect to the earth; every last inch of me wants to fall into tiny paces just for unnaturally gluing itself to the earth again. I don't  belong here, or tied down to this earth. My body knows it, I know it.

When the spring did stop, Or more like when the ground smacks me in the face, my legs are numb. The air inside of my lungs is suddenly suffocating me. I gasp for new air, but it feels like I've forgotten how to breathe. My heart is pounding too fast, and the rest of my body is screaming in agony.

A thick film covers my eyes, I can barely see through it. It feels like a distant memory, I can’t pull out of my head. My breathing slowly catches up to my heart. Or rather my heart slows. Either way, I can breathe again.- Slowly.

I scramble to my knees and move to the side.  The side of what, I'm not sure.  But by the way the grass moves freely throught my fingers, I  can only guess,  I'm in someone's yard. But which lawn?  This grass seems soft and manicured. Every lawn in the area, is still brown from the winter. It also feels like a cool spring day. There’s a soft sound of water rushing in the background -the same water that I heard when Jayden kissed me.

But where is it? My mind jumps to the areas of Kennewick that I know. I can’t be far.  Nothing comes to mind that could feel and sound like this. Wherever I landed, it's no where I've been.

I rub my eyes, hoping it would help me see again. But, it only makes it worse. I keep following the grass backwards, on my knees, until my back hits the side of a large rock. I feel around the rock, and find a small opening between the ground and the rock.  I squeeze myself into the opening until it hurts. – I don’t get very far. 

I’ll wait here. I think.  Panting, catching my breath and my heart.

Drops of sweat slide down the side of my face, as I wait. I wait for Zailor to find me, to kill me.  I wait for Jayden’s soft touch as his arms encircle me again and I wait for my eyes to work. – None of which come.