Thick Skin and A Jeweled Heart [9]

       "I have no idea how to explain it to you."

       "Nice." I deadpanned, giving them all an unimpressed glare. "So, like, what now? You're gonna let me go my own merry way? Lovely. Dandy," I stood up from the cold floor, swaying. Hugo reached out for me but I slapped his hand away. "I'll be going now! See you at school--"

       "Wait!"

       Everyone turned their heads towards Jade. She had stood up as well, her face lighting up as an idea struck her. "We'll show you."

       Hugo looked taken aback. "Show him? We can't show him. I came all this way just to go back?" He stood up too.

       "He's from Germany." Matt whispered to me, still sitting down.

       "We don't even have a plan yet!" exclaimed Hugo in disbelief.

       "Don't worry," Meri stood up, too, standing beside Jade. "I have a plan."

       "What?"

       "I'll tell you on the way."

       "We're very confused." the twins said in unison from the floor. They took turns from looking to Hugo, me and to Meri and Jade, bemused.

       "Yeah, me too. Slow down a little bit. Where are we going?" I took a step towards Meri and Jade, staggering on my feet. Hugo ran to my aide and held me up as I took a moment to regain my breath. "I'm okay," I muttered. "I'm fine."

       "We can't show him," repeated Hugo firmly. "He needs rest!"

       "He wanted answers. It's now or never, kid. Do you want to know or what?" said Meri, looking down at me impatiently. I gritted my teeth, pissed at the look she's giving me. The nerve! They were the ones who dragged me into this in the first place, she has no right to look as if I'm wasting her time.

       "What if I say no?" I asked, standing up straighter and pushing Hugo away. He looked kind of hurt, backing away from me.

       "We'll send you back home." replied Meri coolly.

       I thought back to my dad. Thought back to the bottle strewn floor of my house, of muscular hands, the stench of alcohol invading my senses, of the terrible ache that comes after, and made my mind.

       "Yes," I said with finality. "Show me."

___

       We were headed somewhere, but I don't know where. They wouldn't tell me. We were outside, walking in the heat of the evening sun.

       ("We went to school while you were out," Jade had said, walking with me side-by-side. "There was a rumor that your dad came by to find you but got kicked out. I wish we found out sooner. If it was true then we could've sent you home instead."

       I had become uncomfortable by then and waved her statement away. "No need," I had muttered. "I disappear all the time." Jade had been giving me concerned glances ever since but I refused to meet her gaze.)

       Meri and Hugo were talking to each other with hushed voices, heads bent together and walking slowly behind us. Matt and Ally lead the way to out 'secret destination' and Jade and me were stuck in the middle, occasionally bumping shoulders.

       Hugo made a startled noise behind us and I looked back curiously. He had been gesturing at me wildly to Meri, face disbelieving when he caught my eye. He stopped moving his hands and smiled sheepishly, waving. I smiled back and looked forwards again, no wanting to eavesdrop. I kind of feel bad. It seemed like Hugo wasn't ready to go 'back' to who-knows-where yet. Maybe him and Meri are debating about how much of a burden I am. I frowned at the ground, kicking a nearby pebble. Why take me in the first place, then? Should've just left me at the graveyard in my own sick, I thought bitterly. The pebble skidded sideways and into a bush. I sighed.

       "Hey," Hugo had caught up with us, leaving Meri behind. Jade waved at him and he gave an obligatory wave back. "Can I borrow him for a moment?" he asked Jade, taking hold of my arm. "Go ahead." Jade said and walked away from us, towards the twins.

       Hugo replaced Jade's place by my side, walking with  me. I tried not to acknowledge the uncomfortable silence, keeping my eyes on my feet, counting my steps.

       1...2...1...2...1--

       "So," Hugo drawled, hands tucked behind his back. "Do you have a family?"

       What.

       I looked at him from the corner of my eye and saw him flash me that warm smile of his. It's annoying, "Yes." I said simply.

       "Oh."

       Silence stretched between us again.

       "Will they miss you by any chance?" he asked.

       What?

       "No," I replied irritably. "No one that would miss me."

       Hugo didn't seem to look bothered by my answer like I was sure Jade would have been, just nodded his head slowly.

       "Why?" I asked, looking at him properly. He shrugged, slowing his footsteps and falling behind again. "Just asking." he said.

       I frowned at him, then at the ground, then back at him, and wondered why he looked so nervous.

       I couldn't dwell on the possible reasons as Ally had shouted, "Here we are!" pointing ahead.

       We stopped at a small clearing,a thin layer of trees and boulders surrounding us. Ally had been pointing towards a small opening at the foot of a hill in front of us. The opening was well covered with leaves and stray grass, I wouldn't have noticed it if Ally hadn't been pointing directly at it.

       One by one, Ally, Matt, and Jade crawled in through the small opening. I stood back nervously as Meri crawled in next, confidently, leaving me alone with Hugo.

      "Where are you taking me?" I asked him, hating myself for letting my voice tremble the slightest bit. Hugo smiled reassuringly and pointed  towards the opening. I mustered up all my courage and crawled in, Hugo following close behind me.

       Stupid, I thought. They could be leading me to my death, and I'm just letting them! I grumbled complaints under my breath as I shuffled through, getting my pants dirty. Whatever. If death wants to greet me then I'll just say 'hello' and get on with it. No one will miss me anyways.

___

       They're definitely going to kill me.

       After a little bit of cave exploring (yippee), we had found a gigantic bottomless pit.

       A gigantic bottomless pit.

       They all stood at the lip of the pit, looking down into the abyss. Whatever they want to show me is either this pit or in this pit.

       They're definitely going to kill me.

       "Where are you taking me?" I asked for the fifth time ("Home." Ally had said on the fourth time, which just made me more than a bit worried."). "What are you guys doing at the pit?"

       "Come closer." Meri beckoned me towards the pit and I gulped. "No." I croaked, shaking my head a little desperately. Screw saying 'hello' to death and 'getting on with it'. Screw that.

       "Now," Hugo took my arm and I flinched, but immediately relaxed as a soothing feeling washed over me. I felt my muscles go lack and I audibly sighed. Hugo smiled and patted my arm comfortingly as he lead me closer to the pit. I followed willingly. "Probably a bit too late to tell you this now, but you're probably not going back for a while."

       "What?" I snapped out of it, staring at Hugo, absolutely bewildered.

       "Yup." said Meri.

       "Sorry." said Hugo.

       He pulled me into the pit and I screamed.

___

       

       They were falling fast, air whipping at their clothes and hair. The familiar feeling of falling so fast enveloped Jade. She closed her eyes, letting herself soar, letting her skin harden.

       She could hear Liam screaming through the loud rushing of the wind, and reached out.

       The familiar feeling of falling enveloped her. White, silky feathers enveloped her.

___

       We were falling fast, the air stinging my eyes closed. I held onto Hugo's arm for dear life, screaming my throat sore. I had my eye shut tight against the wind and couldn't tell which way was up anymore.

       No, really.

       I could feel gravity shifting. In the rush and confusion of it all, I accidentally let go of Hugo's arm, flailing my limbs wildly. My mind was all over the place in terror, but I managed to put words together to scream, "Help! HEEEEELP! OH!" Something soft and silky wrapped around me, pulling me close to a familiar warmth of a human body. I covered my eyes with one hand and clutched the body with the other, desperate for purchase.

       Then gravity flipped altogether, making me dizzy; down was up and up was down. It shocked me into opening my eyes, and all I saw was white.

       Oh my God. I'm dead.

       This was the second time I came to that conclusion since I woke up. Knowing that was a bit worrying.

       Then, abruptly, I stopped falling.

       The white silkiness surrounding me shifted, then slowly unraveled to softly place me on solid ground. I blinked in the semi darkness owlishly, resting my forehead on the ground. Solid ground.

       Oh my God. I'm alive.

       "W-Woah." I said shakily, not moving. A pale hand reached down towards me and I grasped it gratefully. I had barely registered how smooth and hard the hand was before it pulled me up bodily.

       I came face to face with an unblinking opalesque statue. It's eyes were emotionless, face literally set in stone. A pair of large, magnificent white wings rested on it's back like a great silky blanket. I flinched and let go of the statue's hand, blood rushing to my head.

       I groaned, clutching my head in my hands. "Where...Where am I...?" I slurred, eyes rolling to the back of my head.

       The opalesque statue held out it's hand towards me, and I passed out for the second time since running away from home.

___

       Opal picked Liam up, who had been slumped on the ground, unconscious. She held him close to her chest and leaned down to rub her blank face on his hair wordlessly.

       "That's a bit weird, Opal..." Ally said, raising a questioning eyebrow at her.

       Opal raised her head from Liam's hair to stare at Ally blankly. Her face was a perfect copy of Jade's, only more perfect, somehow. Cold and unblinking. Without a word, she wrapped a wing around Liam protectively and stood straight, walking away from the pit that they came from.

       Matt, Ally, Hugo and Meri followed her silently.

       "She seems awfully fond of Liam." Hugo said to no one in particular, peering at Opal inquisitively.

       "You see why my plan would surely work, now?" Asked Meri, her head held up high. Hugo rolled his eyes but nodded in agreement. "Genius, but we're doing this without his consent." he pointed out disapprovingly.

       "What are you guys talking about?" piped up Ally, looking between the two curiosly.

       "You'll see. Walk faster, now. We're losing her." Meri waved Ally's question away with a dismissive hand and walked ahead.

       The twins looked to Hugo expectantly, but he only shrugged and looked away.

       "We'll need to travel for a little bit for ingredients. For the plan to work." was all the explanation he offered.