Chapter 13 - The Nightmare...

As soon as I strolled outside, shivers scaled to my spine for a moment there. I don't understand why?

Even though it was presumed to be my first time discovering this place, my breath began staggering as I looked around. My knees started feeling weak, it felt like I could drop at any instant.

As I trod further I twisted my foot since the surface was uneven and I lost my balance, fortunately, Selene held out her hand to mine.

"Thank you."

All of a sudden I started to feel weak. It felt like my strength was being sucked out. What the hell is this place?

I feel like I have been to this place before.

I tried my hardest to calm down..... and moments later I was back to normal. Something is wrong with me or this place.

After settling down I lifted my face allowing the light and shadow to dance across my skin. The whistle of bees humming, branches creaking, feet of others shuffling through the debris. I noticed yellow leaves fallen on the soil while the trees looked all green as if spring had arrived for them all. I determined it has to be a forest.

Something slithered past my and Selene's leg hissing as it passed by.

"Kyaaa!" She looked terrified.

It was a small reptile or something like that, it went past us instantly and I couldn't even take a good look at it.

...

By the looks of others, I could tell that they also don't know where this is.

...

Soon everyone started to form groups. Liz and Selene stayed together with me.

Also, a person I tried not to meet caught sight of us and came in our direction.

"Liz, I have been searching for you for a while."

"Peter? where have you been?" of course it was Peter who I didn't want to associate with.

"I saw you earlier but due to the turmoil, I lost sight of you."

"Why didn't you also get lost?" I said with an irritating face.

"What's your problem? Huh!"

"It's you."

"Allen, don't start again." Liz screeched at me.

"... Fine."

...

It has been approximately two hours since we arrived outside and we still don't have a single clue what is going on and not a single message has been made yet by Mr X.

"I'm hungry."

"Peter, did you hit your head or you were just born with that little brain?"

"What!?"

"Liz..." I looked towards Liz.

During this type of situation if someone says he is hungry it makes others also hungry, more precisely we were made to realize that we are also hungry.

"Peter, don't say this kind of thing out loud."

"Liz, not you too..."

"Don't look at me like that."

Even though we all are in such a pinch everyone is trying their best to keep it together.

"Hey, I can't take this anymore. I am going to the forest. Do any of you want to come?" someone shouted.

"..."

"No one?"

"I'll go," I noticed a voice much closer to me, it was Liz who agreed to join him.

"Oi, Liz, are you sure?" Peter asked while holding her hand.

"Y-yeah I mean we are sitting ducks here. Maybe we can find something out there like something to eat."

"Yeah, rather than finding something to eat you might come across some wild beast who'll eat you instead, then what will you do then?" What Peter was saying was making pretty much sense.

We don't know where we are and besides, we are in the middle of a forest. There could be wild animals roaming around here.

"But we have to do something."

Liz was also right. If we step inside the forest they might get something to eat or might find some clue where we are.

Both were right from their perspective.

"... okay you can go but I will also come along."

"Fine." Liz agreed.

"I'm also coming!" Peter shouted.

As soon as Peter also agreed many more also agreed to go.

I would also like to go but I thought that staying here would be safer as compared to going to a place where we don't know a single thing.

"Allen let's go." Liz tried making me go with her but...

"No, I don't want to." I denied her invitation. Who would agree to such a risky thing?

"Allen, are you scared?" Peter taunted me but I know how to reply to him.

"I don't usually go to places which I am not familiar with, also today I saw a person die in front of me just for refusing to hear. Who knows what could be out there, I could die here since it doesn't look like a big deal to them(I am referring to Mr X). To round it all I will say- Yes, I am scared." whoever has captured us doesn't care if we get killed. If he cared he wouldn't have shot a person right in his face in front of such a large audience.

"T-that..."

"What happened? Don't have anything to say?" Peter could not come up with anything to reply.

"..."

"Bye Liz, come back safe."

"Yeah."

"Peter," I said.

"What!"

"I don't care what happens to you but keep Liz safe." I couldn't care less if Peter dies. I wish at least Liz to be safe since she has helped me in a lot of ways.

...

Shortly after they were not in sight anymore I noticed that almost half of us had left the area.

Earlier I was busy steadying myself. I didn't look clearly but on closer look, I noticed the expanse of trees ahead of me was never-ending or so I thought. I could smell the rotting of wood, fresh, dry, damp, wet scents on the wind from nearby places.

When I first entered here I felt like my life force was being sucked out empty but now I have settled down in the area, it feels kind of nostalgic.

How should I explain it? It felt like I had returned to the place I pertained but at the same time, I couldn't recognize or recall a single thing about this place.

....

About half an hour has passed.

"Hey, Selene," I called out to Selene.

"Hmm..."

"I noticed that you haven't said a single word since we came out from that place, I know that you talk less but not this much. Is everything alright?" she is usually quiet which seems normal but not for this long.

"I j-just don't k-know what to talk about...?"

"Hmm... now that we are alone I think I don't know anything about you, even though we sat beside each other for almost half a year." she never talked much and I also never tried to engage in talks with her.

"I d-don't have a-anything special to s-say about myself..."

"So let me ask you this if you don't have anything to say."

"Okay..."

"Why do you stammer so much? I mean earlier when we were discussing that riddle you talked fluently but otherwise you..."

"I-it's just that I get ne-nervous when I talk to s-someone."

"Oh, so how about you try talking to me normally. We have known each other for almost half a year, you shouldn't be nervous around me that much as compared to others right?"

"I'll t-try."

"Heh, you stammered again."

"S-sorry."

"Again... okay fine. Let's try it slowly. I won't pursue further than this but you have to try."

"...."

It was the first time we both chatted like this in like ever. We usually don't chat much. I wish we could talk much more like this again.

...

I could hear the chirping of birds, wind whistling around the trunks of a tree. It felt really like I am in a forest. The tree leaves are stopping the sunlight from reaching the ground. Soon it became soo dark that I couldn't even see my outstretched hand in front of me.

"Hey, Selene, hold onto my hand otherwise I won't be able to find you."

"Yeah..."

We both held out our hands and sat next to each other.

I couldn't even make out where the remaining students were.

As we were sitting, the rustling of bushes was heard near us.

"What's that?" Selene asked as she clasped my hand even more tightly than before.

"I don't know but don't make too much of a voice and just stay still," I whimpered in her ear.

Whatever it was... not making too much voice is the most viable choice, probably.

The rustling increased. I could feel like it was coming in closer.

TO BE CONTINUED....