Between Two Worlds

“Whose there?” I call out. I don’t receive an answer, but I do notice a second something moving around out there. I quietly inch towards Kat and poke her in the side. “Kat,” I whisper. I hold my hand over her mouth while I wait for her to wake up.

“What?” she mumbles through my hand.

“Ssshhh. Someone is out there. Possibly two someone’s.” I explain, still whispering.

She pushes my hand off her mouth, and whispers, “Did you find out who?”

“I tried but no one answered.”

“Whose there?” Kat asks, out loud. No one answers her either. “Look. Whoever you are, you can either answer me now or answer me after I inflict a serious beat down on you. Completely your choice.”

There is some whispering too low to make out what is being said and then I hear, “No need to get angry, it’s just us.”

Gelyan. Of course. That means the other person is Carina. “What are you guys doing here?” I ask.

“We just picked up another clue,” Carina says. Suddenly, I see her in the dim light of her Pulsis Powder filled lantern. She’s holding the lantern up and away from her body. “And Gelyan thought it would be funny to sneak up on you.”

“Shut up, Carina.” Gelyan orders.

“But she didn’t say you would get mad. I didn’t think you would be mad.”

“We aren’t mad. Not really.” I say sitting up.

“Speak for yourself,” Kat says, sitting up as well. “I was sound asleep until you startled Rayanna, and she woke me up.”

Gelyan laughs in response.

“Sorry,” Carina says.

“I wasn’t, scared, scared. Not really. More like concerned.”

Gelyan stops laughing and says, “Well you should be concerned. We are going to be the first team to finish. I heard there is a secret prize for the first team to finish. And Carina and I are going to win that prize.”

“What? No way. There’s no such thing as a secret prize. If there was any sort of prize, Harmony would have mentioned it before we started the scavenger hunt. Being first doesn’t matter, just as long as you aren’t last.” I say.

“Says the loser team that isn’t going to be first.” Gelyan taunts.

I roll my eyes. She can be so childish. “Everything isn’t a competition.”

“Except this is a competition.” She retorts.

“Okay. But not a competition between us.” I say.

“That’s because you couldn’t possibly compete with me. I am so much better than you.”

I am about to respond when Carina cuts me off. “You said we didn’t scare you. You were just concerned?”

“Yes,” I say, not taking my eyes off of Gelyan.

“What exactly are you concerned about?” Carina asks, changing the subject.

“Something has been following us. I guess you could say we are being hunted.”

“Why would you say that? And by what?”

“I don’t know exactly, some creature. It’s been following us since we first started the scavenger hunt. Didn’t see it at first, but every night it has shown up, wherever we happen to be camping. When I woke up and saw movement, I just thought it was back to finish us off.”

“I’m hunting you while you search for clues, if you don’t follow the rules, you’ll end up dead. A tooth, a hair, or a claw, bring a piece of me or lose it all.” Carina says.

“Your last clue is the same as ours?” I ask, amazed. I stand up and walk over to Carina.

“Yeah, I think we all have the same last clue. We talked to...” Carina starts.

“Shut up, Carina!” Gelyan warns.

“What is your problem? Why are you always so hateful to me? I’ve not done anything wrong. I’m always as nice as possible to you. Can you just chill for once?” I ask, annoyed.

“My problem is you,” Gelyan says shoving me towards the lake. “You are in my way. You have what I want. Ever since you arrived here, you have been my competition and I have had enough.”

I feel the water soaking through the back of my shoes, as I continue to back up. “What exactly is this all about?”

“That’s enough, Gelyan.” Kat warns.

“Altair.” She says.

“Are you freaking kidding me? All of this hostility is over a man? Honey, you can have him.” I say, annoyed.

“It’s too late now. There is a reason I wanted to come here, tonight,” Gelyan says, ignoring Kat’s warning. “Tonight, we end this. Tonight, you die.” Gelyan says shoving me, again.

This time she pushes me so hard, I lose my footing and plunge, backward into the icy cold lake. The water here is surprisingly deep, and I seem to just keep sinking. The surface of the water continues to move further and further away from me. The initial shock at being pushed in fades, and I flip around and kick towards the surface of the water. My head breaches the surface of the water, and my aching lungs suck in fresh air for a short moment; because I feel something wrap itself around my leg and pull me back under. No! What’s happening?! The plants! No! I don’t want to drown! I kick my feet hard and swim for the surface but find myself unable to make it to the water’s surface. I fight, kick, twist, turn, and even try pulling the plant off, to no avail. The water plant has a hold of my leg, and I can’t get it off. I can’t believe this is how it all ends. I think as I sink into darkness. I’m going to become plant food.