WA: Plot 2

Ow... My head hurts so bad! This had to be the weirdest thing that has happened to me since, like... the time I thought I was going to the baseball game but ended up at Victoria's Secret!

I cough a little, geez. Since when was my bed so dusty. Oh, never mind... I'm just stranded in the middle of the forest.

...

I shoot up to my feet. Forget bra shopping! This is creepy! Someone must have dragged me out into the middle of the woods while I was sleeping. I look down. They dressed me too!

Okay. Now I feel a little beyond violated. At least the person who dragged me out here brought my sports book bag. It's not like standing here complaining will fix anything. The most I can do now is try to navigate my way out of the woods.

So one time, I was watching this survivor show, and the first thing to do is to search for a source of water. I look around at the area. All I can see is a long never ending path. I doubt there's any water for miles. Sigh. Might as well follow the path, what's the worst that could happen? It has to be better than sitting on my tail like a lame duck.

After what seemed like hours of walking to my inevitable doom, my feet begin to hurt. These stupid converses, "Made for all sports" Blah! That reminds me, I should really consider trying out for cross country...

I feel my ears shoot up as my acute hearing picks up something that could end all suffering! Um, well... all my suffering. Running water is in reach! Suddenly my feet don't hurt anymore and I take off running.

Finally, reality hits me and I stop. I'm not really out of breath or anything. I would never be the amazing sports star I am if that was true. The problem ahead of me is way worse than being out of breath. There is a fork in the road!

I am struck with panic. I start hyperventilating. What do I do? This is the difference between, like, life or death! Okay Reily, calm down it's just a simple fork... I breathe in deeply as I begin to make the biggest choice of my life. I take one step...

Then bend down and pick up the fork.

Now, all I have to do is solve this next puzzle. It's not really that difficult. All I have to do is choose which path to take. Squinting my eyes, I look down the path straight ahead of me.

There are some bare trees, a random forest fire, some crows, and a corpse. Fair deal, fair deal. However, I think I would prefer something a little more... oh I don't know... Less deadly!?

I look to the path to my left with a little more hope. After looking at that weird Zombieville path, I feel like I'm looking at all my wishes and dreams baked into one giant cake. The wonderful and relaxing scenery had the most beautiful cherry-blossom trees with the leaves blowing everywhere. My feet wouldn't even think about hurting if I trod on that!

Taking in a deep breath of fresh air, I throw my arms out at perpendicular to my sides and run off. The wind hits my hair and causes my hair to fly all over the place and in my eyes. But I don't care that much. I love to run and that forest is just pulling me in.

My little run ends to early and I find myself on the amazingly soft grass. It's actually way more plush than I imagined. I really can't resist as I sit on the ground and pet it a little. I pick up a cherry-blossom leaf and study it for a while.

Reality finally hits me a few moments later and I realize I still have to get out of here. I stand up and pad my way through the woods, taking a generous amount of time to enjoy my surroundings. I chuckle to myself. I am alone, right? I use my deepest and scruffiest voice- which isn't all that impressive when you're twelve- and start singing that Louis Armstrong song, What a Wonderful World.

Crap... That was a rustle wasn't it... someone heard my epic fail at a manly voice. I assume this awesome battle pose that I saw in Dragon Ball Z once and use my man voice again to say, "Who's there?" Chances are if they're in the bushes, they  haven't actually seen me yet. Maybe a man will scare them away.

My heart is pounding like a boxer in an emotional breakdown. I swallow hard. Then I choke of my spit. The bushes are rustling again and I prepare myself for a fight.

The only problem here is that this man looks like a rehab reject.

He's old looking, maybe in his sixties, but looks much older. He has on yellowing glasses that seem like they have been on so long they've become part of his face. He has this awkward honking nose too. Eww~ A booger! Just because this guy is so amazingly fabulous, his clothes look like they've been sewn together from potato sacks. Like I said, rehab reject.

I drop my battle pose. This guy couldn't hurt a fly. He's about my height and we gaze into each others' eyes for a disturbingly long moment.

"Son," He begins. For a second there I almost lost control of my bladder. It takes me a moment to realize that this guy if old, back in his day everyone was probably called "Sonny" or something like that by their elders. I blink and somehow, this eccentric old man is leaning on my shoulder. I always thought it was so odd how in movies, when actors are scared out of their mind they just stand there like a deer in headlights. First hand experience changes everything. But my eyes do widen.

In his shaky old man voice, he continues. "I can give you everything you want and more." I feel my upper lip go numb.

What. The. Frell.

I shove him off of me. I feel bad for pushing an old man, but really... don't hold this against me. I start running backwards to no avail. Before I know it, I'm laying on my back like I'm about to do the crab, completely vulnerable to whatever this man has up his potato sack sleeve.

He starts staggering towards me and my body feels as if it's made out of ice. I can't move at all. He comes right up to me then stops at me feet. I don't think I ever felt this scared in my life. Not even when Benny got mad at me for touching his stuff. Coming even closer, he does a mini split and puts each of his legs to either side of me. Ugh! I feel so violated! Then he bends down until he's inches away from my face. He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out something then shoves it in my face.

My body finally unpauses and I escape from my position. Once I get a safe distance away from him I look at what is in my hands. It is a little box. Kind of odd looking. It's made out of tin and a little dusty. I can tell that it must be old by the design pattern. An irritating voice knocks me out of my trance.

"Open it, son."

I unwillingly comply. Inside the box was my life. Well, not really. More like what I live for. Every single sports card ever made has somehow made a home for itself in this tin. Every single card for every single sport. I look up at him. This cannot be happening.

"Would you like these cards, son?"

I swallow and reply quickly. "Yes! Yes! I do! More than anything!"

He has a phlegmy laugh from the back of his throat. "What an enthusiastic you man you are! Would you really consider doing anything for these cards."

I have to stop and think, this is like getting arrested- "Anything you say can and will be used against you." Not that I've ever been arrested before. "Yes sir! I'd do anything for these cards!"

"You know..." he ends up inches in front of me again- and I don't think I blinked this time! "Breeds like you are hard to come by..." He starts stroking my ears and I feel that horrible petrified feeling again. "You must be a cross-breed, I can't tell what species you are at all. At one glace that is." Where is this going? "Maybe if I saw more of you..."

"OH HOLY BOWEL MOVEMENTS, NO!" I take off running so fast, I'm scared I'll alter the earth's rotation. I may love baseball cards but there is no possible reason why this cra-cra old man needs to "see more of me"! Blarg!

I stop running when I end up face first into a tree. I collapse on my back. Today has been kind of long... no one would care if it took a nap, right? I just hope potato sack man won't find me...

~*~
Slowly, I open my eyes to the darkness of the woods. Innocent fireflies busy themselves in the air and provide a source of light. I groan to myself as I am reminded of my mission. It may be some real beautiful scenery and all, but I have to get out of here and back in Benny's arms ASAP. Um... back to the academy ASAP...

Continuing down the woods, I stop. My ears perk up, somethings definitely on my trail. No~ Please don't let it be him..! I turn around quickly enough to catch a young girl behind me. She looks my age, maybe even younger. About time I start seeing something normal since I transferred into Wonderland-Academy.

She giggles a cute little laugh. "What a sweet little creature you are!" She blushes then enters a legit giggle fit.

"Th-thank you..?"

"What exactly are you? You mustn't be a bunny-rabbit, for your ears are much too pointy. One would assume that Creature is a kangaroo, but his tail is but a bob! The fur in Creature's ears resemble a feline, but Creature has no other form of proof? Is Creature a dingo? Do share~ What animal is Creature?"

Somewhere in her Shakespearean verse, I picked up that she thinks my name is Creature. Man, I want to mess with her head so bad. Imma whip out my own verse! "Girl is both correct and incorrect in her assumptions. Creature is all bunny-rabbit, kangaroo, feline, and dingo! Creature is also neither because if he was one, Creature could not be any other!"

The girl pauses mid giggle fit, and I must say that she looks quite flabbergasted. "What a marvelous creature Creature is indeed! For he is everything but has not the genes of one!" She then breaks out into a the third giggle fit. "But Girl is pure breed of the human creatures, bestowed the name Alice upon her."

"Riley is the title of Creature."

"I am most grateful to be of acquaintance. Pray tell, what is the title of that creature?" Alice points up and I squint in the direction.

I can't fully see in the night by the light of the fireflies, but it appears to be a bird. I explain my observation to her.

"For this creature holds the appearance of a simple lark, but inside holds the heart of a black knight. Much like Reily who holds the appearance of a simple creature but the heart of a human child."

It doesn't take me very long to understand the first half of this last verse. That amazing massive lark is heading for me at top speed. What did I do to deserve this!? I take Alice's hand and take off into the woods as fast as my twig legs can carry me.

Alice trips over her feet too many times for us to outrun the beast (Lark is an understatement of an understatement). I have to find a new tactic anyway. What ever this thing is the woods is it's obvious domain.

I try to block out the sound of Alice's whimpers as I search through my bag. It's not that I don't care about her well being- I would have left her back in the woods if I didn't- but there's not anything I can do about it.

Before I can find anything useful against the bird it swoops down again. I manage to roll out of the way, but it does swoop up Alice.

"Creature~ Help! Please! Rescue me!" I feel tears tickle at my eyes. How dare it steal that poor girl! She might have a whole family at home waiting for her to return.

The bird takes off again and I follow it able to now run at my full speed. I continue to follow it until I reach a forest clearing. Think fast Reily! What can you do? I swing my bag off my back as quick as I can and search it again. Birds like shiny stuff, right?

"HEY!" I shout, most likely scarring my throat. I throw a chocolate coin candy in the air and catch it again. It's still in its wrapper and I hope the bird will fall for it. I repeat my yelling, throwing, and catching process until it finally notices me. This seams like a score on my part because that bird is coming at me with full speed. I close my eyes and embrace myself for what will come next.

By the time I open my eyes the bird has already stolen my candy. However, something more frightful is occurring. The bird must open it's mouth to obtain the new prize. This causes Alice to drop out of it's mouth.

No! I dart as quickly as I can to her. This is just like catching an outfield ball, I try to say to myself. Just a much larger and less circular ball. Once I reach her shadow, I adjust my position several times before I settle into place. I want to make sure I catch her with a good grip. Fumbles are terrible, and a fumble with a human is much worse.

Luckily for the both of us Alice lands safely in my arms. Her expression is one of pure fright. "Come on!" I say to her as I help her onto her feet. We need to find a safe place to hide- fast!

Guiding her by the hand, I run with Alice. The bird is not anywhere in sight and I have a feeling of relaxation for the first time in a while. But I know well that this is no time to get sloppy. Still running, I guide her into a crevice in an extremely large boulder.

We both sit there together with our back against the wall of the dirty little place. Both of our breathing is unhealthily labored. Alice is wide-eyed. And for the first time today, there is a painful silence. It's almost unbearable. I exhale. Maybe the bird lost us. Spoke too soon...

An ear-piercingly loud crashing and grinding sound is rung through the woods as the bird rams into the crevice. How did it know we where here? I take Alice's hand again and run off again as the bird vocalizes a horrifying noise.

I make up my mind. It's time to stop running. I have to destroy this thing. I use the time that I have to search through my bag again. My trusty baseball bat and ball bag is the difference between life and death. My time is up as I hear the bird break free and watch him circle above Alice and I. Alice is pressed up closely against me as I try my best to remain calm. She's probably wondering why I'm not running.

With my feet planted firmly on the ground, I throw my first ball in the air and take a swing with my bat. Direct hit!

The bird comes down headfirst on the ground. I pull out a second bat from my bag. "You help too!" I say to Alice as we rush over to the dazed bird. We whack it's head like insane cavemen until it snaps again. With a flap of it's wings, the bird sends us sprawling and it takes air again.

This round, the bird understands my game and plays back harder. It's now difficult for me to hit a ball because it keeps swooping down. Every time the bird comes down, I have to make sure Alice is properly protected. Finally I get another ball in the air and hit with perfect accuracy as always.

For a second time the bird is down and Alice and I repeat the process. This is turning into one of those Zelda games that Gale loves. The birds flap is less devastating this time when it takes flight, but now it has a new weapon.

A horrid shriek rings in my ears. I can almost swear that they're bleeding. I feel even more paralyzed than I did with the potato guy. I grip my ears and fall to my knees. There's no way I can continue!

But for some reason, this doesn't affect Alice. She takes the ball from my pack and pitches to herself, trying her best to mimic my movements. But I must admit, her form is pitiful and she misses many times. If I wasn't under paralyzation from this sound, I would give her some coaching. Actually, I think I would just do it myself.

Finally Alice makes a direct hit and the sound is over. We rush over the the paralyzed body at full speed. Together we knock its head with the baseball bats. And this time really seems to do it. A large crack forms in the head, and I'm afraid for a second I might witness a mature gore scene. Instead a white light shoots out from the crack. More and more cracks form with the same glowing light until the giant bird vanishes.

I just know that I have this totally goofy smile on my face as I turn to Alice. I forget to speak to her in verse and I shout. "Look we did it, Alice! Don't we make a great..." She is translucent. What's going on? "...team?"

"Kindest of hearts, even more so is that title bestowed upon Reily. In a time when saving the test is an inconvenience he holds true to his love. What a sweet boy for not abandoning the test in a time of need so kind..."

"Alice! Wait!" Why is she calling herself "The Test"? Why is she disappearing?

Now in a uncomfortably low voice she continues, barely visible. "I am but a projection. I am a test to find the one with the heart of only the most pure. Creature is so sweet." It is weird to hear her call me by my pet name in that low octave. "The test is over and Creature is pure. Such a love..."

"Wait!" I shouted reaching for her. All I grabbed was the night air. "She's gone..."

I blink back sad tears as I see the woods fade around me. I'm back on the path by the river again. This time there is no fork or cross path. I open my hands, not realizing that I was holding anything.

In my hand is the antique tin box and a chocolate gold coin.