Chapter Five: Reality Hits
Madden felt nauseated from what had just happened. He couldn't believe this world and desperately wanted out but he'd have to reach Destiny first. He glanced back at the funeral home, the man he had spoken to was standing at the open doorway as Madden walked down the cobblestone path. The eerie way in which the man watched him still left Madden with shivered. Trying to ignore what he had seen before him, Madden focused on the girl in the distance. He was so sure it was Destiny. Who else in this world would be in a field of flowers so care freely? It just had to be her. He knew it but why hadn't she been at his funeral? All this figuring certainly was giving him a headache. He would have laid his head to rest on the grassy bank and closed his eyes if he didn't need to reach Destiny and find out.
He kept walking. Destiny never seemed to get any closer but perhaps it was because she was so far away. The hot sun heated his backside causing trickles of sweat to run down his back. He hated sweating. That was why he didn't work out. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. He wondered if he'd ever get there but just as the thought arose in his mind he approached a gate. He quickly read the sign and entered.
"Des!" he shouted.
The redhead down the field from him looked up but Madden couldn't tell if she was glad to see him or annoyed. He kept walking towards her though and soon enough she recognized him and ran. Madden laughed as she ran. Her arms swung from side to side as she bounded towards him. When the large redhead reached his side she hugged him in a bone-crushing squeeze. There were tears running down her flush cheeks.
"Madden!" she exclaimed. "Are you real? You can't be real because I killed you. Just like I killed Eva and Marie"
Destiny collapsed on the ground. Her eyes were full of tears as she looked at him in disbelief. Madden was just as confused as ever. He had no idea what Destiny was going on about, as usual, but she was so distraught he had to fall beside her and find out. He took one of her hands and held it comfortingly. It made him very uncomfortable but years of being friends with only females had taught him that girls liked physical contact when they were upset.
"Des, what are you talking about?" Madden asked her.
"The flowers!" she shoved them into his face.
Through all the commotion Madden hadn't noticed the bouquet of flowers in her hand. Now that they were in his face he couldn't ignore them. Yet he was still very confused. What did flowers have to do with Destiny's mood? He looked from her teary face to the bunch of flowers even more confused and the headache growing. On the third trip of looking between Destiny and the flowers he realized something.
"They're dead"
"Because I picked them!" Destiny cried out in exasperation.
"Des, that's what happens when you pick flowers…they die"
Anger overcame the red haired girl. "I know that Madden! I'm not stupid! Why don't you listen for a change?"
"Okay, okay, what is it?" he asked replied. God he hated this treatment and fighting with his friends even more.
"I picked the flowers and killed you, Marie and Eva" Destiny explained.
"You couldn't have, Des" Madden sighed. "I'm right here aren't I? What makes you think you killed us?"
"They said so"
"Who?"
"The flowers"
"Good grief Destiny Black!" Madden exclaimed. "This is the Digital World, not frigging Wonderland and you're not Alice!"
Destiny glanced at Madden and started laughing. "I expect that kind of comment from Marie, its funnier from you"
"Yeah well—what the?"
The distraction came in the form of a red Pontiac crashing through a papery substance. Behind it they could see their hometown's main street, a crowd of people and the flashing lights of emergency vehicles. Madden was the first to rise followed slowly by Destiny. He took a step towards the wreck but she grabbed his arm.
"What if it's a trap?" she questioned.
"It's Eva's car" Madden informed her.
"How do you know?"
"The turtle" he pointed to the stuffed turtle hanging off the mirror.
"Oh" Destiny was looking around now. "But where's Eva and how did her car get here?"
"Good question…" Madden wondered out loud.
He didn't have to wonder long because the car doors opened and heir digimon came out. Koemon, Lopmon, Floramon and Motimon stumbled to the ground. They looked worn and torn and out of breath except Koemon. The car had its share of scratches, Evangeline was going to be peeved for sure. The digimon didn't seem to notice that thought because Floramon and Koemon were arguing.
"At least I got us here!" Koemon concluded.
"After almost killing us!"
"Just because your petals are ruffled doesn't mean I almost killed us!" Koemon replied haughtily.
"Digimon, like Digidestined" Madden chuckled. "Excuse me!"
Four pairs of eyes turned on him and Destiny. Lopmon hopped over and tripped on his ears again. The others laughed and he sheepishly got back up. Destiny ran and hugged her partner. Both humans were relieved to have their digimon back.
"But where's Eva?" Destiny asked. "And Marie?"
"They're not with you? Floramon questioned.
Madden shook his head. "How'd you get the car? It's Evas"
"We found it" Lopmon stated. "But no Eva"
"She must have been nearby" Destiny concluded. "Everyone in the car, I'll drive"
Madden got in the passenger's side and clutched the seat until his hands were white. The digimon filed into the back and Destiny in the driver's side. She put the car into reverse back through the hole in which they had come out of. She glanced at Madden's terrified expression and sighed with a shake of her head.
"I don't drive like Eva" she assured him. "Now, where did you find the car?"
Eva felt frozen with fear. She had tried getting attention from the people but no one had taken notice of her. It was like her worst nightmare. Evangeline Singh was always at the centre of attention but tonight no one saw her. That frightened her. She didn't want to become nobody whose face was unrecognizable. She wanted more. She wanted a name for herself. She wanted people to remember her. She wanted to die and know that her memory would live on in more lives than just her children and family.
"Hello!" she cried out in a hoarse voice. "Please"
But no one paid attention.
"Please, are they all right?" she tried grabbing a woman's arm but her hand went through like a ghost.
The woman stopped walking and looked directly through Evangeline. Evangeline was shocked and the woman shrugged but walked onward. Was she dead? Evangeline asked herself. Was she a ghost in this world? Or perhaps she died in the car accident and couldn't cross over. This was horrible! She heard a motor, a very familiar sound for a girl who likes cars but she ignored it and started to walk away sadly. What good was she if no one could see her? It started to rain. She regretted going to that party. She should pay more minds to Marie's advice. If she had she wouldn't be in this mess. What a nightmare.
A scream broke out to Evangeline's right. It stopped her in her tracks and she looked around; nothing. There was nothing to her left. There was nothing behind her. All that she saw was the line of dark trees to her right. Then another ear splitting scream could be heard beyond the line of trees. It was a voice familiar to Evangeline. She just couldn't place it. She knew it though she knew she knew it. By the third scream, Evangeline figured out that the voice sounded like Marie. She let all fear of the dark line of forest leave her body and she pushed through the trees.
"Marie!" she shouted as she sprinted into the darkness.
She had already forgotten the horrific scene of the car accident. It wasn't real she told herself over and over again as she ran. Marie was real and Marie was in trouble. The screaming lay ahead of her and the sounds of vehicles lay behind her. The scream was the more prominent thing to go after. It was her friend. Her flesh and blood best friend was in trouble and needed help. The dark didn't bother her. The trees surrounding didn't bother her. She ignored her fears. That was the best possible solution and she ran.
The woods ended at a cliff. Evangeline couldn't see the cliff though. There was something more terrifying than the cliff blocking her view. The thing in her way had egg large legs. It towered over them like the empire state building. It oozed white saliva from its mouth and all its eyes were currently on her friend. Marie hated spiders. Evangeline could only imagine who terrified her friend was to be facing such a huge rendition of something she hated.
Evangeline looked around. She was trying to assess the situation. She needed to distract the creature to get Marie away from the cliff's edge. She couldn't have her friend falling into the darkness below. Who knew what was down there. There was a rock; it would only be a rock that could help them now. Evangeline reached for the rock. It was a good thing she had been pitcher on her slow-pitch team. She wound up her arm and threw the rock as hard as she could.
She counted, one… two… three… and the rock landed. It hit the arachnid and caught its attention. All its eyes turned on the thrower. Evangeline was suddenly disappointed in her pitcher skills. The large legs stomped around so teeth and all faced its assailant. Evangeline stood watching it in horror for both her life and Marie's.
"Marie… any ideas?" Evangeline questioned, after all, Marie was the writer idealist.
"Just one… run!" Marie ducked under the legs.
The arachnid barely took notice of the girl running beneath its legs. Its focus was on the girl currently in front of it. All its eyes were on Evangeline. Its mouth was foaming with white saliva and it oozed out onto the ground as it stomped towards her. Evangeline was stock frozen still and couldn't bring herself to move. Whether it was shock or fear, her feet were glued to the ground. The mouth came down on her in a quick motion. But it never took her.
Evangeline came out of her trance. "Thanks"
"We're even now" Marie replied pulling on her friend to keep her moving.
They ran back towards the woods. The trees were thick and it would be difficult for the arachnid to follow them. It hissed as it reached the trees after them. It sounded angry. Its dinner had gotten away. The hissing continued followed by the sound of breaking branches. It was following them. It wasn't going to give up.
"Marie! A cave!" Evangeline shouted.
They headed for the cave. It took all their strength to reach it before the arachnid caught view of them. They hid inside the cave but their enemy was clever. It began forcing its way into the cavern mouth but was much too big. It continued without thought. Every hit the arachnid made on the cavern mouth cause tiny rocks to dislodge from the ceiling. Evangeline grabbed onto Marie. Marie grabbed her with equal tightness. Their faces in the darkness were white as the pearly moon. Their eyes were just as wide in fear.
"If I die, take care of Lola" Evangeline stated.
"No one is dying" Marie stated with a quiver in her voice.
The hissing continued. The banging against the rocks continued. The pebbles falling from the ceiling grew larger. The girls clung to one another for comfort but it wasn't comforting to know they were trapped inside a cave with a giant spider trying to have them for dinner. There was nothing comforting about it. And then the noise stopped.
"Oh god, what now?" Marie questioned the darkness.
"Tiny Twister!"
"Swing, swing!"
"Rain of Pollen!"
"Bubble Blow!"
More rock could be heard crumbling from the roof of the cave. Its attention had the spider turning to find its new prey. Large hairy legs scrambled away from the cave mouth and towards its attackers. The smiling faces of Madden and Destiny replaced its grotesque body. Marie hugged them both so tight their breath was taken away. When she pulled away Evangeline stepped forward, arms crossed and eyes glaring.
"Took you long enough"
"Guys!" Madden interrupted the glaring and laughing. "The digimon!"
They ran out of the cave. Koemon was hanging from a tree upside down. Floramon was lying sprawled on the ground unable to move. Motimon lay next to her just as battered. Lopmon was being thrown through the air and crying out. Madden ran immediately to catch his friend while the girls ran to assist their digimon. The spider remained waiting, eying each of its meals and picking its first course.
"We have to help them!" Madden shouted.
"But how?"
They didn't hear it but they certainly saw it. A huge blast of thunder boomed and struck the monster before them down. It disappeared into the shadows and then the rain came. Not knowing if the rain and the thunder were connected they moved slowly together. The rain was washing away the world around them. It washed everything away until they stood once more in pitch darkness.
"I always envied people in books who went on adventures" she stated. "But I'll be happy to get out of this one soon"
"You're task has only begun" an unfamiliar voice in the darkness informed them.
"Wizardmon" Koemon whispered.
"I will use the rest of my strength to get you out of here" Wizardmon informed. "Magical Game"
A small portal of shining colours appeared before them. It shone on the face of their rescuer and they were shocked. A small man stood weak before them dressed in rags. A scarf was wrapped around his face so that only eyes could be seen. He wore a wizard's hat and had long blonde hair with blues eyes. He looked tired and there were pieces of him disappearing like data being deleted.
"Go now before it's too late" he directed them.
Destiny and Floramon were the first to go through. Evangeline followed with Koemon and Lopmon. Madden made his way over with Marie by the arm. She stopped beside the man and the portal. Her gray blue eyes met Wizardmon's blue. Madden tugged her arm but Marie remained firm footed without noticing.
"You need to go Marie" Wizardmon instructed.
Marie reached out to touch his arm. "Thank you"
Wizardmon closed his eyes at her touch. When he opened them she was gone through and he disappeared into date. When Marie and Madden stepped into the sunshine their friends were waiting for them in the grass of a beautiful field. Madden lay in the grass with the girls while Marie stood watching the grass blow. Her thoughts were far away.