What Dreams
May Come
Chapter 53
Doth the Bell Tolls
Their once brisk walk through the forest, had changed to a full tilt run, dodging and ducking, weaving through the thickened brush, and thorns scratching at his skin, and yet he could not feel any of it. It was as if an invisible force was guiding him, pushing him to follow an invisible path, lit with stardust and flickers of white light that only he could see.
His feet swiftly, deftly hit the softened ground, and yet he could not hear it, nor the pounding of his heart. To him, it was as if he were flying, for the world sped past him, splendid mixtures of green and browns flashed past him.
At first, he worried that he had lost Elphaba, and when he had started to slow, had he reconsidered it, for out of the corner of his eye, he could see her, his emerald angel, keeping pace with him, for they moved as if they were one body, one soul.
Elphaba tilted her head upon feeling eyes upon her, and a smile pulled on her slender lips seeing Erik running alongside her, keeping pace with her.
Pride shimmered in her eyes watching him, for his stride was graceful, yet strong. The muscles in his legs and arms rippled with each movement that he made with ease. The wind rushes past him, tussling his raven hair.
Suddenly, something caught her eye, and for a moment, her heart stopped. Had she really seen it, or had it been a figment of her imagination. For a moment, the world around them froze, the particles of dust floated carelessly around them, and the splints of gilded sunlight spotlighted on the both of them, further highlighting his handsome features.
Narrowing her eyes, she took this moment and peered closer. The collar of his shirt twisted in the breeze, allowing his neck to be further exposed and she gasped, for at that one split second she had seen it. It was brief but she saw it; a symbol flashed against his pale skin. The color was ebony, and the design was archaic, yet elegant at the same time. Twisted vines with small buds blooming at its fine edges, the tips curled along the edge of his strong jaw line and twined beneath the edge of his shirt.
'What in Oz was that!?' Elphaba thought to herself
She was knocked from her thoughts when a loud bang, rang out through the forest, cracking the silence once surrounding them.
Skidding to a stop, she froze and her heart thundered in her chest, for a few feet in front of them, stood a group of men, each one shouldering a rifle, pointed directly at them. One man, tall and muscular smirked, the barrel of his gun smoking.
"Got you freak" he says, his French accent sounding cold, and freezing her heart. Turning, the blood drained from her face seeing Erik stand a foot in front of her, frozen. A gasp and he collapses to the ground, blood staining his shirt
"ERIK!" she screamed
