Chapter 19
Cloe's POV
Have you ever had a dream about all of the people that you've met, hate, like and love? And all those people immerge all at the same time and they act like they all know each other. Everybody gathers around and makes a big circle and talks. Then, something happens. They approach you and try to tell you something but you can't get what they're saying. You get scared and run away. But every step that you make feels so slow. So slow it's like you've been time warped.
You can't get away. You can't escape.
You're trapped in between those people and you suffocate. Suddenly, your shoulders get heavy. You're being pushed down to the ground by your own heavy burden and you can't afford to carry it. I can bet that in your sleep, you'll cry. You'll scream your lungs out for help but no one's there to come to your aid. You'll feel like your world is falling apart, you're going down, deep down under.
The worst part is that nobody cares, nobody wants to. You are left alone to drown in your own burdens.
I had that dream. When I woke up, my face was wet. I realized that I had been crying in my sleep. I sat up. Where ever I was, it was dark and I didn't want to know. I had a headache. I put my hand on my forehead and gripped my hair. I started to sob and I didn't know why. I let my tears fall down my cheeks letting out all my saddened feelings, my fear and my grudges.
An arm was suddenly wrapped around my shoulders.
I didn't know who it was. His arm was long and buff and warm. It was like he offered a shoulder to cry on. Unconsciously, I embraced his body into a hug. He didn't jerk, he didn't say a word. I let his warmness calm me down as my sobs were getting slower.
Though in silence, I could tell that he wanted to comfort me. He rubbed my back and finally I stopped crying. I felt more relax. I took a deep breath and let out a sigh. Slowly, I whispered 'thank you' hoping that he would hear me. He pulled his arms away and wiped my tears. He patted my head and I couldn't feel his presence anymore. I felt sleepy again but happier. I did dream after that and it was full of happiness and laughter. I'm sure that I was smiling in my sleep.
The next morning when I woke up, I felt so fresh. I saw a girl at a corner of the room with Georg. They were talking and they were smiling, a lot. I kind of ruined the moment when I sneezed. Sorry Georg. They both turned to me and the girl came to me.
"How are you?" she asked.
"I feel a lot better-" my voice cracked. She smiled and gave me a glass of water. I thought it was water. The minute the liquid touched my tongue, I spit it out. It was really bitter and it burned my tongue.
"Elkh! Pa-tuih! Eww!"
"Hey relax! It's just tequila" she said.
"Tequila? Are you crazy? I don't drink!" I scoffed.
"Sorry"
"Why tequila?"
"Your temperature dropped. I needed something to warm your body. Since I was out meds I used Tequila"
"Well thank you very much now I'm drunk" I said sarcastically.
"Sheesh what a way to thank the person who took care of you when you were out cold" Tom interrupted. What Tom said was true. I shouldn't have gotten angry and yelled out like that.
I looked at her. She smiled at me. I felt ashamed and apologized and lowered my head. "Don't worry about it. I'm Noelle by the way. You must be Cloe" she introduced herself.
Noelle. Hmm. Where have I heard that name before? Oh yes! Her name was on the best tracker list from the Organization. But what's she doing here?
Then, a familiar beeping sound rang across the room. I looked around confusingly. A phone? I thought I specifically told them not to bring any phones. Noelle answered it after it rang a few times. Well that makes sense. But after that, it didn't.
"It's for you" she said handing the phone to me looking as confused as I was. All eyes were on me. Suddenly, I felt nervous.
I reached out and took it "Hello?"
Casey POV
I heard a heart beat beating at a steady pace. I opened my eyes to find myself lying on Gustav's chest. I sat up and he was still unconscious. My head feels dizzy. It's like I'm experiencing a major migraine. Everything was spinning. The inside of my stomach was turning and flipping. Suddenly, BARF! I emptied my stomach on the grassy ground.
There were footsteps and a man appears at the hut door. He has dark color skin. He is wearing hand-me-downs and has a gun sling behind his back. He looks at me grumpily. "You no vomit here! You make place dirty!" he says with a loud voice. Loud enough to wake Gustav.
"Casey?" Gustav calls softly. The native looks at him and then at me. Then he has this angry look in his eye and drags me out of the prison hut. I couldn't make a move. My hands at feet were tied shut. As I was dragged I heard Gustav calling out for the man to stop and wait.
Every time he drags me, pain strucks at every centimeter of my skin. I can feel it being torn and blisters will be another problem. I was panting, I begged him to stop but he just tells me to shut up or I'll be shut up forever.
We reach at a cave deep inside the jungle. He ordered me to stand on my foot. I did as I was told. Part of me just wants to rip him to pisses. He could have told me to walk instead of dragging me all the way so that I could have blisters and tire him out. Stupid.
He put his gun on my back and told me to move. We walked in. The air was dry and I was dehydrated. I needed water, my throat went dry. I found myself hard to speak. He kept poking with his gun and tells me to walk faster. I gave him my famous killer glare hoping that he would see in this damned dim light.
"Stop" he says. "Stay here" he says. I rolled my eyes at him. I am not the person to be told what to do. I was annoyed. But for the sake of my life and for the sake of finding Bill I stayed silent. Although, I wish Bill could just miraculously appear out of thin air. That would make my day easier to plan an escape. Man I wish this guy wasn't an expert at tying knots! I can't feel my fingers! What did he do, tie them together?
"Casey…" I heard a familiar voice call me. I focused my vision to the figure in front of me.
"Bill…?" I said unbelievably. "Is that you?"
"Yup" he replied with his accent.
Well what do you know? Miracles do happen. "You're alive! How did you - When did you – What are you wearing?" I stumbled with my questions when he came closer the where the light is, he was topless and his body was painted with swirls and waves in red and blue. A struck of blue and red curves were under his eyes. He had those weird red-Indian feather things on his head. Well. It does suit his hair though… But that's not the point!
I stared at him with my jaw dropped to the ground as he explained. "Err… well.. I'm sort of their God or something?"
"Their God or something?" I repeated with my voice slightly high pitched.
"Umm… When were ambushed I was kidnapped… Well not really kidnapped. It was more like a rescue" he said fiddling with his fingers.
"Rescue?"
"Umm… Yeah. They sorta.. well not sorta.. They took me in and they suddenly bowed and started worshiping me…"
"Because you're as tall as a totempole [sp]" I interrupted him. And he shrugged and nodded.
I snickered and gave him a playful punch with my tied hands and I got tackled to the ground and a knife aimed at my neck. Bill gasped and told him to stop but he shook his head. He pulled me up and pushed me indicating that it's time to go. "Nice going 'God'" I mocked Bill.
"Don't worry I'll get us outta here!" Bill shouted from the back. I for one would like to see him try.
The native took me back to my 'prison'. He pushed me so hard that I fell on my knees and scraped them really deep.
"Casey!" Gustav called out. I was about to stand up when I saw a foot coming towards me causing me to hit against the wall and groan while clutching my stomach. The same impact came again and again. Gustav tried to stop him but he punched him and shouted to stay out of it.
I vomited on the floor again only this time, I barfed out blood. Then, he gave me the hardest slap I've ever felt on the cheeks. I let out a squeal. He looked at me with cold eyes and said "You white people no respect for our culture. You will wait for punishment" With that, he left me to suffer the pain he had caused me.
Gustav came to my aid and held me safely in his arms.
Bill POV
This sucks. These people are MAD. I can't be a god! Let alone believe in one. I've definitely gotten myself into big trouble and I have no idea what to do about it. I could just run for it but we'll be hunted for. Maybe I could disappear at night, leaving a note telling them that their God has more important things to do than be in the human world, but I don't speak their language. Or maybe, I could politely tell them that I'm not God, that I'm just a singer who got lost in the woods trying to find a way out? But then they would kill me and eat my guts. Eww.
Darn, everything is useless! I kicked a nearby vase and it broke. I cursed and used God's name in vain. I quickly pile the broken pieces and put them in a sack and hid them under the huge 'thrown' before a tribe lady came in. I sat on the armed chair and acted like I hadn't heard anything. Then she bowed and went out. I sighed. That was close.
A moment later, four tribe men came into the tent. They bowed and they positioned themselves around the chair I was sitting on.
I looked at them and asked "What are you doin – WHOAH!" they lifted the chair up on their shoulder and started walking. "Are we going for a walk?"
"UMPH!" one of them answered.
I was brought to a gathering. At least that's what it looks like. All the women were preparing food and the men were gathering fire wood. I reckon it was going to be a feast. I was right. A boy gave me a lizard kebab as an offering to the Gods/me. Heck how did I know this stuff? I looked at it and debated to take it. But what choice do I have? All the other kids looked at me with hopeful eyes that I would take it. So I did. They all smiled and were very happy but they won't take their eyes off me. I was thinking 'Oh no'
"You want me to eat this?" I asked and they nodded their heads vigorously. My jaw dropped but I had to do it or not they'll suspect something and maybe I'll be the one who gets eaten. I gulped hard. I turned the lizard. It was DISGUSTING. I closed my eyes, opened my mouth and took a big bite on the head. Already I feel like gagging.
It tasted crunchy and crispy and burnt. There was a squishy sensation which I reckon it's the brain. All the slime and uhhh…. It SMELLED BAD! Heinous! All the inside of me were coming out. I tried to fight it and swallowed the head. But it was so disgusting that I couldn't help but to puke it out!
I turned my head to them, wondering what they might think or do to me. All eyes stared at me, blankly. But then, I hear a chuckle and soon all of them were laughing and clapping hands. I don't understand this. What in the name of heaven or hell is bloody going on? I swallowed hard; the slimy taste still stung my throat.
There was a call. You know like the ones where everybody needs to gather up, this includes me. An old lady with long white hair reached for my arm and walked me to the fire. Everybody cheered and danced around. I'm still confused. So I stand and do nothing. The chief-or-whatever-you-call-it gave out his speech in native language. Then they start to through spices at me? The smell was too overwhelming to ignore and I start to sneeze.
I hear a lot "GRUMPH" and "OOMPHS" and "URMPHS" and a whole lot of mphs from the chief-or-whatever-you-call-it. Then, they made a space and out came a few men with spears. Behind them, Casey. I gasp when I saw the state that Casey's in. She's badly hurt, filthy and I noticed the stain of blood at the corner of her lip. They brought her to a platform that they made.
Then, they brought Gustav out. He looked untouched, except for the scratches on his arms. One of them started poking him with his spear and laughed about it. I gritted my teeth and clench my fist. This isn't fair, they're being humiliated. Gustav turned to me, our eyes connected. He's trying to tell me something, but I can't make it out. I held my breath and hold the lump in my throat. I feel so useless. I turn my head to the ground, unbearable to look at my friend, my best friend, whom I gave up hope for him.
"GRAAMMPH!" I heard another call. "Time to eat" I heard the lady whisper beside me. My heart throbbed. They're going to… eat… THEM? My eyes widened. This isn't happening… NO WAY IN HELL! My feet moved as my instinct told them to. I run into the crowd, pushing anyone in my way. As I reach the platform I jump up and yell out "STOP!" As I wanted it to be, everybody stopped and was silent. Casey who was hold down looked at me.
"What are you doing?" she whispers.
"Saving your life" I told her while I untangle the knots.
"How are gonna do that?" she asked, sarcastically.
"No, idea but the main thing is that I get us out of here. I can't stand eating another lizard"
"Hold, you DON'T have a plan? You're gonna get us killed dumbass!"
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing"
"No way in a mill—"
I don't know what I'm doing but I have a feeling it'll work. I let go from the kiss. Casey's eyes were wide. She's about to say something but I stop her. I gave a bow, in front of those people who were staring since just now and made a run for it. Not forgetting Gustav of course. I loosened the knots and grabbed Gustav's hand.
"I'm sorry" I told him. He just smiled and we run. I took off all those crap I was wearing and throw it on the ground. Before I knew it, a spear landed in front of us. I looked back, there they were, coming right at us with spears and bows and arrows. I look to see what's up ahead, an endless space of sky,a cliff that's what it is. I know it's going to be rough. I know there's only a one percent chance that we'd survive the cliff but we have no other choice. It's either being eaten or taking a chance to escape. I grab Casey's and Gustav's hand.
"Trust me, okay?"
"Just get us out of here" they say in unison.
I pray to God to be by our side. We need to survive this. I need to get back to Tom and we NEED to get home. Mum's worried, I can feel it.
Together, we plunge to our chances of surviving. We're in mid air. We're free falling! This is insane! I see spears and arrows flying but they missed. I hear Gustav and Casey screaming out of their lungs. I found the strength in me to put my hands to my chest, wishing that there would be something to break our fall. I close my eyes feeling somewhat calm that isn't supposed to be in my head right now.
The next thing I know, I'm submerging. I open my eyes. I see bubbles everywhere. I realize that I can't hold my breath anymore. So I swim to the surface and had a big gulp of air to fill in my de-oxygenated lungs.
"Gustav! Casey!" I cried. "Where are you?"
"We're here!" Casey replied. She is already on shore with Gustav by her side. I swim to them and landed myself on the ground, panting.
"You *pant* are *pant* an asshole…" Gustav said in between breaths.
"*pant* Thanks *pant*" I said and we both laughed.
"You're a bloody harasser" Casey commented.
"Sorry about that. Needed a diversion" I explained.
"TSK! You're lucky it worked!" I looked at Casey through the corner of my eye. I couldn't help but notice the shade of pink on her cheeks.
So I guess this is Chap 19. Mostly of Bill's POV. I don't know if it's good or really BAD D: As usual you're the judge. So you tell me kays? I had writers block. That's why it took me a while to update. So review? =D