Chapter 8 Chris

          We walked into the woods, we walked till night.

          We were setting up for camp, Lilly and I gathered wood, Blake grew a rock for the fire pit, Drew set up the blankets and pillows, and Sophie searched for a river. After Lilly and I set up the firewood on the rock, Holly lit a fire. Sophie came back saying she found a river a couple minutes later. We took turns taking baths.

          Finally it was time to eat; I had some oranges, while everybody else ate hotdogs.

          “Why don’t you eat meat?” Drew looked at me.

          “Earth goddess’ bodies can’t accept meat.” I said, staring at the fire.

          When everyone went to bed, Blake said,” Can you come curl up next to me? Please?” I grabbed my blanket and curled up next to Blake, my head on his chest. He put his hand on my back.

          When I heard his breath become slow and heavy, I finally fell asleep.

          I woke up, alone. I sat up and looked around. No evidence of our camp.

          I stood up, and started walking.

          Blake, where’d you go? Holly, Lilly, Sophie, Drew, did you leave me?

          I found a giant brown rock; it was in the shape of a heart. On it were two letters.

         

Olivia,

            We thought we could do better off without you, all you do is hold us down. Also you’re too emotional. We had to knock out Blake, we dumped him. Don’t bother look for us, go hang out with Darkness, he will need all the help he can get.

                                    Sophie, Drew, Holly, and Lilly.

           

            The other one said,

 

Olivia,

      I can’t wait to find you.

 

            Blake, I need to find him. Don’t. Plant, please. Look behind you.

          I swirled around, just in time to see a shadow run behind a tree, “Hello? Blake, is that you?” I looked behind the tree, nothing was there.

          Run. I ran, the forest seemed to never end. I keep seeing shadows move towards me. I ran into a guy who wasn’t there before. He had short blonde hair, pale skin, black eyes, and about fourteen. When we fell, I fell on top of him.

          “Sorry,” I got off of him, “I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.” I helped him up, “So what are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?” He stared at me with those black eyes.

          “Are you Olivia?” His voice was cold, with no feeling at all.

          I nodded, scared, “Are you Darkness?”

          He smirked, “The name is Chris. I see Darkness in other people’s souls, if that’s what you mean.”

          “Wow, how much darkness is in mine?” I smiled.

          He stared at me, and shook his head, “You are the purest person I have seen so far. Though all I have seen are pathetic mortals.” He sneered.

          I kept quiet, afraid of what he might say.

          I heard rustling to my right. I stared at the tree, hoping it was Blake. It ended up a rabbit. There is a human over by a rock looking for you.

          “Thank you rabbit, goodbye Chris” I said as I ran towards the heart shape rock.

          Chris ended up in front of me, “Why leave so soon?” I turned left, and ran about twenty feet, when I saw Chris again. “Stop running away.” He looked angry. I turned right.

          I ran for a while, then I saw Chris dragging Blake by the arm. Chris’ face was red, Blake’s was pale, his eyes were closed, was he asleep, or dead? “Will you stop running away now?” I stopped running, and nodded.

          “Will you join me?” He stared at me. I wanted to run away, but I can’t, not without Blake. I shook my head.

          “Join me, or he dies.” Vines wrapped around Chris, he kept staring at me, “Little plants won’t hurt me.” The vines turned brown and shriveled up.

          Chris grabbed Blake’s hair, and pulled his head up. He brought up a sword of darkness, and cuts his throat. I watch the blood drip down, and I start crying.

         

My eyes open to Blake’s face, “Are you ok?” He asks. I looked around, everybody is here, it’s the middle of the night, the grass around us has died, and Blake doesn’t look so good.

          “Are you ok?” I touch his face, it was a little warm. I sit up, “Blake, I’m sorry; my nightmare must have gotten you sick!”

          Blake sits up, and stares at me, “What was your nightmare about?” He looked concerned. I told him about everybody leaving me, Chris, how Chris tried killed him.

          “You should really lie down.” He stared at me, but didn’t argue. I got up, and went to go wake up Holly, “Holly, Blake’s sick.” Holly looked at me with those red eyes.

          “Go ask the plants for medicine.” She said as she went back to sleep.

          I talked to lots of plants till I found one that could help; I followed the plant’s instructions and got Blake to eat it. Then I curled up next to Blake, and fell asleep.

          When I opened my eyes, Blake was awake, but hasn’t moved, he grinned at me. “You could have woken me up.”

          “I know I could’ve, but you were so cute asleep.”

          We both sat up.

          “What’s this about Chris?” Holly asked, looking into the fire.

          “Chris? He’s Darkness.” I saw Chris cutting Blake’s throat, I started shaking. Blake wrapped his arm around me; I looked into those brown eyes, and rested my head on his shoulder.

          “He has awakened. We must start training.” Holly stood up. She looked at me, “We will take turns of walking and training. Today, we train.” She had determinations in her eyes.

          After breakfast, we got training.

          “Pick up that stick.” Plant said, pointing to a medium sized stick on the ground. I picked it up and it glowed a faint green light and grew sharper, like Maxine did in my dream in the cave, it’s now a sword

          “Now try cutting that tree.” Plant pointed to a big vine maple. The sword passed through the tree without cutting the tree, but then the tree started to die.

          “The sword takes the life out of any living thing.” Plant explained, “So be careful.”

          I looked over at Blake. He was learning how to throw bigger rocks than just pebbles. Watching him, was someone that looked like he could be his father. He had that reddish-brown hair, except longer. That tan skin. I saw his muscles through his brown shirt. He looked the same age as Plant though, even if she was older.

          Blake noticed me staring, grinned and waved. I blushed, but waved back with a smile.

          I looked at Plant; she had a sad smile on her lips, “You’re lucky to have true love so young.”

          I looked at her with a questionable look, “Didn’t you have Flames?”

“No, he was crazy for me though. I fell for a cat demon. We had a son. Demons live forever though, so my son is still around. Maybe you guys will meet him in your adventure.” She looked a little happier to talk about her son.

          “If you’re his mother, doesn’t that make him half-god?” She smiled.

          “I’m sorry, Elementals can’t have elemental children. Our children become human. Now let’s get back to work.”

          When the sun set, we gathered around a camp fire, “Holly, Flame isn’t Plant’s lover.” I stared at her from across the fire.

          “Really, I’ll have to ask Flame about that.” She was avoiding my eyes.

          Blake put his arm around my shoulders and I leaned against his side. I looked up at him and found him staring at me. He blushed, I smiled and kissed him. Finally, I caught him staring.