The Unexpected

4 • Succesful Escape

"Thank you for reminding what trust feels like"

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I layed down in bed thinking about what Celeste told me. It was totally not a dream. I was holding the book again. I felt happy.

So Celeste came from some place called Arcelia. An Empire. Sounds incredible to me. But i apparently have something that belongs to her. Not this world. I wonder what it is. She didn't told me because of my mother. Why did she have to come exactly at that moment?

Falling asleep I dreamed about Celeste being with me at school. Making teachers look dumb or something like that. Making the teacher fall off of his chair.

When I woke up I looked directly at my window. Hoping Imber would appear with Celeste on his back. Ofcourse, nothing. I put on my favorite red sweater and blue pants. I grabbed my bike and went to school as fast as I could. Just wanting the day to be over and sitting on my bed in my room where I could read my book and see if anything appears at my window.

"Ey, ey, Rowan wake the fuck up" Michael said while poking me in my arm. I apparently fell asleep in class. "Rowan, that's the 3th time you fell asleep in my class, detention," My teacher said. I didn't really care. I just thought about Celeste. That she came to ME. Out of all people to ME.

"Heyy can we talk?" Max asked me at our lunch table. The boys looked at him. People saw him as a freak. I felt sorry for him. "Yeah sure," I answered and followed him.

"Did you actually see anything?" Max asked me. I had to keep Celeste's existence a secret. "No, I haven't seen anything," I lied. "How about we go look for those creatures in the woods?" Max asked with a kind of creepy smile. He was so delighted.
"To me that's not a great idea actually,'' I whispered. He looked confused. "Why?! You believe in it right? Let's find it then! Maybe we can find some small creatures and sell them or something. Maybe eat them and we'll get powers!" He shouted. I quickly covered his mouth. "What you need to do is shut up. We aren't killing anything or eating it. I'm not going with you,'' I confirmed and walked back to the boys. Max looked annoyed and went to his class. I don't want to go with him because I'm scared I can see the creatures now because I got touched by one. I'm not sure if that is how it works but what if it's true?

After detention I finally got back home. Again as fast as I could. I ran to my room, making sure the book was safe.

It's safe, there is a small chance he would find it because he thinks he burned it. But somehow Celeste gave me the same one back. It had a small heart figure on the last page that Dakota made. And in this book the same heart was there.

I grabbed the book and layed in bed. Just hoping Celeste and Imber would come back.

Nothing appeared the whole day.

It was 1am. I was still awake. I felt sleepy but still hoped Celeste would come.

It was 2am. My eyes closed but before I could fall asleep I saw a small yellow feather flying past my window. I quickly sat straight and tried to open my eyes. Imber looked at me and made a small screech sound. Well, something like that.

He climbed back out of the window and Celeste came inside. "Hello Rowan,'' she laughed. "Im so sorry for waking you up!" She said. "No no no it's okay I was awake the whole time. I was waiting for you,'' I confirmed with a smile.

"I wanna explain everything to you, but there isn't much time. You need to come with me to Arcelia," she explained. I looked at her with my eyes wide open.

Excuse me?!

"W-W-Wait i-i can go with you??" I remarked.

She started laughing. "Yes, it will be safer in my Empire than here. So let's go shall we?" She asked while reaching her hand to me. I placed my hand on her hand but pulled back. "Wait but my parents will notice that I'm gone," i explained. She laughed and grabbed my hand herself. "Don't you worry, I'll take care of that,'' she smiled and walked with me to my window. She stepped out of the window and took place on Imber. Imber his claws were pierced into the walls of the house. Now I could see his whole body.

Imber was huge! But incredible. I slowly stood on his neck. His head turned to me but his eyes were calm. He wasn't bothered by me. I sat behind Celeste and held onto Imber his body. Celeste raised her hand towards the window and a white light shined towards my bed.

The light disappeared and a clone like me layed down on my bed. WHAAT?!

"I made a reflection of you, it's exactly you and has all your emotions and feelings. The clone will make choices and decisions you would make. It will be just like you" she explained.

I nodded and held onto Imber when he climbed onto my house. We stood on the roof and Imber found a position to take off. I looked down and waved to my house.

"Hold on to me Rowan. We will go through a portal to enter Arcelia. Portals are visible for humans so we have to get as high as we can, and you could fall, so hold on, don't be ashamed," she said. I grabbed her waist slowly not wanting her to feel weird.
Imber jumped off the roof and started flying. Fireflies left its body and so we took off.

We went really high, I held onto Celeste, I was actually really scared of falling.

"You can do it Imber," Celeste shouted.
"Do what?" I asked scared and confused.

Imber opened his mouth and fire came out of his mouth. A yellowish portal opened in front of us and they flew directly through.

My eyes were blinded by the light. I had no clue where I was. "Don't open your eyes until I say so," Celeste shouted. I don't know why she said that but I followed her instructions.

I never trusted someone that much, even though I just met her.