The Fear Within

Chapter 3: Fears and endings (part 1)

Phantom’s POV:

Darkness. That was all I could ever see. It surrounded me, spreading its wings around me. Blinding me from my surroundings. I couldn’t feel the ground beneath me or anything for that matter. Suddenly, there was a blinding light. I felt myself getting pulled into the light, then I regained my sense of the world around me.
Blinking my eyes open, I found myself staring at the ceiling. It took me a few moments to realize I was actually laying on a bed.
‘Huh?’ I thought in confusion as I looked around me ‘Where am I?’ I was in a room. Yet, something felt off about the room.
Something...familiar.
Before I could wonder more about where I was, I heard footsteps coming from the other side of the door.
“Hey, kiddo! Time to get up” a voice called out making me freeze. It can’t be...
Just as the door swung open, showing a man with black beard and brown eyes that locked on me once they spotted me. The man gave a nod of approval.
“Ah, good, you're awake. I was worried I was gonna have to drag you out of bed. You certainly had a long nap” Vidar, my father, said with the mischievous glint in his eyes and the soft smile on his lips.
I was unable to contain the gasp that escaped my lips as tears started to gather in my eyes, blurring my vision. My whole frame shook with silent sobs that were unable to leave my lips.
Gone was the glint in my father’s eyes and concern replaced it instead as he stared at my trembling form “Are you alright, son?” he asked and I could no longer hold myself the moment he called me ‘son’.
Hot tears streamed down my face as my whole body shook violently before I quickly jumped out of the bed. My feet barely touched the ground before I sprinted towards my father and tightly hugged him with all my might, burying my face in his clothes as I bursted into tears.
It would seem that my father was taken back by my actions, since he just stood there, not knowing what to do before he wrapped his big arms around my small form, hugging me close to him, making me sob and shake even harder.
He knelt down and embraced me tightly, rubbing my back in circular motions “Shh, it’s alright, son. Just a bad dream” he spoke with a calm, soothing voice. Oh, how much I've missed him.
I heard another pair of feet, lighter this time. Before I knew it, another pair of arms wrapped themselves around me. I got my face out of my father’s vest and looked to see who they belonged to. My red buffy eyes met the icy blue eyes of my mother’s, who hugged me even tighter than before.
I couldn’t suppress my whimpers as they both embraced me. They are here, they are not gone. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I knew that something was wrong. How were they here. But I couldn’t care less.
I finally have my parents back.

Slade’s POV:

I let out a groan when I started to wake up. Memories from what happened before I, apparently, passed out started rushing back in my mind: the island, falling into the cave purple eyes then nothing. I jolted up and snapped my eyes open before shutting them again and letting out a hiss as they were met with the blinding light of the sun. Blinking my eyes a few times to adjust them to the light before I was finally able to open them fully without a problem. As it appears, I’m no longer in the same cave that me and the others fell in, thus, I started to scan the area with my eyes, trying to spot something that would inform me where I might be.
It appeared to be some kind of a forest, nothing special about it. What grabbed my attention was the book laying a few feet away from me. Feeling curious, I stood up, wincing from how sore my muscles felt. I walked towards the book and picked it up. I brushed my fingers against the cover of the book ‘leather’ I thought, of course, most common material for making book covers. I took a moment to stare at book more, for some reason, it felt familiar. My hunger for answers growing more, causing me to open it and start flipping through the pages. There were drawings, sketches of animal and trees as well as weapons, notes and writings about what appeared to be blacksmithing, descriptions and observations of the forest around me and the animals that were drawn in the book. Then it clicked,
this wasn’t just any book,
this was MY book. The very same book that I used for writing down my observations of my surroundings and everything I learnt back on the Avalache Island. But the book wasn’t complete. This isn’t everything I wrote. At first, I thought maybe someone else wrote this, but it couldn’t be. This was my hand writing. I gazed up from the book and started to look around me once more. Now, I can recognize the forest. This was the forest on Avalache island, the forest that I spent most, if not all, my time in. Observing its beauty and wonders. The sound of foot steps behind me alerted me. I span around, crouching low to stay on guard in case whoever was coming was a threat. My breath got caught in my throat once I caught sight of a familiar redheaded girl. Despite my shock, I still crouched low in case this could be a trick. The girl’s face held surprise towards me reaction. However, her surprised was soon replaced by relief and concern “Slade! Where have you been?” the girl asked and then all my doubts vanished. This is her angelic voice, her beautiful face, her bright golden eyes, her fire-like hair. This is her “I’ve been looking for you for a while now” Leah informed. Yet, I acknowledged none of it, her voice clear in my head, but her words were distorted. My body started to act on its own, and before I knew it, I was already walking towards her. Her face morphed from concerned to confused and nervous “Uh Slade, what are you doing?” she asked with a hint of nervousness in her voice. I now stood before her, gazing into her hazel eyes as she gazed into my brown ones.
And slowly I leaned closer. Maybe time stopped when my lips met hers, but the flutter only intensified. my heart pounded in my chest as I felt her knees get weak. I pulled back from our kiss and stared into her eyes, watching as her face got completely flushed “W..where did that came from?” she stuttered, making me blush as well once I realized what I have done, but I don’t regret it. Not in million years “Something I should have done sooner” I answered her, watching as a smile formed on her still red face before she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me in for another kiss. All my questions from before faded away. Only one thought kept racing through my head,
I finally have her back.