Wonderland

Chapter 2

For the first week Emile solem left the room that had become his. He didn't spend a single day not thinking about Remy, and the guilt and regret that filled him everytime he thought about how he had left him alone. He hadn't meant to. He really hadn't. He had just wanted away from his thoughts, just for a little while. He'd been so desperate- Emile jumped as there was a knock on his door. Emile sighed heavily as he forced himself to calm.

"Come in!" he muttered, expecting Patton to be the one at the door, as the fatherly-like personality had made it part of his schedule to check on Emile regularly, as well as made sure Emile ate with them for every meal, which he didn't entirely mind. It was nice to be around people who weren't so aggressive towards him. It was a welcome difference from the bullies at school and tense dinners with Remy. It wasn't his fault, either of their faults, but they were always both so on edge it was hard for either of them to properly relax and enjoy being with each other. That being said, there was no doubt they love each other deeply. Emile was pulled from his thoughts as a prince-like figure entered.

"Emile, my newest friend, care to join me for an adventure?" Roman asked, grinning as he waltzed into the room, sporting a tank top and shorts. Emile, who was seated at his desk mindlessly doodling and writing to kill the time, as he had every day so far in the In-Between, turned and looked at Roman, surprised to see someone other than Patton.

"I-I don't know," Emile mumbled, turning and folding his arms on his desk, resting his head on his arms as he mindlessly played with a pencil. "I think I'll just stay here."

"And do what?" Roman prodded, walking across the room and leaning against Emile's desk. Emile tried not to flinch away from Roman's unrequested presence. "Are you going to doodle all day again? As an artist myself, I still must ask, doesn't that sound boring?" Roman prompted. When Emile didn't exactly answer, Roman sighed. "Look friendo, you've been in here alone the last few days. It'll be good for you to get out and just do something with yourself! You'll feel so much better, I promise. If you don't believe me ask nerdy wolverine!," Emile still didn't quite understand the nicknames Roman gave everyone. "Just come along this one time, and then I'll leave you alone, alright?" Roman bargained. Emile sighed and closed his notebook. Remy always had encouraged him to try new things anyways, hadn't he?

"Just this one time?" Emile repeated. Roman was positively beaming by this point, obviously knowing he had won.

"Yupp."

"Alright." Emile slowly stood up. "Where are we going?" Roman smirked and looked Emile up and down.

"You're gonna want to change clothes."

Emile left the house for the first time that day, and from the lawn out front, he was finally able to see the place he was now staying in all its glory. It was a beautiful two-story cabin, a waterfall-fed lake with a dock and row boat out front, and lush and colourful dense forest on the other three sides. The cabin was in some sort of basin of sorts, sharp cliffs east and west, though many paths seem to lead up and between said cliffs, and north and south lay sloping hills.

Emile and Roman had hiked east for long enough Emile had lost sense of time. Emile was  originally uncomfortable in the tanktop and shorts Roman had recommended in contrast to his long sleeved sweaters and pants, but as he grew tired, it no longer affected him as much. Surprisingly, he noticed some ways into the "adventure", as Roman had deemed it, Emile noticed he himself was not sweaty at all, and he was growing increasingly concerned about it. He knew he was not exactly alive but, well, Roman was showing signs of exertion, meaning he should be too, he reasoned.

Hesitantly, and fearfully, he asked Roman about it. Roman had smiled patiently and explained that in the In-Between, spirits, or souls as in Emile's case, only experienced what they wanted to feel, though it did take some practice to control properly. If one wished not to feel the wind, they would not. The idea of such control was almost intoxicating to Emile. He could wish to never feel pain, and he never would. He'd never have to feel the blow of a punch or kick or anything again.