The Breakaways

Chapter 4

"Um...Well..." my dad interjected. "What's your genre?"

"Fantasy, story #44. Role: Background character. Subtitle is unloaded," I repeated in a monotone voice.

"Story number 44?" Mom and Dad shared a glance between them. "That one's fairly new, right? Only a couple years? That's not long for a fantasy story, was it dear?" Mom asked him. He shook his head.

"Fantasy is one of the longer lasting genres." He put a hand on my shoulder. "You've got your work cut out for you, hun. Find a steady paying job and you should be good for a while, but if you see any thieves or fishy business leave the town at once."

I nodded. "I know that, Dad."

His eyes looked sad. "I know you know that. I'm just worried about the two of you. And I'll see you most nights, but-" his voice got choked up, and he turned to hold hands with Gavin. "-who knows when I'll see you again after tomorrow."

Gavin's eyes were sad too, but, being his twin and having birth rights to know these things, I could tell that couldn't dampen or dull his excitement. There was just too much of it. He is going to be a game changer, I thought.

It was already night, so I spent it packing my last minute items and staying up until 1:00 with my family. At 7:00, my parents tiredly left their beds to say goodbye.

Gavin and I were already at the front door waiting with our bags, wide awake with the prospect of this new adventure. Mom had made us both bring a backpack and a duffel bag, but I was planning to ditch the duffel bag before I got there and just bring my backpack for light travels. Mom and Dad made sure I had packed plenty of money, so I could get whatever I absolutely needed. We assumed there would be somewhere to trade it out for whatever form of currency there was in that world. If there wasn't, then...I'd be living out of my backpack for a while there.

I didn't know if Gavin was planning on ditching his duffel bag as well, as he had a huge backpack. But he was grabbing tightly onto it and, knowing him, he wouldn't ditch anything Mom and Dad gave him. I really hoped his duty as a sidekick wouldn't stop him from being able to hold onto comfort items.

Mom and Dad came over and gave us both hugs, telling us only, "Be careful, and we love you. Watch yourselves and others, be smart about your choices, and play your role how it's meant to be played. We love you. This is not goodbye."

Gavin and I both looked at each other, and I could see his eyes were filled with sadness. Mom and Dad had clearly spoken to him earlier, as I knew they would've said more to a sidekick, but I didn't pry. We nodded to our parents, then each other, then I reached for the doorknob and turned.

After only a few minutes of walking, we were at the end of our long driveway, which was alongside trees.

Gavin lifted his head from the ground, to look down the road in the direction of our school.

"Well," he started, "I guess I'll just head to school and I'll end up in my story sooner or later."

I nodded. "Yeah. And I guess I'll..." I looked in the direction of Lilly's house. "...find my way to my story as well."

We stood there awkwardly, kicking rocks on the road like we always did when we didn't know what to do outside. Finally, I stepped towards him and reached for a hug. He accepted.

"Bye, brother." He sniffled.

"Bye, sister."

I squeezed my arms around him one more time before we stepped apart. He looked at the ground, looked at the house, and back at me. He wanted to say something, but I already knew what it was. 

All too soon, he turned a corner and was out of my point of view. I sighed. Goodbye, brother.

I watched a little bit longer, but I knew I had to let him go, at least for now. So, I turned in the direction of Lilly's house, to see if she had already left. I couldn't tell. My sight was blurry.

I wiped my tools of sight with my shirt. "Stupid eyes," I muttered, feeling a pang in my chest. It seemed he was already missing for good.

After walking a few yards, it appeared that she had left. The car that was her ride to school was missing from her family's driveway, so something strange that happened along the way would probably bring her to her story.

I recalled my encounter with her yesterday. So I guess that was goodbye....possibly for good.....

I wiped my eyes with the sleeve of my jacket. It was red and blue flannel, and way too warm to wear in this seventy degree weather, even though it was thin.

My brow was sweating; it was usually around 54 degrees here, in the city. I didn't like this. Maybe where I would live in my story it was hot, and this was just some foreshadowing. I hoped not.  

I tried to ignore how my heart felt and looked up from the ground. Something, maybe a feeling, told me to turn a little to the right. 

Sure enough, through the woods, there was a cave that had not been there before. In fact, the whole woods hadn't been there before. Before, it had just been a small green area, in the road between houses that happened to have a few trees. Now it was full fledged woods, and the houses behind and before it had completely disappeared. Some part of me immediately hoped that was the future for this area.

Before moving towards the mysterious cave, I forced my feet to stay in place. I looked down at the purple and black duffel bag in my left hand. At first, I had planned to leave it under the oak tree Lilly and I had previously talked about, but I could feel such a strong pull towards the cave, I could swear I was physically leaning forwards.

I longed to go there, and suddenly I knew I couldn't go all the way back to the oak tree. The river it was by was too far. The cave was right there. And it was calling me, so much that I knew I'd be OK.

When I finally let myself take a step, I tripped over myself trying to get there. I covered the 50 yards fairly easily, despite the presence of a backpack on my back and a duffel bag in my hand.

When I made it to the yawning opening of the cave, I was in the woods. The opening to the non story world was a good 20 meters behind me. I didn't look back. Its pavement would stay hidden from my view for a long time.

Instead, I inspected the cave. I was in a forest of pine, and the rock was all a light gray stone. The entrance was in the shape of a rugged triangle on top of a square, and pitch black. Well, besides the first few steps. Then it was pitch black.

"Wish I had thought to bring a flashlight," I mumbled, but it couldn't kill my new good mood, despite that it was meant to bring me somewhere I wouldn't see my brother- ever. I set my near-empty duffel bag on a big rock that was as tall as my waist, which was right next to the entrance. Breathlessly, I headed in, forgetting everything that lay behind me-for the moment, at least. It was a good moment.