Adeline and the Ovunque's Key || Ongoing

023

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑 - 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞

The journey was quiet. Though Pierre's eyes wouldn't stop staring my way, concern overflows them.

"Addie, you were hurt," he mutters in a whisper tone.

"What are you talking about? I'm not."

"I saw scratches and blood on your side. Didn't you feel anything?"

"No?" I turned my head down, letting my eyes run on myself.

He's right. A fresh bright red wound was on my side; with marks of sharp claws and a trail of blood. The wound is there but weirdly enough, I couldn't feel it.

"Are you okay?"

"I am. Don't worry. I don't feel it anyway."

"Do you still want to get going with this task?"

"You said it yourself, we came so far. Now, all we need is her book."

Nodding, he said no more words, glueing his mouth shut as he simply followed me. We walked across the dirt, branches, twigs and leaves under our feet and surely enough, we ended up somewhere familiar to me.

Familiar in a bad way.

That's how I knew, I'm almost there.

This was what I came for, I told myself as I felt my palm grow sweaty with each step I took. My body shook, trembling in a cold sweat. Chilly air brushed the nape of my neck, tickling me lightly. Leaves flew in the spiral of wind circling us as if the place were welcoming me back. As if it knows and remembers me.

As if trees could move, I swore the branches close in, providing shade to us as we walked deeper. Sun-dappled leaves form flickering shadows and the wind sends a shudder of movement through the branches. The dirt and soil are no longer in our steps. In its place were wooden planks forming a path.

One step at a time, slow and steady. I brace myself with each step, comforting myself that nothing would hurt me there. I walked and walked, tightening my hold on Pierre's hand.

There it is.

A hut, small yet holds so many of my horrible nightmares as its home.

I can feel my gut twisting in one horrible swirl, making my face turn green. The world grew blurry as if a thick fog was placed in front of me while at the same time something was shaking me so much that I couldn't help but feel sick. My head felt like it was going to explode just from the sight of the hut.

"Addie. Breathe. I'm here. She's here. We won't let anything happen to you," I heard Pierre's voice, speaking softly to my ear.

I shut my eyes as a small moan of distress escape my lips. Taking one long breath, I consumed down the fears as I engulfed it back into its little chest, making sure to lock it. "I'm o-okay, I'm f-f-fine, I'm al-alright," I muttered under my breath, trying to calm myself down before I open my eyes back up and turn to face him. I needed to assure him that I can do this. I needed to do this. Staring at them both, I nodded weakly at both him and Odell before marching farther, forcing my posture to straighten up as I did.

"Just remember that we're here with you," I heard him say. He holds my wrist firmly to comfort me, holding it tightly the closer we get to the hut. "It's not a shame if you ever feel fear. It's what makes you human, Addie."

Lanterns were lit in the tiny house as if the hut was in fact not empty. There's the smell of burned coal from the roof, dark, bitter and intoxicating. Could there actually be someone in it?