Fire & Flood

Chapter 15

Morgan was beside Emily in his human form. The pair slowly continued to walk forward through the forest that was beginning to feel endless. Emily could feel an ominous presence, as if nature itself was working against them. Morgan was looking anxiously over his shoulder. He walked carefully, trying to make as little sound as possible.

"I am lost here, aren't I?" Asked Emily and Morgan could hear desperation in her tone.

"I'll get you home," said Morgan with conviction while continuing to walk.

"We've been walking forever, I don't live this far away, we should have been out by now! Or we should have found Sam," said Emily.

"This forest can be a labyrinth, if Sylvos doesn't want you to leave, you won't," said Morgan.

"That's reassuring," Emily mumbled under her breath.

"This all could have been avoided, little rabbit, if you'd only listened to me and left when I told you," said Morgan nonchalantly. "Now, you may be stuck here with me, the big bad wolf."

Morgan's eyes flickered to Emily's face. Emily looked up and detected a hint of concern in his gaze.

"We need to find Sam and make sure he is okay," said Emily. "Maybe he'll know how to get out of here too."

"Maybe, maybe not," shrugged Morgan.

"Anyway, if a dryad wants to find you, they'll find you. It's no use chasing after him. You'll just get yourself more lost. Then we'll have Sylvos and Laura to deal with," said Morgan darkly. "As much as I hate your boyfriend, he is a kitten compared to those two."

Morgan and Emily walked in silence for some time. Emily felt like a billion thoughts swirled in her head. Emily needed a distraction, but she  didn't know what to say. She had a million questions for Morgan, but they all sounded insensitive or insulting. Finally she asked the one question that was on her mind the longest,

"Do you miss them? Your family."
Morgan looked at her with surprise.

"Of all the questions you could have asked, you chose this one? Really?" He asked taken aback.

"I mean, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," said Emily.

"No, I don't miss them," said Morgan, his eyes cold and distant. "My mother died before I turned five, I guess I somewhat miss her, but I don't really remember her. My father... well... being kind wasn't in his nature." Emily could hear resentment in Morgan's tone. "I went to work as soon as I could trying to save up all that I could to leave home. My father died some years back," concluded Morgan.

"I am sorry," started Emily.

"Don't be, I was glad to hear it," interrupted Morgan coldly.

Emily was close to her father and mother. She didn't fully under what it would be like to have this type of resentment for a parent. Emily's heart ached for Morgan, but he seemed unfazed.

"You are asking the wrong questions, little rabbit," said Morgan and a sarcastic grin spread across his face. "You should be asking, 'oh Morgan, how can I ditch my stupid dryad boyfriend to be with you?'" He said mockingly. Morgan turned to face Emily so suddenly that she almost tripped into his arms. His expression was flirty, a crooked smile warmed his face.

"You are impossible," said Emily and took a step to walk around him. Morgan took a step to impede Emily.

"Am I?" He asked in a brazen tone, "or am I just the right type of charming?" Morgan brushed a strand of Emily's hair off her cheek. Emily looked into Morgan's eyes and saw unexpected warmth. Morgan moved his face closer to Emily's cheek.

"I am better for you than the dryad, you know," he whispered into her ear. Emily's skin prickled and she felt a warm blush in her cheeks. "For one, I'd never charm or trick you, can't say the same for Sam though," said Morgan and leaned back to look into Emily's eyes.

"Why?" Asked Emily. "Why would you want me?" Emily suspected this to be some kind of a trick. Morgan has yet to give her a straight answer that wasn't dripping with sarcasm or disdain.

"You are pretty, you are a girl, and I like you," shrugged Morgan.

"That's it?" Asked Emily.

"Oh, do you want some kind of a soulmate speech? A deeper connection?" Asked Morgan.

"Can't a boy just like a girl these days?"

"Look, I need to find Sam," said Emily and started to walk away from Morgan.

"Why?" He asked grabbing Emily's arm. "So  he can lure you deeper into this nightmare? He is not on your side," he said angrily.

"You are mad at Laura, not at Sam," said Emily and pulled her arm away from his grip.

"After him lying to you, charming you, and making you Sylvos' tribute, you'd still protect him?" He asked with a hateful tone. "You really are silly, rabbit."

Emily kept walking forward. She could feel Morgan's eyes following her. After a few steps she turned around to ask him if he was coming, but he wasn't there. She was alone.

A thick fog suddenly surrounded her. It was as if she walked into a dense cloud. She couldn't see more than a couple of steps around her.

"Morgan!" She yelled, but there was no answer. It was as if the fog swallowed her words. "Morgan!" She tried again, but only heard her own voice echo back. Panic started to sink in. Emily was alone in a forest that wanted nothing more than to make her disappear.

The fog draped the landscape in a suffocating embrace, swallowing all colors and sounds, reducing the world to a hushed, monochrome image. Trees loomed like specters, their outlines blurred, and the air hung heavy with moisture; Emily felt chilled to the bone. Emily's visibility shrank to mere feet, each step forward felt like an uncertain plunge into the unknown.

Suddenly, Emily felt a hand reach out and grab her arm.

"Finally! I found you!" said a familiar voice