Would You Dream Forever?

[2]

Dedicated to charmainellys for your friendship and kindness.

JANICE'S P.O.V

I drag myself to Riam's home, battered and beaten up. The girls - this time with a few boys - bullied me again. I wince at the memory and lose my balance, plummeting to the ground. As the gravel bites into my face, I grimaced and thought that the day couldn't get much worse than this. I inspected my wounds and sat up on the floor. Passers-by stare at me, wondering why an 18 year old girl is sitting on the floor inspecting herself. Maybe they think I'm mad. Maybe I am. I sigh a long breath and pick myself up.

I reach Riam's house a lifetime later. I knock on the door gently and beam when the door opens and someone's eyes poke out, but it disappeared when whoever it was slammed the door back in my face. Literally.
What? What happened? Reeling back in shock of the door slammed shut in my face, I gasped and fell again.
"What... "I murmur, cursing under my breath. I knocked on the door 5 minutes later, hoping it was a misunderstanding. After the door didn't budge, I started banging on it, desperate.
From inside, a person's muffled voice shouted fiercely, "Go away! Don't ever come back! " I bit my bottom lip, tears pooling in my eyes.

Now my day couldn't get any
worse.

That day I didn't have anywhere to sleep so I grabbed two cardboard boxes and lay down outside Riam's home. It was an unforgiving night, the wind swirling around me and my feet freezing. I moved my hands up and down my arms, hoping the friction would make it a little warmer. My teeth were chattering, and I mostly stayed awake, but in the few minutes sleep I had, it was a nightmare of Riam abusing me.

RIAM'S P.O.V

After I heard what he said, my blood boiled. I was raging. Who dared to do that to him? I seethed with rage. I was angry; even more so than the time I learnt that Janice's father abused her. I would make her pay, even though I love her dearly, she would pay for that.

I threw anything to get rid of my anger - throwing vases, pictures, clocks and clutery-all over the place. Then she knocked on my door.

I gulp nervously, then walk cautiously towards the door. I unlock the door, then slowly peek outside. A beaming Janice stares back at me. She is badly cut, and many bruises around her, but she's still so beautiful and cute. I almost cuddle her before remembering what happened earlier.
Anger and hatred takes over my body and I slam the door in her face, using all my might to do it. The door closes with a loud " BANG! " and I storm away even though I feel a little sorry for her.

** A few hours later**
I look out of the window for the fifth time and I see her sleeping figure on the floor outside my house.
It's so comfy in here that I feel guilty. I shake my head, trying to make myself angry again. It doesn't work.
She will always be the one that holds my heart.
But right now I can't help her. The wind swirls around her, making her shiver. In fact, I can see her whole body shaking, and her teeth chattering.
I can't help her. You've got to help her. I can't. You can. You're just giving excuses. You love her. NO I DON'T!!! Just before I turn away from the window, I see her thrashing about, as if being in someone's grip.

*** JANICE'S P.O.V **

"You should have died instead of her, " my father growled, bunching my hair up and dragging me backwards before throwing me into a table. I bend over, coughing before I get hit by someone else.
"Why? " Riam demanded, grabbing me by my arm and tossing me away. I failed to the floor, hard, and yelp in pain. They both start kicking me, as hard as they can, in my ribs, my chest, my face.
Blood splatters all over my clothes, coming from my nose, my open wounds. Bruises are formed everywhere and I scream, hoping they will stop. But they don't. They punch me, step on me, scream ugly words and glare at me with fierce, terrifying eyes, blazing with anger.
I cower away, scared, them still abusing me, until I hear a new voice.

"Stop it! Move! " an old man with a beard and wrinkly eyes pushed aside my father and Riam. He reminded me of a dwarf, with his pointy hat, short height, fat stomach and cheery eyes that always seem to be laughing.

I look up from under my lashes and see my father and Riam frozen to the spot, speechless, as they stared at the dwarf-like person pushing them aside as if they were nothing to him. Which they probably were. I stare at him, too, until his gaze landed on me. His eyes swooped down my body, not in a lustful way, but in a painful way, as if he was the one that was hurt. He grimaced and swallowed, visibly, and gathered me in his arms. I didn't even make a struggle or an argument because I knew he would take better care of me than Riam and my father. He was surprisingly strong. Riam and my father hadn't moved, for some reason, and he lifted me and gave a glare at my father and Riam before running outside.
He kept running, running, until he suddenly stopped. He glanced down at me to see if I was okay, then smiled. I took a deep breath and realized that we were in a forest, with lush bushes and trees growing everywhere. Birds chirped and the insects cricketed. Flowers bloomed and I gaped at the wonderful and beautiful nature around me - it was nothing like the scary movies I saw - it was amazing.

I wince at the pain in my hip, sharp, echoing throughout my body. I cringe as the pain overwhelmes my body and once again, gaze at the magnificent view around me. Who said that forests are scary? They are beautiful, so beautifully created. Heaven. This is heaven. I close my eyes and breathe the fresh, forest air. Inhale. Exhale. I can never get enough of this beauty . As far as I see, it is only elegance of the forest - nothing else. For some reason, this doesn't bother me at all. No distractions. No abuse. Peace.
I hear a chuckle. I open my eyes immediately and stare at the face that saved me and relax. This guy isn't going to hurt me. But I still need to know who he is. I sit on a log and wince again, because of the pain. I keep a straight face and questioned him. Surprisingly, he gave no objections and complied without any hesitation.
" Who are you? "
"My name is Kules."
"Where do you come from? "
" I live here. This is my home. "
"Where am I? "
" In Yellowood Forest of the Dreamreal city. " That made no sense to me but I continued.
" What do you want from me? "
"I want nothing but to help you. "
"How did you find me? "
"From the Sacred Passage Of The Northern Forgotten Path. " That too did not make any sense to me.
" What's that? "
"You wouldn't know. Come, come into my cottage and I will explain everything to you. "
I hesitated, wondering whether he was up to something, but I didn't have anywhere else to go so I followed him in. . His 'cottage ' was a tiny little wood Hut with edges sticking out everywhere. I grimaced at it - it looked ugly.
"Uh... Mr. Kules? I prefer sitting on the grass. "I took a look at the grass, and it looked innocent to sit on.
He turned. "Oh, if you like it, but nay, my cottage is snug. " I looked at his face to see whether he was proud, or just acting smug. He wasn't acting smug or proud. Or at least he didn't look like he was proud or smug. I frowned. He saw my frown and laughed. "Fine, fine, let's sit outside and discuss about this. "
And then with my discussion with him I found out the most horrifying - or amazing - things I have never thought of.