Mysteries of the Mountain

Chapter 19: Lilly

I was sitting on the grass, looking at a very familiar looking small girl who was sitting cross-legged across from me. I stared at her and she stared back, each of us taking in one another's appearances. She had mousy brown hair that was braided down her back, her face was thin with a sharp nose, and her eyes were light brown and hopeful. Her clothes were ragged and slightly too big for her, the green pants clashing horribly with her purple shirt in a very familiar way. With a start I realized who she was. Me. Or at least, myself of ten years ago.

"Hello Lilly." She said and smiled at me. I stared at her speechless. Is that would I looked like when I was younger? I almost wanted to cringe at how innocent and strange I looked but I held it back. Maybe my younger self had answers and maybe things weren't as bad as they seemed...

"Um... hello." I finally said before thinking for a moment. If I could ask my younger self any question, what would it be? Briefly I considered asking her if she still believed Peter Pan would come for her and take her far away but I decided that would be a waste of perfectly good time. Then I considered asking her whether she had broken up with her sweet-heart Logan yet before realizing that I should probably not anger her. In the end it didn't matter.

"You are confused." Younger Me said before I could form a question in my mind.

"Very." I said, relieved that she had finally spoken "You see... You're me and I'm you and... Ugh! This cannot be real."

"What does it matter if it is real or not? You have questions don't you? Then why don't you just ask away?" She said and I realized she was right. Now was not the time to question reality.

"Okay well... Where are we?" I asked, glancing around us. We were in a field in the middle of nowhere. Everywhere I looked there was stretches of green grass that seemed to go on forever.

"Where do you think we are?" Younger Me answered. I was getting frustrated. Why did she answer all my questions with more questions?

"We're in a field." I said impatiently "But I want to know where exactly this field is?!"

"Is that really the most important question on your mind right now?" Younger Me asked and I growled with frustration when I realized she – or I depending on how you looked at it – was right.

"Okay fine." I said through gritted teeth "What I really want to know is what happened, why I'm here and not saving Liz from being captured, and oh it would also be really nice to know how this is possible and why you're talking to me!"

Younger Me stared at me for a second before smiling, a teasing and bright smile. This did nothing to help with my anger.

"We are both so angry, aren't we?" She finally said "We can never relax. We can never sit back and view our situations from an outsider's point of view. That was Liz's job, wasn't it? It's a wonder that she never gets fed up of us. Don't you think it's time we stand up for ourselves and learn lessons without her help?"

"What is your point?" I snapped, trying to calm my beating heart and loosen my clenched fists. I used to be really annoying...

Younger Me's smile faded. She shook her head with disappointment before finally saying, "I guess I have to show you, then."

And before I could ask what, I was plunged head first into a memory...

FLASH

"Liz! Over here!" I called from across the playground. It was our last gym class before the end of the year and I was determined to beat my record at dodge ball. The problem was that nobody would pass me the ball and it made me furious. I wasn't a bad player but Oaka never tried to do anything in Gym and Liz was always in the thick of things, plotting her own strategies which left me being the Outcast... But not today. I was determined this time and seeing that Liz had finally gotten the ball and I was in position to get a perfect hit on the other team's captain... It was finally my time to shine.