Warped

Chapter 21: Lukas

"Lukas?"

The world around me opens up, a bright blue sky above me. My eyes open wider and I snap upright, freezing as I hear chuckles come from the side of me.

"Whoa, easy there." My heart staggers in my chest, that's Jesse's voice.... "Hey, are you alright Lukas? Axel did hit you pretty hard."

"Sorry dude," My eyes pop out as I snap to Axel, not one splotch of metal anywhere on him. "I really don't know how I happen to fall on you constantly."

"Y-you're not an iron golem." I glance at the others who are all around me now, all of them completely human again and healthy again. "And you're not wolf or a spider and you all look like you've been eating well."

Olivia bends down to me, checking my forehead with her left arm. Two arms! She has two arms! "Hmm, you're running a bit high Lukas. Do you want to head back home?"

"H-home? We can actually go back home?" I raise my hands to my face, when I can clearly see my hands. Hands with no claws, with my normal fingers and nothing else.

I quickly reach up and feel my head, no ears. And I don't feel my tail at all. Nothing! I'm human again! Everything's alright!

A laugh explodes out of me, excitement and joy bubbling and bursting out of me. The sun sparkling on my skin, the crisp fresh air of nature. My stomach feeling unnaturally swollen, but content with the food inside of it.

"We should probably be worried about that." I leap onto my feet, normal and not hunger weakened muscles surging beneath me, a crazed delirium blasting through my blood. A permanent smile etched onto my face as I grin madly at Petra.

"Are you kidding? We have nothing to worry about anymore!" Olivia opens her mouth to say something, but I sweep her up into a hug. "Just look at you Olivia! You have two arms again! You're eyes aren't red! Haha! This is great! Fantastic!"

Jesse pulls at my shoulder. "Okay Lukas, you must have hit your head a little harder than I thought. Let's get you home."

I release Olivia, only to wrap Jesse up into a hug. I can't even count the days I haven't seen him or have heard his voice. This is how it should be, we shouldn't be separated apart in cages for weeks as we're tortured. We should be free, we should be together.

"I can't tell you have much I've missed you Jesse."

"Lukas, I've been here the entire time. I haven't gone anywhere." I ignore the confusion in his voice, and just hug him harder. I was so scared, so worried something happened to him. But he's fine now. Better than fine, everything's absolutely perfect.

"Lukas." Petra's words are harsh, practically a growl, starling me. I let go of Jesse, still grinning like a complete fool when I turn to her. But she's not there, only a wolf.

I jump back, the smile falling right off my face. I quickly turn to Olivia, but all that's left of her is a spider. A... seven legged hairy spider. Looking up with me with all eight of her shiny red eyes.

"Whoa, what's hap-" My breath hitches in my throat when I spot Axel. An iron golem staring back at me with its hollow eyes. Strengthening the dread squeezing my heart.

It roars, the deep noise rattling me. "Hey! Lukas!"

"Jesse, are you... you..." My eyes jump out of their sockets when I turn around, a wither boss monster right there. And I go as cold as its lifeless dead eyes pierce into me, everything shaking and trembling as I scurry back.

"No, no no no no... this- this is..." My eyes feverishly dart around at all the creatures surrounding me. Complete animals, nothing human about them anymore. They're gone, my friends, gone... I've lost them all.