INTO THE UNKNOWN. XXX

"X" UNMASKED

My breathing escalated rapidly, my chest and abdomen rising and falling at an unevened pace.

Adrenaline filled my veins, my hands shakingly packed all of my belongings that were in sight and shoving them into a camouflage duffle bag.

I could hear my heart pumping loudly out of my chest, I was scared beyond measures but this is something that I have to do, its something I must do or else I'll be the death of myself.

I'll be the death of everyone around me and that's not how I want to end things.

I could hear tires screetching in the distance and the loud roar of an engine. At that moment I knew that it was now or never.

As my bestfreind gripped the stearing wheel with sweaty palms, he drove the car like he stole it, which he probably did.

Before I could collect my thoughts the entire room turned pitch black.

I'm a bit low on iron and these are one the symptoms, like when you get up to quickly and everything turns black but you can still see floating circles. This time was alot different.

I was in an abondand building. There was water damage everywhere, the turqouise wallpaper that once was, now tunred into pastel blue outlined with brown marks from the damage.

In the centre was a rusty bunkbed with two mattresses and exposed springs.

''Where am I?'' I questioned. That was quickly dismissed when I saw a stitch and sora doll along with a sequel of naruto novels sitting on the edge of a study desk.

''It can't be, I left this place years ago'' I said out loud standing in my old bedroom where I spent most of my life, at the Devine Intervention Children's Home.

''Youv'e grown so much Jah'' a female voice said from behind me. I quickly turned around to be met with her.

''Immana?'' I questioned in disbelief.

''Yeah it's me'' she replied, her voice still being sweet and smooth as ever. ''But how? I made you up, you were my imaginary friend when I was little'' I said still not believing what I was seeing.

''You left me Jah! you got out of here and forgot about me! you know how long I waited for you? When you left I was alone and empty, stuck in this abyss, like a lost soul swimming in a sea of darkness worried about you.'' She yelled at me with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Every word struck me like a bullet, I just froze, my body was still in shock it felt like a ball and chain was attached to my ankles because I couldn't move.

''But Manna I-'' that was all I managed to say before I stopped to look at her appearance. She's grown so much, she looks around my age practically a teenager. Mind you she's imaginary so I don't know how this is possible.

She seemed to be 5ft 9 there about, sis got the height of a model. Her soft caramel skin spread across her body like thick honey gliding off its comb, her defined jaw line and deep ocean eyes complimented her facial features.

              (Play the song)

I finally got the courage to speak up. ''I'm sorry Manna, believe me I am, I know it was hard for you I cant begin to imagine how you felt. But we were just kids, I only made you up to comfort me through all my hard times.

That's what happens when kids grow up, they forget about their imaginary freinds and face the real world''. I said with my voice cracking mid sentence hoping to calm her down while speaking some truth and it seemed to be working because her face began to soften up. Until she said something really strange.

''See that's the thing, i'm not a product of your imagination. I'm real, we were roomates remember? We promised that we'd always be there for each other until you betrayed me and left. But thats okay, because I got out a while after you and now i'm in trouble. I need you Jahseh, I need you to save me before it's to late''.

That's all she said before disappearing and everything went back to normal, there I was roughly packing my things again with adrenaline corsing through my viens like lavar flowing out of a volcano.

''I think it's time to stop smoking weed'' I said before being interrupted by a flaring car horn from outside.

''Yo X c'mon we gotta go!!''

I heard my bestfriend call out to me, I quickly grabbed my bag and headed towards the door until I was stopped in my tracks by my mother.

''Wh- where d- do you think you going boy?'' she questioned half drunk, her hair was in a mess and her clothes were falling of her body. It hurts me every time seeing her like this but that's the life she chose. She chose the bottle over her own sons.

I lightly moved her out of my way but her drunk ass just had to be dramatic. She started screaming and rolling on the sides of the wall, she even knocked over a flower vas that was on the hallway table.

Great, now the whole neighbourhood gon come outside to start sweeping just to see what's going on.

I hate it here.

My heart dropped when I heard a soft voice coming from behind me. ''Jah Jah are you leaving us''? my little brother asked with tears pooling in his eyes, it sucks that I have to leave him here. Sometimes not everyone is meant to be a parent.

''No Aiden i'm just going out to get us some milk from the shop'' I said trying to not sound sad, ''oh, well get me some candy too'' he requested before going back to watch looney toons on the tv.

''Is this really the life you want for him ma''? I whispered to my mother so Aiden won't hear us. ''Get the hell out my house batty bwi''! she yelled at me losing her patience. Her thick  Jamaican accent coming out at the end of her sentence.

''Okay, but take care of him'' that's the last thing I said to her before opening the door and looking back one last time at my deadbeat mother and the dreadful house I lived in.

I quickly turned to the car seeing my best friend giving me that "hurry up nigga" look. I finally got in practically crashing my self onto the seat, ''You sure you want to do this'' he asked in reassurance. ''Hell yeah vro'' I replied eagerly but was scared shitless, we had no idea what we were getting our selves into.