Other World

Who?

Ariel sighed as she walked up the hill. She was sort of glad that she wasn't friends with Jamiah. She was toxic anyways. But she was also upset that she had made her old friend turned bully jealous. She didn't want to be that kind of person. Ariel looked down, looking at her feet as she walked. Right. Left. Right, left, right- 

"Hm?", Ariel lifted her head, seeing she had already made it to her destination, her school. Why did she come her to clear her mind? Because it was just calming in her own way. She liked it. The schoolyard that was normally loud, busy and crowded was now empty, and lonely. Ariel liked it. At least when she wanted to be left alone, unbothered by her mother, by bullies, by annoying teachers and the sounds of whispers behind her back. She stepped onto the grass of the school yard, a few leaves crunching under her feet. Strange, considering where she lived, the leaves didn't often shrivel up, fall to the ground and lay there. Ariel sat her bag down next to a tree, leaning against it and sliding down onto her behind, crossing her legs. She turned and grabbed her notebook out of her bag, not bothering to zip the old thing up. The zipper was slightly broken anyways. Ariel opened the notebook and began to write when she remembered the book she found in Mya's closet. She set her notebook on the ground and reached in her bag, feeling around for the mysterious bag, pulling it out and looking at it.

"Hey.", a voice from behind Ariel startled her, making her heart leap into her throat. Ariel coughed.

"Eh... h-hi?", she stood up and looked around the tree, but no one was there. She turned back around and gasped. Who? Who was that? 

"You're kind of standin' on something of mine.", the girl. The girl? Her name? Ariel didn't know. Sure, she had plenty of classes with her, she'd seen her at least four times a day. Heck, she even had lunch with her. She recognized her all too well. But, why was she here? Doing the same thing as Ariel? Maybe. 

"Huh?", Ariel looked down at her feet - or more at what was below them - and gasped, stepping away from the few papers she had now crumbled and ripped. She frowned. "I'm so sorry..."

"It's alright, it's only the fifth time I've tried re-writing that old thing. It isn't doing so hot anyways.", the girl flipped her blonde hair, smiling, "Uh... by the way, I'm Lexi.", she stuck her hand out for Ariel to shake. Ariel looked at Lexi's hand. She didn't budge. Lexi put her hand down, sighing, raising an eyebrow at Ariel, who was lost in thought. Her name was Lexi? Why didn't she ever notice? She heard that name called during attendance all the time. Why didn't she know who she was?

"Ariel- uh, sorry. I'm Ariel. Which I guess you know, since we have like ever class together, huh?", Ariel bit the inside of her cheek nervously, hoping she hadn't said anything stupid. 

"Yeah. Ariel Walker, right? I've heard your name a lot, you're kind of the talk of the school... some things good, some things bad...", Lexi's eyes fell to the book Ariel was still clutching in her hands. Lexi's eyes practically sparkled as she looked at the book. It... amazed her. She grabbed it right out of Ariel's hands-

"Hey!"

"Where'd you get this? It's really cool? I like it.", Lexi opens the book, turning a few pages and cocking her right eyebrow. 'She does that a lot, doesn't she...', Ariel thoughts. "Where are all the words? It's completely empty. Is it a diary or something...?", Lexi lifted the book up, as if trying to get a better look at it. She held it by her thumb and index finger, her eyes tracing over the spine of the book. Ariel shakes her head.

"Actually, I found it in my cousin's closet... she's... missing. And, I was just looking for maybe anymore keepsakes. I found that, I had never seen it in there before and- it's just there now. There's nothing in it though if that's what you're wondering.", Ariel looked around the schoolyard, her eyes tracing over the grass when Lexi taps her shoulder to grab her attention. It works, and Ariel glances over at Lexi. Lexi. What a generic name. 

"Hey, there is something in here. Look, it's in like... Hebrew or something. Yeah. My grandmother knows Hebrew.", Lexi pointed to a page, a strange language written on it. She was right. There was something on it. Why didn't Ariel notice that before? She mentally kicked herself in the leg. Ariel took out her phone, deciding she'd take a picture of it and translate it. Her phone took only a moment to load as the translation finally showed on her screen. Lexi nudged her. "Okay, well read it out loud.", Ariel obliged. She read it aloud, for Lexi to hear. 

"Demanding time and space to break, don't move too quickly, you'll make a mistake.", Ariel shrugged, looking Lexi in the eye, "For tomorrow comes too fast for Nobody?", the wind began to pick up and Lexi shivered, taking her plaid jacket off her waist, putting it on, "Believe me, trust me, it's true. They aren't to be trusted, are not your buddy.", a small, bright light began to shine from above the two, catching Lexi's attention. The blonde gasped.

"Dude, stop, you're probably summoning a demon-", Lexi was cut off as the wind picked her up from her feet. She shut her eyes tight, gripping onto a low tree branch as she was lifted. She peaked one eye open, seeing Ariel was in the air as well. 

"Please help. Nobody is with me.", Ariel's eyes began glowing white, her pupils and iris disappearing, "Nobody? Like a person? It's like a person- with me?", Ariel didn't know -or care- her eyes were glowing brightly, she had so many questions. Was she alone? Or was this "Nobody" a person? "Moya-"

-

Bright. A bright light. Almost blinding. Her ears were ringing. Where was she? Had she just had a dream? Why couldn't she see? She was sure her eyes were open? Bird. Chirping. Were  those birds? Yes. Maybe? Her vision was getting brighter, as if it could. Not a brighter white, though. A brighter color. Green. There green. And blue. And pink? Deep blue, too. 

"...ou okay?", Ariel heard a distant voice, "...it your head? ...alive?", the voice was becoming more clear by the minute. Lexi. That was Lexi. Her ears stopped ringing and her vision came to her all at once. Grass. The smell and taste of grass was in her mouth. Ariel sad up quickly, immediately regretting so as the blood all rushed to her head, making her dizzy. Ariel grabbed at her head, groaning. 

"Where-"

"You're alive! Jeez, you had me there, thought you were dead for a minute!", Ariel's eyes fell on Lexi, who was bus running her fingers through her wavy hair. The blonde had purple tips in her hair. Ariel really didn't notice that either? For someone normally so observant of people, she really couldn't notice the coloring in the other girl's hair? Wait. How long was she out?

"How long was I-"

"Relax, it's only been like... an hour.", Lexi waves her hand off in front of her, standing up and brushing off her blue, ripped jeans. Lexi stuck her hand out, Ariel taking it this time. The blonde helped her up, getting her on her own feet. 

"Okay... holy- where are  we?!", Ariel looks around, bringing her hands up to her mouth, covering it in shock. 

"I've tried figuring that out, but when I opened my phone and tried to call anyone, or search it up, my phone fizzed and popped, and," Lexi showed her the phone, it was cracked and completely obliterated, "it broke."

"Oh no... nonononono- we're stuck here!? Without even knowing where 'here' is?!", Ariel looks into the distance, seeing a forest of deep blue and very dark green trees, "There are discolored trees! Have you ever seen blue trees? I haven't!", Ariel grabbed at her skirt, fisting it in her palms. Lexi shrugged. 

"In cartoons..."

"In cartoons! Exactly! Maybe we're in a coma together! Except that doesn't work... so I must be dreaming you! Did Jamiah beat me up back at Mya's house...?", Ariel brought her hands up to her face and moaned. 

"Hello! Oh-", a small voice was heard by both girls. They both looked in the direction of the voice, seeing a small, humanoid dragon -about four feet tall- come up the bright, grassy hill. 

BROOOOO