The Lost Ones Book 2: Welcome Home

Chapter 16

Jordan sighed as they rested in a clearing, leaning back against a tree. They had been walking for hours... but no sign of anyone else near here...

Sqaishey had fallen asleep, exhausted.

Mitch and Jerome where both collapsed on the grass, Mitch using Jerome's stomach as a pillow. Tyler sat beside them, knees pulled up to his chest and staring off into space.

Jordan glanced over at Tyler, Sqaishey napping on his shoulder.

"You doing okay?" He asked softly.

Tyler shook his head. "Everything's starting to come back to me... he lied to me Jordan. He said that we were-but we weren't..."

He nodded. "Sqaishey went through some of that too..." he sighed. "It's definitely made her a bit more on the cautious side..."

"Yeah..." Tyler looked down. "I just... Why us? Why do we have to go through this?" Tears welled up in his eyes.

"I don't know man... But I assume this is kind of what Jason and Stampy went through too."

Tyler nodded. "Seeing how torn up they were... who knows what we're in for..."

Jordan sighed and nodded. "Hopefully we can get through it..."

"Yeah..."

Jordan leaned back against the tree and looked around at the surroundings but tensed and froze when he saw something in the trees. "Tyler..." His voice lowered and sounded cautious.

Tyler looked where Jordan was but could only make out a shadow. Besides them Jerome's ears twitched and he bolted up, causing Mitch to wake up. The bacca's fur was standing up on his neck.

Jordan woke Sqaishey. "Guys... There's something there..." he warned them, watching the dark shadow before feeling the sensation of it staring back making him shudder.

A small growl came from Jerome as his hand went to his axe. "It's coming towards us..."

Jordan stood up, letting Jerry turn into a sword as the figure approached.

"Well hello there... I haven't seen any of you around before." gleaming red eyes stared at them as the figure grinned, stepping out of the shadows.

The other's stood up, Jerome and Mitch brandishing their weapons. Tyler stayed a bit hidden behind them.

He chuckled. "My, my. I haven't done anything to you, yet you threaten me! What are you gonna do? Kill me like you did your other friend? Hmm, Jason, was it?" He grinned wider as Sparklez glared.

"He wasn't real."

"That's what you want to believe."

Tyler's eyes widened. He moved over so that he was behind Jordan, his hand gripping the bottom of the other's shirt.

Jordan stepped forward. "I know it wasn't. He wouldn't have hurt any of us or act like he did. You're gonna have to do better than that to try to trick us."

Kala grinned. "That could be arranged..."

"Jordan..." Tyler whispered, his grip tightening. "Don't make him angry..."

Mitch spoke up, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "What do you want?"

"Simple! I was surprised to find that not one, not two, but five of you escaped! Which is very, very unusual. So naturally I came to investigate." He bowed. "I am King Kalaraja. Lord of death." He introduced, still grinning.

"And I'm Mitchell Hughes, king of the idiots." Mitch responded with a small bow. "Though I guess I could also be the lord of death if you counted up all my hunger games kills." He smirked.