Falling Hard || The Music Freaks || Lander

Chapter Five: The Greatest Fear

Everything seemed to close in on him as Zander walked down the path. His footsteps echoed in his ears, and he was aware of everything he did.

Why are you making it so hard? You just have to climb a tree and look for a white rose.

But what if the legend wasn't true? How would he save Luke then?

Still, something told him it was true. He knew it.

Zander could remember Luke by his side as they walked down the pavement to school. Every morning and afternoon they'd walk here to and from school. How empty it seemed to be without him...

"Yeah, come on! Almost there!" Zander cheered.

"I don't like this," Luke shivered.

"Don't worry, you're good now!" Zander pulled Luke's shaking self up the branch, and then opened his book again.

"How do you even stand this?" Luke asked, still pale. "I can't believe you find reading up on these tall trees enjoyable."

Zander laughed. "It's nice to get away from the world for once. Up here... It's only the birds and the clouds. Nobody to judge you."

Luke frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"Ya know, the world isn't as it seems. There's always people out there to put you down. Sometimes you just need to get away from all of it."

"I didn't know you ever felt like that," Luke tilted his head. "It's weird, because I sometimes think like that too."

Zander smiled. "Guess I'm not the only one."

Luke grinned. "At least you like it up here. I probably wouldn't have come up here if it weren't for you."

It was too bad his younger self didn't understand love like he did now. That probably would've explained why his heart had beat so fast that time.

Come on, Zander, snap out of it. You just have to get a flower, and he'll be okay!

But this thought was immediately pushed out as the familiar curve of the tree came into view. The bright green leaves danced in the wind, and suddenly, he saw it. 

There, tucked in between two dew covered leaves, was the White Rose.

It's immaculate, white petals seemed to glow as Zander neared it. It was settled on the far end of the branch Zander and Luke had sat on. The regular red roses that grew in the area would've been jealous - the white looked so clean magical compared to them.

"It is real..." he breathed. Zander now stood at the base of the tree, craning his neck up to see the rose. He felt as if a whole audience was watching his every move. The back of his neck prickled in anticipation.

Normally when he climbed a tree, a sort of exhilaration would run through him as he fixed his hands on the trunk. But now his arms were shaky as he started to climb. The small crevices and bumps on the tree felt so familiar, but yet unusual at the same time.

Just have to climb to the top... Climb to the top.

Was it that easy? Surely there had to be some sort of challenge in the way. He was halfway up now. Was there anything to stop him?

You can only get close with the bravery of a lion,

As I'm surrounded by your greatest fear.

Greatest fear... Sure, Zander was scared of a lot of things... But what could be blocking him from grabbing a flower? The thoughts ran around his mind like a circuit as he reached the branch.

He bit his lip. For some reason, he didn't want to look down. All he could see was Luke falling in slow motion, horrified face turned to his. What if he fell too? At the exact place where Luke had fallen...

No. That couldn't happen. He was so close to the rose - so close to the possibility of Luke being saved.

Zander crawled slowly to the edge of the branch towards the cluster of leaves where the rose lay. It sagged slightly under his weight. He drew closer. Just four feet away.

Three feet. He reached his hand out.

Two feet. The petal brushed his fingertips. 

Suddenly, his fingers closed around the white rose. He gazed at it for a while, stunned. He got it! He actually got it! All he had to do was get down from the tree and make a wish... Then Luke would be saved!

It had been so simple... So easy... It didn't feel real at all. Was he just dreaming this whole time?

Still, he felt elation rise up inside him, but it was soon crushed as he saw what had been under the rose. His worst fear... of course it wasn't that easy.

Zander was paralyzed in fear as he watched a hairy leg peek from the small hole in the branch that had been covered by the rose. Seven more crawled out until the whole thing emerged, all eight eyes on him. To his horror, he could see more of them coming.

Spiders.

Terror flooded him, and he didn't pause to think. Zander jumped from the tree branch and hugged the tree trunk. The jump looked impossible, but Zander was too scared to think much about his luck.

The spiders were now crawling down the trunk towards him. He started to climb down faster than he ever had. His blood was rushing, pulse going crazy. He had to get away from them...

Zander knew that most spiders weren't dangerous, but something told him these were. Their angry eyes coming for him only made him go faster. He jumped when he was six feet away from the ground, landing in a crouching position. Dust flew in clouds around him, and he coughed.

The spiders were on his tail... he had to run.

But would running do anything? The spiders would just follow him... Zander didn't think they'd stop anytime soon.

You can only get close with the bravery of a lion.

He'd have to face them. It was one of the reasons he could get the rose. But how would he get rid of them? He had seen Hailey get rid of a few with some sort of spray... It was a sort of light silver container stored in the garage... 

Zander suddenly felt an idea come to his head. He put on more speed. He just had to keep running until he reached his house...

A/N: Sorry for the lame chapter ;v;

I'm getting really lazy - writer's block is coming for me, and I really wanna get started on another fanfic. I'll still finish this one, though, but the chapters will probably be written really badly.

I feel like I let down some of you, because the "plot twist" was really predictable and just... terrible in general. The poem was really easy to predict, and I feel like I could've done a better job. I have a plan, so I know what to write, but I'm just never satisfied with the sentences I make.

I hope you stick around, though. I'll still be finishing this fanfic, I just hope you'll still like it. I'll try my best.

Thank you!