Shadow Prince - Chapter 6
Sorry this one is kind of short... Comments are very much appreciated!!
Light filters through the treetops, blinding me when I first open my eyes. A groan comes from my mouth as I sit up, putting a hand to my forehead like a visor.
"Wha…where am I?" I stutter.
Amanda sits up next to me. Her blonde hair is tangled and has a twig sticking through it. She blinks at me, confusion creasing her brow. "Um…I’m wondering the same thing."
Something snorts behind me and I jump, glancing back carefully. Arik snores away behind us, his chest heaving up and down with every breath. I laugh under my breath, now remembering. It had gotten kind of dark, and Arik looked tired, so I decided to pull him into the woods for rest. We’d found a clearing and laid down, and I guess we slept till morning. I turn back to Amanda, who’s still waiting for an answer, her lips parted slightly.
"It’s alright." I say, "I just pulled us over for rest, once it got dark last night."
She nods and scratches her hair, finding and pulling out the twig. She stares at it, twirling it softly in between her index finger and thumb. "Man, I need a shower." She says finally.
I nod enthusiastically. I don’t remember the last time I showered. Or slept in a bed. Did I have my own room? With my own bathroom? Or did I share it with someone? Did I even have siblings? I swallow hard. I can’t remember my mom - or, even if I had one. I look down at my hands.
Amanda clears her throat. "A, are you-"
At the sound of the nickname, I jerk away from her. Bad feelings bubble up in my stomach, and I feel sick. I remember the raven-haired girl calling me that. Zoë. I tense up. "Don’t call me that!" I snap.
Rising to her feet, she frowns at me. "Forget I said anything. Come talk to me, when you’re done being a jerk." She pauses as if she wants to say more, but changes her mind and marches off into the woods. Knowing I won’t let her out of my hearing range, she’s not afraid of the woods, I guess. I curse myself for letting her see how protective I am of her. She must know I wouldn’t ditch her. Or would I? I shake my head softly. As much as I want to think I can just get up and leave her, I know I can’t. Or won’t, I guess.
I sigh and get to my feet. My footsteps stumble after hers, knowing Arik will just find us somehow when he wakes up. "Amanda!" I call. "Where’d you go?"
No response. Huh.
"Hey, I’m sorry! You know I didn’t mean that! Amanda!" I step on a twig and stop, listening for a moment. The only sounds are a slight breeze rustling the leaves and - a bit further away - a creek. This isn’t like her. I may have only known her for two days, but I can’t get her to shut up. Why would she be quiet now? She can’t be that mad at me - can she?
I frown, stomping on. I push branches away from my face, keeping my eyes on her sloppy footprints. One after one in the mud, and then… nothing.
I peer around into the trees frantically. Everything appears hostile now. "Amanda!" I scream desperately. "It’s not funny! Where are you?" I’m hysterical now. I whirl around in all directions, looking for her, but all I see are trees.
More and more trees in every direction, but no Amanda. My breathing is quickening, and I’m starting to hyperventilate. The forest seems unnaturally quiet, and I don’t hear any animals calling. Where did they go? Where did Amanda go?
Oh. My. God.
She’s gone.
No. She can’t be gone.
Where would she go?
"Amanda!" I call once more. When no response comes, I sink to my knees, putting my head in my hands. I try to calm myself down. I try to tell myself it’s okay. Maybe she got lost. Maybe she tripped and knocked herself out. Maybe she just can’t hear me. Maybe she went back to Arik.
Too many ‘maybe’s.’
On a last resort, I stand, hoping she went back to Arik. I take one step, and then I hear it.
Caw.
"Wha…where am I?" I stutter.
Amanda sits up next to me. Her blonde hair is tangled and has a twig sticking through it. She blinks at me, confusion creasing her brow. "Um…I’m wondering the same thing."
Something snorts behind me and I jump, glancing back carefully. Arik snores away behind us, his chest heaving up and down with every breath. I laugh under my breath, now remembering. It had gotten kind of dark, and Arik looked tired, so I decided to pull him into the woods for rest. We’d found a clearing and laid down, and I guess we slept till morning. I turn back to Amanda, who’s still waiting for an answer, her lips parted slightly.
"It’s alright." I say, "I just pulled us over for rest, once it got dark last night."
She nods and scratches her hair, finding and pulling out the twig. She stares at it, twirling it softly in between her index finger and thumb. "Man, I need a shower." She says finally.
I nod enthusiastically. I don’t remember the last time I showered. Or slept in a bed. Did I have my own room? With my own bathroom? Or did I share it with someone? Did I even have siblings? I swallow hard. I can’t remember my mom - or, even if I had one. I look down at my hands.
Amanda clears her throat. "A, are you-"
At the sound of the nickname, I jerk away from her. Bad feelings bubble up in my stomach, and I feel sick. I remember the raven-haired girl calling me that. Zoë. I tense up. "Don’t call me that!" I snap.
Rising to her feet, she frowns at me. "Forget I said anything. Come talk to me, when you’re done being a jerk." She pauses as if she wants to say more, but changes her mind and marches off into the woods. Knowing I won’t let her out of my hearing range, she’s not afraid of the woods, I guess. I curse myself for letting her see how protective I am of her. She must know I wouldn’t ditch her. Or would I? I shake my head softly. As much as I want to think I can just get up and leave her, I know I can’t. Or won’t, I guess.
I sigh and get to my feet. My footsteps stumble after hers, knowing Arik will just find us somehow when he wakes up. "Amanda!" I call. "Where’d you go?"
No response. Huh.
"Hey, I’m sorry! You know I didn’t mean that! Amanda!" I step on a twig and stop, listening for a moment. The only sounds are a slight breeze rustling the leaves and - a bit further away - a creek. This isn’t like her. I may have only known her for two days, but I can’t get her to shut up. Why would she be quiet now? She can’t be that mad at me - can she?
I frown, stomping on. I push branches away from my face, keeping my eyes on her sloppy footprints. One after one in the mud, and then… nothing.
I peer around into the trees frantically. Everything appears hostile now. "Amanda!" I scream desperately. "It’s not funny! Where are you?" I’m hysterical now. I whirl around in all directions, looking for her, but all I see are trees.
More and more trees in every direction, but no Amanda. My breathing is quickening, and I’m starting to hyperventilate. The forest seems unnaturally quiet, and I don’t hear any animals calling. Where did they go? Where did Amanda go?
Oh. My. God.
She’s gone.
No. She can’t be gone.
Where would she go?
"Amanda!" I call once more. When no response comes, I sink to my knees, putting my head in my hands. I try to calm myself down. I try to tell myself it’s okay. Maybe she got lost. Maybe she tripped and knocked herself out. Maybe she just can’t hear me. Maybe she went back to Arik.
Too many ‘maybe’s.’
On a last resort, I stand, hoping she went back to Arik. I take one step, and then I hear it.
Caw.
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