Crossroad: TBB Series Book 2

7

*Riley's POV*
Two weeks, 4 days earlier

I rubbed my temples as I sat up, fully alert and aware of my surroundings, only thing was...I didn't know how I'd gotten here. Slowly rising to my feet, I looked around as the blood drained from my face...I was in the meadow from my dream.

I didn't recognize it at first in the daytime, but it was definitely the same place. This wasn't possible, I didn't even know what to make of it. My mouth refused to close as I touched the ground, plants, and everything else around me, trying to see if it was all real.

It felt real, it even smelled real, but how was this even possible? I was once visited by my mother, my guardian angel, but this, somehow this felt different.

At that time, I knew in the back of my head that it was all just a vivid vision, she'd contacted me through my unconscious state, yet here, I felt totally, and impossibly conscious.

I touched the throne of a rose, not expecting to actually feel the pain, but I did, it even drew blood. "What the..." What was going on?

I looked to my left and right, then behind me. The meadow seemed to stretch on forever. How was I going to get back to my friends? I felt alone.

"Hello?" I called out. My voice echoed, but I got no answer. "Hello?" I tried again. This was just plain weird, was I the only one here?

Before I could start panicking, something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. I saw something flutter by and began searching for the source.

Maybe I was just going out of my mind, I couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't anymore. I had to be dreaming. There was just no way that I could actually be here, in this place, wherever it was.

My eyes scanned the area for the source of movement once more, and I finally spotted it. It was the iridescent butterfly! Its purple color seem to be illuminated even in the light of day. I watched as it fluttered. I began to take off after it when I paused.
If this was anything like my dream, this thing was going to try and trap me. I didn't trust it, not for a second.

It circled around me as it pumped its delicate wings up and down. I eyed it carefully, sure to not let it out of my sight.

Come.

My eyes widened. It couldn't be...okay, now I really was losing my mind. Did I just hear the feathery voice of a butterfly.

Riley.

There it was again, soft and delicate like the wind. I shook my head. This wasn't happening, none of it was real, I was dreaming again.

"I'm losing my mind. Come on," I smacked my cheek. "Wake up Riley, wake up!"

That won't help, you know. Its soft jingle filled my head, I could only assume it was laughing.

"Where am I?" I asked out loud, but got no answer. "I know you can hear me, I know you're the voice I keep hearing." I waited, and still nothing. "Had mercy I am going insane." I breathed as I held my head.

After all you've experienced and now you think you're insane?

"I knew it!" I called out. "It is you!" It laughed again while still fluttering around seamlessly. I couldn't believe I was having a conversation with a butterfly....that I had dreamt about. "What's going on, how am I here?" The last thing I recalled was of being in Winter's kitchen.

So many questions. It tisked. And yet, all the wrong ones.

"What do you mean wrong ones? I want to know how on earth I got here."