Outcasts

Chapter Nine (Jeah)

    At the foot of the steps I collapsed. Then I looked over my shoulder. Thankfully, Sye still wasn't there, though he had never been in the first place.  I gasped for air, but failed to catch my breath. 

    A minute passed and I suddenly became parched. I pushed my way up the steps and up to the door. Before reaching into my pocket for a key, I noticed that the door was unlocked. It pushed open with ease.

    "Hello?" I asked the silence. No response came. I crept down the hallway towards the lockers, where I hang my coat and put away my shoes. I slipped out of my gray sneakers, and I shrugged off my ruined jean-jacket. No sound.

    "I'm hom-" I started to say. Then I held my tongue. Someone might have broken in. I shook my head, No one even knows where we live. Even as I reassured myself, I found it hard to put one foot in front of the other as the eerie air settles over me. 

    My body, without warning, turned left at the end of the hall. There was another hall way that led a little further down than the first on. On my left, there was a door that led to the bathroom, and an opening leading to the living room. On my right, was a door that lead to the dining room. Suddenly, I forgot of any thought that led me to think that someone broke in. Turning towards my right,  I reached for the door, my hand poised to push. "Haile?" I called out. When no response came, I pushed on the door and stepped into the dining room. The doors closed behind me.

I tentatively pranced across the room avoiding the wooden table and chairs. Then I inched closer, cautiously, to the door of the Kitchen.

What is in here? I asked myself eyeing the door. My curiosity was so overwhelming, I had to dig my fingers into my arm to hold myself back. 

    I turned one more time to make sure nobody was there. "Hello!" I said maybe too loudly.

I felt a course of energy through my body. Finally, after so many years. 

    My hand reached for the doorknob, my fingers poised to twist the lock. But then I was suddenly taken aback, I didn't have to unlock anything, the door was open. In excitement I gently shouldered the door, making a small opening so that I would be able to walk inside without touching it.

    I peered my head in, and I took a few steps forward. Inclining my head, I sniffed in the air. This is no kitchen. My brow furrowed. I took my hand and waved it in the air in front of me. When I didn't see any indication that there was technology involved, I let my hand fall to my side like it had been defeated. This is not a kitchen.

It seemed to me I was looking outside on a summer afternoon. Looking up, I saw that it was like any other sky, pervading the far into the distance. As for the ground, instead of tiles,  the earth was covered in grass, unlike any grass I've ever seen before. The light breeze sent ripples along the green grass.  The room's light sound was so serene, and so silky; the smell reminded me of pine trees in the spring. The taste in my mouth was of earthy spices. I have a light peaceful feeling inside that I have never felt before. Floating up high.

    For a few moments I forget about Sye. How Sye may want to kill me. And how he has most of the school against me. I forgot all about Artie, Tammy, Milo, and the drama with Devin. My mind is clear from how my family ostracized me. Stress free. A normal kid, with my thoughts focused. Focused on one thing only. Not on my everyday life. It's just, so, beautiful!

    I took another step forward to find myself losing my footing. Looking down, I see makeshift steps, steep steps, stretching across the ground o which I am about to fall.  A gasp escaped my throat. It echoed across the room. My arms pin wheeled to keep my balance.

    But my efforts were no use. I tumbled down onto steps, the sharp edges scraping my back. Then I am sprawled out across the grass, belly up. I groaned in pain, and squeezed my eyes shut. The grass was like nails. Even so, I felt burning sensations on my arms and legs. Regarding myself, I see red lines, scratches garnishing different parts of my skin. 

    I sat up and rubbed my head. My eyes flickered opened to see the grass around me turned completely black. The grass was now so stiff that the wind no longer had any effect on the black grass, because the grass was dead. I crawled back away from the black grass and onto green grass. The moment I touched the green grass it turned pitch black. My legs pushed up and I landed upright, alert.

    The grass under me remained an empty black.

    Then I suddenly heard a noise. Concise, but loud enough to catch my attention. I tilted my head. I shook my head, unable to identify the noise.

    "Haile?" I whispered, afraid of what the noise was. A shudder crept up my spine as I pictured myself being thrown out of here. The door would be locked, and I would never get in. Life would go to normal, and my family would continue to hide from me.

    I could have turned back, I could have left it all. Things could have been better. I gasp, there it was again. My head shot up. It's Haile, It just has to be. "Hold on I'm coming!" I screamed.

    My feet pounded on the green grass. But again the moment my foot touched the grass, it withered away into black-death. I knew I needed to get there.

    Haile needed me.

    It was hard to ignore the beautiful scenery. It was so hard. I don't care, I don't care. I told myself.

    "Haile!" I cried. "Where are you?"

     I heard the noise again. But this time it was louder. I heard it again. The noise was followed by laughter. I cocked my head to listen for the noise again, and this time it was impossible to miss it.

"AH....AH HA! HAHA....HI-YA HAHA!"

    I almost laughed at how ridiculous the noise sounded, but the oddness of the noise propels me forward. Something is wrong, and I have to help her!

    I walked further up towards the noise. A tug of war filled my brain, GO BACK. But when I looked around, I saw that I could only go forward. I looked behind me only to see a black trail that extended far behind me.  Despite my reluctance, I was forced to swallow my fear, and move forward.  The wind whistled in my ears as I broke into a full sprint.