Through The Ascension Room***Book One COMPLETE***

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE ~PART FOUR~

I just keep running. Motivated by the uncertainty that someone or something might be following me. I sprint pass countless trees, as the distance between me and anywhere I may actually know where I am, grows more and more separated.

I run till the utter hopelessness of being lost fills my chest; till I have no bearing of where I am or where I am going. I run till I feel that I've escaped my past. My future. Anything that may pose a threat to me here, now, in this present moment that seems to always slip away from my grip at every turn of event.

The burning plea of my lungs to stop running torments my insides. My legs join in the chorus of agony that has gripped my body in its relentless clutches and I crumble to the ground exhausted.

I suck air into my mouth and release it over and over again until the burning subsides and I can again breathe normally. This takes nearly ten minutes and even then my legs are still too sore to walk another step.

While I wait for feeling to return into my legs and I can again walk on them I scan my surroundings. Everything looks familiar, while it looks unfamiliar all the same. The trees give me no bearing as to where I am. No landmarks that I recognize, no awkward tree trunk jetting out of the ground in a memorable way. Nothing.

I rub my calves, hoping the friction will bring some new life back into my legs. It works and I am back on my feet again. I spin around a few times and do a couple of squinting double takes into the darkness that surrounds me but in the end I have no clue as to where I am.

I decide I must've been running for nearly half an hour. That amount of running at the speed I was running at could've easily gotten me way out in the middle of nowhere. Far enough to have trouble finding my way back without the light of day to help me.

I plop back down on the ground. I brush a few stones and twigs away clearing a flat spot on the ground for my back to rest on. This makes as good of a place as any to rest for the night. Despite the bitter cold air eating away at me, the night is spent gaining some much needed rest though my eyes never closed for more than a minute at a time, being able to lay down and rest my body was enough to keep me going when the sun finally rose a couple hours later.

Where did they go? Did they even make it out or did they get caught?

I had no way of truly knowing unless I could find them. I start walking somewhat in the direction that I came from just hours before. Listening carefully to the area ahead of me for any signs of someone coming my way.

The area is dead quiet apart from the local wildlife calls and the trees swaying in the gently blowing ocean breeze.

I finally build up the courage to start quietly calling out their names.

"Tristis..."

No response.

"Cynthia..."

Nothing.

"Aubri..."

Same. No reply. Not even a sound (other than the ambient sounds of the inhabited woods).

I continue to move through the woods, gradually raising the volume of my calls until all the fear of getting caught is pushed aside and briskly replaced by fear of never finding my friends, leaving me alone...again.

I don't want to be alone again... I can't do this on my own.

Panic takes over and my casual pace through the woods is replaced with a mad dash.

"Tris!"

I crash through a pile of fallen leaves that have been building for a long time it seems.