Hello, I'm Dead

Part 7

What the fuck.

Nero was staring at Piper.

His SISTER.

"P...Piper?" Nero said in barely a whisper.

Piper turned around to look at him, "Hm-?" She paused, her eyes as wide as marbles. Pretty, blue-gray, marbles. "N...Nero?" Her hands were cupped over her mouth, and tears were trickling down her cheek. Without hesitation, she half stumbled, half staggered down the mountain, and collapsed in Nero's arms, sobbing. "Where have you been? I've been looking for you for..." She looked up at Nero's dull eyes. "Nero?" She stood up. "What-"

"Im sorry," Nero murmured. He held out his arm, and Piper noticed his ghostly form. "But I'm a ghost." He sighed, letting his arm slide down back to his side. Piper flinched, but she sighed, and grabbed Nero's arm, "Tell me what happened." And Nero did, just like he did to Chimkin. Piper was a good listener, although she did gasp when he told her about his memory flashback. Specs, who had no idea of all of this, listened too. "So you're trying to find your way back to Rendenburg?" Piper asked.

 Nero nodded, "I've made some friends along the way." He signaled to Oliver, who honked, to Chimkin, who showed his peace fingers, and to Specs, who pressed his glasses into place in a cool way, smirking. 

"I could drive you, but my bike can only fit two people..." Piper huffed, "If only my bike weren't destroyed." Nero decided he wasn't going to ask, but he sighed, "We're going to make our way back." He turned towards his friends.

"Wait." Piper took a step forward. "I'll help." She's clutching her top like she's hesitating.

Nero grinned, "Of Course! Do you know the way?"

Piper nodded, "Follow me," She started to head down the opposite side of the mountain.

Nero beamed. They were getting closer to Rendenburg.

Closer to home.

---

They walked, and walked, and walked.

They sometimes ran,

but still walked.

Chimkin groaned, "How long will it take to get there?"
"How long have we even been WALKING for?" Specs complained from the back of the group. Oliver wiggled further into Nero's cape, probably getting ready to take a nap. Nero snorted. He wanted to take a nap as well. 

"About an hour, I recognize this area." Piper glanced at the acacia trees. Checking her watch, she turned towards a forest. The others followed her, cautiously. The forest was dark, the thick leaves of the trees blocking the sunlight, and chilly winds passed through. The greenery was still intact, and there were some lilacs visible, along with other flowers. Nero paused, his eye caught on a pretty flower. Some white bulbs hung on its stem, with a singular leaf keeping the flower from tipping over. Carefully, he reached down and dug into the earth, gently pulling the flower from its soil. He stared at the flower, mesmerized. "Beautiful," he breathed, drawing in its sweet smell. "This is the most beautiful flower ever," he turned to Piper. It's my favorite, now. Piper beamed, seeming to read his mind. "You remembered...?" 

Nero tilted his head, "What do you mean?"

"The Lily Of The Valley was your favorite flower back then," Piper murmured, smiling.

I... remembered something? Nero stared back down at the Lily Of The Valley. Its bulbs seemed to glow as if they could light the paths of many to come. It was like a spirit. Nero set the flower down, roots and all, back into its resting place. Turning to the others, Nero asked, "Does anyone have a canteen of water?"

"I have one," Specs passed him a canteen of water, then turned back to the others. Nero screwed open the container and watered the flower. A little goes a long way, so don't drown it in guilt. Closing the cap, Nero stood up, took one last look at the Lily Of The Valley, smiled, and turned back to his friends, and they continued to walk.

---

"We've reached the end of the forest, so Rendenburg is just past this mountain," Piper leads the way, gesturing to a mountain with fluffy snow peaks from across a river. The others were behind him, staring up at the tall mountain, concerned about how they will scale it. Nero was more concerned about the river. The deep, dark river that could pull you down into its depths with its invisible hands, bringing you into its airless, dark, cold pit of nothingness as it pulls every bit of air, life, and hope out of your body until your nothing but a corpse. Nero shuddered, pushing back the sharp memory of his demise. "How will we cross the river?" he couldn't swim back then, and he still couldn't now. 

"Im getting a severe weather warning for a tornado, as well." Specs added. 

"WHAT?" Chimkin whipped his head around so he faced Specs. "HOW IN THE WORLD CAN YOU BE CALM ABOUT A FRICKIN TORNADO?"

"There's been worse." Specs shrugged, Then he was cut off by a loud rumbling.

"Speak of the devil-" Piper stepped back, scared, pointing at something behind them. Oliver noticed what she was pointing at and immediately sprung into action, honking and trying to pull everyone back from whatever he was afraid of. Nero turned around and immediately saw what had arrived.

Speak of the devil.

Tornado.

Coming at them.

Pulling them in.

Great. 

"What a fun day we're having." Chimkin deadpanned, as they were all brought into the tornado.