Words of an Ailing Heart

Chapter Two

Wirt jolted awake, the cold sweat rolled down his back sending shivers up his spine. He blinked trying remember what he had just seen in his dream. The teenager looked over at the clock on his bedside table; 4:38 am. He wiped a tired eye along with some sweat from his brow and sat up. There was really no point in falling asleep again.
The wind blew against the window threateningly while Wirt paced about what he had just witnessed, or dreamt or whatever it's called. Beatrice was in trouble, or was she? It just a dream right?

Dream or not Wirt couldn't seem to shake the feeling that danger was lurking around the corner.
This dream had come at an odd point in time, after three years he now has a dream involving the Unknown? It doesn't make sense. But it had felt so real, the goosebumps along his arms, the bone chilling air of the lost forest, the sound of Beatrice's voice. It was all so familiar. He couldn't shake the fact that he had this dream after he saw those bluebirds too, and as much as he wanted to, he couldn't dismiss it as mere coincidence.

Wirt signed, maybe he could talk to Greg about it, he was the only person who understood the Unknown like Wirt did. But then again did he really want to drag his younger brother into this? Wirt could imagine Greg's reaction, the younger boy's heart would do anything to help another person in trouble.

The morning dragged along as Wirt waited for the rest of his family to wake up. He managed to finish whatever homework he hadn't the night before. He preferred doing it before school anyway. Finally he heard his mom and stepdad wake up so he figured he could go out without causing a disturbance. Wirt made his way over to the kitchen and started making toast, some for him and his brother. About a half hour later Greg walked into the kitchen. He was still half asleep, he stumbled straight into the counter. Wirt gave him a slightly amused smile as he handed him a plate of toast.

"Wirt," his mom started, "you can take my car to school today. I have the day off."

Wirt nodded. This wasn't unusual, since Wirt didn't have his own car he would take his mom's whenever she didn't have to work. "Thanks Mom." He turned his attention to Greg. "You heard that right Greg, since I'm taking you we have to leave earlier than usual."

Greg, who had a mouthful of toast at the moment, smiled and nodded, crumbs fell from his face. Wirt knew Greg loved when he brought him to school. Greg had stuffed the rest of his breakfast into his mouth and ran off to his room.

His mother laughed, "If I had known that it was that easy to get him moving, I would take off work all the time."

Soon the two of them and Jason Funderburker were on their way. The sky was a dismal gray that chilly October morning. Fog had begun to roll in without much notice given for that day's weather forecast. Wirt chalked it up to a common mistake but soon the fog had gotten to the point where it nearly impossible to see ten feet in front of them. Because of this, the drive was slow going. Greg would chat about really anything that came to his mind. Today it was about how he taught Jason Funderburker a new trick. Wirt couldn't help getting distracted every once in a while. He kept drifting back to his dream, he still couldn't pinpoint its meaning. Greg managed to pull Wirt from his thoughts.

"Hey Wirt?" He called from the backseat.

Without breaking his eyes from the road he answered, "What?"

"Can we take the road by the Wall?" The frog croaked in agreement.

Wirt glanced at the clock on the dashboard. They still had some time to spare, the Wall was only a slight detour which was mainly side roads so they didn't get much traffic. Greg probably wanted to see it for old times sake and since Halloween was coming up. The two of them would visit it once a year around this time on foot. He didn't see the harm in driving on the road beside it. Besides maybe seeing it would ease his mind a bit.