Tale Never Told [Completed]

Chapter 8.

For a few minutes all three friends were standing there, their eyes wide open and their attention locked on that horrible Hole, which was growing bigger and bigger even now. It felt like it was trying to swallow their beautiful world and all the amazing things they had seen. Every now and again a white lightning would flash across the darkness, but even in that bit of light nothing could be seen. The darkness appeared to be endless.

"I hear them too." Xara whispered with a wince and took a deep breath. Her ears were buzzing with the weirdest whispers and voices she had ever heard. And the worst part of all - they were calling her name! "Fred?"

He nodded silently, listening to the voices that were luring him closer and closer to the Hole. His previous fear had disappeared already, transformed into that curiosity he had felt the first time he saw this thing. The voices were pleasant, and when he took a step towards the edge of the ground, he felt some sort of a force try to gently pull him inside the darkness.

"What in the world are you doing?!" Romeo gasped and hid behind Xara's back. Although the kid didn't feel a lot of fear, he was still worried for his friend. "Step away!"

"No, it-it's not bad!" Fred shook his head and turned to Xara, who was still standing there in a stun. "How can you two not feel it?"

"Oh, I do feel it!" The woman growled and reached back to take Romeo's hand, which he allowed. Even his childish bravery couldn't defeat the simple fact that this Hole wasn't right. It wasn't supposed to be here. "This isn't bad, you're right. This is just horrible! You... Stay away from it!"

She stomped her foot, watching helplessly as the man with blue skin took another step towards the Hole, a sincere smile on his face. He didn't have the slightest idea what made Xara so worried and nervous. After all, it was simply pleasant to feel that force asking  for him to go inside, to just surrender to the wish of that swirling darkness. It wasn't bad, because it simply couldn't be baad.

"Can't you hear them?" He raised an eyebrow in bewilderment. "These voices that are calling you? What if... What if there are others down there, just like us?"

"So what?!" The woman exclaimed in sheer fear for her friend. Romeo whined and pressed himself to her, and she held him even tighter. "It's dangerous! You-you don't know what's in there! What if it's a trap?! Come on, you've always been the smartest of us! You should know better than to jump in there!"

Fred smiled and shook his head. He knew, he felt that he was doing the right thing. This darkness wasn't bad, it would never hurt him or them! Why, oh why couldn't they see the things the way he did? This wouldn't hurt them. He would never trust anything with bad intentions.

"Romeo." He turned to the redhead and gave a wide, welcoming smile. "Come here. You-you're not scared of darkness, are you?"

"Do-don't you manipulate his feelings!" Xara snapped but it was a little too late to do anything now. Romeo shook his head and pulled his hand out of her grasp, walking towards his other friend. The Hole made him feel a little bit nervous, but there was Jo unnatural fear or curousity. After all, it was just a little bit of darkness, right? And he liked darkness. He always did.

"What is this?" The kid breathed out in astonishment and reached out. Nothing attempted to pull him in, although the voices became more loud, more desperate. He frowned hearing them, they were calling for help! They needed help!

"I have no idea, and that's why we need to stay away!" The woman ran her fingers through her hair. "This can't be good! It just can't!"

"Believe me." Fred beamed at her and took a step. Only to be frozen in the air, his limbs refusing to move in any way. His red eyes glowed in a momentary fear, but then an exhale escaped his throat. "What are you doing?"