Chapter 21
The feeling of something cold sliding down the tip of my finger makes me pry my eyes open and land upon a massive yellow slug slowly moving down my hand.
A startled scream leaves my mouth as I throw my hand up and watch the slimy yellow creature fly; it hits the ground and slowly makes its way to a lonely rock. Its gross looking body moving like a metal slinky.
Scrunching up my nose, slim drips from my middle finger as I lift my hand up from the cold ground.
I might love nature and all its beauty but a massive slug sliding down my hand is not one part of nature that I am a fan of, thank you very much.
Sitting up and away from the tree that my back was just leaning up against I find nothing but the grass and all the tall pine trees.
My confusion changing to annoyance as the only sound I hear is the river. A leaf falls from my hair as I turn my head to the side to take in my surroundings.
Alex's clone lingers in the air but his actual body is nowhere to be found, leaving me alone and slightly cold on the forest floor.
Naughty words turn around in my head as I imagine all the ways of using them towards that no good for anything, excuse of a man.
Growling lowly I stand up and dust my pants off before running my fingers slowly through my tangled hair. A really hot shower could be in some good use righty about know.
I must have fallen asleep when we took a rest and Alex just could not seem to wait for my tired butt.
Taking a long well needed breath of fresh air I take a stand and crack my back. The cloths I have been wearing for the last week or maybe even two are starting to get muddy and really dirty.
Well the pants are because I changed my shirt yesterday.
Following the river up steam as Alex repeatedly said as we made our journey to the destination only known to him I feel the slight cool air gliding off the top of the river.
I feel my own anger radiate from every pour in my body as the sun beats down with no mercy. My skin is going to turn into a crispy crisp.
My bare feet still not covered by shoes as I step on a very sharp rock and let out an angry little squeal, that makes me sound like a pig, a big pink pig.
My eyebrows knit together as the trees start to part and a little stone path curves through them.
Finding fresh boot marks that can only be one person I follow the path that could lead me anywhere.
The path is unkept and slightly run down; has not been cleaned up for years. A few fallen limps from trees lay scattered about; making me step around and over them.
Ivy and different plant life has found its home on the tops of the fallen limps, making the path even more unnoticeable. The only real indication that it is a path is the large stones lining the makeshift figure, a man made structure, no natural organism would never even construct such a thing.
Anger slowly turning into confusion as the path starts to become bigger; all of a sudden a tar like road comes into view as the trees make way for the odd looking path.
My eyes wonder over the new look as the trees open up at the end. Craning my neck to see around the trees more confusion settles in the pit of my stomach.
Stopping right at the end of the one way path, four other paths sprout out from it making a tree looking thing.
My eyes travel up and I almost loose my breath at the site.
Burned wood lays scattered around, large destroyed structures that all line up on the black tar path. Some white picket fences still stand but they are not really white anymore; a light grey color.
Dead plants tilt to the side as the view of a totally destroyed town comes into my line of sight. The view is like something out of a horror film.
Blackened trees stand tall but with no leaves to cover their massive bodies. A small river runs behind some of the homes still picking up burned wood, then bring it down the stream for some unknown person to find.
A few of the houses still stand but are missing the side of the building or even most of the front.
The colors of buildings catch my eyes as soft blues and creams or what could have been those colors.
Furniture still stands in the homes showing me the different rooms where a family could live; children toys lay burned and left behind at my feet, I slowly step over them.
Stopping, a little brown stuffed bear takes my attention, it is missing an eye. The fur of the animal is dirty and slightly burned from the flames that must have eaten most of the town.
The flashing view of a small child smiling with the bear in her arms flash in my mind.
Setting the bear down carefully on one of the still standing picket fence, my eyes move over the different homes and buildings that occupy the burned town.
Light pours through a cracked colorful window in a large almost white building. Then the road splits into two sides leaving a little spot for something in the middle; some windflowers have made their home in the little spot of land.
Yellow and bright purple plants cover most of the exposed ground. Running my finger over a small little space of open land pretty little flowers slowly make their reach for the sun as they stretch out their petals.
The lingering look of gold sits on the top of the flowers as I walk away.
Rounding a small corner that leads to more little town houses I find a figure sitting stiffly on the ground with hands in their lap.
The persons hair covers their face but I do not need the person looks to know who it is.
The house sits in front of a large window with a slightly broken white door; the actual house is a soft baby blue color or at least it once was.
The glass of windows almost fully removed as I stare upon the windows. No flowers grow from the front as I see the river from the back of the house.
I stand lamely by myself for a second before walking slowly over to Alex's stiff figure. I stand by him for only a second before sitting by him quietly. Maybe he needs a hug, then his face comes into view, maybe not.
His body is sagged and tired looking as his eyes never wonder to far from the little blue house. Wood lays burned and forgotten just like the whole town.
Touching the ground softly little pink flowers sprout from the ground and cover the front lawn.
Then the scent of smoke fills the air around me making me cough. "What are you doing." I mutter as Alex takes another long draw from the little stick between his fingers.
Smoke swirls around in front of him as the little cigarette touches his lips once again.
No sign of a smile, only a long lined frown. "I'm smoking." His voice is clipped, cold even as the smoke raises away from us. "Yes, I can see that. I mean why."
I stop and I look at him. "I'm didn't realize you smoked." My voice comes out low and sad. Hi head turns slightly at my tone but never all the way.
"My father was a smoker; it reminds me of him. I only smoke once a year, it reminds me of the smell the look of the cigarette between my fingers. All very familiar." He says slowly so I can grasp every word and every sentence.
My heart sinks at his words, like a pit, my pain skyrockets. "It helps me forget but also remember. Helpful..." He hisses out with he smell of smoke on his breath that makes me scrunch up my nose.
"Might be helpful for your thought but it isn't for your health. Cancer stick!" My eyes linger on the little burning object between his fingers.
His blue eyes move over to mine and a cold chuckle leaves his mouth. "I would have wished that my dad died from cancer." Losing my breath at his words, my lips form a straight line.
"Don't say such things." His head turns quickly at my harsh tone; maybe I could have toned it down, but I decided not too. "Cancer isn't something to joke about."
"The way they died isn't something to joke about." Alex clenches his fists, crunching the little cancer stick.
"I never said I was joking." The blue house stands quietly as are words become harsh and violent. My blunt words sparking something inside me.
"Death is not something to joke about but it happens and we all have to deal with it. Then we Live with it until we die." I wave my arms around like a actual crazy person.
"Yes we do." Quiet is all that comes to mind at his voice. "What makes you so bitter about death, Emily?" Alexs words catch me off guard and my lips close tightly.
Like a spear cutting through my chest; I close my eyes and breath slowly. "We are here for you, not me."
"Also I'm not bitter about it." My cross my arms over my chest.
"But if we are getting everything off our chest I think you should go first. I mean you already know what happened to my parent. I want to know what happened to yours."
I catch his blue orbs that sparkle as the sun catches them. "I don't really have parents." His looks startled, almost confused, at my words.
"Yes, I don't have parents, I have a creature. Someone who makes me. Kind of like toys but with body parts, if that makes sense."
"Sounds gross, yes, but it really isn't. It's like what happens in the human body. Randomly the body shuffles different genes and you get the ones that are chosen. Like one of those games you used to play as a child or the ones I read about. I never really had a human life at the beginning." I shrug my shoulders as total confusion covers his face.
"So you're like a toy." Alex does not understand me at all right know. Pressing my palm to my forehead, I let out a shaky breath.
"No, I'm not like a toy. Did you not hear anything about the genes. Well as I was saying, I was made by a man who made only a few of my kind. He was one of the main creatures. He made a very special Angle called The protector but she's not really all that great." The sun starts to dip slowly but the light stills shines brightly.
"What's a Protector?" My eyes look at him and sadness fills my thoughts.
"I don't really know."
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-Kiss kiss