The forest was filled with trees, and I started to notice that Ace was shaking and breathing really hard. The more we headed the more trees with taller heights appeared, with all of this Ace was on the verge of crying. "Guys stop for a moment," I said, I then turned to Ace, "Ace are you dendraphobic(fear of trees)" Ace thought for a moment and then admitted yes, and to my surprise the others didn't tease him or anything, but they just tried to comfort him. I thought of some of some ideas 𝘯𝘰, 𝘯𝘰, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬, 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘵. "Everest come here," I told Everest while he came up to me puzzled. I tore some of Everest's shirt, Everest was about to protest but then stopped, I then put the piece of cloth on Ace's eyes and tied it, I then took his hand and said, "Ace today we will be your eyes just take a deep breath and calm down," we started leading Ace hand to hand.
All of us didn't know what we were looking for maybe a house or shelter who knows. I stopped and took some wood and some leaves, and put them against the tree, it came out as an old timey home. Then I collected some more leaves and put them on the ground as a floor. Then I take Ace inside and open the blindfold," Here you can see now, keep the blindfold near you just in case," I said, "Thank you, so much you guys but why are you helping me I've been so-so, "Ace said, "Annoying, rude, obnoxious, mean, ya ya, but the point is that phobias are not to be messed with," I said. 𝘠𝘦𝘢𝘩 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭. 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬. We all took turns sleeping and during that time I took the files and started reading the first one that said:
The Phobic Machine-
𝘐𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘹 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘺 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘰𝘧𝘧, 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘮𝘦, 𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘚𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘴𝘰, 𝘴𝘰 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘤 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴.
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I stopped reading the file that was all of it. I put the file down, what was that noise? It was so eerie. And it sounded like a whistle. It was a storm signal; it was getting cloudy making it really dark. Too dark for comfort. It was too dark I couldn't see myself anymore, I shivered it was just too dark. I tried turning on my phone, it had no juice 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. I curled up into a ball, a gust of air went by it chilled me to bone. There was someone or something there I tried calling out, but no words came out. My heart beat faster and faster. I nearly couldn't breathe no never mind scratch that I I couldn't breath at all. I was gasping for air now.
My head was spinning around, I was so dizzy. I started choking and then the tears came out. As pure as sunlight they poured through my skin burning my eyes. I saw Draco somewhere; I went near him and saw he was panicking too. I squeezed his hand, Everest and Ace were trying their best to calm us down, it worked for Draco not me. They were too late by now the last thing I heard was Everest saying, "Calm down, Estella, come on just take a deep breath, in and out, five breaths in and hold 5 breaths then let those five breaths go," (THIS IS ACTUALLY A REAL WAY TO COPE.)
I woke up to see the others looking at me, "Finally your awake yesterday was something right" Everest said. "Yeah, thank you guys for helping me, please don't think that being scared of the dark isn't a low thing" I said. "We're not here to judge you" Draco said. "That's the most you've ever said" Everest said. "I didn't talk at the elevator because I am claustrophobic it was hard for me." Draco said. I was right. "Sorry dude we didn't know" Ace said then looked at me, I sighed "I kinda overthink a lot at what I am going to say" "Well that's not the case anymore cause we're gonna help you overcome your quietness right guys" Ace said putting my hoodie off my head. The others gave a thumbs up. I weakly smiled "Thanks you guys" I said. "I've never seen anyone with purple hair except my sister, " Draco mumbled softly getting some strands of hair.
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"Omg it's so soft" Ace said. The others started playing with my hair. I think he knows and I think that he knows that I know. I told them not to touch my top part of my head, since I got hurt there they just can't know why I actually keep on my hoodie. While that I told the guys what was in the first file there was just one more file. "So, it looks like the demon king wants good to be in this world by making bad happen" Everest said. "Yeah, that's pretty much it" I said. We ate some more snacks from my backpack till we ran out. Then we decided to look for some more food we were in a forest there should be food. Draco ran near me, "Hey Estella, do you know what I know," "Yes, I am your half-sister," I said, the others heard us and were shocked with all questions, I told them I was safe, and they didn't need to worry.
𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦. 𝘞𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩. 𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘚𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘴 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥'𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘞𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦'𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺. 𝘐 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘦.
Water finally! We ran toward to the sound. I took my water bottles and and filled them we also freehand drank some water. We set our temporary camp around here. The eerie whistle again. Everyone woke up alarmed. "What's happening," Draco said. "The whistle I think it's another storm Dray" I said looking at Draco. We all huddled together. My phone started having some sort of alarm. Riow riow the alarm sounded. I looked at my phone it said tornado warning. Ace looked pale, "Do you have a thing for tornadoes Ace?" I asked. "How the heck do you know what I have all the time" Ace said. "Yesh how do you" Everest said. "I study psychology in my free time, I know everyone's phobia" I said. "Oh, really spill everyone's phobia here" Ace said. "You know what that means right all of your secrets and everyone will be out," I said looking around. "You have my permission" Everest said looking sternly at Ace. "You know I'm kinda curious" Draco said with twinkled looks.
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"All right," I took a deep breath and looked at Ace, "ok so Ace you're up first you have dendrophobia, tsunamiphobia, and lilapsophobia," I then looked at Everest," you have taphephobia,ammophobia, and trynophobia. Draco you have atelephobia, heliophobia,claustrophobia, astraphobia."I looked at them, all of them looked shocked. They looked at Ace mad. "Well since you told us all of our know secrets thanks to Ace" Draco said grumbling "then tell us yours, if that's ok" I looked at then Ugh they are so noisy "Fine I have monophobia, athazagoraphobia, achluophobia that's all" I said. With all of us talking Ace forgot all about the tornado. We all looked outside when we first set camp up we were near a river now half of the river was barricaded with rocks. "Wow uhh we're pretty lucky we were not there." We all agreed with Everest.
It was our 2nd day in the forest I was kinda surprised that no one actually looked for us, like I understand if I was alone but the others, they're probably the popular ones in the school. Unless someone is plotting against us in the school. But who could it be? The teacher Mr. Braylen, Ariana, but then again it could be anyone the janitor or even the principal. I fell asleep after thinking about it. "Estella sweetie we are your new parents," said an unknown blurred woman. "Where are my old one's ma'am" little me said. "Oh we don't know little one" said the lady, " "Ugh shut up ya little brat we just hired you" a big fat man said, the younger me looked the nice lady, "What are you looking at girl" the lady slaps me, "don't you dare look at me again" "Yeah your mistress is right when you see any of us you have to bow down you got that huh huh" the man said.
The man grabbed my arm and started to drag me to this hallway. The lady took me from there and put me in a small room. She looked back "OK he's not here now please don't pay any attention to me with him. If I don't act cold with you, I might get punished I'm Miss Elena and he's Sir Lorn. This will be your room for now, have a good sleep now dear," I just nodded, when she left, I saw a boy get out from under my bed. Peter Pan was my first thought he looked exactly like him expect his hair was messier and he had green hair and black hoodie. "Your new here, I'm Zuzu your roommate" Zuzu said he had green hair and green eyes.
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"Yeah, I came today how old are you anyways" I said. "I'm 10 and you?" Zuzu said, "I'm Estella and I'm 9" I said. "Cool let's sleep before Sir Lorn comes and does something" Zuzu said. They slept until 5 until a loud alarm woke them up. "Wha-what's going on'' I said. "You have to go to the room now" Zuzu said taking my hand. We ran to this one room at first it looked dark but then room inside was really bright. "Nobody can know where I am I trust you to keep it secret" Zuzu said running and hiding in the shadows. I went inside, Miss Elena appeared" Girl lie down over here" I saw nothing so I layed down in the corner. Sir Lorn came in and took the Miss Elena's arm. "Hold her tight" he ordered Miss Elena. Miss Elena started to pin me to the corner while Sir Lorn took lots of blood from me. I started screaming form the pain and then I passed out, when I woke up Sir Lorn placed some substance on me. "Ahh it hur-" I said and then stopped. My eyes were burning I saw every color flashing with stars and then blank. Sir Lorn and Miss Elena started smiling, "You've done a great job dear" Miss Elena said. "You know what this means the Phobic experiment works" They took me back to the room; they left me there and Zuzu came back. "Wow you're the first one" he said changing his tone unsettling "since me this means you and I their main subjects" I found out that the first part of the experiments was to see if we were worthy enough, they put a substance to make our eyes powerful such as more vision ground, and magical eyes people who didn't have any of these were killed. I got magical eyes my eyes turned purple with skulls in them.
We had no problems for 2 months, I got experimented on and Zuzu hid. I trusted him, so I knew he was never gonna give me up or shut me out while escaping. One day me and Zuzu were talking on how to escape. "Es, we won't be able to escape there are cams everywhere and with traps. Plus, there's you." Zuzu said. "Indeed, as you are Zuku" Sir Lorn said blocking the exit. " That's not my name!" Zuzu said going in front of me. "And that's why your parents left you you always complain like do you kids shut up!" Sir Lorn said. Zuzu gasped; I was shocked i knew Zuzu had some history with his family but not this. "All of your stupid complaints at least you aren't worthless unlike that girl I always wonder why she didn't just kill herself " Sir Lorn said. "Hey, don't put her in it she didn't do anything" Zuzu said. "Sir Lorn guess what," I said. "What I don't have time for you" he replied." I tried a thousand times, but guess I'm not even good enough," I said with a sad smile, they were all shocked. Then all of a sudden Miss Elena said with an AK-47,"All right everyone doesn't move put your hands up."
"Yes! thank you, Miss Elena, you saved us" I said. "Wrong, guess again girl, you're so pathetic thinking everyone is your friend this isn't life that's fantasy and let's talk about your parents like where are they, " Miss Elena said booming. My face changed in that moment so did Zuzu's he looked at me I was about to say something but. She shot the gun, Luckly it was a lethal sleep poison that's just makes us sleep. The story of parents was that when i was born they hated me, technically they didn't want any kids but to follow their parental tradition they had to, so right after i was born they put me up for adoption. I got adopted by Axel Stone that's why I was surprised of Draco, at first his son Medley (Draco's brother) would throw me around I was his little toy, his other brother used to hate me too, Draco but then I saved him from his brothers popping balloons which sounded like guns, Draco's mom died in a gunshot. After I helped Draco, he helped me escape and no one knew my name I was known as girl, kid, brat all of those. After I escaped I was living off the streets and a lady named Irene took me in I was at Draco's for 4 years, Irene was nice till it lasted me and Irene went grocery shopping till one of Sir Lorn's people shot her 7 times in front of me even when she died then started throwing her body against filth and crap and ran her over a car all in front of me, I lived in her house for the time being until Sir Lorn found me and that's where I was.
For those next 4 years it was the same me and Zuzu woke up from the alarm, they took our blood, they put an unknown substance on us. One day I woke up not seeing Zuzu, I hurried towards the room and saw a blonde, red eyed boy hold Zuzu in an unusual way. Then he bit him. Right. On. The. Neck. "Zuzu" I cried out. A mark came on Zuzu's cheek a moon with a star. "Estella don't worry about me," Zuzu said weakly, "it might be a long day without me my friend, but promise me that you'll make it out here, even if it takes all night or a thousand years, it'll be alright stay strong and make it outta a here for me, don't forget me," I ran for him but then "You heard your friend don't worry me and my new friend will have so much fun'' the blonde said snapping his fingers and disappeared. I stayed in that place for 6 more months there it was hard, I missed Zuzu, Sir Lorn and Miss Elena tortured me as if there was no tomorrow it made me wings, horns, and tails all by experimenting. The day after I escaped. I flew right out, it was also helpful that they made me immune to shots and poison. The only side effect was with all these powers I had more phobias that were more serious. That was their main goal. To see the reactions of all phobias. After all of it I learned how to control my powers and hid them from the world. Then found Irene's old home and stayed there and went to school and ended up here. I heard some noise and sat up sweat dripping down my face opened my eyes.
I saw Everest, Ace, and even Draco singing and dancing. "What the hell" I said. "She's alive guys, she's back from the dead, stop the ritual" Draco said. "What do you mean oh and nice singing" I said. Draco turned red," Well anyways" he said clearing his throat, Everest wriggling his eyebrows at Draco, Draco turned red" you were out for 2 days" "What but how" I said astonished. The dream it must be it. I hadn't had that dream in days. "I was tired" I said. We took everything from camp and took the lighter from the box, then I took some water. I lighted some grass on the ground with the lighter the fire went one way, I poured water on it and made sure none of it was left, it was a trick I learned in The Place, the purpose was to get you out of that territory. We walked there for hours often stopping for bathroom breaks and food. And finally, we came to an end of the forest. As we thought that would have been the end it was not, we had just begun the challenges.
Word Count - 3083