----------Hoo hoo----------
Rain, rain, go away, please come back another day...
"Oh, my. That isn't very good. What the hell did you do to his arm, Maddie?"
"I told you not to call me that! My name is Maddox. And all I did was hold on to his wrist. He will be fine."
"Whatever you say. He looks like shit, though. I thought you weren't really going to hurt them?"
I could hear slightly muffled voices talking as I slowly came to. I kept my eyes shut and my breathing even, so they couldn't tell I was awake and eavesdropping.
"Please," the male voice who identified himself as Maddox, said. "If I intended to really hurt them, you'd know."
Son of a one legged prostitute. Where the heck am I? I'm clear headed enough now to be able to tell that i'm not in the jungle, at the very least. No noise besides the two voices, no odd earthy smells, no bugs feasting on my flesh.
I moved my foot just barely, and immediately recognized carpet beneath my...shoe-less feet? The fuck are my shoes at?! I thought I felt a chill. Those shoe stealing bastards.
Okay. Time to wake up. I need some answers.
I opened my eyes slowly, and was slightly relieved to find that no one was in front of me. That's when the shock made my eyes go wide. The room I was in was absolutely beautiful. The walls were a deep purple, which the gold couches accented nicely. A shimmering chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting dazzling lights all across the room.
The carpet was shag, and so deep that when I dug my toes into it's bright white fibers it felt like they went a mile downward.
The only un-glamorous part was that I was tied to a chair. The chair was fancier than shit, I could tell by the comfortable cushion, and even the ropes I was tied with were laced with golden accents.
Have I been kidnapped by a prince or something? I thought to myself. And my arm is smarting like a bitch. I looked down, and my breath caught in my throat. My left forearm was riddled with deep purple bruises, encircling it. What the hell?
It was just a kid that grabbed me, though...wasn't it? Wait a second...all those kids, surrounding me...I knew them. How could I have forgotten who they were? Slowly, like a thick fog clearing from my mind, I started to remember things.
The island. Childhood friends, playing together here...friends I had completely forgotten until i'd arrived back here. A secret entrance in the neighborhood park...but why couldn't I remember the kid that grabbed me? For some reason, his face and name escaped me completely.
I struggled against my binds, to no avail except to make me wince as the ropes tugged against my bruises. I sighed, looking around me. The door was ajar...I could hop my way out? I shook my head at myself. As if they wouldn't hear that. Not to mention this chair weighs as much as I do.
I bet the others are worried by now. Well, Lance at least, and maybe Felix. Why did I get lured here? How did the others not see what I did? Why was I special?
Whoever this Maddox guy is, I need to know what he wants. Looks like it's about time to do something stupid. I cleared my throat.
"Oh, Maddie! I'm getting a little parched in here. Got any lemonade?"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~Lance's POV~
"JEFFIE!" I shouted for the millionth time, hacking my way through this ridiculous jungle. I was several paces ahead of everyone else, clearing the way. I didn't care if some creature came to attack me by the sound of my voice.
One minute we were all right behind Jeffie, and the next he was just a tiny dot in the distance. We ran as fast as we could, but he only seemed to get further. I grit my teeth in frustration, about to start stabbing anything in reach when my foot met sand. I looked down.
We're back at the beach? How...? I walked ahead, and my heart leaped when I saw footprints. I followed them hastily, and when they stopped I looked around. I did a 360, not seeing anything. I took another step, and something gave way under my foot.
I tapped it with my foot. I reached down and pawed through the sand, until a single converse shoe came into my sight. I picked it up, dropping my machete in the sand. Jeffie's shoe.
Jeffie, where the hell are you?
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~Jeffie's POV~
I waited a few seconds, expecting to hear footsteps of some kind when suddenly a guy dropped form the fucking sky in front of me.
"S-Shit! Dude, the door is open!" I exclaimed, panting. The guy standing before me had auburn hair, rich tan skin and bright blue eyes. Aye papi. He was shirtless, save for a burgundy silk vest that hung unbuttoned over his chest, and he wore white parachute pants.
He stepped closer to me, his eyes scanning me closely. I noticed a nipple ring upon closer inspection. Do with that information what you will.
"Jeffie. Do you remember me?" He asked, his cinnamon scented breath fanning my face. I blinked.
Why is that smell so familiar? I looked at his face again, studying it hard. He stared back, unblinking, as though he knew exactly what I was doing. I tried to imagine his face younger, laughing, playing...
"Maddox...you're Maddox. I remember you now." I said, and his eyes brightened. He smiled, and it was like the sun coming out on a frosty winter morning. I couldn't help but smile back.
"Jeffie, I have waited so long to hear you say that." I smiled for a second more, before it faded and a confused look took it's place.
"But Maddox...what am I doing here? What are we all doing here? I used to think this place was part of my imagination." He looked troubled now, and turned away from me.
"...This is my palace, on my island. I allowed you all to come here, when we were children. I was lonely, living here with nothing but the staff. My father warned me against it, but I had to. I was so alone..." His voice broke, and I wanted to reach out to him, but that only brought me to another important point.
"Why did you tie me up?"
"You wouldn't recognize me right away. I feared you would run." He was right. I woulda been out this bitch.
"But how does this place exist? Isn't it impossible? And if not, why bring us back here?" His fists clenched, and he turned back to face me, his eyes a brighter blue than they were before.
"It exists because I made it so. I was selfish back in my home country, Arabia. My father paid attention to all but me, so I did several rash things for attention. This enraged him when I harmed my brother on accident. My father punished me, saying I would be alone for as long as it took me to learn my lesson. He banished me here."
"We played together as kids though..." I commented, and he met my eyes calmly.
"Yes, he sent me here when I was ten. Because my family has magical properties, it had to be secluded. As a child, I thought up all of this, and with the help of my servants I built it. I created defenses around the island. It didn't last long to amuse me, though. I needed people, company my age."
I thought for a moment. "So you brought us here?" He nodded. "Why...don't I remember leaving, or why I stopped coming here? I can't imaging we'd just abandon you without any reason."
His expression became cold, and he refused to meet my eyes. "Maddox? Tell me, why did we stop coming? Tell me!" I demanded, and he tensed.
"Something happened." He responded curtly. I swallowed.
"What. Happened?" No response. "Well, can you at least untie me? I'm not going to run." I said. He looked at me, his face blank.
"That is what you said before...before you all left." My mouth felt dry.
"Maddox. I'm not ten anymore. Just take the ropes off." We stared at each other for a few seconds before he finally waved his hand and the ropes disintegrated. I sighed in relief and rubbed my right wrist, being careful with my left.
I stood, looking up at him with guarded eyes, not feeling as confident with the now very noticeable height difference. I leaned against the wall, making it look like I planned to stay awhile. His muscles relaxed slightly, seeing as he probably feared I would immediately bolt for the door.
I cleard my throat awkwardly. "So...you want to tell me what happened now? It probably won't be so bad, I mean we were kids right? It probably just seemed bad at the time." I said. He looked at me, and bit his lower lip in uncertainty.
"Fine. But you must promise not to run away again." He said, and by the pain in his eyes, I knew I wasn't going to run.
I quickly promised, and he nodded. "Well, we were all having a campfire. We were talking, having fun. When Lance mentioned...he'd be moving away, to go to high school. He had turned fifteen, seeing as he was older than the rest of us. I didn't mean to, but I got so angry. So angry, I..."
He paused, looking away. "Maddox," I pressed. "What did you do? What happened?"
He sighed exasperatedly, folding his hands behind his back and pacing the room, before finally coming to stand in front of me, looking in my eyes.
"I lost control. I didn't mean to. I flew into rage, shouting that he couldn't leave me. That none of you could leave me. I was scared. I knew that if he left, the rest of you would too, eventually. I said...I sad that if he tried to leave, I would keep him here forever. He didn't believe me of course, so I tied him up." I swallowed hard, but gave him a dry look.
"Yeah, you haven't grown out of that yet I see." He looked at me, the humor lost on him. I sighed. "Never mind, continue. You were tying up Lance?"
"Yes. You all protested, so I tied all of you up as well," Why didn't I remember this? "I planned to keep you all here, as my friends." Well that gives new meaning to BFF.
I shifted awkwardly. "Um, so, why did you let us go? Not that I disapprove, I mean, I am fully behind that decision." I said.
"I didn't." He said simply. I blinked.
"What the hell do you mean you didn't?" I said, utterly confused.
"My servants did. They were technically in charge of me, to watch me. I was furious, and even severely injured one of my servants in a fit of rage. But you all escaped. From then on, a check was kept on my power. Until I grew up, and ultimately, more powerful than my servants. Now they obey me." He said, a small smile appearing on his face. Aw shit.
"S-So...we're back here now because...?" I questioned, fearing the answer. His eyes looked so cold, so emotionless. It was such a stark contrast to his lively skin tone and hair. He was practically glowing, yet his eyes were like stone cold marble.
He stepped closer to me, and I stepped back, pressing against the wall. He got so close, and slowly trailed his nose up my neck, inhaling deeply. I turned my head to the side, squeezing my eyes shut. His breath was cool on my skin, giving me goosebumps.
"You're here, because I don't like to be deprived of what I want. And now that I have the power, I'll never be alone again." I shivered, his words sending chills down my spine. I cautiously opened my eyes, looking around but he was gone again.
But he left the door open...? I don't know if I should feel happy, or suspicious. He either left it because he's stupid, which I doubt, or he knows that I won't be able to escape the palace, open door or not.
Either way, I'm screwed. I can't get around out there by myself, and stay alive at least. A group of six barely managed it. Why, oh why did I have to be dumb enough to go exploring in holes in the park when I was a kid?
*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~Lance's POV~
"Lance!" I heard my name being called, and turned around. Keaton jogged up to me, the rest trailing behind him. He looked at the shoe in my hand. "Is that...? He asked, and I nodded.
"Where's Jeffie? Did you find something?" Elliot asked, Elijah and Felix staring at me beside him.
"I....I only found his shoe. He was here, at some point, but he's gone now to who knows where." They all looked disappointed at the news.
"But...he has to be somewhere," Elijah commented, sounding frustrated. "He can't have just disappeared."
Keaton grunted. "In this place, that's not so far fetched. Who knows what could have snatched him up before we got here." I looked at him in horror, and Felix smacked his arm.
"Way to be sensitive there, moron." Felix said snidely. Keaton grumbled and crossed his arms.
I clenched my fist, and looked at the shoe in my hand. "I don't care how impossible it may seem. We have to find him. He could be in serious danger." Everyone nodded in agreement, even Keaton grudgingly.
"Let's take to the trees, if we can," said Elijah. "We'll need an eagle's eye view of this place to have an idea of where to go."
We started to head towards the trees of the jungle part. We're coming, Jeffie. I haven't known you for long, but for some reason the thought of you in harm's way makes my stomach turn. And if it's the last thing I do in this damned place, I'll get you out of harm's way. Whatever it takes.
--------YO HOMIES. This story only has a few chapters left, oh no! I always planned it to be short, seeing as I based this story off a dream I had one night ;) COMMENT PLS----------