If the Witherstorm weren't following us, I would be having the time of my life. Breeze in my face, going fast...

Minus the girl with amnesia.

Jesse had Gabriel, last time I checked. I really wasn't bothering looking to my sides. The colours of the land blended together, as if they had been chucked into a blender.

My thoughts shifted to Rory. Then shifted back to the land in front of me. Rory would come later, when the action died down, when the anxiety drowned me in an ocean ruled by fear.

"Is this a nightmare? Am I dreaming?" Petra whimpered behind me.

"Unfortunately, you're awake."

"Why is it following me?"

"One, it's following all of us, and two, I wish I knew."

But I did know. The Amulet.

Coming for you~

Coming for you~

Coming for youuuuu-

I asked them the shut up, but as usual they kept going on about how they would eat us.

To make matters worse, there were a bunch of monsters ahead.

This was a good time for M.N to show up. I wish she would. I still wasn't sure what she was.

Creepers hissed, spiders screeched, zombies moaned and skeletons shot arrows. Being here may have given me knowledge on how to ride a horse, but I sure as hell couldn't ride a horse and wield my sword at the same time.

I would just have to try to dodge.

I moved my horse around a spider. An arrow whisked past my head, a feeling I would never get used to.

I managed a glance back at Petra. Her eyes were closed, and she was trembling.

Oh, how Rory would tease me now. All those days replaying the game just so I could...

There was a flash of green in the corner of my eye, and I yelped as a zombie walked right in front of the horse. I yanked back on the reins so hard that my horse reared, making Petra shriek.

I move the horse around the zombie. Tentacles were slamming the ground again, making me think of when I played the game, slamming my tablet on the couch in frustration because the screen was lagging so much that I couldn't swipe fast enough...

"M-make it stop, please!" Petra pleaded.

The sound of her voice like that made something inside me crack, adding to the hole Rory had left.

"I can't do anything! I'm sorry!" I felt Petra's grip on me tighten.

A tentacle came down in front of us. I pulled back on the reins, but not as hard as before, and the tentacle withdrew.

I spurred the horse on.

I just noticed the others on their horses in front of us. I could see the bridge that would get us to safety.

Then it got blown up. Just like in the game. The others got off their horses and did that fast building thing that I never did understand.

"We're going to be fine. It's okay." I said aloud, not sure if I was talking to Petra or myself.

They finished the bridge just as I got there.

"Come on!' Jesse yelled, getting on her horse and spurring it onwards.

No!

Eat my dust, storm.

-----------

How could this be? He was a cat. But how? He had stayed inside like a good boy. His mother had told him to stay inside. Most kids were. Something had leaped out of the dark shadows of his bedroom and swallowed him up...

He had been reading his favourite book series, Warriors. He didn't care if he didn't get out. His mother wanted him to make friends. He never could. He didn't like being socially impaired. It didn't matter.

But now he was a cat.

He stood up. He was in a forest. Strange smells flooded his nose. Strange sounds entered his ears.

He shook out his light brown tabby fur and started walking.

Carlos would have to get used to being a cat.

--------------

The cave. The sweet, sweet cave. The one after the action, after everything, after Petra...

But alas, thoughts of Rory entered my mind, triggering a song.

Let me come home to you...

Let me come home to you again...

Don't let me lose you too...

I was sitting in a corner of the cave close to the entrance. Little speckles of snow had begun to fall outside, dancing on the wind.

Soren and Jesse were arguing. Why did the Formidi-Bomb not work? Was it Jesse's fault? Soren's fault?

Who cared? I sure as hell didn't. Jesse was still the hero of this story. She would kill the storm.

But I had lost two things. Rory, and hope that I would return home.

Home to angry, usually drunk parents? Home to school, bad grades and name calling?

Home to homophobic people who would frequently hurt me?

I had gone cross-eyed again. How did I know? The staring. Of Ellegaard and Soren. They turned their attention  to me quickly.

"Now, who is this...friend of yours?" Soren asked. I'd didn't like his tone.

"The name's Aza." I replied before anyone else could. "Three letters."

"I see. And why are you here?"

"Because if I wasn't here, I would be somewhere else."

Soren glared at me for a moment, then walked over to Gabriel.

"Peasant." I muttered.

I had never liked Soren.

Jesse, Axel and Olivia were talking to Petra.

I let my mind wander. I let my mind pick a few songs for me to listen to.

Where are you now?

Was it all just a fantasy?

Where are you now?

Were you only imaginary...

I changed that song quickly.

But no song came after that.

Why?

Jesse and Petra's conversation.

"...So why couldn't you save me?" Petra was saying.

Jesse, Axel and Olivia glanced over at me. Even Lukas, who was rummaging through a chest, paused to look at me.

My chest felt like it was holding weights. Weights of many emotions.

So slowly, I walked outside.