*Part 25* *When We Met*

Hey guys! Part 25! Also, can we appreciate how well I’m staying on schedule here? I feel like we should all have some waffles and whipped cream. Or pancakes if you prefer that. But waffles are superior and I’ll stand by that. Anyway, hope you like this part!!

I watched him carefully. He had this odd look on his face, this desperate look that caused another series of goosebumps to run up and down my arms. 

Why did everything have to be cast in such a  good light in this forest?

Why did it have to make everything so different?

Why did it have to make even him so frightening?

I shivered then try softly asked, “Erlik?”

“Yes?” His tone was soft and there was nothing out of place with the word and yet, they were not what I wanted to hear. But I was not sure what I wanted to hear? I just knew I wanted to hear it. Whatever it was. 

“What are you talking about?” I asked. My mind galloped in circles around me and I wondered if I just closed my eyes for a few minutes if I could wake up, and if I just fell out of this dream, I could escape the nightmare it had become. 

For the first time in my life. I was truly afraid. Heart racing. Blood mouthing. Bone-chilling. Afraid. 

For the first time in my life, I wasn’t sure what to do.

For the first time in my life, I didn’t think there was anything I could do.

“I didn’t say anything,” He murmured. I decided to try and squeeze my eyes tightly closed. “What are you talking about?”

That did not work in the slightest. 

“You said something about me being the right thing?” I felt my eyes growing too wide and my hands starting to shake and I began to hate myself. Hate myself because who was I to pretend I was up to all this? Hate myself because who was I to pretend I was someone worthy enough to be his queen? 

I felt tears building up and I took a deep breath because there was no way I was going to cry. Not in front go him. Not right then. 

“Oh, didn’t realize I said that out loud, it’s nothing” He shrugged, he cocked his head and gave me a soft look, “You okay?”

“Swell,” I said. Unable to even tell myself how I really feel. “What are we supposed to be doing right now?”

“We’re on the right path, the trees are-“ I cut him off before I realized what I was doing.

“The trees?” I was a tad incredulous. The trees were creepy but they weren’t alive. They shouldn’t have been anyway.

“Yea, the trees. Look, we’re really close, so just sit tight and I’ll get you out of here.” He gives me a smile that’s all prim and proper and I hated it. 

There was something so horribly off about all this and I felt it seeping into me and I felt it would never seep back out again. 

I felt as if it had crept into Erlik as well. But he didn’t even seem to notice it’s invasion. And I was worried I hadn’t noticed either. 

Not until it was too late.