Chapter 10 in which Sarah investigates alone..
So yeah..I was left with me, myself, and I, which is never a good thing to happen.
I took a deep breath, slowly embracing the fact that I could finally be my complete self.
For a short while, anyway. I wouldn't have to keep my guard up, or keep frivolous secrets.
Unfortunately, at this present moment, I could not have fun with this new independence.
At least, not in the way I would like.
There was a murderous scum somewhere, no doubt hiding within the crowd I was about to venture in, and I had to converse with a bunch of rude pigeons that may or may not give me the answers I needed. This sucked. This sucked a lot.
But hey..it needed to be done. Promises, after all.
So..hi ho, it's off to work I go.
Once I spotted a gap open among the traffic of individuals, I sucked up a breath and dove in, merging into the stream of galactic travelers. The scene still intrigued me, with how surreal everything was.
As I brushed my way past everyone, I glanced up at their many faces..
so many were alien, so many were human.
And they had no issue with one another. They weren't prejudice or screaming in horror, or wanting to kill eachother for their differences. They didn't freak out at all.
They just passed right by eachother as if they were in a mall or busy city sidewalk.
It was refreshing. To finally see my own kind accept things that were...unearthly.
And they weren't screeching or making a big deal out of it.
This was completely normal for them.
If this is the adventuring gig I'd be revisiting from planet to planet, then I could definitely get used to it.
I ended up walking a bit more freely when I pushed myself to a less crowded side of the people-traffic, to where I landed in a spot where a handful of shoppers were walking in and out of the vendors' little shops. Many others were simply window-shopping or waiting for a chance to jump into the crowds of passing people.
I, at last, got a chance to breathe and look around myself, at all the interesting things being sold, half tempted to buy a few trinkets for souvenir purposes.
Many of the shops were lined side-by-side like a chain of town houses.
But really, this WAS home for a lot of them. So I wasn't too far off..
As I patrolled the middle of the area, I scanned everyone and everything..searching for any suspicious behavior or basically any unusual activity, while also keeping my ear out for any market talk or rumoring. I couldn't just announce to the public that I was on the look-out for a hired gun.
Since that would inevitably draw unwanted attention to myself. I'd probably be whacked as a result.
So I needed to be discreet and ask the right people.
The ones that were not part of the traffic..the ones that stood on the sidelines and had a chance to observe their surroundings..those were the ones I was aiming for.
They would know much more than the distracted passersby.
For many minutes, I had been walking in a steady straight line, one fist curled to my side, the other sitting close to my holster. The sunlight had proven to be too irritating to bear, so I had donned my sunglasses, still scanning everything systematically like some kind of computer.
I was seriously feeling like a Terminator, forced to participate in detective work.
If only I looked more intimidating.
I didn't see any likely candidates yet, so I had no choice but to keep looking and keep walking.
That sounds pretty boring, yeah..and it was boring.
. . . . until . . . yeah . . . you guessed it . . . something weird happened.
A chill ran up my spine, as all my senses and every nerve in me alerted my conscious that something was wrong. I knew, without a doubt, a new set of eyes had landed on me.
And they were coming from behind.
I could tell right off that the eyes belonged to someone not to be trusted, so I tensed up my body to prepare for anything, as I calmly looked around for the owner of this unwelcome gaze.
A gaze similar to.....him.....
"I know what you're thinking.."
My eyes darted behind me, where I felt very strongly that that someone was approaching me.
Mr. Biker Boy soon came into view.
He was slowly rubbing his hands together, his height matching the Master's, but at the present moment, he was slightly arched for reasons unknown.
I don't know why, but he had an animalistic vibe to him that I couldn't shake.
The way he was walking, and tailing me. His posture, his scent, his eyes...darkened, bright piercing blue eyes that hadn't met me yet, but I still felt their hot gaze. They had shadowy circles around them, outlined with red, as if the boy hadn't slept in months.
My eyes couldn't leave him. Not for a second.
They followed him as he followed me.
His shaggy, greasy-looking black hair almost covered his eyes.
And he had a 5 o'clock shadow that traced into a faint mustache, making him look even more animalistic and scruffy. While I couldn't deny the hidden attractiveness of this dude, there was something about him that clearly disgusted me.
Just as I thought he couldn't get any creepier, he started to make slow, chilling circles around me, forcing me to hold my breath and stand firm guard. My gloved fists squeaked shut and my tiny jaw tightened..attempting to look as intimidating as possible is certainly a chore for a mere penguin such as myself. Despite my best effort, he didn't seem fazed at all.
"--I know precisely what you're thinking..."
Really, strange danger man, do enlighten me what I am thinking, cuz I don't even know that myself.
As if actually reading my thoughts, his eyes at last met mine and I gulped.
"..You're thinking how worthless those four are, dumping you in your time of need...it wasn't wise for them to leave you behind...especially being such a pretty little thing.."
He drew closer..so close that he almost brushed against my shoulder.
"..It's especially unwise for you to be traveling alone, however...without a proper method of protection....."
I gained back my moxie in a flash, and at once had the perfect come-back for this ludicrous creep.
"Oh, I have all the protection I need..."
My hand darted to my side and at once, I withdrew my gun, pointing it right at the side of his head.
He froze.
"..right here."
My best effort paid off a little. I think...
Despite having a gun pressed against his head, he slowly turned it, enough to look at me.
But what came from his expression honestly surprised me.
He smiled. A smug, very satisfied, smile.
He was treating it as if I were flirting.
Not another Jim.
The fact that he looked as if he were gonna laugh made things worse, and I very much wanted to pull the trigger just for the sheer fact that he infuriated me. And, ya know, insulted my moment.
*cough* Suspect #1, btw.. *cough*
"And who the actual heck would you be, pretty boy?"
His smile never faded. "I'll tell you..maybe..if you put your weapon down."
"Mmm, nah. This stays up."
"Fine.....then I'll just be forced to remain nameless."
He turned his head back around, snootily, and he seemed to now act like he wasn't paying me any mind. This guy was insulting me for the last time.
"I just met you and I already hate you."
"I get that..."
He cut his eyes darkly at me, "I just met you and I already love you."
I cocked my head to the side, with a half smirk. "I get that."
I was beginning to have a slight realization. This guy, oddly enough, looked and sounded vaguely familiar. And I was trying to tap into my great big Character Queen memory of everything to try and figure it out. I wasn't weeding out the possibility of him being a character, but..I was having trouble recognizing him as being a character. The look and personality were clashing with everything my mind thought of. It pained me to accept it, but..I didn't know this guy.
And that infuriates me.
I need to know everything. I don't like not knowing.
Until it clicked...I knew why he looked so familiar.
The images came back to my mind through a flood of memory, and I realized.
Thomas Dekker. He looked like the actor, Thomas Dekker.
If you're unfamiliar with him, that's understandable.
I know him best from my childhood..he played young Nick from Honey I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show.. when he grew, I didn't really watch any of his films, but I was aware that he played John Connor in the Sarah Connor Chronicles series, and a few other roles here and there.
Good-enough looking fella. Which he was clearly trying to use against me..
But honey, I travel with all four Master, Moriarty, Bane and Joker, and I still haven't cracked.
You will fail at life.
As to if he was the real Thomas Dekker, I highly doubted it.
If he was a clone, or ya know, celebrities actually ARE aliens, that was possible.
But he was a very random actor to be here.
And due to him seeming like a villain, and knowing a little too much about things here, well..
yeah. So the only thing I had to go on was that he was a character I just hadn't heard of.
Still felt wrong, though. I still couldn't bring myself to accepting that truth.
All signs pointed to character...but this guy...he was just...different.
Something about him--ok, EVERYthing about him--was wrong.
My gun still pointed at his head, him still smiling in an overtly cocky fashion, we stared at eachother for a long moment, neither of us moving a muscle the entire time.
He was watching me..and I was watching him.
"Who are you?" I finally said aloud.
He was bored with this question. He turned his head away and took a deep breath.
"Come on. You don't care about that...you care about something else."
"Oh?" I titled my head once again, "And what's that?"
"Well, you know already...obviously."
"Dude, I have a gun pointed directly at your freaking skull, don't play games with me."
"Ooooh, hostile." He grinned smugly and cut his eyes at me, "I was waiting for that."
I switched the safety off.
"Ok, ok, I get it. I see...you mean business."
I squinted. "Dang right I mean business."
He lifted his hands up. "I can see you're not one of those run-of-the-mill heroes they're breeding these days...the ones who won't kill."
I smirked. "Oh..I'll kill. Killing scum ain't a problem."
He flexed a curious eyebrow. "And it doesn't effect you?"
"Hasn't effected me yet. Haven't lost any sleep. I don't get visited by ghosts. Safe to say, I'm in the clear."
He tilted his head this time and had on a most deep, thoughtful expression.
"But the thought...of taking another life....that doesn't..bother you."
I sniffed.
"They don't seem to mind when they slaughter innocent people...don't see them crying over it."
"That means you're just like them."
A wicked grin suddenly appeared and I leaned in a bit, and with the faintest whisper..
"Maybe I am."
This grabbed his attention a little.
"Maybe I AM like them..maybe I'm a rare breed..maybe you NEED people like me, to keep you scum sacks in check..maybe I'm the Blade of that sort, ridding the world of the corrupt, and properly punishing those that otherwise go unpunished. Maybe I just have the guts to do what others don't. I must admit, the thought of making you all show weakness and vulnerability, making you cry and scream and plead just like you made your victims do so..ooohhh, it gets the blood pumping!"
I developed crazy eyes at the thought of it all. "Maybe I do take a little too much delight in it. Maybe I AM a monster...but hey...at least I'm a monster who's on the right side."
His eyes glazed a little, "..You're bluffing.."
I only grinned wider. "Wanna find out?"
This deterred him...he was less smug now...
I almost chuckled, dropping the act now, and I stood back with a casual smile.
"You're 70% less attracted to me now, aren't ya?"
His eyes rolled away. "..Unfortunately, it isn't about attraction..."
We were wasting time with this.
I had things I needed to take care of..but I couldn't just let this guy go, without finding out what I needed to first. "Are you ever going to put that down?"
I squeezed the weapon in my hand tightly, forcing a breath out through my nose.
"Name first."
"Already told you..not until you lower that piece..."
"Then I guess we're stuck here.."
"I guess we are..."
.....And so, we stood in silence.
............This was pointless.
"..I assume you already know why I'm here."
"Yes....."
"....And if I find out you're a part of it..well..I won't be as reluctant to pull any triggers."
"Only if I'm a part of it, however..." His eyes moved back to me.
"I mean, yes, but sadly, you don't know anything about me.."
I squinted again, "And yet you seem to know me...."
His grin returned, but he said nothing.
I realized now, he was truly not going to say anything useful until I put down the gun.
So with a few self-scoldings..I lowered the weapon and sighed once again.
The firearm no longer pointed at his skull, the creep turned his body around to face me and he chuckled a little, making me feel like I was being mocked.
Then, he extended his arm..covered in tattoos...wreaking with the smell of smoke...
and his mouth opened to show glistening teeth, that looked just as animalistic as the rest of him.
"Derek."
I stared at him from the corner of my eye, very judgmentally, and I stuck my gun into my holster with a hidden huff. I cut my eyes down at his hand, but refused with all my existence to shake it.
So I merely looked back at him. "Is that your real name?"
He instantly retracted his arm and took a deep exhale. "Come now, don't be greedy. You asked for a name, and I gave it to you. If that's not good enough, then I do believe this little conversation is over. I don't waste my time on idiots."
I flexed my brows. "Likewise."
Just as I thought that'd be the tail-end of the convo, he abruptly dashed forward and got up in my face, to which I immediately and instinctively flashed my hand to my holster.
If he kissed me, I WOULD FEED HIS GUTS TO THE SOIL.
But...he didn't. He just looked at me and smiled..a very, very...creepy smile.......one of hidden meaning....like he was being secretive...
"You honestly don't think this thing is gonna last...do you?"
I couldn't help but jerk my head back. "..What?"
"You..traveling with those idiots....expecting something magical to come out've it...as if you all are gonna bond...like you can CHANGE them, eh? They'll start treating you with kindness? With respect? That they'll learn to LOVE you?"
I swallowed hard and prayed he didn't hear it.
I'm allowed to have expectations, peasant.
"All they've ever looked out for was themselves. They don't care about you. You're just a means to an end. A pawn in their little game of chess. You mean nothing to them, except to serve as a tool. A tool that they'll throw away as soon as you do the job. If they don't kill you, they'll abandon you the way they abandon everything else. They run away...it's in their nature. It's in their blood. You fantasizing that you'll ride away through all the galaxies, visiting planets and saving the day with your four new buddies is just that...a fantasy. They don't know how to feel, how to love, how to care. They feel nothing. They're empty. They're hollow. Nothing you do or say will change that. Believe me...I know...."
I narrowed my eyes aggressively, shifting only once as I was holding my breath.
"...You would know, wouldn't you?"
He sniffed a small laugh and cut his eyes to the ground. "...Let's just say..I'm part of the same CLASS as them..." His eyes lifted. "...Those men? They'll never change..ever..not for anyone or anything..they're just too selfish for that.."
...Putting it all so vividly.....hurt.
My heart hurt..I didn't know how to function with what he just put into words.
Everything I had been feeling was finally said aloud, outside of my mind, and it was all I could do to keep from busting out crying, tightening my hands into such furiously shaking fists.
He was right. He was right about all of it...I knew...I had just let myself believe that I, Sarah Demens, the 'Character Queen'..would finally tame the beasts.
But that was a lie. They were monsters. And they'd always BE monsters.
But did I want to admit all that to this scum?
Heck no.
I swallowed away my problems and tears and turned my head away, clearing my throat.
I began to leave. "When I want your psychiatric evaluations, Dr. Derek, I'd make an appointment. Until then, keep your opinions to yourself."
I stomped away, fists still tightened, and I heard him sigh in the background.
"You're only running from the truth."
I sent out a cocky laugh, "I don't run from anything."
I had gotten just enough distance away from him to feel comfort again and I breathed my own sigh, relieved I was walking away from the situation...
"...Except enormous fire-breathing dragons, of course."
I froze.
My entire body went stiff..and my eyes widened into plates.
I skipped a breath and a heartbeat and practically spun on my heels, back to look at him.
....he was gone.
I let out my breath, that was shaken and shortened, followed by a reluctant swallow.
My eyes scanned around for him, but there was absolutely no trace.
It was as if he wasn't even there.
At that moment..I had a major concern. And a major shocking discovery.
This guy was one of the "Others".
. . .
Searching after the guy would just be a complete waste of time and energy.
So I didn't even bother.
I just turned back around after a few minutes and continued on my way.
When I saw that I was getting no where in the spot I was in, I decided to cross back to the other side, towards the music vendors, and start from there.
Someone had to know something. The boys had found out about the assassin from asking around, so I decided, hey, I'd give it a shot. So I asked around.
But they either never answered me or they brushed me off.
Many actually looked rather afraid when I talked to them. And kept looking around in a paranoid manner..which concerned me. What if they knew? What if they knew someone was watching?
After my little encounter with Derek, it wouldn't surprise me.
Someone was keeping these people in a minor state of fear.
Like they needed to keep their mouths shut. So I pressed on and just stopped asking people completely when I saw that it was getting me absolutely no where.
Eventually, as I walked around in my lone little state, no boys to sass at or squabble with..
my mind turned to a place of dark thinking. A place that if you visit too long, you'll easily be slipped into a state of depression. I try to keep myself as happy as possible. As positive as possible.
As strong as possible...to avoid going there. No matter how gleeful and perfect things can be, if you visit this place at all, and start thinking of the dark environments around you..you'll be taken hostage by those very thoughts that drive people down the wrong path.
And that's exactly where I was going.
I was getting home-sick. I was getting concerned for my family, and my friends.
Worrying about the state of things in my absence. If everyone was panicking that I was missing.
If time just stopped. Or if the Others truly knew who I was..would they know where to find me on Earth. Were the people I cared about even safe?
What if they were-------
bah!
NAY.
I refused. I kicked those thoughts in the guts right there.
Thinking like that is for sheep and I am no sheep. >:(
I'm stronger than that. I had more faith than that.
Worrying and sadness are not in my personality description.
I take charge. And I hope for the best until I get the best.
Thrashing my head to try and get my mind off these things, I turned the concern into simple curiosity. I did miss them. So heck...why couldn't I do something about it?
If I could just check up to see how things were back on Earth.....
then my mind would finally be at ease.
Then I noticed something from the distance ahead of me.. and I had an inspire.
Vendors that were selling technology. (:
At once, I zipped my fastest straight toward them, almost tripping.
As soon as I got there, things became more clear. Soon I saw that they were not just selling communication devices, but ALL kinds of devices.
Televisions, computers, laptops, game systems, you name it-- but I remembered what the musical peeps were saying..about people not being able to afford such luxuries.
And I saw why. The prices, albeit through a different currency than mine, were outrageous.
There were a million zeroes (ok, not really, but a lot) at the end of the first numbers and it made me cringe. I mean, even on my planet, these things get pricey. But this was ridiculous.
Despite that fact, I kept looking. All I needed was a simple laptop. A cheap laptop to go online with, that had a built-in camera for videochatting. Much of the stuff was super duper high-tech, and almost futuristic. So it made me wonder if other time travelers had dropped this stuff from the future.
Which would be a bonus for me, yo. IF I could find a simple cheap piece, that is.
The boys had gotten their neat little toys back at the T.A.R.D.I.S. and a computer of their own.
But I needed something for myself. Being a writer, after all. One for my own personal use, to steal away into my bedroom later at night when everyone was sleeping.
But basically, the real reason I needed a laptop at that precise moment was so I could sign into my Facebook account and contact someone back home. To let them know I was safe.
And to let myself know that THEY were safe in return.
Now, see, I told you at the beginning of this story that I have my internet friends...
Many of which I barely talk to anymore.
Most of everyone now-a-days is busy with school or college or work or getting married or birthing babies, and no longer have time for little ol' me, so you can imagine the loneliness.
However, I still have three central people that mean the world to me..
my bestfriends, Emily, Hannah and Aja.
I've been close friends with the three ever since I was a young teenager, and I honestly trust them with my life. I've had countless friends. Known a lot of people.
But those three have always been the ones I could depend on the most.
How I wish I could bring them along on my adventures...but being that I'm already concerned about my OWN well-being..it wouldn't be the fairest thing to drag them along into danger, as well.
Rambling aside..these girls are the awesomeness. And I missed them.
So if it was possible for me to at least let THEM know I was alive..maybe..idk..they could inform everyone else if I say...never came back home?
Dark thinking, I know.
But in my new line of work, you have to be on the safe side, and take these types of precautions.
When the few sets of customers got out've my way, I approached the desk of the computer dealer.
Once he noticed my presence, he nodded at me and I nodded back, then I went straight to business.
"How can I help you?"
"Uh, yes...do you have any cheap laptops with internet access and a built-in camera?"
I was expecting him to pull something from under the table and spout out a random, outlandish number. So I was bracing myself for the blow that is the price..
But instead of remaining seated and spilling out a rehearsed blur of words with one breath, the man stood straight up and briefly bit into his apple that he held with his teeth, as he pulled out a pen and clipboard. "Well, let's see here..." He cleared his throat and flattened out his paper, setting the apple down on a napkin. "Name?"
Hmm, best be careful with that... "..Um..Sarah.."
He nodded, jotting it down. "Are you over the age of 13?"
Silence followed and the man briefly glanced up at me to see that I was lowering my eyebrows at him. He cleared his throat again and quickly went back to writing, "Got it.."
Taking a single bite from the apple before setting it back down, he sniffed and put away his clipboard.
"How much ya got? Maybe we can work out a deal."
Phrasing it like that suddenly made me feel as if I were getting involved with illegal activities.
"Um...uh...well..." I had already been fingering the wad of cash Master had given me inside my pocket. And as soon as I answered, I pulled the wad out and presented it to him with an open palm.
He gave it an inspection with a single cut of the eyes..and thankfully, he looked a little intrigued.
"Alright..just a simple one, eh?"
I nodded, anxiously. He gave me a patient nod, then turned right around behind him and started sorting through a row of nicely stacked glistening black laptops that looked brand new.
He finally settled on one that made my eyes widen. It was gorgeous.
He turned back to me and presented it with both hands and with a single click of a button located at the center of the front edge, the top popped open and revealed the screen and keyboard.
My mouth almost dropped. SO PRETTEH, OH MY WORD.
My reflection faintly stared back at me through a shiny black screen.
The keyboard's buttons were all outlined with a solid clear strip of plastic that traced all along together, with no spaces to interfere. The corner of the laptop's..top..did indeed have a tiny camera built into it.
I was quite pleased with what I was looking at. But the matter of the price was still awaited..
"H...h-how much is it??"
Yes, I was holding my breath.
The guy rubbed his chin in deep thought as he gazed back and forth at me and the computer.
It was getting a little creepy, so I cleared my throat and shifted side-to-side to speed up the process.
He bucked up straight. "300 credits."
Oh my...told you...pricey.
CREDITS, THOUGH, I DON'T HAVE ANY CREDITS.
"I'm, uh..new here...I don't have any credits.."
"It's our currency. We call them credits. It's physical money, it just adds to your future account with us."
I blinked. "...Ok......"
I looked down at the wad of money and started sifting through it, praying that Master had given me enough..that's when the guy suddenly reached in and quickly slithered out a single bill.
I watched with an open jaw as it left my grasp and he withdrew it to his own.
He grabbed a $20.
"300..very excellent."
He held the $20 with two fingers and stared at it admiringly, as if he had just come into possession of gold. I rose a weirded out eyebrow...wow...I could definitely get used to this.
He gave me a brief glance and tipped his head, with a huge grin on his face.
"Pleasure doing business with you."
I gave him a rather stern look in return, however.
"If you don't mind, ya got some place for me to test it out?"
"Oh yeah, of course...there's a small tent, over there. It has a table inside, and enough space for you to crawl in for some privacy and get some shade from the solars."
"Great..thanks." "No problem. Come again."
Very bloody likely, with those prices, pft. ;)
The less I was out from sunlight, the better.
Call me a vampire, but I literally hate the sun and it's evil hot touch.
It burns us, precious.
Before something drastic happened, I scuttled on over towards the row of tents he was referring to, in a way, with a few people here and there testing out their new little gadgets, same as me.
I found a tent that was vacant and in waiting of occupancy.
With my new laptop tucked underneath my arm, I stepped inside.
It had a table that took up half of the room, large enough to set up the laptop, a meal, drink and still have room to spare. Unfortunately, there was no chair, so I had to stand.
But with the price I paid and a small pocket of time out've the sun, I could definitely do without.
I wasted no time in setting the computer down and immediately starting it up.
I held my breath as I pressed the button and waited for it to boot up.
My heart leapt for joy; it worked. =D
I was a little thrown-off by the unrecognizable brand, and the controls being a tad different.
Nevertheless, I'm a fast-enough learner and I soon got the hang of everything, my brain acclimating to the foreignness of the system. The picture on it, even though I couldn't care less about it, was gorgeous, crisp and clear. Legit, the graphics on this thing were phenomenal.
Everything was vibrant and so high-def, I felt almost like I was cheating getting such a thing for 20 bucks. As soon as I got things down, the laptop felt as modern as any other computer.
I half-wondered if the thing I was using was actually just a piece of technology taken from the future of my world..in which case, I guess I'd be the first to test it out. XD
Oh well, never mind that.
Checking the clock and realizing that I had spent enough time not investigating, I hurriedly went on the internet and signed into my FB account, the internet working at lightning speed.
It felt a little strange doing this, going online, on social media, for the first time in forever.
After everything I've seen and done..it just seemed...off. Seeing all the faces and usual Earth garbage that I had left behind on Earth. It was almost like putting one arm around my planet's shoulder, while still holding on to everything else's with the other.
Time is funny...checking my profile, I saw the post I made right before my incident at Pizza Hut.
It was only an hour old.
Apparently..hardly any time at all had passed back home. I had been gone for at least a week.
So, as you can imagine..I was a little weirded out..and quite frankly, stunned.
It was the very night I was kidnapped, and here I was...days after.
It was almost as if either time had stood still back on Earth, because I was gone..which was unlikely.
Or time really is wibbly wobbly and it becomes irrelevant once you leave your own period and travel to others. Almost as if you never left.
It hurt my brain, trying to figure it out.
But this new development did assure me of one thing..my parents weren't worried about me.
My family wasn't drastically searching for me.
My online friends..a.k.a. the only friends I HAD back on Earth..weren't freaking out over me disappearing. All was well.
Which honestly made me more at ease about wanting to travel for as long as possible.
When I get back..they wouldn't even know I was gone.
I know...it sounds wrong..but again..can you blame me?
Before I started contacting my friends, I had something urgent to take care of.
I signed into my email and typed the address of my...er...employer....from Toys R Us.
There, I informed him that I was very sorry, but I had to respectfully discontinue my participation as a...temporary volunteer...
That's right. I didn't work there. Not really.
I don't have a job. I've never had a job.
I told you at the beginning that I would explain one day what I meant by my sorta-job..
So here it is. In truth, I was desperate for money, so when I saw that Toys R Us was doing a limited-time volunteer gig for idiots like me, which now that I think about it, was highly peculiar, cuz they never do junk like that, I had to jump in.
I had only been helping out for a few days before my incident.
And uh...um..well......I can't drive.
THERE, I SAID IT.
The beetle is not mine. Not really. I found it parked next to a road near some woods, with a sign on the windshield stating that it belonged to whoever found it next.
Which is also very peculiar, what the heck....
So yeah, I took it.
I fully intend on learning to drive, I truly do. I haven't taken any classes and I'm still reading my driving book, and Pops taught me the basics in a parking lot a couple of times.
I needed a car to take me to my volunteer work, cuz my dad was working and had the only vehicle among the three of me, him and mom. Soooo, I used the knowledge I got from his teaching me..and uh..yeah. I suck. I'm terrible. I'm rubbish. I almost crash into junk.
I stayed away from people when I did "drive", to avoid, ya know, killing other humans.
I basically only did this for two days, again, before my incident.
My mom was convinced someone was driving me and kinda thought they just left the car in our driveway, nbd, and I didn't have the heart to tell her I was "driving" without a license, but I kept doing it cuz I'm a young restless rebel, woe is me!
Anyway..I made very unokay boo-boos, leaving you all under the impression that I, Sarah Demens, have a job and a car. But no. I has nothing. I'm sorry. I is a jobless, carless, skillless, homeless lady.
I'm quite the talentless hack. Which is why it pretty much floored me the things I accomplished during this adventure. For once, I'm a skillful hero and people of all types are unbelievably proud of me.
I've gotten greedy..it feels awesome...sigh...
Now that I've cleared all that up and I feel better with you knowing how terrible I am, let's move onward, shall we?
I sent the email, sighing to myself that I had to give up making such good money, then went back to Facebook. Aja and I not being FB friends meant that I would have to travel to yet another site to message her and I was already running out of time as it was.
So I proceeded to simply PM (*ahem* meaning private message) Emily and Hannah.
But my two home girls were unfortunately not as in sync as I would've liked.
Hannah hadn't been on for hours. As I checked her profile, I saw that she had signed off for the night to go to bed early due to a dancing class early the next day, and she was probably sleeping right then, aND I ALMOST SCREAMED, I REALLY WANTED TO TELL HER, DARN IT.
And I just about wept when I saw that Emily, too, was offline.
Like, omg, I'm on another planet and my bestfriends are sleeping, what is life.
I proceeded to let my head fall onto the table and bang it repeatedly, since this appeared to be the only productive thing to do...
until I heard a DING! crisp and clear in my ear.
My head hovered in mid-air and I slowly moved my eyes to the screen.
HHJSJFHJHJDHWJ, A MESSAGE
I checked.
FROM EMILY, NMBSJHJS
I immediately dashed my hands to the keyboard and took in the gloriousness of the little chatbox, with Emily's face stuffed inside a tiny square next to her name.
However, I soon felt guilt, as the message she sent me was one of sheer panic.
• SARAH!! Where are you?!
• I've been calling and calling!
• How did the pizza thing go?! Are you ok?!
Oh yes, I forgot to mention.
Before I headed out from home, I messaged the girls about me going there..but naturally, I didn't have a chance to contact them back..until now, of course.
I proceeded to reply..
• Em..
• We need to talk. ASAP.
• I don't have a lot of time.
Two seconds later..
• What's up, hon?
• Are you ok?
Two seconds more..
• Videochat me
I stepped back. She saw the message, but didn't bother answering.
I waited a few minutes, rather impatiently, until a ringing sound occurred.
This was it. The moment of truth.
I bent back down and accepted her invite to videochat me.
It took a moment to buffer, but our signal soon strengthened and the video popped up.
Emily's face appeared, beautiful as ever.
Once she saw me, her jaw dropped. "SARAH!"
I flinched. Nervously, I forced a grin and waved a hand, all the while tensing up my shoulders as I braced myself for what I was about to tell her.
"Hey, Em..."
"Omigosh, I missed you!!" She chirped happily, a huge grin overcoming her.
One of the things I love about her..her genuine realness and honesty, and the fact that she actually enjoys being my friend. She never pretends.
She had literal no clue how much I missed her.
It was quite the refreshing thing, indeed, to be seeing a familiar face, after being overwhelmed by a sea of strangers.....well.....sorta.
"Emster, you have NO idea how good it is to see you again."
She rose her eyebrows, "Again..?"
This made me swallow hard, "Yeah.."
She crinkled her face. "What's...what's going on? What's the matter? You look awful."
Well gee, thanks.
Another swallow, "There's uh..something I need to tell you."
She blinked, "What's wrong? Are you okay??"
My hands darted to my face and rubbed it stressfully. Yes, I was avoiding everything, cuz I'm a wuss when it comes to friends. "A billion and one things, basically. And..sorta."
"Sorta? What in the world??"
I joined my hands together, rolling my tense little head, then looked at her sternly.
"It's..a long story."
"..Is it about what happened tonight?"
"In a way, yes.."
"Well..what?"
"...Something."
"Sarah Rachel, just tell me."
Oh boy...
".....................Ok............but like I said.....I don't have a lot of time....okay?"
"....Okay..................any time...."
"You shush it."
Breathe, Demens..that's the key..breathe.....I inhaled....then exhaled like an asthmatic.
Dear lord, my heart was racing. My head was spinning. Here comes a panic attack.
"Ok..so..as my bestfriend..if I was to tell you that..I...was......suddenly kidnapped by...um...FAMOUS people.....and I traveled to different...places...........you'd believe me....right?"
This was obviously doing her a major concern..but she nodded, nevertheless.
"Of course..."
I nodded back.
"Good......cuz I've been kidnapped by famous people and have traveled to different places."
She blinked. Cue my old friend, awkward silence.
"...What?"
Cue my other old friend, the nervous smile. "..You heard right.."
More blinking, woohoo. "...Is this, um...a story idea?"
"--W--What?? Story ide--NO!"
She flinched.
"This isn't some stupid story idea, you cabbage! This is real, Em, I swear!"
This might need a little more detail..so I dived in.
"Ok, look, you know me..you know what I believe in..you know my stance on things. And you know I'd NEVER make something like this up. Not even joke about it, cuz one day, if it happened, I'd need others to believe me, right?"
She nodded silently. I nodded back.
"Okay....I'm...this...it...."
URGGG. WORDS!!
I mentally cursed my own existence and growled like a wild animal.
"I'veBeenKidnappedByFictionalCharactersAndAmOnAnAlienPlanetInADifferentSolarSystemAsWeSpeak"
.............
.....
..
.
I felt the judgment. Very strongly.
Em never did such a thing, but at this exact moment...well...she was making me wanna slide down and hide under the table. Her gaze was one of pure shock. As if she were ready to call the coppers on her friend, and take me to the crazy house.
I wouldn't blame her. This isn't the kinda thing you just up and tell your friend.
Or anyone, for that matter.
When the silence continued, I had to jump in somehow and save our friendship, as well as the very last shred of dignity I might have had left, before she could cut our feed and block me from every account on the internet.
"Before you disown me, know that I love you, I swear."
She lifted her head a lot..and blinked...and sniffed...and held her mouth...and repeat.
"...y...you're.....y-you're....SERIOUS?"
I drooped, sadly. "..yes."
"......YOU'RE NOT AT A COMIC CAN, ARE YOU?!"
"WUT EVEN, CHILD?!"
"YOU'RE NOT MESSING WITH ME?!"
"NAY!"
At once, I reached my arm out from the tent hole and snatched the first person my hand came into contact with, then yanked them inside.
"LOOK!" I shouted, and glanced at the person I had a firm hold on.
A lizard-like humanoid with huge googly eyes. Bingo.
My eyes returned to Em. "ALIEN!"
At this, she exploded from her chair, with a face covered in sorta-horror, and she began screaming at the top of her lungs. Strong lungs, at that. I and the alien held our ears as the screams boomed from the speakers. Screams that echoed right out of the tent.
"OHHHH MYYYY GODDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" x1000
+ more screaming + jumping and hysterical laughter and mindless babble.
I thought I freaked upon the discovery. Em was taking the cake.
She should, though. She's the first human next to myself that has found out about this.
Emily is the second fangirl in existence to have all her dreams become true.
When she settled down a notch and I shoved the alien out of the tent, I went on.
"See?! I'm not making this up!"
"KSJKJKDJWJDKJKJD"
"English, dear, English."
She took strong, steady, deep breaths and was appearing to regain composure...
before immediately proceeding to once again scream with massive hysteria.
I once again covered my ears, this time with a wince.
"AJKAIIOJKJDKJSKDJJWD"
"I agree."
"SJKJQKDJEUJFDW"
"That's understandable."
"LKLDOSDIWLKDWD"
"Exactly."
She collapsed onto her bed.
"OKAY, WHO ELSE HAVE YOU TOLD?!"
"er....just you...."
"WHAT"
"This is my first time getting on the internet!"
"YOU MEAN, I'M THE FIRST?!"
"Kinda, yeah!"
"L;LOSUUIDWKDJ"
not again.
"BREATHE, child!"
"WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN, WHAT WHAT, TELL ME ALL!!!"
I sighed..rolled my shoulders..tried to relieve myself of some stress.
"Okay...technically..as you know..not much time has passed at all back home. It's still the very same night I left. But for me..I dunno..it's been about a week or so. Time is major screwy when you're traveling everywhere." "OMG, YOU'RE TRAVELING THROUGH TIME?!"
"SHUSH! Don't interrupt! And yes." "KSJJJSDSJ"
"Emily, for God's sake!" "OK, sorry!"
"...Remember how I went to Pizza Hut cuz of the creepy hacker? Well..when I got there...I was greeted by a guy...a rather flipping gorgeous guy...with shaggy black hair..and green eyes..and pale skin..and awesome dress sense...and a really calming voice--"
"Sarah"
"--I got chya, sorry."
"I expect answers to that, so don't you think you're escaping it, but please continue."
"dlkkldkw, okay, so he told me to run. To get out. So I did. But then as I was trying to get into my car-" "You have a car?" "Urg--" "Since when?!" "ANYWAY, I was knocked out. Turns out.."
I flashed some jazz hands. "-Characters!"
"Holy cow!! Who?!"
I cleared my throat, a little too harshly, and attempted to hide my face with one hand.
"..um..just..uh..the Master...and Jim Moriarty...and the Joker...and Bane."
Slight pause.
"LSJKDFJKJDKLFJKEJKJ, WHATTT?!?!?!"
"YARGH"
"Omg, Jim and Master?! DID YOU KISS THEM?!"
"WHAT THE---EMILY, YOU STOP THAT, BE SERIOUS."
"I am! Don't tell me you wasted a perfectly precious chance with them and you didn't at least HUG them!" "JSIU" "You and I both know you crush on them like a schoolgirl, don't even!"
I got up so close to the laptop, it nearly fell over.
"I know that, but don't you EVER tell them that, under absolutely ANY circumstances, orIwillkillyou."
My threat meant nothing.
"You even said you'd marry them, though!!"
"Get OFF the topic, at once!"
"Are they charming?"
"HA!"
"..not charming?"
"Let's just say, I've met sledge hammers more refined than those two monkeys."
"Oh dear.."
"Can we please just get off this subject, cuz ljsjkdjks, help and bother, never mind all that. Point is, the boys-" "The boys?" "-yes, the boys, it's what I call them.." "That's so cute!! ♥"
"QUIET, shush!..the boys think that I'm...well....the ACTUAL Character Queen..."
Her breath made a teeny tiny gasp, that did not go unnoticed. "..um...your nickname...???"
"....yeah."
"....They don't know that's just your nickname?"
"...no."
"...You didn't tell them that was just your nickname?"
Cue heavy swallow, and squeeze of the eyes. ".....no."
Cue heavy head-banging against table.
Cue a shocked jaw-drop from the bestie.
"Sarah, you didn't!!"
"BUT I COULDN'T HELP IT, it was the only way I could travel!"
"Sarah, you HAVE to fix it!"
"It's too late! I let them think that I am, so, ya know, I could visit other worlds! And I have!"
At once, the subject was quickly discarded and she immediately switched from worried to excited.
"Which ones?!" "..Well...for starters..Middle Earth. Then Neverland! I met Evil Pan, and yo' girl, Rose McIver's Tinker Bell."
At this, she squealed.
"--and I've been to a few other places..like..other places. And like...ugh....oh, Em, I wish you could be here. Everything, including space, is so beautiful..it's incredible what's beyond our dinky little planet..there's so much more, like I always thought there was... I mean, the people haven't all been sunshine and roses, with many of them being quite rude and trying to kill me and such..but all that aside? It's just...it's worth it. All of it. Worth the risks. It's everything I thought it would be and more. And I get to experience it all with four of my favorite characters...villains, yes..but still favorites."
"Ok, you HAVE to come and pick me up!"
"No no NO! Absolutely not!"
"Hey! Why not?!"
"Em, I'm telling you..I'm not even sure about my OWN safety, let alone your's! I'm not dragging you or anyone else into this, especially right now!"
"You most certainly wouldn't be DRAGGING me-- I'd come willingly!"
"I'm serious! I'm already in danger."
"But....you mean...like..you feel in danger cuz of the boys??"
I had to take a moment on this...to see if this was true...
I lowered my head.
"...i...it's...not just them. Something else is going on, Em...I'm not sure what yet..but it's big. It's something I really need to dig into. It's no mistake, me being here. This all happened for a reason. I didn't just visit Middle Earth and Neverland. I was taken there..to save them. Azog, Pan, Hook, Smaug..they're all working for someone..I don't know who..but that someone intends to destroy planets. Recruiting the villains first to get 'em out've there..then they kill all the heroes, too busy with their own stories to realize their planets are being destroyed..none of them have any idea what's happening.." "Oh my gosh...Sarah..please tell me you saved them..all of them..Bilbo, the hobbits, the dwarves, Gandalf, Tink, everyone."
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't. I couldn't live with myself if something went wrong. In fact, I've saved more than what was permitted. Smaug is even alive..and he's out there somewhere...but Azog is gone.......I killed him myself."
Another gasp.
".....That means......Thorin...Kili..Fili..they're all-" "-Alive..they're all alive."
"Oh my gosh.."
"But I feel it's not gonna be the last time I see them. Whatever force that's running against them is gonna try to undo what I did..they're all still in danger."
"Oh my...Sarah...I...I have no words...I'm so proud of you.."
I slowly shook my head. "Don't be. This was always my intention. To save everyone."
"...You killed, though...how did that feel?"
"...honestly?....I felt nothing..the way I always thought..people try to portray it as this horrifying, unchangable experience..but I had absolute no problem taking his life to save my friends. And I'd do it again, if need be." "...friends.." "--What?" "..you said friends..they're your friends now."
My eyes left the screen a moment as I thought of this. ".....they always have been."
A few more awkward seconds ensued..then I looked back.
"Emily, as I said, you need to stay put. Until I can figure out what's going on. I swear, once I do..I'll come for you. And I'll show you all the worlds you can think of."
She sagged a little, but still quietly nodded in agreement.
"...But in exchange..I need you to do me a favor. I need you to tell Hannah..and if you can reach her, Aja..about what's happened and where I am. And tell them to contact me, as soon as they are able."
"..Ok..but..what about the others?"
"I don't want the whole world to know, woman!"
"Dude--not even your family?!" "ESPECIALLY my family!"
She gawked. "But Sarah!"
"Don't you but me, young lady! Hannah and Aja ONLY. Understand? That's our deal. You tell only them and keep things a secret from everyone else, and I'll take you traveling. Deal?"
She sagged once more, with a bit of a grumpy face. ".....deal." She huffed.
I huffed back. "Good."
"But why do I have to tell them?!"
"Because I don't know when I'll be able to get back on! And I want my three closest friends to know where I am in case....." "...." "....." "......I understand."
"..thanks, girl."
"Now...where are you right now?"
"Huh.." I gave my environment a scan, as if I were checking it out myself.
"..A type of market for travelers. It's where I bought this laptop."
"What are you doing there?"
"I'm trying to help a general guy by finding this assassin who's trying to kill him."
"Oh dear...wait, YOU? Where are the boys?!"
I took a deep, frustrated sigh. "They're--"
but before I could finish my sentence, a sudden outcry filled the air and I jerked my head behind me.
People were running to my current left.
The commotion was near, but far. And there was a lot of distant yelling and screaming.
My heart began to race.
"--probably causing a ruckus as we speak, PRECISELY how I told them NOT to!"
"What is that?!" Emily exclaimed. "What's happening?!"
I swung back around. "Em, I have to go."
Her eyes enlarged. "Sarah, what, no! Wait!"
"I'll talk to you later, I'm sorry, love you, g'bye!"
"SAR-"
I cut off the feed. Biting my lip in guilt, I quickly closed the laptop, grabbed it and hurried out of the tent, rushing past the large heaps of panicked people.
I had to literally shove my way past everyone just to get to the middle of the road path thing.
Once I cleared a way for myself, I spotted the object of concern for the mob of travelers..
there were quite a few blokes surrounding something and yelling, hitting and kicking at it aggressively.
They looked like ruffians, so I naturally wanted to jump in, but I needed intel first.
What if this was the assassin and those were Harvey's men?
I pushed forward and leaned towards an old man standing and staring with his mouth hanging open like a fly trap. "Yo--" I spoke, loudly. "What's going on?"
He shook his head, sadly. "More gang activity..some unlucky idiot has gotten himself swarmed..chances are, he won't survive."
I took a long, held-in-breath and swallowed, difficultly.
"Oh please tell me it's not one of my idiots."
And there, as if on cue, and life gloriously opening the skies with angelic song, hymning
"I hate you, Sarahhhh"..
the gang parted down the middle and stepped away, opening the heart of their circle and revealing to me a Timelord, curled up in a ball, holding onto his stomach.
The gang laughed.
I sighed a deep, frustrated, troubled sigh, as I blandly stared ahead, shaking my head ever-so-slightly.
"..It's my idiot."
-to be continued-
So yeah..I was left with me, myself, and I, which is never a good thing to happen.
I took a deep breath, slowly embracing the fact that I could finally be my complete self.
For a short while, anyway. I wouldn't have to keep my guard up, or keep frivolous secrets.
Unfortunately, at this present moment, I could not have fun with this new independence.
At least, not in the way I would like.
There was a murderous scum somewhere, no doubt hiding within the crowd I was about to venture in, and I had to converse with a bunch of rude pigeons that may or may not give me the answers I needed. This sucked. This sucked a lot.
But hey..it needed to be done. Promises, after all.
So..hi ho, it's off to work I go.
Once I spotted a gap open among the traffic of individuals, I sucked up a breath and dove in, merging into the stream of galactic travelers. The scene still intrigued me, with how surreal everything was.
As I brushed my way past everyone, I glanced up at their many faces..
so many were alien, so many were human.
And they had no issue with one another. They weren't prejudice or screaming in horror, or wanting to kill eachother for their differences. They didn't freak out at all.
They just passed right by eachother as if they were in a mall or busy city sidewalk.
It was refreshing. To finally see my own kind accept things that were...unearthly.
And they weren't screeching or making a big deal out of it.
This was completely normal for them.
If this is the adventuring gig I'd be revisiting from planet to planet, then I could definitely get used to it.
I ended up walking a bit more freely when I pushed myself to a less crowded side of the people-traffic, to where I landed in a spot where a handful of shoppers were walking in and out of the vendors' little shops. Many others were simply window-shopping or waiting for a chance to jump into the crowds of passing people.
I, at last, got a chance to breathe and look around myself, at all the interesting things being sold, half tempted to buy a few trinkets for souvenir purposes.
Many of the shops were lined side-by-side like a chain of town houses.
But really, this WAS home for a lot of them. So I wasn't too far off..
As I patrolled the middle of the area, I scanned everyone and everything..searching for any suspicious behavior or basically any unusual activity, while also keeping my ear out for any market talk or rumoring. I couldn't just announce to the public that I was on the look-out for a hired gun.
Since that would inevitably draw unwanted attention to myself. I'd probably be whacked as a result.
So I needed to be discreet and ask the right people.
The ones that were not part of the traffic..the ones that stood on the sidelines and had a chance to observe their surroundings..those were the ones I was aiming for.
They would know much more than the distracted passersby.
For many minutes, I had been walking in a steady straight line, one fist curled to my side, the other sitting close to my holster. The sunlight had proven to be too irritating to bear, so I had donned my sunglasses, still scanning everything systematically like some kind of computer.
I was seriously feeling like a Terminator, forced to participate in detective work.
If only I looked more intimidating.
I didn't see any likely candidates yet, so I had no choice but to keep looking and keep walking.
That sounds pretty boring, yeah..and it was boring.
. . . . until . . . yeah . . . you guessed it . . . something weird happened.
A chill ran up my spine, as all my senses and every nerve in me alerted my conscious that something was wrong. I knew, without a doubt, a new set of eyes had landed on me.
And they were coming from behind.
I could tell right off that the eyes belonged to someone not to be trusted, so I tensed up my body to prepare for anything, as I calmly looked around for the owner of this unwelcome gaze.
A gaze similar to.....him.....
"I know what you're thinking.."
My eyes darted behind me, where I felt very strongly that that someone was approaching me.
Mr. Biker Boy soon came into view.
He was slowly rubbing his hands together, his height matching the Master's, but at the present moment, he was slightly arched for reasons unknown.
I don't know why, but he had an animalistic vibe to him that I couldn't shake.
The way he was walking, and tailing me. His posture, his scent, his eyes...darkened, bright piercing blue eyes that hadn't met me yet, but I still felt their hot gaze. They had shadowy circles around them, outlined with red, as if the boy hadn't slept in months.
My eyes couldn't leave him. Not for a second.
They followed him as he followed me.
His shaggy, greasy-looking black hair almost covered his eyes.
And he had a 5 o'clock shadow that traced into a faint mustache, making him look even more animalistic and scruffy. While I couldn't deny the hidden attractiveness of this dude, there was something about him that clearly disgusted me.
Just as I thought he couldn't get any creepier, he started to make slow, chilling circles around me, forcing me to hold my breath and stand firm guard. My gloved fists squeaked shut and my tiny jaw tightened..attempting to look as intimidating as possible is certainly a chore for a mere penguin such as myself. Despite my best effort, he didn't seem fazed at all.
"--I know precisely what you're thinking..."
Really, strange danger man, do enlighten me what I am thinking, cuz I don't even know that myself.
As if actually reading my thoughts, his eyes at last met mine and I gulped.
"..You're thinking how worthless those four are, dumping you in your time of need...it wasn't wise for them to leave you behind...especially being such a pretty little thing.."
He drew closer..so close that he almost brushed against my shoulder.
"..It's especially unwise for you to be traveling alone, however...without a proper method of protection....."
I gained back my moxie in a flash, and at once had the perfect come-back for this ludicrous creep.
"Oh, I have all the protection I need..."
My hand darted to my side and at once, I withdrew my gun, pointing it right at the side of his head.
He froze.
"..right here."
My best effort paid off a little. I think...
Despite having a gun pressed against his head, he slowly turned it, enough to look at me.
But what came from his expression honestly surprised me.
He smiled. A smug, very satisfied, smile.
He was treating it as if I were flirting.
Not another Jim.
The fact that he looked as if he were gonna laugh made things worse, and I very much wanted to pull the trigger just for the sheer fact that he infuriated me. And, ya know, insulted my moment.
*cough* Suspect #1, btw.. *cough*
"And who the actual heck would you be, pretty boy?"
His smile never faded. "I'll tell you..maybe..if you put your weapon down."
"Mmm, nah. This stays up."
"Fine.....then I'll just be forced to remain nameless."
He turned his head back around, snootily, and he seemed to now act like he wasn't paying me any mind. This guy was insulting me for the last time.
"I just met you and I already hate you."
"I get that..."
He cut his eyes darkly at me, "I just met you and I already love you."
I cocked my head to the side, with a half smirk. "I get that."
I was beginning to have a slight realization. This guy, oddly enough, looked and sounded vaguely familiar. And I was trying to tap into my great big Character Queen memory of everything to try and figure it out. I wasn't weeding out the possibility of him being a character, but..I was having trouble recognizing him as being a character. The look and personality were clashing with everything my mind thought of. It pained me to accept it, but..I didn't know this guy.
And that infuriates me.
I need to know everything. I don't like not knowing.
Until it clicked...I knew why he looked so familiar.
The images came back to my mind through a flood of memory, and I realized.
Thomas Dekker. He looked like the actor, Thomas Dekker.
If you're unfamiliar with him, that's understandable.
I know him best from my childhood..he played young Nick from Honey I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show.. when he grew, I didn't really watch any of his films, but I was aware that he played John Connor in the Sarah Connor Chronicles series, and a few other roles here and there.
Good-enough looking fella. Which he was clearly trying to use against me..
But honey, I travel with all four Master, Moriarty, Bane and Joker, and I still haven't cracked.
You will fail at life.
As to if he was the real Thomas Dekker, I highly doubted it.
If he was a clone, or ya know, celebrities actually ARE aliens, that was possible.
But he was a very random actor to be here.
And due to him seeming like a villain, and knowing a little too much about things here, well..
yeah. So the only thing I had to go on was that he was a character I just hadn't heard of.
Still felt wrong, though. I still couldn't bring myself to accepting that truth.
All signs pointed to character...but this guy...he was just...different.
Something about him--ok, EVERYthing about him--was wrong.
My gun still pointed at his head, him still smiling in an overtly cocky fashion, we stared at eachother for a long moment, neither of us moving a muscle the entire time.
He was watching me..and I was watching him.
"Who are you?" I finally said aloud.
He was bored with this question. He turned his head away and took a deep breath.
"Come on. You don't care about that...you care about something else."
"Oh?" I titled my head once again, "And what's that?"
"Well, you know already...obviously."
"Dude, I have a gun pointed directly at your freaking skull, don't play games with me."
"Ooooh, hostile." He grinned smugly and cut his eyes at me, "I was waiting for that."
I switched the safety off.
"Ok, ok, I get it. I see...you mean business."
I squinted. "Dang right I mean business."
He lifted his hands up. "I can see you're not one of those run-of-the-mill heroes they're breeding these days...the ones who won't kill."
I smirked. "Oh..I'll kill. Killing scum ain't a problem."
He flexed a curious eyebrow. "And it doesn't effect you?"
"Hasn't effected me yet. Haven't lost any sleep. I don't get visited by ghosts. Safe to say, I'm in the clear."
He tilted his head this time and had on a most deep, thoughtful expression.
"But the thought...of taking another life....that doesn't..bother you."
I sniffed.
"They don't seem to mind when they slaughter innocent people...don't see them crying over it."
"That means you're just like them."
A wicked grin suddenly appeared and I leaned in a bit, and with the faintest whisper..
"Maybe I am."
This grabbed his attention a little.
"Maybe I AM like them..maybe I'm a rare breed..maybe you NEED people like me, to keep you scum sacks in check..maybe I'm the Blade of that sort, ridding the world of the corrupt, and properly punishing those that otherwise go unpunished. Maybe I just have the guts to do what others don't. I must admit, the thought of making you all show weakness and vulnerability, making you cry and scream and plead just like you made your victims do so..ooohhh, it gets the blood pumping!"
I developed crazy eyes at the thought of it all. "Maybe I do take a little too much delight in it. Maybe I AM a monster...but hey...at least I'm a monster who's on the right side."
His eyes glazed a little, "..You're bluffing.."
I only grinned wider. "Wanna find out?"
This deterred him...he was less smug now...
I almost chuckled, dropping the act now, and I stood back with a casual smile.
"You're 70% less attracted to me now, aren't ya?"
His eyes rolled away. "..Unfortunately, it isn't about attraction..."
We were wasting time with this.
I had things I needed to take care of..but I couldn't just let this guy go, without finding out what I needed to first. "Are you ever going to put that down?"
I squeezed the weapon in my hand tightly, forcing a breath out through my nose.
"Name first."
"Already told you..not until you lower that piece..."
"Then I guess we're stuck here.."
"I guess we are..."
.....And so, we stood in silence.
............This was pointless.
"..I assume you already know why I'm here."
"Yes....."
"....And if I find out you're a part of it..well..I won't be as reluctant to pull any triggers."
"Only if I'm a part of it, however..." His eyes moved back to me.
"I mean, yes, but sadly, you don't know anything about me.."
I squinted again, "And yet you seem to know me...."
His grin returned, but he said nothing.
I realized now, he was truly not going to say anything useful until I put down the gun.
So with a few self-scoldings..I lowered the weapon and sighed once again.
The firearm no longer pointed at his skull, the creep turned his body around to face me and he chuckled a little, making me feel like I was being mocked.
Then, he extended his arm..covered in tattoos...wreaking with the smell of smoke...
and his mouth opened to show glistening teeth, that looked just as animalistic as the rest of him.
"Derek."
I stared at him from the corner of my eye, very judgmentally, and I stuck my gun into my holster with a hidden huff. I cut my eyes down at his hand, but refused with all my existence to shake it.
So I merely looked back at him. "Is that your real name?"
He instantly retracted his arm and took a deep exhale. "Come now, don't be greedy. You asked for a name, and I gave it to you. If that's not good enough, then I do believe this little conversation is over. I don't waste my time on idiots."
I flexed my brows. "Likewise."
Just as I thought that'd be the tail-end of the convo, he abruptly dashed forward and got up in my face, to which I immediately and instinctively flashed my hand to my holster.
If he kissed me, I WOULD FEED HIS GUTS TO THE SOIL.
But...he didn't. He just looked at me and smiled..a very, very...creepy smile.......one of hidden meaning....like he was being secretive...
"You honestly don't think this thing is gonna last...do you?"
I couldn't help but jerk my head back. "..What?"
"You..traveling with those idiots....expecting something magical to come out've it...as if you all are gonna bond...like you can CHANGE them, eh? They'll start treating you with kindness? With respect? That they'll learn to LOVE you?"
I swallowed hard and prayed he didn't hear it.
I'm allowed to have expectations, peasant.
"All they've ever looked out for was themselves. They don't care about you. You're just a means to an end. A pawn in their little game of chess. You mean nothing to them, except to serve as a tool. A tool that they'll throw away as soon as you do the job. If they don't kill you, they'll abandon you the way they abandon everything else. They run away...it's in their nature. It's in their blood. You fantasizing that you'll ride away through all the galaxies, visiting planets and saving the day with your four new buddies is just that...a fantasy. They don't know how to feel, how to love, how to care. They feel nothing. They're empty. They're hollow. Nothing you do or say will change that. Believe me...I know...."
I narrowed my eyes aggressively, shifting only once as I was holding my breath.
"...You would know, wouldn't you?"
He sniffed a small laugh and cut his eyes to the ground. "...Let's just say..I'm part of the same CLASS as them..." His eyes lifted. "...Those men? They'll never change..ever..not for anyone or anything..they're just too selfish for that.."
...Putting it all so vividly.....hurt.
My heart hurt..I didn't know how to function with what he just put into words.
Everything I had been feeling was finally said aloud, outside of my mind, and it was all I could do to keep from busting out crying, tightening my hands into such furiously shaking fists.
He was right. He was right about all of it...I knew...I had just let myself believe that I, Sarah Demens, the 'Character Queen'..would finally tame the beasts.
But that was a lie. They were monsters. And they'd always BE monsters.
But did I want to admit all that to this scum?
Heck no.
I swallowed away my problems and tears and turned my head away, clearing my throat.
I began to leave. "When I want your psychiatric evaluations, Dr. Derek, I'd make an appointment. Until then, keep your opinions to yourself."
I stomped away, fists still tightened, and I heard him sigh in the background.
"You're only running from the truth."
I sent out a cocky laugh, "I don't run from anything."
I had gotten just enough distance away from him to feel comfort again and I breathed my own sigh, relieved I was walking away from the situation...
"...Except enormous fire-breathing dragons, of course."
I froze.
My entire body went stiff..and my eyes widened into plates.
I skipped a breath and a heartbeat and practically spun on my heels, back to look at him.
....he was gone.
I let out my breath, that was shaken and shortened, followed by a reluctant swallow.
My eyes scanned around for him, but there was absolutely no trace.
It was as if he wasn't even there.
At that moment..I had a major concern. And a major shocking discovery.
This guy was one of the "Others".
. . .
Searching after the guy would just be a complete waste of time and energy.
So I didn't even bother.
I just turned back around after a few minutes and continued on my way.
When I saw that I was getting no where in the spot I was in, I decided to cross back to the other side, towards the music vendors, and start from there.
Someone had to know something. The boys had found out about the assassin from asking around, so I decided, hey, I'd give it a shot. So I asked around.
But they either never answered me or they brushed me off.
Many actually looked rather afraid when I talked to them. And kept looking around in a paranoid manner..which concerned me. What if they knew? What if they knew someone was watching?
After my little encounter with Derek, it wouldn't surprise me.
Someone was keeping these people in a minor state of fear.
Like they needed to keep their mouths shut. So I pressed on and just stopped asking people completely when I saw that it was getting me absolutely no where.
Eventually, as I walked around in my lone little state, no boys to sass at or squabble with..
my mind turned to a place of dark thinking. A place that if you visit too long, you'll easily be slipped into a state of depression. I try to keep myself as happy as possible. As positive as possible.
As strong as possible...to avoid going there. No matter how gleeful and perfect things can be, if you visit this place at all, and start thinking of the dark environments around you..you'll be taken hostage by those very thoughts that drive people down the wrong path.
And that's exactly where I was going.
I was getting home-sick. I was getting concerned for my family, and my friends.
Worrying about the state of things in my absence. If everyone was panicking that I was missing.
If time just stopped. Or if the Others truly knew who I was..would they know where to find me on Earth. Were the people I cared about even safe?
What if they were-------
bah!
NAY.
I refused. I kicked those thoughts in the guts right there.
Thinking like that is for sheep and I am no sheep. >:(
I'm stronger than that. I had more faith than that.
Worrying and sadness are not in my personality description.
I take charge. And I hope for the best until I get the best.
Thrashing my head to try and get my mind off these things, I turned the concern into simple curiosity. I did miss them. So heck...why couldn't I do something about it?
If I could just check up to see how things were back on Earth.....
then my mind would finally be at ease.
Then I noticed something from the distance ahead of me.. and I had an inspire.
Vendors that were selling technology. (:
At once, I zipped my fastest straight toward them, almost tripping.
As soon as I got there, things became more clear. Soon I saw that they were not just selling communication devices, but ALL kinds of devices.
Televisions, computers, laptops, game systems, you name it-- but I remembered what the musical peeps were saying..about people not being able to afford such luxuries.
And I saw why. The prices, albeit through a different currency than mine, were outrageous.
There were a million zeroes (ok, not really, but a lot) at the end of the first numbers and it made me cringe. I mean, even on my planet, these things get pricey. But this was ridiculous.
Despite that fact, I kept looking. All I needed was a simple laptop. A cheap laptop to go online with, that had a built-in camera for videochatting. Much of the stuff was super duper high-tech, and almost futuristic. So it made me wonder if other time travelers had dropped this stuff from the future.
Which would be a bonus for me, yo. IF I could find a simple cheap piece, that is.
The boys had gotten their neat little toys back at the T.A.R.D.I.S. and a computer of their own.
But I needed something for myself. Being a writer, after all. One for my own personal use, to steal away into my bedroom later at night when everyone was sleeping.
But basically, the real reason I needed a laptop at that precise moment was so I could sign into my Facebook account and contact someone back home. To let them know I was safe.
And to let myself know that THEY were safe in return.
Now, see, I told you at the beginning of this story that I have my internet friends...
Many of which I barely talk to anymore.
Most of everyone now-a-days is busy with school or college or work or getting married or birthing babies, and no longer have time for little ol' me, so you can imagine the loneliness.
However, I still have three central people that mean the world to me..
my bestfriends, Emily, Hannah and Aja.
I've been close friends with the three ever since I was a young teenager, and I honestly trust them with my life. I've had countless friends. Known a lot of people.
But those three have always been the ones I could depend on the most.
How I wish I could bring them along on my adventures...but being that I'm already concerned about my OWN well-being..it wouldn't be the fairest thing to drag them along into danger, as well.
Rambling aside..these girls are the awesomeness. And I missed them.
So if it was possible for me to at least let THEM know I was alive..maybe..idk..they could inform everyone else if I say...never came back home?
Dark thinking, I know.
But in my new line of work, you have to be on the safe side, and take these types of precautions.
When the few sets of customers got out've my way, I approached the desk of the computer dealer.
Once he noticed my presence, he nodded at me and I nodded back, then I went straight to business.
"How can I help you?"
"Uh, yes...do you have any cheap laptops with internet access and a built-in camera?"
I was expecting him to pull something from under the table and spout out a random, outlandish number. So I was bracing myself for the blow that is the price..
But instead of remaining seated and spilling out a rehearsed blur of words with one breath, the man stood straight up and briefly bit into his apple that he held with his teeth, as he pulled out a pen and clipboard. "Well, let's see here..." He cleared his throat and flattened out his paper, setting the apple down on a napkin. "Name?"
Hmm, best be careful with that... "..Um..Sarah.."
He nodded, jotting it down. "Are you over the age of 13?"
Silence followed and the man briefly glanced up at me to see that I was lowering my eyebrows at him. He cleared his throat again and quickly went back to writing, "Got it.."
Taking a single bite from the apple before setting it back down, he sniffed and put away his clipboard.
"How much ya got? Maybe we can work out a deal."
Phrasing it like that suddenly made me feel as if I were getting involved with illegal activities.
"Um...uh...well..." I had already been fingering the wad of cash Master had given me inside my pocket. And as soon as I answered, I pulled the wad out and presented it to him with an open palm.
He gave it an inspection with a single cut of the eyes..and thankfully, he looked a little intrigued.
"Alright..just a simple one, eh?"
I nodded, anxiously. He gave me a patient nod, then turned right around behind him and started sorting through a row of nicely stacked glistening black laptops that looked brand new.
He finally settled on one that made my eyes widen. It was gorgeous.
He turned back to me and presented it with both hands and with a single click of a button located at the center of the front edge, the top popped open and revealed the screen and keyboard.
My mouth almost dropped. SO PRETTEH, OH MY WORD.
My reflection faintly stared back at me through a shiny black screen.
The keyboard's buttons were all outlined with a solid clear strip of plastic that traced all along together, with no spaces to interfere. The corner of the laptop's..top..did indeed have a tiny camera built into it.
I was quite pleased with what I was looking at. But the matter of the price was still awaited..
"H...h-how much is it??"
Yes, I was holding my breath.
The guy rubbed his chin in deep thought as he gazed back and forth at me and the computer.
It was getting a little creepy, so I cleared my throat and shifted side-to-side to speed up the process.
He bucked up straight. "300 credits."
Oh my...told you...pricey.
CREDITS, THOUGH, I DON'T HAVE ANY CREDITS.
"I'm, uh..new here...I don't have any credits.."
"It's our currency. We call them credits. It's physical money, it just adds to your future account with us."
I blinked. "...Ok......"
I looked down at the wad of money and started sifting through it, praying that Master had given me enough..that's when the guy suddenly reached in and quickly slithered out a single bill.
I watched with an open jaw as it left my grasp and he withdrew it to his own.
He grabbed a $20.
"300..very excellent."
He held the $20 with two fingers and stared at it admiringly, as if he had just come into possession of gold. I rose a weirded out eyebrow...wow...I could definitely get used to this.
He gave me a brief glance and tipped his head, with a huge grin on his face.
"Pleasure doing business with you."
I gave him a rather stern look in return, however.
"If you don't mind, ya got some place for me to test it out?"
"Oh yeah, of course...there's a small tent, over there. It has a table inside, and enough space for you to crawl in for some privacy and get some shade from the solars."
"Great..thanks." "No problem. Come again."
Very bloody likely, with those prices, pft. ;)
The less I was out from sunlight, the better.
Call me a vampire, but I literally hate the sun and it's evil hot touch.
It burns us, precious.
Before something drastic happened, I scuttled on over towards the row of tents he was referring to, in a way, with a few people here and there testing out their new little gadgets, same as me.
I found a tent that was vacant and in waiting of occupancy.
With my new laptop tucked underneath my arm, I stepped inside.
It had a table that took up half of the room, large enough to set up the laptop, a meal, drink and still have room to spare. Unfortunately, there was no chair, so I had to stand.
But with the price I paid and a small pocket of time out've the sun, I could definitely do without.
I wasted no time in setting the computer down and immediately starting it up.
I held my breath as I pressed the button and waited for it to boot up.
My heart leapt for joy; it worked. =D
I was a little thrown-off by the unrecognizable brand, and the controls being a tad different.
Nevertheless, I'm a fast-enough learner and I soon got the hang of everything, my brain acclimating to the foreignness of the system. The picture on it, even though I couldn't care less about it, was gorgeous, crisp and clear. Legit, the graphics on this thing were phenomenal.
Everything was vibrant and so high-def, I felt almost like I was cheating getting such a thing for 20 bucks. As soon as I got things down, the laptop felt as modern as any other computer.
I half-wondered if the thing I was using was actually just a piece of technology taken from the future of my world..in which case, I guess I'd be the first to test it out. XD
Oh well, never mind that.
Checking the clock and realizing that I had spent enough time not investigating, I hurriedly went on the internet and signed into my FB account, the internet working at lightning speed.
It felt a little strange doing this, going online, on social media, for the first time in forever.
After everything I've seen and done..it just seemed...off. Seeing all the faces and usual Earth garbage that I had left behind on Earth. It was almost like putting one arm around my planet's shoulder, while still holding on to everything else's with the other.
Time is funny...checking my profile, I saw the post I made right before my incident at Pizza Hut.
It was only an hour old.
Apparently..hardly any time at all had passed back home. I had been gone for at least a week.
So, as you can imagine..I was a little weirded out..and quite frankly, stunned.
It was the very night I was kidnapped, and here I was...days after.
It was almost as if either time had stood still back on Earth, because I was gone..which was unlikely.
Or time really is wibbly wobbly and it becomes irrelevant once you leave your own period and travel to others. Almost as if you never left.
It hurt my brain, trying to figure it out.
But this new development did assure me of one thing..my parents weren't worried about me.
My family wasn't drastically searching for me.
My online friends..a.k.a. the only friends I HAD back on Earth..weren't freaking out over me disappearing. All was well.
Which honestly made me more at ease about wanting to travel for as long as possible.
When I get back..they wouldn't even know I was gone.
I know...it sounds wrong..but again..can you blame me?
Before I started contacting my friends, I had something urgent to take care of.
I signed into my email and typed the address of my...er...employer....from Toys R Us.
There, I informed him that I was very sorry, but I had to respectfully discontinue my participation as a...temporary volunteer...
That's right. I didn't work there. Not really.
I don't have a job. I've never had a job.
I told you at the beginning that I would explain one day what I meant by my sorta-job..
So here it is. In truth, I was desperate for money, so when I saw that Toys R Us was doing a limited-time volunteer gig for idiots like me, which now that I think about it, was highly peculiar, cuz they never do junk like that, I had to jump in.
I had only been helping out for a few days before my incident.
And uh...um..well......I can't drive.
THERE, I SAID IT.
The beetle is not mine. Not really. I found it parked next to a road near some woods, with a sign on the windshield stating that it belonged to whoever found it next.
Which is also very peculiar, what the heck....
So yeah, I took it.
I fully intend on learning to drive, I truly do. I haven't taken any classes and I'm still reading my driving book, and Pops taught me the basics in a parking lot a couple of times.
I needed a car to take me to my volunteer work, cuz my dad was working and had the only vehicle among the three of me, him and mom. Soooo, I used the knowledge I got from his teaching me..and uh..yeah. I suck. I'm terrible. I'm rubbish. I almost crash into junk.
I stayed away from people when I did "drive", to avoid, ya know, killing other humans.
I basically only did this for two days, again, before my incident.
My mom was convinced someone was driving me and kinda thought they just left the car in our driveway, nbd, and I didn't have the heart to tell her I was "driving" without a license, but I kept doing it cuz I'm a young restless rebel, woe is me!
Anyway..I made very unokay boo-boos, leaving you all under the impression that I, Sarah Demens, have a job and a car. But no. I has nothing. I'm sorry. I is a jobless, carless, skillless, homeless lady.
I'm quite the talentless hack. Which is why it pretty much floored me the things I accomplished during this adventure. For once, I'm a skillful hero and people of all types are unbelievably proud of me.
I've gotten greedy..it feels awesome...sigh...
Now that I've cleared all that up and I feel better with you knowing how terrible I am, let's move onward, shall we?
I sent the email, sighing to myself that I had to give up making such good money, then went back to Facebook. Aja and I not being FB friends meant that I would have to travel to yet another site to message her and I was already running out of time as it was.
So I proceeded to simply PM (*ahem* meaning private message) Emily and Hannah.
But my two home girls were unfortunately not as in sync as I would've liked.
Hannah hadn't been on for hours. As I checked her profile, I saw that she had signed off for the night to go to bed early due to a dancing class early the next day, and she was probably sleeping right then, aND I ALMOST SCREAMED, I REALLY WANTED TO TELL HER, DARN IT.
And I just about wept when I saw that Emily, too, was offline.
Like, omg, I'm on another planet and my bestfriends are sleeping, what is life.
I proceeded to let my head fall onto the table and bang it repeatedly, since this appeared to be the only productive thing to do...
until I heard a DING! crisp and clear in my ear.
My head hovered in mid-air and I slowly moved my eyes to the screen.
HHJSJFHJHJDHWJ, A MESSAGE
I checked.
FROM EMILY, NMBSJHJS
I immediately dashed my hands to the keyboard and took in the gloriousness of the little chatbox, with Emily's face stuffed inside a tiny square next to her name.
However, I soon felt guilt, as the message she sent me was one of sheer panic.
• SARAH!! Where are you?!
• I've been calling and calling!
• How did the pizza thing go?! Are you ok?!
Oh yes, I forgot to mention.
Before I headed out from home, I messaged the girls about me going there..but naturally, I didn't have a chance to contact them back..until now, of course.
I proceeded to reply..
• Em..
• We need to talk. ASAP.
• I don't have a lot of time.
Two seconds later..
• What's up, hon?
• Are you ok?
Two seconds more..
• Videochat me
I stepped back. She saw the message, but didn't bother answering.
I waited a few minutes, rather impatiently, until a ringing sound occurred.
This was it. The moment of truth.
I bent back down and accepted her invite to videochat me.
It took a moment to buffer, but our signal soon strengthened and the video popped up.
Emily's face appeared, beautiful as ever.
Once she saw me, her jaw dropped. "SARAH!"
I flinched. Nervously, I forced a grin and waved a hand, all the while tensing up my shoulders as I braced myself for what I was about to tell her.
"Hey, Em..."
"Omigosh, I missed you!!" She chirped happily, a huge grin overcoming her.
One of the things I love about her..her genuine realness and honesty, and the fact that she actually enjoys being my friend. She never pretends.
She had literal no clue how much I missed her.
It was quite the refreshing thing, indeed, to be seeing a familiar face, after being overwhelmed by a sea of strangers.....well.....sorta.
"Emster, you have NO idea how good it is to see you again."
She rose her eyebrows, "Again..?"
This made me swallow hard, "Yeah.."
She crinkled her face. "What's...what's going on? What's the matter? You look awful."
Well gee, thanks.
Another swallow, "There's uh..something I need to tell you."
She blinked, "What's wrong? Are you okay??"
My hands darted to my face and rubbed it stressfully. Yes, I was avoiding everything, cuz I'm a wuss when it comes to friends. "A billion and one things, basically. And..sorta."
"Sorta? What in the world??"
I joined my hands together, rolling my tense little head, then looked at her sternly.
"It's..a long story."
"..Is it about what happened tonight?"
"In a way, yes.."
"Well..what?"
"...Something."
"Sarah Rachel, just tell me."
Oh boy...
".....................Ok............but like I said.....I don't have a lot of time....okay?"
"....Okay..................any time...."
"You shush it."
Breathe, Demens..that's the key..breathe.....I inhaled....then exhaled like an asthmatic.
Dear lord, my heart was racing. My head was spinning. Here comes a panic attack.
"Ok..so..as my bestfriend..if I was to tell you that..I...was......suddenly kidnapped by...um...FAMOUS people.....and I traveled to different...places...........you'd believe me....right?"
This was obviously doing her a major concern..but she nodded, nevertheless.
"Of course..."
I nodded back.
"Good......cuz I've been kidnapped by famous people and have traveled to different places."
She blinked. Cue my old friend, awkward silence.
"...What?"
Cue my other old friend, the nervous smile. "..You heard right.."
More blinking, woohoo. "...Is this, um...a story idea?"
"--W--What?? Story ide--NO!"
She flinched.
"This isn't some stupid story idea, you cabbage! This is real, Em, I swear!"
This might need a little more detail..so I dived in.
"Ok, look, you know me..you know what I believe in..you know my stance on things. And you know I'd NEVER make something like this up. Not even joke about it, cuz one day, if it happened, I'd need others to believe me, right?"
She nodded silently. I nodded back.
"Okay....I'm...this...it...."
URGGG. WORDS!!
I mentally cursed my own existence and growled like a wild animal.
"I'veBeenKidnappedByFictionalCharactersAndAmOnAnAlienPlanetInADifferentSolarSystemAsWeSpeak"
.............
.....
..
.
I felt the judgment. Very strongly.
Em never did such a thing, but at this exact moment...well...she was making me wanna slide down and hide under the table. Her gaze was one of pure shock. As if she were ready to call the coppers on her friend, and take me to the crazy house.
I wouldn't blame her. This isn't the kinda thing you just up and tell your friend.
Or anyone, for that matter.
When the silence continued, I had to jump in somehow and save our friendship, as well as the very last shred of dignity I might have had left, before she could cut our feed and block me from every account on the internet.
"Before you disown me, know that I love you, I swear."
She lifted her head a lot..and blinked...and sniffed...and held her mouth...and repeat.
"...y...you're.....y-you're....SERIOUS?"
I drooped, sadly. "..yes."
"......YOU'RE NOT AT A COMIC CAN, ARE YOU?!"
"WUT EVEN, CHILD?!"
"YOU'RE NOT MESSING WITH ME?!"
"NAY!"
At once, I reached my arm out from the tent hole and snatched the first person my hand came into contact with, then yanked them inside.
"LOOK!" I shouted, and glanced at the person I had a firm hold on.
A lizard-like humanoid with huge googly eyes. Bingo.
My eyes returned to Em. "ALIEN!"
At this, she exploded from her chair, with a face covered in sorta-horror, and she began screaming at the top of her lungs. Strong lungs, at that. I and the alien held our ears as the screams boomed from the speakers. Screams that echoed right out of the tent.
"OHHHH MYYYY GODDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" x1000
+ more screaming + jumping and hysterical laughter and mindless babble.
I thought I freaked upon the discovery. Em was taking the cake.
She should, though. She's the first human next to myself that has found out about this.
Emily is the second fangirl in existence to have all her dreams become true.
When she settled down a notch and I shoved the alien out of the tent, I went on.
"See?! I'm not making this up!"
"KSJKJKDJWJDKJKJD"
"English, dear, English."
She took strong, steady, deep breaths and was appearing to regain composure...
before immediately proceeding to once again scream with massive hysteria.
I once again covered my ears, this time with a wince.
"AJKAIIOJKJDKJSKDJJWD"
"I agree."
"SJKJQKDJEUJFDW"
"That's understandable."
"LKLDOSDIWLKDWD"
"Exactly."
She collapsed onto her bed.
"OKAY, WHO ELSE HAVE YOU TOLD?!"
"er....just you...."
"WHAT"
"This is my first time getting on the internet!"
"YOU MEAN, I'M THE FIRST?!"
"Kinda, yeah!"
"L;LOSUUIDWKDJ"
not again.
"BREATHE, child!"
"WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN, WHAT WHAT, TELL ME ALL!!!"
I sighed..rolled my shoulders..tried to relieve myself of some stress.
"Okay...technically..as you know..not much time has passed at all back home. It's still the very same night I left. But for me..I dunno..it's been about a week or so. Time is major screwy when you're traveling everywhere." "OMG, YOU'RE TRAVELING THROUGH TIME?!"
"SHUSH! Don't interrupt! And yes." "KSJJJSDSJ"
"Emily, for God's sake!" "OK, sorry!"
"...Remember how I went to Pizza Hut cuz of the creepy hacker? Well..when I got there...I was greeted by a guy...a rather flipping gorgeous guy...with shaggy black hair..and green eyes..and pale skin..and awesome dress sense...and a really calming voice--"
"Sarah"
"--I got chya, sorry."
"I expect answers to that, so don't you think you're escaping it, but please continue."
"dlkkldkw, okay, so he told me to run. To get out. So I did. But then as I was trying to get into my car-" "You have a car?" "Urg--" "Since when?!" "ANYWAY, I was knocked out. Turns out.."
I flashed some jazz hands. "-Characters!"
"Holy cow!! Who?!"
I cleared my throat, a little too harshly, and attempted to hide my face with one hand.
"..um..just..uh..the Master...and Jim Moriarty...and the Joker...and Bane."
Slight pause.
"LSJKDFJKJDKLFJKEJKJ, WHATTT?!?!?!"
"YARGH"
"Omg, Jim and Master?! DID YOU KISS THEM?!"
"WHAT THE---EMILY, YOU STOP THAT, BE SERIOUS."
"I am! Don't tell me you wasted a perfectly precious chance with them and you didn't at least HUG them!" "JSIU" "You and I both know you crush on them like a schoolgirl, don't even!"
I got up so close to the laptop, it nearly fell over.
"I know that, but don't you EVER tell them that, under absolutely ANY circumstances, orIwillkillyou."
My threat meant nothing.
"You even said you'd marry them, though!!"
"Get OFF the topic, at once!"
"Are they charming?"
"HA!"
"..not charming?"
"Let's just say, I've met sledge hammers more refined than those two monkeys."
"Oh dear.."
"Can we please just get off this subject, cuz ljsjkdjks, help and bother, never mind all that. Point is, the boys-" "The boys?" "-yes, the boys, it's what I call them.." "That's so cute!! ♥"
"QUIET, shush!..the boys think that I'm...well....the ACTUAL Character Queen..."
Her breath made a teeny tiny gasp, that did not go unnoticed. "..um...your nickname...???"
"....yeah."
"....They don't know that's just your nickname?"
"...no."
"...You didn't tell them that was just your nickname?"
Cue heavy swallow, and squeeze of the eyes. ".....no."
Cue heavy head-banging against table.
Cue a shocked jaw-drop from the bestie.
"Sarah, you didn't!!"
"BUT I COULDN'T HELP IT, it was the only way I could travel!"
"Sarah, you HAVE to fix it!"
"It's too late! I let them think that I am, so, ya know, I could visit other worlds! And I have!"
At once, the subject was quickly discarded and she immediately switched from worried to excited.
"Which ones?!" "..Well...for starters..Middle Earth. Then Neverland! I met Evil Pan, and yo' girl, Rose McIver's Tinker Bell."
At this, she squealed.
"--and I've been to a few other places..like..other places. And like...ugh....oh, Em, I wish you could be here. Everything, including space, is so beautiful..it's incredible what's beyond our dinky little planet..there's so much more, like I always thought there was... I mean, the people haven't all been sunshine and roses, with many of them being quite rude and trying to kill me and such..but all that aside? It's just...it's worth it. All of it. Worth the risks. It's everything I thought it would be and more. And I get to experience it all with four of my favorite characters...villains, yes..but still favorites."
"Ok, you HAVE to come and pick me up!"
"No no NO! Absolutely not!"
"Hey! Why not?!"
"Em, I'm telling you..I'm not even sure about my OWN safety, let alone your's! I'm not dragging you or anyone else into this, especially right now!"
"You most certainly wouldn't be DRAGGING me-- I'd come willingly!"
"I'm serious! I'm already in danger."
"But....you mean...like..you feel in danger cuz of the boys??"
I had to take a moment on this...to see if this was true...
I lowered my head.
"...i...it's...not just them. Something else is going on, Em...I'm not sure what yet..but it's big. It's something I really need to dig into. It's no mistake, me being here. This all happened for a reason. I didn't just visit Middle Earth and Neverland. I was taken there..to save them. Azog, Pan, Hook, Smaug..they're all working for someone..I don't know who..but that someone intends to destroy planets. Recruiting the villains first to get 'em out've there..then they kill all the heroes, too busy with their own stories to realize their planets are being destroyed..none of them have any idea what's happening.." "Oh my gosh...Sarah..please tell me you saved them..all of them..Bilbo, the hobbits, the dwarves, Gandalf, Tink, everyone."
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't. I couldn't live with myself if something went wrong. In fact, I've saved more than what was permitted. Smaug is even alive..and he's out there somewhere...but Azog is gone.......I killed him myself."
Another gasp.
".....That means......Thorin...Kili..Fili..they're all-" "-Alive..they're all alive."
"Oh my gosh.."
"But I feel it's not gonna be the last time I see them. Whatever force that's running against them is gonna try to undo what I did..they're all still in danger."
"Oh my...Sarah...I...I have no words...I'm so proud of you.."
I slowly shook my head. "Don't be. This was always my intention. To save everyone."
"...You killed, though...how did that feel?"
"...honestly?....I felt nothing..the way I always thought..people try to portray it as this horrifying, unchangable experience..but I had absolute no problem taking his life to save my friends. And I'd do it again, if need be." "...friends.." "--What?" "..you said friends..they're your friends now."
My eyes left the screen a moment as I thought of this. ".....they always have been."
A few more awkward seconds ensued..then I looked back.
"Emily, as I said, you need to stay put. Until I can figure out what's going on. I swear, once I do..I'll come for you. And I'll show you all the worlds you can think of."
She sagged a little, but still quietly nodded in agreement.
"...But in exchange..I need you to do me a favor. I need you to tell Hannah..and if you can reach her, Aja..about what's happened and where I am. And tell them to contact me, as soon as they are able."
"..Ok..but..what about the others?"
"I don't want the whole world to know, woman!"
"Dude--not even your family?!" "ESPECIALLY my family!"
She gawked. "But Sarah!"
"Don't you but me, young lady! Hannah and Aja ONLY. Understand? That's our deal. You tell only them and keep things a secret from everyone else, and I'll take you traveling. Deal?"
She sagged once more, with a bit of a grumpy face. ".....deal." She huffed.
I huffed back. "Good."
"But why do I have to tell them?!"
"Because I don't know when I'll be able to get back on! And I want my three closest friends to know where I am in case....." "...." "....." "......I understand."
"..thanks, girl."
"Now...where are you right now?"
"Huh.." I gave my environment a scan, as if I were checking it out myself.
"..A type of market for travelers. It's where I bought this laptop."
"What are you doing there?"
"I'm trying to help a general guy by finding this assassin who's trying to kill him."
"Oh dear...wait, YOU? Where are the boys?!"
I took a deep, frustrated sigh. "They're--"
but before I could finish my sentence, a sudden outcry filled the air and I jerked my head behind me.
People were running to my current left.
The commotion was near, but far. And there was a lot of distant yelling and screaming.
My heart began to race.
"--probably causing a ruckus as we speak, PRECISELY how I told them NOT to!"
"What is that?!" Emily exclaimed. "What's happening?!"
I swung back around. "Em, I have to go."
Her eyes enlarged. "Sarah, what, no! Wait!"
"I'll talk to you later, I'm sorry, love you, g'bye!"
"SAR-"
I cut off the feed. Biting my lip in guilt, I quickly closed the laptop, grabbed it and hurried out of the tent, rushing past the large heaps of panicked people.
I had to literally shove my way past everyone just to get to the middle of the road path thing.
Once I cleared a way for myself, I spotted the object of concern for the mob of travelers..
there were quite a few blokes surrounding something and yelling, hitting and kicking at it aggressively.
They looked like ruffians, so I naturally wanted to jump in, but I needed intel first.
What if this was the assassin and those were Harvey's men?
I pushed forward and leaned towards an old man standing and staring with his mouth hanging open like a fly trap. "Yo--" I spoke, loudly. "What's going on?"
He shook his head, sadly. "More gang activity..some unlucky idiot has gotten himself swarmed..chances are, he won't survive."
I took a long, held-in-breath and swallowed, difficultly.
"Oh please tell me it's not one of my idiots."
And there, as if on cue, and life gloriously opening the skies with angelic song, hymning
"I hate you, Sarahhhh"..
the gang parted down the middle and stepped away, opening the heart of their circle and revealing to me a Timelord, curled up in a ball, holding onto his stomach.
The gang laughed.
I sighed a deep, frustrated, troubled sigh, as I blandly stared ahead, shaking my head ever-so-slightly.
"..It's my idiot."
-to be continued-
Kajdjdjdkdkdk I am seriously LOVING this arc!!!!! I can't wait for more!! 😍
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