Chapter 313: Wake Up (1/2)
”None of this is real. Can you hear me?! Sam! You need to wake up!”
Destiny sat outside a small café, the menu hiding her face from inside where Marco and Alice had their date. Gripping her teacup tightly, she began cursing under her breath. ”This is all going to shit! There's not one sign. Not one that this Maya is in any way toying with Marco. This cannot be!”
Sam held her head, looking around, slightly confused. The streets of Rhinefield's capital was empty. More so than that, with only a handful of people even walking by. ”Why are there no cars?”
”Marco's life is on the line here, and that's what you're worried about?!”
Sam looked back, frowning slightly twirling her tea with a plastic spoon, unsure of anything. ”I just thought it was a bit strange, that's all. You would think Rhinefield's capital would be busy.”
”Keep your head in the game, Sam! This is far more important!”
”I mean, I don't really see what's the problem here. You're just jealous of Marco, right?” Sam tossed it aside, not paying much attention to the situation.
”Me?! Jealous! No, no. Jealous of that idiot! Tch, get a load of yourself, Sam! I'm going home….” Destiny whimpered, storming off. The menu fell down as Sam found herself sitting alone.
Sighing, she leaned against the table, gulping the last of her tea watching the world go by. Or so she thought. Getting a better look watching each person, in particular, Sam noticed something off-putting. Every person in the area was walking on the spot. Every last person was stuck in the same place, getting nowhere.
”Everyone is in trouble! You need to help them, Sam!”
A sharp pain roared through Sam's head again as her mind went fuzzy. Stumbling to her feet, she tried not to draw attention to herself, walking away in a daze. As she did, Alice turned, watching her leave with a concerned look. ”Is everything alright, Maya?”
”Oh, yes! I just need to use the bathroom. Won't be a minute.”
****
Alton sat watching his world go on by, waiting for Iris to make her choice. He knew it was essential to stay and that she would come round. Slouching his head down his whispered. ”Archie, I require your assistance.”
Acceptance appeared, losing more and more of his well-kept appearance as he stood in a park where people were playing with their dogs, among other things. Sitting next to Alton on the bench, he leaned forward, pressing his hands together. ”Who is it I'm talking to? I'd much rather see Alton's perspective on the matter.”
”You'll talk to who I say you'll talk to!” Alton snapped, losing his cool, leg shaking. ”I'm losing all control on this reality.”
”That makes sense. I had hundreds of years to practice these hidden arts. A Stage's Long Whisper isn't easy to pull off. You're practically holding this world together with tape and bits of string.”
Hanging his head low, Alton began to whisper. ”I don't understand Archie, with each passing day, more and more people are rebelling against this world. Fighting to escape, what could they possibly go back to? I saved them, didn't I? That was me!”
Acceptance's interest was peaked as he smirked, standing up. ”There he is. The boy clinging onto a piece of thread. Alton Brantley.”
Slamming the bench, it began to freeze over as he was trembling. ”First, a small resistance is built up in looks of taking me down and then Zinnia and Iris turn up. I was so happy to see my friends after so long but now…. Even they have turned against me. I'm all alone, forced to stand in this battle with no aid this time. I can't give up on them. They need me to save them, all of them! Even if the world thinks you're wrong as a hero, you must fight for the people's needs in the darkest of times. You taught me that Sam and intend to keep to that promise.”
”So why did you bring me here for?” Acceptance questioned.
”I need more of your power. The power to conquer worlds and topple armies. I need the power of the Garden at my disposal.”
”That power is yours. It always has been. You are Acceptance, not myself.”
”How?”
”You'll figure that one out soon enough.”
”We'll see about that…. Hang on.” Alton stood up as a Safety appeared of Scarlett. ”Speak.”
”A straggler has entered the dark zone. What should we do, sir?”
”Who?”