esther, kristof, andres, revel v. forest (day 3)

His eyes are heavy, everything feels unreal, and maybe that'a because this nightmare is unreal. Nothing makes sense. His legs are hurting bad, and maybe that's the sign of death. Maybe his heart is slowing down and signaling his death. Maybe the world is coming to an end, he doesn't know, but his heart is heavy, and right now all he wants is to lay down and cry.

Only he doesn't.

He moves forward, his mind racing faster than ever before. His mind runs around and even laying down to relax for even a moment seems hard.

But soon he crashes. Soon the ground is under him, and Kristof takes a deep breath trying to really figure everything out the best that he can.

And soon he sleeps.

Morning comes and he wakes panting unsure of what's happened around him. He dreamed of something but now that he's awake it's gone. Closing his eyes doesn't help, but maybe it'll give him something else. He shakes his head and focuses on the day ahead. His body aches, probably from being dehydrated, yet he pushes himself forward using the spear to help him from the crack in his foot.

And he walks, limping unsteadily on his feet and the further away he gets from the pond the scenery changes. He sees a flying horse in the distance and his eyed widen with curiosity, but the closer he gets, the darker it becomes.

Something so peaceful becomes a nightmare, and the petals are sharp, and he shields his face as he tries to run.

Nothing makes sense anymore.

 
table by Dars <3

^{R E V E L
L A T I M E R}

The dreams find you again.

Writhing their parable tendrils around your sleeping mind as you lay by the large, twisting tree roots. This night, however, it's fleeting. Like a running river, it comes and it goes and them you forget. Not entirely, but enough. 

The first one felt so real, and palpable. Like you could reach out your pale hand and feel the warm sun rays kiss your skin. Like you could feel the echoes out soft voices reverberating throughout the empty corridor. And then the despair, sinking deep within like you had been dunked under cold water. But this was different. You remember pieces, not feelings nor scenes. Just flashes of silk and a closed hand, holding something. 

And then you wake, blue eyes opening up to the bright morning sky. Your breath is heavy, closed wounds still damp with half-dried blood flaking at the thinning chasm of skin. Quickly, you decide to keep moving and gather up your few things. Everything around is so pretty. Inviting and warm. It's unnerving to you—this entire arena, the strange dreams and stone knight and the feeling that this is all just a veil, hiding whatever sinister concepts the gamemakers have weaved into their story. 

You follow your feet wherever they move, guided by pure instinct. It's a little scary, not using your mind to deduce clues or natural investigation to find the best path. But there isn't much, or any to go on. So that feeling twisting in your gut is the best you have, and it shakes you. 

And perhaps that feeling is exactly what they wanted, a hush hovering over the expanse of trees and flowers the moment your thin-shooed feet step foot in this place. Chills run up your spin, goosebumps line your arms. It's like eyes follow your every move. Then the flowers move and spin, opening up like they're blooming, only for the petals to rise and fly through the still air. 

They're aimed right at you.

This is a filler. I have a long day of flights. I will fill it in when I get to Los Angeles. Just don't want to hold up the thread.

 
table by Dars <3

^{R E V E L
L A T I M E R}

Gently, water falls against your skin. The rain soaks the thin and drab clothes they put you in, the once billowy linen bottoms now stick to your skin. It's like the calm before the storm, the placid, almost tender rain before the ill-tempered flowers erupted into knife-like petals. 

Like a whirlwind, they swarmed and swirled, sharply cutting against your skin. Dozens of tiny cuts marked all over your body, cutting through fabric and slicing your lips. You wince, closing your eyes tightly as one gets you right under your eyebrow. Blood drips, but its quickly washed away by the falling shower. On the outside, it may look like you hadn't been injured at all. The droplets of blood that leak from the many small wounds are gone the moment they touch skin. 

You curl into yourself on the ground, the smell of soaked earth intensely filling your nostrils. It's a familiar thing, something you smelled much of back in Eleven. Rain had always been a welcome sight there. Your arms are wrapped around your head, sheathing your face and ears and all the exposed pieces of yourself that wouldn't take a flower petal well. Your cheast heaves with your heavy breathing, but you know this is just a waiting game. It'll all end in a couple minutes, it's just to create anticipation. To tease us, and the capitol. Give them a taste but careful to not ruin their dinner. 

So you'll stay here, body folded into itself, the warmth of your rapidly beating heart spider-webbing from your center. Breathe, you tell yourself. It's a phrase you've had to repeat to yourself countless times already, and it's only been two days. But just breathe and you'll blink and the rain will subside and the petals will flitter to the ground or get carried away in the breeze. Like you said, it's just a waiting game. 

He dodges the leaves to the best of his ability, and he's aggravated that this beautiful place is something so monstrous and disastrous. It's supposed to be filled with joy and happiness, but right now, everything is crashing down around him and nothing makes much sense. But he keeps running looking for a place to hide, a place to weather the storm.

It doesn't help that his entire body is aching and no matter where he turns, Kristof knows there's no escape.

But where do I go from here?

He runs and tries getting away, yet his mind doesn't let him. Everything is focused on the events before him. The beautiful trees are attacking and going crazy. It doesn't truly matter though. Everything is the enemy, and maybe that's why the aches are becoming more and more.

I want to win, but I don't know if I can.

 
table by Dars <3

^{R E V E L
L A T I M E R}

i will be out all day filler so everyone else can flee!