"Let's go!"
Adeline's eyes widened and she smiled widely.
"Okay! Just go down the left side of the mountain! We want to avoid all those people over there!"
I looked at the people amassing at a point in the river and nodded my head. We started towards where the people were teetering off, pretty far away. The slope of the mountain wasn't as steep down as it had been going up, so I didn't have to be as careful when going—well practically sliding— down it. Eventually the mountain slope started to flatten, and I was fully upright. I hopped into a sprint to reach the River. Adeline was right beside me, and kept glancing at me strangely as we ran forward. I kept on the black terrain, with about 50 meters until I finally reached my destination.
Adeline put a hand in front of me to get me to slow down a little bit. I looked at her with a pained expression, but allowed myself to slow down to a halt. The River was about 10 meters away, just within reach.
i gazed at the huge river, damn near seething that I couldn't go to drink from it immediately. We were in a spot that was pretty far away from the large crowd of people all aching to get to the river, some where rushing to less crowded areas like we were, hastily cupping their hands to take a sip. Their angels were focusing on them, giving direction and saying things I couldn't make out.
I furrowed my brow. Something was… off. Trying to figure out what, I looked around.
Then, I noticed it.
"Why can't I see anyone on the other side or the river? Why didn't I notice when I was up on the hill? My view should've been a lot better up there. Oh, right. I was only focused on the River itself. I didn't even think to look past it. Did Adeline forget to tell me something?"
I thought I noticed vague shapes shifting around in the darkness on the other side of it, unwilling to come to close to the bright red waters. It gave me a bad feeling.
I turned to Adeline and said starkly,
"What? What is so important that I can't go to the River right now? And why isn't anyone on the other side?"
She slightly widened her eyes, taking on an eerie expression.
She gripped my shoulder firmly, looking me directly in the eyes with a hungry and malicious expression.
Fear riddled my body, I tried to move my shoulder but she had it locked in an iron grip.
"What's going on, why the hell is she being so weird? Why is she gripping my shoulder so hard!"
Frozen in anticipation, she said smoothly to me,
"Don't worry, you'll find out soon enough."
She smirked. I saw her hand lift and reach towards my face at an incomprehensible speed.
In a fraction of a second, she had taken something. I realized Adeline had something in her grasp. She opened her hand and ravenously looked at the object she was holding. It was—an eye.
She finally let go of my shoulder, and I could still feel a stinging pain taking over my left eye. This was the first time I had felt anything physically since I got here.
I grabbed my face, holding an empty socket streaming with blood. I screamed in pain.
Reeling back, I yelled, "My eye! My fucking eye!"
I stumbled back. I watched in horror as Adeline took my eye and placed it in her mouth. She swallowed it and glared at me in satisfaction. I kept stepping back in agony, groaning and trying to scramble away.
It was pointless. Just as fast as she had taken my eye, I only saw her after image as she came to me. She was now face to face with me, letting out a bone chilling laugh.
My reflexes couldn't keep up with her godly speed as she raised her foot to kick me.
The bottom of her foot met my stomach.
I was sent flying towards the river. All I could see was her glowing, wretched face as I flew farther and farther from her. I watched in disbelief as her glowing figure flashed away towards the back hills.
Grasping my stomach where she kicked me, pain flooded my body. I could feel myself losing consciousness once again, just like how I felt when I died.
"No, this can't be happening, what the hell is happening?!"
I looked down, realizing I was flying over the river. In a second or two I'd meet either the water or the other side of the river. Something told me that both of those options would be my end.
Thoughts rushed through my head. What could I do?
With the speed I was going, I was going to reach the end of the River.
Feeling this new, unbearable pain, I simply closed my eyes and braced for impact.