Chapter Theme Music: Calm ~ Aleksander Randjelovic86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2CF2lUTup
<08/14/2009 - ??:?? | Location Unknown>86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegxfTJUSVx
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YhKeitYw4
Shifting my eyes left and right behind the shades of my eyelids, I cringed slightly, preparing for the usual morning grogginess I learned to despise so much. How I hate the fact that we need to sleep, only to awaken again feeling like this. I slowly opened my eyes and sat up, wondering what time it was since the alarm was again not going off. Certainly I must have woke up earlier than I was used to again... Or not?!86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQmOsyh2Qt
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovzrJdqkzY
With the force of a bag of bricks, the surprise and shock hit me immediately when I realized I was lost in unfamiliar surroundings. This isn't my room! It's a full on rain forest! My eyes panned around, absorbing the details of the lower canopy of such dense woods, darkened significantly by the light-lapis fog blanketing the air with a warm invisible mist. Trees were in every direction, endless and taller than I'd ever seen before.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWcS0JL90W
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGjQRVxixC
Lifting my hands from the damp dirt of the ground, I further realized how horrific the situation was. Wherever I am was certainly no place I recognized. How I got here was its own mystery separate from how I was going to get out. Without even checking or patting myself down, I knew I had no cell phone or hidden food on me. I don't go to bed with that kind of stuff. Without any shoes or socks, wandering around here was going to be twice as annoying.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCOcU8GBXT
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsdle74sTb
But even with the sun blocked out by the intense fog, it was still so easy to see everything in front of me. The brightness looking straight up did not blind me, but it was not darkening either, which proves it was still daylight. If anything, I'd rather try to get out of here before that light surrenders again to the night.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwx0iAnrZTC
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfuXG79FhL
Before I could even try to figure out what my next plan would be, the sight to my left was an even bigger shock than the last, paralyzing my entire body. Whatever was going on, I could not begin to make any sense of it. Lying on the ground nearby, though scattered about somewhat, were three others. Everyone was still wearing their casual clothes, in fact, they had their shoes still firmly attached. Guess I drew the short straw on that account. I wasn't alone out here; that was the most important consideration.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sSUAlPnFC
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcgAR3zreI
Once I realized how much I would need them, my initial instinct kicked in, allowing me to move again to quickly wake them from their slumber. Another detail came to mind, slowing me down as I pondered why I and the three other girls were waking up lost in a deep forest with no way out, but the more distracting detail before me was that these girls are people I recognize. They're all classmates!86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXq3LL53IPf
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLYc6ly7l6
The blond closest to me is Keeley. She's in the same grade and school as me, though we don't have any classes together, but I recognize her from the school year before this one, meeting in 5th grade. Seeing her this close and unconscious was too unsettling, so I rushed in and tried to shake her awake from her shoulder. "Come on," I urged desperately. "Everyone wake up!"86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcXbOMquzu
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NVcq4zwCk
Keeley cringed and shifted the moment I touched her, showing signs of someone who will come back from a deep sleep in a minute or two. I figured my time will be best spent waking everyone at once, so I moved on to the next classmate further to my right, shaking her awake in the same way. Though I don't really know her beyond name, the girl here was Lori. Despite not talking to her last year, I do tend to remember plenty of names and faces of all the people I passively observe. What matters right now though, is getting as many minds on this as possible. So, I went to the third classmate further to my left.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuxWUEHTZJ
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcWHZlEqHK
I woke the final classmate wearing shorts in much the same manner I did the others, who were now predictably panicking and freaking out like I was a moment ago, only more loudly and vocally.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHcX2Q6pUc
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqdc3XSPD3
"What the freak is going on?!" "Where are we?" Keeley and Lori were both anxious to figure out their situation, frantic as they realized that they too had no prior memory between falling asleep in their beds and waking up here. Such shared experience only made this harder for me to figure out too.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMQ9D7BYqV
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xgJDFYFzo
Still, as the third girl began coming to, several thoughts about her were blowing through my mind at once. I mentioned before that these were all my classmates who I recognize from one place or another, but this third person with evenly-cut brown hair and dark eyes was someone I did not recognize at all. I don't ever remember seeing this person before, which either means this involves more than just our school, or she is simply someone in my school who I've never seen before, until now. I don't know her name or her face. "Please tell me you have some idea where we are!" I did nothing to hide my own building desperation to find answers to this mess. In vain hopes that she might have some residual memory, I had to ask, even as she was becoming aware of our shared situation.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgBoriraD2
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wR3A0PVQJ
"I— I don't know! How did we get here?" She wasn't just shocked to wake up in this place. The girl began to break down, fighting against the building tears swelling up in her eyes while new fears boiled inside her.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBJgiCxvTF
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmz8yIsM7q1
All I could do was sigh with disappointment and sympathy. If she doesn't know anything either, then what hope do any of us really have of finding the way out of here?86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLXOXCapXB
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8Qt78XNAE
"Have we been kidnapped?" Keeley approached us with a maddening expression of fear.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0G0knzt5s0
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoevA8ZAiem
It is a strong possibility. I didn't reply to her. All I could do now was silently agree, looking around to see if anyone else might be out here with us, or watching us. If we were all kidnapped, this would be a first for me! Since I went to sleep in my bed, I should have been safe. Or maybe there was a lot more to remember that the kidnapper managed to remove by some unknown tactic. I want to think it is too strange that all four of us don't know how we got here together, but I'm caring less about that detail. I don't know what to focus on anymore!86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGZBuYrwc9
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8zfqPVfL2
"Hey. Who are you?" Keeley pointed to the new girl, almost poking out my face, while Lori hunched closely behind.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBnDtnZVrQ
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoX6ZhTnp6r
"Hey yeah," Lori agreed, ignoring her tense mood. "I remember Keeley and Reed, but I've never seen you before."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAh6ZYZTDc
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzbmNaoJQqS
I tried not to act surprised, but just hearing that had my eyes lighting up again. It isn't just me who doesn't recognize her, but the other two as well. Since the three of us are known classmates of Saffrin Middle School, it makes sense that we would recognize each other instantly. But Keeley, Lori, nor I have seen this stranger inside or outside of school until right now. If she is from another school, then it means other people might be involved too.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FH7CJOfQ2
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlbxwbY0oK
Looking bashful, the stranger tried to calm herself, taking a deep breath before studying our faces and speaking up again. "I'm Kaitlyn. My name is Kaitlyn."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMRHQacTFL
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLNF8nqhiA
"My name is Keeley." "I'm Lori." "And I'm Reed." Going along with a group introduction I wasn't expecting, I struggled more trying to figure out what we were supposed to do, but my thoughts were still off priority, focusing way too much on the details of this stranger.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MEt9yk8zF
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmcde46J9k
She said her name was Kaitlyn, though it still rings no bell. Now was certainly not the time to be thinking about how pretty she is. Still, I couldn't completely tug my mind away from the thought. She must be the same age as all of us, in the same grade even. But if we were all kidnapped by grade and not specific schools, where was the kidnapper in all of this? Why dump us out here in the forest? And why a damp foggy forest of all places? Something just doesn't feel right, but try as I may, I couldn't figure it out.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreP9SZRoJY
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEL2hqlqu3
"We should try to find something. Even if there is no sense of direction, if we find ourselves out here at sundown with no food or water, things will be worse." It's just basic survival instincts, I guess. I don't feel very proud of myself right now. However, "But I'm not going to get very far, unless one of you brought extra shoes." Wiggling my bare toes to make the point clear, I folded my arms waiting to find out what would be the best thing to do.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQYutEBZ7l
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYhRoqzqSp
"Okay. Lori and I will have a look in that direction." Keeley was brave enough to accept my suggestion, but she soon noticed the same problem I was now seeing. It was Kaitlyn, who had an expression of ultimate defeat and quiet sadness that neither one of us have seen in another human being before. Kaitlyn curled herself into fetal position, but held back all her tears. It was then that Keeley realized nobody should be left alone out here. "You and Kaitlyn just stay here. If we find anything, we'll be back as soon as possible."86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJqogDPe7O
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFg62xqg9W0
I opened my mouth to protest, but I couldn't. It was my own suggestion after all, and it's not as if I'm going anywhere anyway. So I just nodded instead, watching the two of them hike off in that random direction so brave and determined. Kaitlyn on the other hand had her face sunk into her knees, not that I could blame her...86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwV3qaFjZb
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17YscZr1j3
But the awkward silence this was creating was exactly what I knew would happen. I don't know her, and I certainly don't know what I'm supposed to say or talk about in this situation. Even if I just wanted to pass the time by, this is my greatest weakness – talking to people. Sometimes if I'm lucky, I can keep a conversation from dying, but starting one up in the first place is the absolute worst!86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTI7pnD8IqD
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69KliDJO48
"They'll find someone," I calmly reassured, though unable to look her in the face while saying that. This forest is massive and it goes on in all directions. There isn't a single trail here, and the thick haze of blue only makes distant sight difficult. What's more, there has not been a single detail explaining why we have all come to this place in the middle of the woods, lost and out of our homes.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWgsglnHKs
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiTFF3hAwH
What I said did nothing to change Kaitlyn's current mood, but something strange was happening, not that I found it easy to understand. Most of my thoughts were once again reprioritizing themselves to another matter entirely without my control. As I gazed up at the sky blocked out by the haze, a powerful, unknown feeling took over everything else. A sense of wonder, a mystery that exists far beyond that beautiful blue sky. Automatically, I imagined all the stars and all the possible worlds out there, wondering if any looked just like this jungle, or if there were other beings of intelligence past the first sky. And once I started thinking about it, it was all I suddenly cared about.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeWpQ3LHBK
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0GGpFdUGi
This was the strangest aspect to it all. Here we are, trapped in a never-ending forest without prior memory explaining how we got here, with two of us already splitting up in a randomly chosen direction to find any signs of civilization. Logically speaking, this is probably the worst thing that could ever happen to anyone, a situation that warrants panic and despair...86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOb76u4WIJQ
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBA2Z4rkfBG
But that's not how I feel right now. For a reason I can't fathom, I no longer care how bad my situation is. When did that start? It began the moment I let my eyes meet the sky above, even as it was covered in this fog. I admired the beauty of the forest, sight and sound, as well as the feeling of the warm moisture building on my skin. My imagination ran away with several parallel thoughts of similar subject matter and possibilities, as if I was obsessed with the infinity of it all, the beauty of our entire world. Because of that, I no longer cared about any of this, not this place, not my wellbeing, not even the wellbeing of the others trapped here with me.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0qijZmg1D
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0E5gVCRUse
I know this is not right. I know this should not make any sense; it isn't me at all. But my care, suppressed beyond all meaning or logic has brought me to this new state of mind. Kaitlyn eventually had the nerve to try talking to me, nervously as a means of easing her own thoughts. I answered, but only with uncertainty as if I was just brushing her off to hide my persona behind the walls of small talk. I wasn't even paying full attention to care remembering anything she had been saying as the minutes ticked on by. All I knew at this point was that my focus, as unnatural as it may be - was once again on the possibilities outside this world.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMN8NpR9Ck
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVd9zgWvPO0
It wasn't just this moment either. Three days ago, I became obsessed with outer space, and each day and night since then have remained obsessed with it. As a kid, I always thought outer space was cool, but not like this. Something really felt out of the ordinary, which is why I was becoming obsessed by it. As if, I suddenly came to know or realize something that nobody else could, or that I could sense that something was out there, even though I can't make sense of it - should that be true. Of the hundreds of thoughts I had each second, a majority of them were dominated by the allure of the forest and the sky. Nothing else mattered.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvYj5ae5X1
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5jCL2AR37
I remained this way for about twenty minutes or so, still hearing nothing back from the other two. Of course, I couldn't care less. The more I focused on my imagination and mental obsession, the less I cared about this world or the dire situation we were all in. Eventually, I became unusually tired and sank down to rest, leaning my body sideways on the damp grass below me, my eyes getting heavier while my mind wandered on, slowing down only after shutting my eyes...86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVLdsdois3
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9Tg7UBMC8
Despite having woken up not that long ago, the same crushing level of grogginess and morning exhaustion flowed back into me. The experiencing of falling asleep and waking up again so soon after became surreal, and when my eyes opened once more, I was once again in a totally different location from the last.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1E5YfKVHvr
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLXuebqepJ
I began tracing the new environment with my eyes struggling to open with the eye dust crusting them shut. But once I realized where I was, it was perhaps the first time in my life, even if just for a few seconds that I was upset to be back in my nice cozy room. Immediately, I could tell from the available light in the room that the sun was not even up yet, but I was still here, laying under the covers of my own bed. The moment of severance between one reality and the other shook me in an instant.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWho5nK5kT
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigpHKtZycy
Jumping out of bed with building anger and confusion to further the proof that my most recent memories were all just part of some elaborate dream, I asked the question to myself again, doubting reality. It soon enough dawned on me that the entire moment of being locked inside a forest was all just a detailed and vivid dream I had now woken from. Cursing at myself from within, I stood up so tense, though there was nothing I could do.86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPGmjiNx7x
86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDXbFyPsh2
All of that forest, the entire experience and everything I felt inside was just part of some stupid dream! So why did I have to have a dream like that in the first place? This pisses me off so much!86Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI47k4Rxxls
