April 28-29, 2013
This dream wasn't all out of the ordinary but it still was fun and extraordinary in it's own way~it started with this race that had everyone, from grownups, teenagers, and children alike...but mostly the kids would participate. It was a long round route that circled with obstacles such as climbing through houses and jumping over fences and through dark smoky allies. The race is mandatory for all of those who are slightly different then others. At, times the race a toll on someone and they end up dying. That's the cruel fate of the world now.
I was part of it too and every time I would have to climb over to Nicole's house I would rest or eat a snack. The route was small, but here's the thing we, couldn't or more like we can't stop running until the finish line appears, so all afternoon we ran till it was five, time to go home. Me, Nicole, Ino, and some random guy(In order: random guy then Nicole then Ino then me) walked to over the bridge and came back to the real world.
I was back to sitting on the benches, bored from the conversations the popular girls were talking about, I decided to get up and leave to our mini hangout all the four of us, before I left I noticed that the popular girls were playing hide and seek I think, walking into our mini hangout we have to go downstairs then on a wooden bridge and into room 102, complete with air conditioning and chairs, it was like a mini classroom but with a sofa, a bed, a teddy bear, a big chair,and a movie screen. We weren't at school anymore, but more like our house.
I don't know exactly how we can go into the real world and the ideal world by bridge, but there just connected somehow, our positions in the room. Nicole and random guy were sitting on the sofa knitting, it was funny because random guy was making a fool out of himself, it was obvious that Nicole tried her best to not show her feelings for him. Meanwhile, I was sulking on the bed, sighing away my troubles when Nicole asked what was wrong. That got Ino to turn around, at first he was gently asking me what's wrong while holding my face with both eyes focused on mine.
I couldn't tell them because it something nobody would understand or dare to even ask. When it took me awhile to spit it out he quickly turned around his chair and acted as if he didn't care as to what was bothering me. "Fine! Don't tell me." He shouted. I put my arms around him and kissed him on the cheek, "You've been so good to me and I know I would be selfish if I don't tell you what's bothering me, you see before we came down here..." he turned around and now we were both faced with each other. "Go on, you can tell me anything." His hand in my hand.
"I saw the girls playing hide and seek earlier, and I....just feel as though I should be in college than stuck back in high school."
"Oh, Ashley....." Nicole said.
Flashback:
Year 2013 has passed, we have skipped years due to a time transport device experiment of the government program UN, they knew this was the end for the year 2013, because of global warming and so without warning they activated Plan A. It absorbed the whole world into chaos including it's people and having mixed with the current world of Year 5078, both twin earths connected by a land bridge like wood..like an actual land made out of tree. And only by that is what both connects and differs the two earths from each other. Earth, on the left side is the more modern future world holding our dopple gangers and future selves. And, Earth, on the right side is the normal and should be now earth! Because we had skipped time, we have all went back to slightly normal selves. Ashley, age: 15, Grade/Level: 1st year, High school. What's supposed to be Ashley, age: 17, Grade/Level: 1st Year, College.
End of Flashback
I looked down, because I knew deep down inside everybody feels the same way, but it was selfish of me to show it. Everyone one in the room fell silent with their heads down except for Ino. "Well, I don't know what you expect..this world, this place is our home now! We can't go back now, there's no way..we'll just have live through it all over again, won't we?" He let go of my hand and turned his chair around.
I slumped over onto the bed, lying down with my teddy bear(Ino gave me). I want to go to sleep..but after that I just couldn't. Shut my eyes for a while, yet all I could see in my dreams was Ino. He was my classmate ever since 1st year of high school, because I was too shy and liked him so much....I never talked nor got near him. Over the years, I stopped liking him and he and one of the popular girls got together shortly after we've graduate and was still going strong till college.
However, that gigantic cloud of an explosion changed it all, its weird because only few know what really happened. Others, like his girlfriend, Thalia who was a lot more prettier than me, has lots all memories of him and as her life. That's what we call square one, wherein your memories are stuck to make new ones, of the year you are in and only of that year and so on as you grow again. It was tragic when he found out she had forgotten about him, and because I was about to start college that very day, when it happened, I was pulled away from my future and into the past future.
Only, the four of us now, what happened, there maybe others as well, but all I know is that our own families and friends don't remember a thing. I don't if I'm blessed or not, but because of that incident..me and Ino fell in love. He was an optimistic and funny as he can be kind of person, his smile, his laugh, his curly hair. He was an perfect match for his beloved Thalia, and I was living miserably when our own paths crossed each other. He comforted me in times of comfort, he befriended me in times when I felt like I was alone in this world. Shortly, after he walked me home one night, he confessed. Ironic, isn't?
I opened my eyes all of a sudden noticed my hand felt as warm as the sun, I specially remember that I touched Ino's head and it was burning! I got up, because Ino was preparing to go to the other earth a.k.a. Ideal Future. I couldn't say a word till he had finally got out the door, I ran after him and saw that he had collapse in front! I quickly called the others and rushed to call the ambulance. At the hospital, we waited outside his room, as the doctor came out.
"Well, is he okay? What's wrong with him?" I asked. As, random guy held unto me.
"He's fine now. He was very stressed and tired, because he seemingly was dehydrated Has been doing anything that tiring or does he have things on this mind like a personal problem?"
"Ashley! The race!" Nicole looked at me then turned to the doctor "We've in participating in the Race For Time, in the other world. It requires a lot of physical strength."
"I see. We will have to leave him here until he regains his strength back. It'll will only take a few days till he'll wake up. Don't it's nothing serious."
"You guys go ahead and go home, I'll stay here for the night. Can you guys tell my parents and also Ino's; here's their number they're somewhere else right now and we can only reach them using this number."
"Are you sure, Ashley?"
"Yeah" I reassured them both. "Now, (random guy's name) take Nicole with you." They both left to make calls. I sat next to Ino holding his hand, I couldn't help, but feel like I could've have lost him. I just fell on my knees and dug my head into his arms and prayed to God that this would never happen again, I don't know what I'd due without him! That night, the stars shun oh so brightly that I mostly spent hours staring at them still holding his hand. If you look even closer into a far distance you could see the other earth's glowing lights and the bridge!
Three days have past, I've been out of the field of the race for some quite time, but it's still ongoing~walking into Ino's room to yet again keep him company, I saw him awake sitting upward on his bed! Without thought, I ran into the room and jumped on top of him. I cried and cried yelling "Thank goodness! You're okay, never do that again.....please..". My arms tighten around his neck and my face embarrassed so, much that I had laid it on his shoulder. He didn't do anything, but just sit there for a few seconds till he finally hugged me tightly.
He gently held my crying face and kissed my lips, the warmth, the tenderness of it all. In all the midst of this he said "Look at me, I'm fine as an ox! And, I promise for now on I won't over do it. I know I must scared you didn't, I? For that I'm sorry." I tugged on his shirt and pulled out my pinky finger to pinky swear, he laughed a little and folded his pinky into mine. A promise was made. After, that I looked at myself and the position we were in he wasn't to bothered by it, with me on top of him and his hands around my waist.
I quickly got off and stood straight, like a soldier waiting for orders. He smiled a bit then went back to lay down a bit, I agreed with him. Laying down with his right arm under his head..."The race." He said. I brought it up to him that I was going back with Asuna this time. Because, random guy and Nicole are tired and are badly injured from the new set of obstacles they put. Such as black cheetah printed cougars, lions, and more! He was at awe as I told him the new installations made by the mayor there.
He yelled out to me to not go, but when I told him there was no one to represent us for I have been out this whole time, he got up and looked angry. "NO! YOU CANT GO! What if something were to happen to you." He put his head against mine and his hands on my neck. I knew what I had to do and for his sake! I told him I wouldn't go....I put him back into his bed and tucked him in. He wanted to make sure I didn't go so, he laid sideways on the left the whole time, watching me and holding my hand tightly.
The next day Ino was discharged and found a fine beating when he saw the hospital bill~ It's alright, I helped him pay it off. We grabbed our weapons and put on our battle armor, as we head off to the other earth....maybe this time the finish line will appear, because we're all ready! Racers: Ino(leader/main runner), Me(sword/main runner), Nicole(twin axes/second runner), Random Guy(weapon specialist/second runner), and Asuna(healer/transporter). The world is now of a mysterious place, this is the Past Future, a race against time. Ready! Get Set! Race!
Yours Truly,
Ashley
