The time dreams. part 2.

Disclaimer, {Violence.} Also, I think ima make a book about this. This is the teaser ig! lol.

I felt my fingers tingle from the burn I had just received from trying to flip the fish. I grabbed a stick I decided was clean enough to flip the fish with. It was easy, and the other side was evenly and perfectly seared.

I smiled, half proud of myself for a job well done. Even if it was just cooking a simple fish. I waited, what i assume was 3 minutes, and turned off the pot, the oil from the fish still bubbling from the fish. It smelled of, cooked fish. A simple smell, but the only smell that was there.

This was comfortable, despite the weird hunger. Was it mental hunger? Or was there a sort of poison from this alternate world that was reset by food? It was these kinds of moments where I realized, or just came to terms with the fact that I'm smart as hell. I think a lot.

I think about everything, and the fish is gonna burn if it stays there any longer. I quickly pick it up and drop it on the counter. It was extremely hot, but I dont think it burned me again. I walked outside, to just. Think. What is this world? Is it my mind? Is it an alternate world of my mind?

Or is it a trial? An alternate world of my mind? To help me think? This world, I can't just stop thinking; I can't block everything out. I have to stay. "Awake" To survive. Because I can already tell, I need to survive here. I can't starve, and I dont know if i have the weather to survive, or what. This place is. Weird. I dont know where the hell I actually am.

I went back into the cabin, and picked the meat off the bones, leaving a small pile, of bones, and other things I don't see as edible, and about 8 ounces of pure fish meat. Good food, but is it good here?

I took a bite, the flesh still warm, yet completely tasteless. I sighed, feeling a mild sense of defeat, but I decided to think, how could not being able to taste anything here, good? Would I be able to tell poisonous things from safe things?

Something I wasnt sure if I was imagining, was the color of everything. It looked like everything was a sort of greyer hues than normal. I dont think im losing it either. But then again, this whole thing might be insanity in a fucking nutshell.

Before I knew it, I had finished my food. That strange, hunger disapeared, just vanished, without a trace. I thought for a second, that it might be getting cold. Like a breeze had gone by. But with everything I knew about this weird, but still new place, that shouldnt be possible.

Unless I havent seen everything. Suddenly I heard something ruffling outside the cabin, like someone going through a backpack. I grabbed my hatchet and opened the cabin door, to see. a woman, going through her own backpack. "Hey, what are you doing?" She yelped, a high pitched squeak, and looked up quickly, her dirty blonde hair flying back. Her eyes were blue and wide open from surprise.

"What? How are you." She stopped talking, clearly confused, and trying to proccess, it was obvious she hadnt seen the hatchet in my right hand, as it was hidden by the door. "I thought this place, was. Solitary." She had finally said.

"I did too." I responded, feeling. Something I couldnt quite explain. Not anger, rather a coldness of sorts. Like my brain was being cautious about what I do next. "How old are you?" I blurted out, without thinking. "I'm, 23. You look like, a kid." I nodded before responding with, "I'm 16."

Her eyes widened slightly, "How the hell? Hold on, how long have you been here?" I paused for a moment, "I'm. New, I dont know much, just that. things are frozen, unless interacted with. Or killed. Oh, and I only enter here when I sleep. Is that the common trend?" I asked, trying to make more sense of this place, she looked like she had been here for a while.

"Well, theres a day night cycle, but its quite sudden. And a little chilly, nothing you wouldnt survive with a fire though. By that I mean, have a fire." I nodded, "Is there any indication? Now that we're both here, will the time freeze thing be. consistent? Like, when I woke up, and fell back asleep, time had not resumed."

She paused, "You, think a lot. Don't you?" I nodded, "I think that might be why i'm here, a trial." She nodded, "One that is difficult. There will be signs about what you have too do. But also, to tell when its about to be night, there will be a sudden cold breeze, around. 25 minutes before hand. You'll learn it by heart soon enough though."

I paused, "How long have you been here?" She paused, before sighing. "2 Years. I've been here two years, but I needed it. A lot. This is something, that'll fuck your everything up in the beginning. In real life. You'll feel sick, becuase you're, well going into a whole other. reality, one that might seem, grey, and bleak now. But in time, it'll look better. more colourfull. For me, time doesnt freeze anymore, well. Right now it is. I think that's becuase of you though. But that's ok. By the way, dont go to civilization. And whatever you do, dont look at yourself while you're here, like where your physical body would be."

I froze, her tone was insanely stern, like a demand that I would heavily regret not listening to, "Why?" I asked, "Listen, I have to go after I tell you this. Alright?" I nod, "Ok. In the same breath, I wish you luck on your journey. Is it possible to die here?" She nodded, "Yes, but dont go to civilization. Becuase if you do yo-"

I woke up, in my bed, feeling sick. "Shit!" I yelled out, feeling angry, and frustrated by the fact I know i'll never get to know why I shouldnt. My dad opened the door quickly, "Is, everything ok?" I jumped slightly, but quickly responded with, "Yeah, I just almost fell off the bed,"

He nodded, slowly. I was still sick, feverish, sore throat, pounding head, blocked nose, everything. "Ok, just. Feel better soon dude." I nodded, and layed back down. I Fell asleep quickly, the sickness making me drowsy, not normal for any other sickness.

I woke up, still standing there, hatchet in my right hand. The woman, was sitting in front of the campfire, which I noticed was now lit. "Why are you still here? Is it about to be night or something?" She nodded, "Yeah, it is. something about night, it feels like it lasts, around, 5 hours. Another thing, you dont wake up during night."

I walked over to her, sitting, on the log, which was to her right, but still 5 feet away. She noticed the hatchet. "Smart. I coulda been a bear, but then again. You wouldnt be able to fight a bear." I shook my head before saying, "I knew it wasnt a bear, I heard cloth moving, I know that I didnt leave any cloth out here, and that it had to be a human. Only fear was that you wouldnt be friendly."

She paused, "You really do think a lot." I nodded, "hey, dont tell me why I shouldnt do something. I think it would be best if I learned on my own." She nodded, and chuckled, "You know, that might be for the best. what good is learning something through trial and error, if you dont learn on your own?" I nodded

"I should make a spear, right? I mean, I'm gonna, to hunt, and possibly defense." She nods, "Well, do you know how to?" I sigh, "A crude wooden one that I could sharpen by hand. But thats about it. Books are still here, right?" She nodded, "Yeah, books are still in play, but, sometimes they come in riddles. This place really tests your everything, physically, mentally, sanity, will, courage, bravery. abso-fucking-lutely everything." I chuckle, "I'm so excited," I say, sarcastically.

"You really should be, actually. You'll be a sort of sick that will keep you sick for, about a week, it'll get you on your feet. Becuase, I think that you can't just, jump into this world while being, active in the real world. Becuase, this place strengthens you physically too. If you get hurt here, you get hurt in real life. Not to the same extent, but uh. It'll hurt. If you get a deep gash in your stomach, you might need stitches in the real world too."

I freeze, "How the fuck am I supposed to explain that?!" I yelled out in anger. "Hey shut up!" She didnt yell, but it seemed more out of fear. Thats when I heard the bear again, "Shit." I mumble under my breath.

"damnit kid! Pick that hatchet up!" I grab a split wood piece, and I stand up, I know I'm not listening, but in the moment, I'm not thinking. I yell, that same primal yell I made last time this black bear had charged me, this time it arrived much sooner. It made its own bear yell, as it charged.

I yelled as I threw the wood at it again, it flew faster than I think id ever be able to in the real world. It slammed into its nose this time, making it reel back and yell out again. But then it looked at me, this time, looking angry. "Dammit kid! Get your fucking hatchet!!!" I knew there wasnt any more wood to throw, as all but 2 had gone in the fire, and the one I had thrown I never picked back up.

I swung my arm back, and grabbed the handle of the hatchet, in a surprisingly smooth motion, and I yelled again, it began to charge. "Come on then!" I yelled, as even more adrenaline flooded my body. I ran towards the bear, which made it slow down, but not quite stop.

I didnt know why I was charging it, but when I realized how stupid this idea was, I was already in front of it. So I swung the hatchet, which again, was razor sharp. And the metal head sank into the bears neck with a sickening squish sound. The bear swung its massive paw in return, and threw me to the left about 8 feet.

Thankfully I kept my grip on the hatchet, and it slit the bears throat from the force. It bellowed, but it was drowned out, I could tell that blood was flooding its lungs, everything. I didnt know the anatomy of bears, but I knew it would die within minutes.

"Damn kid! Are you ok?!?" The woman cried out the question, but I was already standing up. The bear decided it wasnt going down without me, and tried to slam my into the ground with a powerful stomp of its front paw, I jumped to my right, but didnt fully make it as it caught my feet, slamming my body into the ground still, but with less damage.

Quickly after, the bear passed out. I had to drag myself out from under its paws, which was quite easy as it was only my feet, and a little bit of my legs. The woman had ran up to me, and grabbed my shoulders, "Are you ok?" She asked, sounding, really worried.

I responded, my voice shaky as the adrenaline started to wear off. "I'm ok. Yeah." She grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to the fire, and right as we did it had turned to night. I looked up, and saw the moon, full as can be. "Do the stars ever show up?" I asked, without thinking." She chuckled, "Damn kid, you almost die, and thats what you ask?"

I nod, "Yeah, do they?" She laughs, clearly amused. "Yes, they do. It'll take some time though, time, that you have. I promise." I nod, "Whats your name?" She chuckled, lightly, "Maggie, you can call me maggie." I realized, this was my grandma. But, this was the past. I knew she knew who I really was."