“Who?” I demanded. “Who?”
“The boy,” he said.
“Rick?” Oh God… I pinched my side again, but it was futile. I would never dream this. Not even in a nightmare. “I killed Rick?”
“It’s not your fault, Claire. You didn’t—”
“Not my fault?” I shrieked. “You said I burned down the damn bar!” I jumped to my feet, mindful of the roots in this stupid, tiny, forest-laden room. Such a lie. It felt like I was outside, but I wasn’t. And the air closing in around me proved it.
I needed to be free.
To run.
To be in the clean air.
Not locked in this little greenhouse with…
Fuck, I don’t even know his name!
Fae Realm.
Powers.
Fire.
Burned-down bar.
I spun, not hearing whatever
he was trying to say beside me. Not caring to hear another word. This was too much.
I killed Rick.
Did I? What if he’s lying?
Why would he lie?
I don’t know. I don’t fucking know!
His palm was too hot against my forearm. I twisted out of his grasp, needing space, needing air. And as if hearing my call, it whirled around me, blowing him into the wall again with a grunt. His pained expression struck me in the heart, causing me to falter.
I don’t know him.
I don’t belong here.
“I can’t,” I breathed, staring at the window, watching as the glass blew out with a breath from my lips. “I’m sorry.” I followed the breeze on instinct, letting it carry me down to the grass below, not pausing to think about the how or the why, just needing to run.
There had to be a way home. A way back to the bar. A way back to Rick. To my friends. My family.
I couldn’t stay here. This wasn’t my place. This foreign land of endless trees and flowers and vines. Oh God, where am I even going? It doesn’t matter. Just run. And I did, sprinting through the fields and beneath the canopy of leaves, then across and more fields, past lakes, and continuing into unending nature.
The sun moved overhead, illuminating my journey, aiding my attempt to escape.
But nothing new crossed my path. Only more and more trees, denser with every step.
I whirled around, mystified, tears rolling down my cheeks.
“Where am I?” I breathed, falling to my knees in the thick underbrush. “Where the fuck am I?”