chapter 40-limits of madness

Turning the pool's light off and running off over the fences back to the van was very chilling to the bones, yet all very thrilling. Our clothes felt damp; we totally should have brought spares, but we didn't think we would go on a trip. Today was quite the journey.

Reaching back at the motel, we guiltily parked the van and checked the time. Thirty minutes until midnight, we didn't want to go back, but we don't make the rules.

We saw the windows of the boys' room open as the potbellies noticed our absences and our text messages, and they gave us the thumbs up.

Idiots, they were. I smiled and gave them the middle finger. If they could act like jerks, so could we.

We didn't really have good security in our motel rooms.

Maddie and I trusted the boys, so they wouldn't do anything tonight, but we were more worried about strangers. So, Maddie and I came up with the plan of putting fake double pillows to take our spots while we both hid under the bed, while tot other it's strange, but in a strange town, where they don't know anybody, it's pretty reasonable, since both of us are young adults.

The idea of comfort wasn't really needed since we go to sleep straight away, while our spirit or another body would be transported. It was confusing and mind-spinning.

"If some bug goes near me tonight, I might actually freak out. I'm not lying, Maddie, trust me on that."

"I trust you, just don't go hitting anybody. Now we've got thirty seconds; we need to be ready."

"Yeah, I'm ready. You're not my mother."

"You're sure about that?"

"Hey!!" Maddie flipped me off.

Shit, we were learning from the boys.

We got into position, and I looked down at my tattoo on the back of my palm. No one else was able to see it, and it glowed. The two arms of the clock started spinning at high speed, another reason why I gave my belief to the group was that the supernatural was proof right on the back of my palm.

Every night this happens, and I forget once I return. I wonder what thoughts, what ideas my other self has.

Then it stopped. I closed my eyes, expecting some kind of trance or fantasy teleportation effect, yet nothing. I looked back at the tattoo, expecting something, yet it glowed with the same image. Was it broken? I waved my palm.

Was this normal? I wasn't familiar with the whole process.

"Maddie, you're awake," I said, reminding me when I was young at a sleepover, asking the person if they were awake.

"You too, something's not working."

Under the bed, I poked my head out, only to meet Maddie's.

"Is this normal?"

"Does it look normal? And no, this has never happened. Does this mean everything's fine, everything's back to normal?" Maddie said, excitement evident in her eyes.

"I hope so," I said, standing to my feet as Maddie did the same.

We both wanted to check the same for the others, so we left the room to knock on James's room.

With a creak, the old door opened up with the shocked face of James, as puzzlement met us. Thomas was just as confused in the background, even showing a smile, like maybe all the nightmares are gone.

"Is everybody messing with me right now? You are sure this mist realm is even real?" I spoke. It's been a few minutes so far, and everybody is in the same room as James, and Khaza and Maxwell joining as well.

"I've got a theory; maybe the town is special, like a key, or maybe it's anti-magic, so it wards off anything evil," Maxwell said, rubbing his chin.

"Well, whatever it is, something has changed. We only know of two possibilities with all the teleporting and stuff. First is that it needs to be midnight, so we can be transported. Second is that we all hold hands like in kindergarten, and we then get transported back into the mist realm. So before tonight, there seemed to be two reasons and triggers for the phenomenon, but now I'm not so sure. It's messing with my mind, and if this is a prank by that realm master, it ain't funny."

"James, nobody thinks it's funny. We are all in a dire situation. If there is a solution to this curse we have, then we can't ignore it and leave it, Study and analyze more information. The more we can see the limits to all of this madness," Maddie said.