8 Let Me Share This Whole New World With You

Clay:

I analyzed the room and saw Lynne tied to a chair in the middle, coated with sweat and tears running down his cheeks. He was shaking so hard I could see it from where I stood.

There were two basic-looking thugs in front of him. I recognized them from the brief encounter we had in the alleyway. One had an intimidating physique. He was tall and buff, but from the way his eyes shifted he didn't seem very bright. The other was around my height, strong-looking but no stronger than I was even in my current state.

I'd take him down first.

"Why the hell are you here? Lookin' to take our score?" The shorter of the two asked, my face twisted in disgust. It pissed me off that they were talking about Lynne like he was an object.

"Yeh. You could say that." I muttered, gritting my teeth together as I lifted the sword in my hand threateningly.

I saw how pale Lynne's skin was, his face twisted in pain as the blood trickled from his mouth down his chin. My chest squeezed tightly as he stared at me with those hurt eyes.

I didn't even know why I came back for him.

It's not like this place was hard to find. It was the only logical location for a group of sketchy bandits to take kidnapped nobility. An obvious choice.

Just... something didn't feel right about leaving him. I knew some sort of rich family member of his would have bought him back and he would have gotten home safely. But, what those guys would do to him to get the highest price they could... knowing how weak this guy was they'd probably accidentally kill him.

Plus. Nobody should have to go through being sold like an object. It was humiliating... degrading...

Terrifying.

"Get yer own catch, boy!" The smaller man barked. I could feel my blood boil as I leaped forward. I caught him off guard, just as planned I didn't hesitate to slash my sword across his chest.

The rusted, gagged blade ripped through his clothes and skin though not very deep due to its horrible condition. However, it was enough damage to have him yell in agony and grip his chest to stop the bleeding.

As expected, he was a coward. So, while he was busy yelling I grabbed his shirt and flipped him over my shoulder, slamming him to the ground. His weight felt so light in comparison to what I was used to.

His body slammed into the cold unfinished floor of the warehouse with a loud CRUNCH. Before he could even take a breath of air I stomped my foot over his head hard enough to draw blood.

He was out cold in an instant.

"You wanna end up like this guy? Or are ya just gonna let me walk outta here?" I spat at the taller man.

His face twisted into discontent, anger and fear somehow one right after the other. "Like hell!" He shouted, running at me. His steps were clunky, slow. His eyes weren't focused, they weren't bloodthirsty, he didn't plan on killing me or at least he didn't see me as a real threat.

That was his first mistake.

I took a nonchalant step to the side and lightly stuck my foot out. The moment he stumbled on it I used his momentum to smash his body to the ground. I took the opportunity to climb on top of him, my free hand bending his wrist back while my sword was pressed against his neck.

"So," I started with a smirk, leaning down and lowering my voice to a whisper. "I'm gonna take Lynne now."

I gave the man another punch across the temple to knock him unconscious. I climbed off of him and walked over to Lynne. His eyes were still cast over, still shaking with a thousand-yard stare that I recognized all too well.

"Hey, Lynne." I shifted my eyes awkwardly when he didn't reply, my cheeks heating up a bit as my chest tightened. "I… took a while, didn't I?"

Lynne finally moved, lowering his gaze as his head sunk to the ground. I saw his lips begin to tremble like he was trying to speak but no sound came out. Before he could struggle for much longer I used my sword to cut through the ropes.

"Never… thought you could be this quiet before now." I scoffed, hoping that making a joke with him would get him to talk or at least stop him from looking so dazed. Though, it didn't work. I didn't know why but my blood began to boil, my muscles tensing almost against my will. "Hey! I came for you didn't I!?" I suddenly shouted which seemed to shake him up.

I immediately regretted it.

"I…" His voice was so quiet that I could barely hear it. With every word, he shook, like he was sitting in freezing temperatures. "I was… I thought…"

My heart pounded hearing his voice so broken up. I gently placed my hand on his reddened cheek, he winced at first but eventually, he let my hand stay there. I felt my heart pounding, I was tense and I had never really comforted anybody before so I wasn't sure what to do.

"Hey. Look at me," I said, maybe too sternly as I sunk to a squat so I could look him in the eyes. "You're fine. Let's get out of here, ok?"

He stared blankly at me for a few moments but eventually, he managed a nod. As soon as he did, I took that as an a-ok to gently grab onto his arm and lift him to his feet. I wrapped his arm around my shoulder and practically carried him out of there.

He didn't say a word for the whole walk. He didn't even ask where we were going. Eventually, we arrived at the camp I had set up as I placed him gently onto the grass next to the river. "Drink something. It'll make you feel better." I told him, but his eyes were still glazed over as he stared at the ground.

I sighed and dipped my hands in the water scooping it up. I brought my hands to Lynne's lips but his mouth didn't open to drink. I tried to swallow my frustration as I threw the water back into the running river. "Or not," I growled.

"Why…?" He muttered. "Why did you come back for me?"

I paused, my eyes widening as he steadied to look up at me. His eyes were glazed over still, but angry. Those horrible betrayed eyes I had imagined as I ran away from him were now staring right at me.

"I…!" I started strong, but my voice dipped when I lost confidence in what I was about to say. "Don't know…" I couldn't look at him anymore, I shifted my gaze away from him and to the running water. "I didn't wanna owe you jack shit alright!" I snapped at him, squeezing my fists. "I ain't gonna live knowing it was you who let me! I want my life to be MINE, FOR ONCE! Ok!?"

I didn't know why I was yelling at him. I didn't understand why I was feeling so angry.

"Then. I'll let you live your own life." Lynne spat, I could hear the bitterness laced in his tone. "After you answer a few questions."

Though he sounded steady, he was cold and distant. It was so different from the way he spoke to me before. Of course, it was, I didn't blame him. "Whatever you want to ask, I'll answer. Though I can't promise I know much."

"Have you heard of a place called England?" He muttered, the name falling dead on my ears.

"No. Can't say I have," I admitted.

"Alright. Then where is King Charlton…?" This time he sounded almost sad saying that name.

"I… I didn't know that was the king's name." I admitted though I felt embarrassed to say it. "But, the name of the city he rules in. Lorindel. Is what I've been told."

"Alright." He said, standing up abruptly. He turned his back to me and began to walk away. Before I could think I reached out and grabbed his wrist, stopping him in his tracks.

"I don't understand. What's going on?" I asked.

"I'm not from here," Lynne answered, quicker than I thought he would. "I'm not from this world…"

My eyebrows knitted together as I ensured myself that I heard his correctly. "You're… from another world?" I stared in disbelief but Lynne didn't seem angry at my doubts. Just, sad… lost.

"You saw me fall from the sky. In my world, my mother is rich but no queen. I never knew my father. My mom never talked about him. Now it seems there's no TV here, no phones like I've been brought back to medieval times." He explained to me only furthering my confusion.

"What's a TV? What's a phone…?" I grumbled, but it seemed my confusion only made him sadder. He pulled his arm away from me and started stumbling away once again.

"I'm in a whole new world… Alone," Lynne stated, gripping onto the cloth of his pants which were now stains with drops of blood. "I guess, we won't be seeing each other again."

He started to walk away, getting further and further towards the forest ahead of us. I could see him sinking into the shadows of the trees, something tightening around my chest. I could barely breathe.

For some reason I wanted him to stay. I had been alone my entire life. Before I didn't think I needed anybody else. I had food, I had water. I thought I would be fine. But after having this boy by my side, even if it was for only a day. After he foolishly trusted me, after I felt the warmth of his skin against mine.

I didn't want to be alone again.

"Wait!" I shouted, and that was enough to make him stop walking. I shouted before I even knew what I was going to say. I knew I was being selfish, after leaving him as I did earlier I dared to request that he stay with me now. He would never trust me again, he probably didn't even want to look at me right now. But, in my desperation, without thinking I called out to him.

"Let me share this whole new world with you."