1 Chapter 1

The forest was changing around her. it didn't make any sense to her. She had created this forest, so any changes should only be possible if she made them. She never imagined that there was anyone or anything else other than her before, but that was the only option she could think of that made any sense to her. After all, she had only assumed that she was all there was aside from what she created herself. Now that she had evidence that there was something else, she wasn't sure what to do. Whomever or whatever it was clearly didn't care that someone else had created what they were changing, unless it was merely to get her attention. She had made her forest a little large after all.

She made her way to where the changes seemed to be heading. As she passed by some bushes, she found herself under attack. She didn't have time to see who was attacking or how or even if there was more than one. All she knew was that fire suddenly surrounded her as she appeared as well as the ground breaking under her, the shrapnel tearing at her body. Never before had she felt pain, nor did she relish the sensation. It rattled her sense of everything. But at the same time, it seemed the sensation was familiar, although she couldn't recall how or why.

If there is something or someone, are there more somewhere? Maybe another who could help? she mentally asked herself, pondering what to do, as she made a hasty retreat. She certainly wasn't going to let anyone do whatever they wanted to what she had spent all her life creating. The biggest problem was she had no idea where to go to look for help. This was a crisis that left her feeling something she never remembered feeling before: indecisive. Before she knew she could take her time with any problem that came up. There had always been time to sort out what the solution was. However, here the problem was growing at an unpredictable rate. There was no telling what damage would occur in the time it took to get help even if she knew where to look for the help. The only thing she was absolutely certain about was that if she didn't do anything about it, then all she had created would be lost. She at least knew how to leave her world, which was the same way her enemy had arrived at her world. She just wasn't sure if she should go in the direction the enemy came from or if she should try somewhere else. It might even be the biggest decision she would make in resolving this crisis, or even her entire life. In the end, she knew that she had to make the decision now if she was going to retain any hope of resolving this problem in a favorable manner for herself. There was nothing else to think about. She had to make her choice now.

It was time.

_

Charlie looked up from where her head had been laying on her desk. The math teacher, Mr. Samuels, was standing over her, clearly aware that she had been asleep during class. Again.

She smiled sheepishly, certain she was going to be given detention again. She knew nothing she said would affect the outcome, so she stayed silent.

"Miss Rivers, am I boring you?"

While she'd very much remain silent, she knew at this point it would only make it worse. "No, sir." she replied, only adding 'sir' because she hoped that it would help pacify him towards whatever punishment he gave her.

"Then try to stay awake from now on," he said, starting to walk away. Then as he reached the front of the room, he stopped and turned back towards her. "Stay after class and we'll talk about your sleeping in class."

Charlie wasn't surprised. He tended to do that for dramatic effect, or to give her a false sense of security that she might be getting off the hook, but he'd never asked her to stay after class. She didn't know if this would be a good sign or not, but given the luck she usually had, she assumed it wasn't going to be a good thing in the end.

She glanced at the clock and wasn't surprised to learn it wasn't even a quarter of the way through the class. Either he was unusually on top of his game today, or he'd been keeping an eye on her and pounced once she'd fallen asleep; maybe that would be part of why she'd been asked to stay after class. Fortunately, every time something like this happened, however, she'd always been able to wake up when any teacher was standing over her and not have to get woken by the teacher dropping something near her head or talking loudly to startle her awake. Thank goodness for small favors, she told herself as she yawned, making sure to keep it low key. The last thing she wanted was to draw more attention to her sleeping than she already had.

Charlie jumped when Mr. Samuels suddenly said, "Miss Rivers, now that you're better rested, perhaps you'd be willing to make an attempt at the problem on the board. If you're so tired, you must be studying very diligently, so you should be able to solve this without any problem, given what you were supposed to go over last night with your homework."

Now Charlie knew this was a trap. She'd seen far too many of her classmates fall for it. If she answered correctly, she'd be berated that if she applied herself that she'd have better grades or some such blather that teachers often said. Charlie rarely really paid attention when they went on like that, but acted like she did when she was the focus of their attention. But if she got it really wrong, then she'd be given extra punishment because she'd been sleeping when she really needed to be paying attention to the material in class. Which annoyed her each time it occurred. Besides, she had the best grades in the class, or at least according to when Mr. Samuels would complain about how 'poorly' everyone in the class did on every test they'd had that year.

So, as she approached the board, she studied the problem, then seeing that she already knew what the answer was, proceeded to write down the answer, making sure to include a simple mistake that she knew Mr. Samuels would catch. That way he'd likely just be smug that she didn't get it right, but not feel the need to rub her face in it. Much.

She heard the teacher tsk at her when she stepped away from the board. "It would seem that you weren't as diligent as I thought you might be, Miss Rivers. Do you really think you're smarter than your teachers?"

"No sir," she answered honestly. She just really didn't care. School was merely an obstacle to overcome and the teachers were part of the obstacle.

"Then perhaps you had better get your act together before you ruin your entire life here and now."

Melodramatic enough? She asked herself. However, she must have let something slip on her face because as she started to head back to her seat, he asked testily, "What is so funny, Miss Rivers?"

"I don't know what you mean, sir." When in doubt, keep up the 'sir.' "I merely was heading back to my seat while thinking about what you told me." Innocence was an underappreciated defense, Charlie felt. When you knew that someone, especially a teacher was trying to get you, innocence correctly applied was a good deterrent to their wrath. Not that it always worked. A few times it'd backfired, but that never stopped Charlie. However, the biggest trick was to not overplay it.

Mr. Samuels certainly seemed suspicious, but didn't say anything further as she took her seat. Although, Charlie made sure to act like she was paying attention while she let her mind wander until the usual worksheets were handed out. Then she focused on the work.

It didn't seem like long before class was over, not that Charlie cared. All it meant was that she'd have to deal with Mr. Samuels that much sooner. It always seemed best to deal with most teachers as little as possible, and Mr. Samuels was one at the top of that list.

As everyone was rushing to get their things together to leave for their next class, Charlie merely put her work away in her backpack at a leisurely pace. After all, she'd been asked to remain after class, and the one time she ignored that 'request' from Mr. Samuels, He found her at her next class, which happened to be next door to this room, and give his piece of mind to her there. At least he didn't have a class for the period after this. Charlie suspected it was his planning period.

So, as the room was clearing out, Charlie made her way to the front of the room, to where Mr. Samuels was waiting.

"How many times have you fallen asleep in my class, Miss Rivers?"

"Four," She answered honestly. It wasn't like she had anything to gain by trying to fudge the numbers about it.

"I meant the entire school year, not just this semester."

Charlie was taken aback. Her mind rarely kept running tallies that long. It took her a minute to tally what happened in the first semester that year. "Six," she finally answered.

Mr. Samuels nodded. "Six times for the entire year, and as you mentioned, four of those times occurred this semester. What month is it?"

Charlie always hated when someone with authority over her kept talking down to her, as if she were an unruly child who acted out from pure childish ignorance. She may be 14, but she at least had left that far behind her. "March." It was almost April, but she knew Mr. Samuels would consider anything more than the exact month 'talking back.'

"Yes, March. You still have a ways to go before the end of the year. If this happens again, I'm afraid I'll need to call your parents to discuss this problematic behavior."

It was like a blow to Charlie's stomach. Threatening to call her parents was always one of the lowest things Charlie considered a teacher could do. In some cases it was justified, but Charlie knew that there were several students who skipped class in order to take what she assumed was a nap somewhere they found they could hide from the faculty, but only got detention from skipping class and their parents were never called about it. Besides, it wasn't her fault, sometimes she needed to stay up late for work on some of her other classes, and her parents, especially her mother, would push her to keep all of her assignments current. Charlie didn't mind that so much, but if her mother caught wind that she was having trouble keeping up in ANYTHING, she knew she'd be in deeper trouble than anything else she could think of doing that would get her in trouble at school. Even getting expelled would likely not be as bad.

"I understand, sir," she replied, not caring if she sounded as defeated as she actually felt.

"Do I make myself clear, Miss Rivers?"

"Yes."

"Then go on to your next class and I hope to see you awake in my class the rest of the year."

Charlie made her way to her next class, one of her usual favorites, feeling like she'd had to stay up all night and even now couldn't fall asleep. She couldn't even bring herself to enjoy her Home Ec class or the fact that she hadn't gotten stuck with any detention as a result of her sleeping in Mr. Samuel's class.

_

"Can you believe he said that to her?"

Charlie knew the question wasn't for her, she was sitting at her usual spot at the table the cheerleaders of her year always sat at. She wasn't part of their group, but she was allowed to sit there as a result of a mutual beneficial agreement. The faculty member that was in charge of the enforcement of rules was very strict about 'bullying' and would come down on anyone she perceived as being 'bullied' out of where they were sitting. Which actually opened up the window for a lot more bullying in Charlie's opinion. However, it gave her an opportunity to at least get a part of the protection being near the cheerleaders provided, in that she was 'acceptable' enough to sit there, as she wasn't embarrassing to be seen around nor was she one of the groups that this group of cheerleaders found to be anathema. So, they didn't object to her sitting there, as long as she didn't talk to them without them initiating the conversation or in any way make it seem like she was a part of the group. The arrangement was fine with Charlie, given that she didn't care in the first place of being part of their group, not that they'd believe her if she told them, and it prevented her from being forced to sit by others who didn't want her around, aside from being their 'entertainment' where they would do things like 'accidentally' knock her food off the table and feign innocence when confronted by a faculty member, IF the faculty member even noticed it.

"I know, she shouldn't put up with it."

Charlie only partially paid any attention to what they were talking about, given how much she cared to know of the gossip going around. Even if it was about her. Presently her mind was more occupied with how she might persuade her parents to not be so adamant on her completing her homework the day she gets it before she can go to bed.

–Is there anyone who can help?–

The biggest problem was that she'd already tried explaining her problem to her parents but either they dismissed her points or they thought she was trying to get out of doing her homework. Their response didn't make that point clear to her. Maybe she should just let the dust settle where it may if she ended up falling asleep in Mr. Samuel's class again.

"I'd never do that, even if I had to die instead."

–Please, I need help.–

Annoyed that whoever was calling for help, Charlie wondered why they couldn't just ask one of the faculty for help with whatever their problem was. The pleas were disrupting her concentration.

–Who are these 'faculty' who could help?–

Charlie looked up, startled. She looked around, unsure how her thoughts could have caused a response with whoever was asking for help. However, she couldn't see anyone who looked like they were asking for any kind of help, aside from the usual students who were the targets of either bullying or general harassment from their friends.

–If you tell me who these 'faculty' are, I promise to leave you alone.–

Charlie wondered if maybe she was losing her mind. It would at least explain why she was the only one hearing a voice that no one else seemed to be hearing. On the off chance she was actually hearing someone or something, she tried something simple that wouldn't get anyone looking at her like she was crazy. She thought, Who are you?

–What do you mean? Does this have something to do with the 'faculty' you mentioned?–

If I'm crazy, Charlie thought to herself, at least it's not apparent to anyone around me, at least not yet. But, as the voice responded to her thoughts when she focused on the 'voice,' she thought through what she should next think about, as the assumption was that the 'voice' couldn't read her mind, just 'hear' what she thought when she focused on the 'voice.'

Forget about the faculty, Charlie thought at the voice. I only mentioned them because I thought you were a student at my school.

–What's a school?–

Never mind, Charlie thought at the 'voice'. Who are you and where can I find you?

–I do not know. There's a field with what looks like a strange rock formation next to it and strangely shaped blocks of metal. I'm not sure where you are either. I'm completely lost.–

Charlie couldn't help but feel for the 'voice.' It was clearly out of its element. All she could think to do was try to calm the 'voice' down. Not that she had any idea of how to go about it.

Can you at least tell me what your name is? Charlie tried.

–What's a name? I am me and you are you. Isn't that enough?–

Charlie sighed inwardly. This is just what she didn't need.

–Oh I see. Thank you.–

Charlie jumped, she wasn't sure what she could have thought that the 'voice' could be thanking her for, but knew that she needed to know more.

For what? She wondered.

–Oh, sorry, I forgot both of you can't hear each other like this. There's two of you that can hear me, but no one else. It's strange with how many of you around here there are.–

Well, that's that, Charlie decided. She could wash her hands of this whole mess and let whoever else could hear this 'voice' deal with the entire matter. It would be a less stressful way to finish this matter and Charlie was completely fine with this. However, she couldn't help but be curious as to who else could hear the 'voice.'

Can you tell me who else can talk with you?

–I- I really don't understand this concept you have. It just seems strange and I can't say why.–

It was clear this might take a little prodding, but Charlie found that this interested her far more than anything else that had occurred that day.

Let's start with this, Charlie thought towards the 'voice.' My name is Charlie, consider it as a way to identify me from others like me, a way that you can get my attention and let me know that it's me you are talking to.

Charlie was surprised at the silence from the 'voice.' The usual noise continued in the cafeteria, but she didn't expect to not hear an almost immediate response from the 'voice' like she had during their conversation up 'till now.

–I'm not sure I fully understand, but I will try. I will think of you as Char-lie and the other as Ralph.–

Charlie was relieved that the silence from the 'voice' had been broken, but hearing who else could hear the 'voice' made Charlie groan inwardly. The only 'Ralph' she knew in the entire town, and extended area, was a friend of her neighbor, Tim. He was someone who she wasn't openly hostile towards, but he did frequently get on her nerves. She wasn't sure how well she'd be able to handle working with Ralph if it came to that. It would likely involve his group of friends too. While Charlie didn't have anything against them, she still didn't like dealing with others.

Still, she couldn't turn away someone who she knew needed help, even if it meant that she had to do something she didn't like. At least if there wasn't another who could help that Charlie felt was able or at least competent enough to do so.

So, what should I think of you as? Charlie wondered.

Charlie sensed hesitancy, but couldn't be sure she didn't imagine it as the 'voice' took a bit to reply.

–Let's get back to what I need help with. I still don't understand this concept, so I don't know how long it'll take. But what I need help with is something I don't know how long I have left until it's too late, but I am certain I don't have as much time as with this 'name' thing.–

Okay, so what is the problem? Charlie asked, as she finished eating the last of the fish sticks on her tray.

–Something broke into my forest and started cutting trees down, burning bushes, and destroying what I had built. I tried to confront them, but they attacked me on sight. I didn't even get a chance to see what they looked like before I had to flee. All I know is they came from this world.–

Charlie didn't know what to make of that explanation. It also didn't clearly tell what 'help' this 'voice' needed, but she wasn't sure that the 'voice' knew what help he or she needed. It also was difficult to say what she could do to assist whoever this 'voice' was. Charlie concluded that she needed to meet with the 'voice.'

You told me you were in a field near a large rock formation and strange block of metal, right? Can you tell me anything else about what's around you?

–There are white lines and symbols on the field, the grass seems to be the same height in most areas, the rock formation is very strangely shaped, it looks like it didn't occur naturally that way. And the- Oh, there's several creatures coming towards me right now.–

"Hey everyone! There's a horse in the football field!"

Charlie ignored the cry in the distance, although it did startle her out of her thoughts. It even took her a moment to get back to where her thoughts were when she was jarred out of them.

Is there anything you can do to help me understand what you're seeing? I mean, if you describe a cloud or something I might not see it in the same way, so it wouldn't be helpful as a frame of reference.

–Hmm. Oh, I know, I'll just think about what I'm seeing and you should be able to see it too.–

Charlie was about to ask about what the 'voice' meant when suddenly she saw the school from outside, and not just outside, but from the football field, with several of the students rushing towards her, or at least the 'voice.'

Realization dawned on Charlie and she thought towards the 'voice.' I think I know where you are. You're outside my school, but you might want to go hide somewhere or you're going to get caught by animal control. I won't be able to help you if that happens.

–But if I leave, how will I find you?– the 'voice' asked. Charlie could feel a strong sense of worry emanating with that thought.

Just return here when the sun sets. If you remain in the trees at the edge of the field, you should remain hidden from most people.

–I'll do that. How long will it be before the sun sets?–

Should only be a few hours. The day is mostly gone anyway. You don't need to worry about that.

–I will try, but I do not know how much time I have and might not have enough time to do anything even now.–

Charlie couldn't think of anything to respond to that with. It was clear that this might be similar to the 'voice's home being repossessed. Leaving the 'voice' with nothing to do that was certain to work, but still desperate to find something that would work and save it; only with a home being repossessed, there was a known timetable to work with, but here the 'voice' didn't know what that timetable might even be.

I'm sure there's something that we'll be able to figure out. However, I can't leave right now, there's classes I have to finish first. I promise it won't be long before it'll be over, Charlie tried to calm the 'voice' with simple reasoning, hoping it would at least calm him or her. Besides, if you rush things, you might actually make them worse. Even when you don't have much time to do something, if you take a minute to work through what you can do, you'll have a better chance at coming up with something rather than killing the plant.

–What plant? I thought you were talking about my problem?–

Charlie was surprised at the venom she felt in that last thought the 'voice' sent her. Apparently she'd really offended the 'voice' when she accidentally slipped in how she knew about rushing a problem with a mistake when she was gardening last year.

Sorry, Charlie tried to appease the 'voice.' Last year I tried to save a plant I was trying to grow, but I rushed what I thought I needed to do and ended up killing the plant. Looking back at it, I realized that if I took a little more time, I might not have killed it. How it died was I choked it with what usually helped it grow. It just couldn't deal with what I tried when it was trying to deal with a different problem at the same time.

–So, you're saying that even if I only have until the end of today, before my forest is gone that I might make things worse if I try to rush finding a solution to what's harming it?–

Precisely, Charlie was glad her point was received. Besides, we don't know if who was harming your forest was intending to destroy it. They might have been passing through or merely looking or something. If they find what they're looking for, they might leave your forest and it can recover.

–You don't understand.–

Charlie was surprised at this response. Clearly there was something that the 'voice' wasn't letting her know. Especially with how it was apparent the 'voice' wasn't telling her anything else without her inquiring about it.

So, tell me in a way that I can understand, Charlie coaxed, hoping there was something that would help her actually understand.

–I can't. I don't really know myself, I just can tell you don't understand.–

While Charlie was surprised earlier at the venom of the response, this time she was shocked at how sad the thoughts were. If it was another person, Charlie would expect to see them appear about to burst into tears, with the sadness that came with the last thought.

Look, my lunch period is about to end, I'll meet you where we agreed after school ends, when the sun is setting. I promise I won't be late.

–Okay, I'll wait.–

As Charlie finished the remainder of her juice, she couldn't help but feel like that last thought was that of a lonely child being comforted enough to stop crying, though she half expected to hear a sniffle from the 'voice.' She couldn't figure out why that image was in her mind as she gathered her things so she'd be ready when the bell for the passing period to her next class sounded.