2 II : A-LE

"I see, you are confused," I gasped and turned around, shaking. Then there I saw a beautiful lady, taller and more mature than me. Her jewelry was not shimmering as she was under a tree. Her expressions couldn't be read, as if she was a doll, a mannequin that talks. Her blue dress touching the grass, she looks expensive, maybe a CEO? I couldn't figure anything right as I was really frightened.

I breathed as I didn't mind her, continuing what I'm doing, processing every mess that has already occured. Thinking of a way to make it all stop, but every thought I had vanished when she suddenly asked again. Her questions pertained to me and only myself.

"Are you A-LE?"

-

"No I'm not!" yelling in defense as I took a step back. "So you are her. Wow, nice to meet you, I'm Bennett, a huge fan of yours!" falling on the soft and itchy grass as I took my phone and opened it as I felt her peeking on it as well. "Oh! That's my account! You found it," she smiled before squatting.

"What do you want from me?" trying hard not to panic as I find the courage to dial 911 in secret.

"Oh straight to the point, I see,"

I didn't need the intelligence to not know that I was in danger. "So what if I am A-LE? What did you mean when you tweeted that?" calmly looking at her with shivering hands. Showing her none of my obvious intentions.

"That? Oh! You mean the 'you killed me' thing, you really did! That's why I'm here," I furrowed my eyebrows and scoffed. "Have you gone insane? Is this a prank? Where's the camera?" She sneers as she takes out a golden badge with an unknown language written in it.

"What does that mean?" I pointed while being mesmerized by how shiny it was "Carolina" that's the name of my story and its settings. How did she make that design and why did she go too far making it?

"Woah, you really are a fan," replying as I glanced onto the badge secretly while looking away, seeing that she smiled, had a far deeper meaning. Something about that smile is exasperating. "I'm from Carolina," everything went blank as I looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. "Shocked? Confused? Me too,"

I looked around before grabbing her collar, anger visible in my eyes. "First, your tweets, now this, what else? That you're a character from my novel? Huh?" I stopped as I looked through her piercing eyes, I knew then that she was worse than a paparazzi, it was nerve-racking.

"I am Bennett the orphan, you are slower than a horse pulling three carriages, aren't you?" getting off of my grip as she fix her clothes.

Feeling tedious as I stood up while patting off the dirt that went on my pants. "This is just another prank to lighten up my mood. Right? Ok, bye, have a good day."

"You will die and return."

I angrily shut my eyes before speaking again, in a tone that no one other than myself has already heard a multiple of times "This joke is already too much, would you mind stopping now-" as soon as I turned around, I saw no one. I felt no presence around me, nor any footsteps, voice, anything. My anger began to fade as it turned back into fear. Alarmed as I began running back home.

"How was your walk?" walking past Sarah, shutting the door of my room in process. Sitting up before opening my laptop, tapping my fingers on the table as everything hushed down while I was waiting for it to open. It felt as if the time stopped and the only beating of heart can be heard. My stomach was already turning.

As soon as the browser popped out, Come on Tweetiere, I need you to load...

Sooner I found myself scrolling through every tweet that the stranger had. Didn't sleep a wink 'til I reached the end. Biting my nails on the process without even realizing that two days had already passed. I didn't even know that I had passed out, feeling anxious, tired and hungry.

-

That was what happened three hours ago. When I woke up, I only saw an unfamiliar wooden ceiling, take note, it was broken, webs were on its corners, I immediately stood up because of shock only to fall off a small table "What? Where am I?"

"Orphan. There you are. I've been looking for you, come on, we still have errands to do!" I saw a kid, who I could see was very young, eighteen years younger than me if I would calculate. "Whoa there, who are you? What orphan? I clearly have parents?" I asked which was what I've assumed, a dumb move. Of course he laughed, so loud that someone even threw a stick at us. "Hey! Watch it!" I shouted. "What? Big sis dir you loose a screw or something right here?" The kid who threw the stick at us said as she pointed at her head.

"Why am I with kids right now? Who are you?" I protested before running to leave quickly. As soon as I found my way out the only thing I saw was an unfamiliar place.

A market inflated with villagers who are either wearing noble-like outfits or just ragged shirts and dresses. It was noisy, a mox of music and the voices of the vendors. I continued to walk deeper down the roads and there I saw carriages, horses, no cars or streetlights.

"Uhm, hello? Where is this place?" I asked a man who looked way taller than me a question which he gave me squinting eyes for. "Kid, don't you know how to respect your elders? We're at Mylian, next time learn to ask nicely."

Mylian? Kid? Carriages?

Soon realization hit me, slowly backing off before falling down on the ground, dazed because of the unknown surroundings in front of my eyes. Is this a dream? Was I really transmigrated?

"Hey! Why did you ran off like that?'' I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Why are you acting like that? Orphan?" He asked. "I don't know where I am, nor who you are," he finally let go and fell beside me. "You really don't know? Why?" He was still breathing heavily after running. "I don't know, I fell asleep in front of my laptop I think and then boom, I woke up here, worse, got called a 'kid' that doesn't even make sense,"

"Laptop? What's that? Wait- but you are a kid. Even though you just turned eleven last month," he said. "Hey kids! Get out of the way before I sliced both of you up," the child beside me quickly grabbed my left arm and pulled me as both of us ran.

"You are Bennett, you don't have a last name nor a family, although I have mine, we are friends, I'm Alliezar, you call me Allie, I'm poor too, we are both commoners, the only difference is that I have parents and you have none. You ran away from the orphanage because you told me that you were getting abused there, you have bruises, see?" he tapped my neck as we were still running."Ouch! That hurts"

"Ohh, sorry, but yeah, I really do think that you really have forgotten about us, you even said something I didn't understand," he smiled before stopping, inhaling a not-so-fresh air while my eyes still wandered around, the stalls were different to what my place has, it's all shabby, while the stores were all different, no malls, nor huge roads and pedestrians can be seen.

What's more confusing is that I can't read any of the words and letters that I would see yet I can speak and understand what everyone is saying.

-

"Big sis is back! Huh? You didn't bring home food?" I look at the child in front of me before kneeling. After Allie's explanations, I finally understood what's happening. This is not a dream since I got hurt when he touched a bruise of mine which I couldn't even see. I was inside my own novel, I didn't know that transmigration really was a real thing. Even so, I can't tell anyone about that.

"You are?" I raised one of my eyebrows as I held his hand. "That's Cel, the girl who threw a stick at us earlier was Cal, they're twins. That guy over there, the one who's sleeping is Earl, that toddler is Talia" Allie whispered in my ears. "Here's food," I heard a voice behind me. "Cal! Yay!"

"You went on your own?" Allie asked her as Cel, her brother was already grabbing the bread. "I told you to let us do the job. Why did you wander off yourself? It's dangerous. What if someone from the orphanage saw you?" Allie looked angry so I kept my mouth shut. "But big sis is not on her right mind right now" causing him to sigh and look at me.

"Nevermind that, don't do that again alright? I'm going home now, rest after eating, I'll come tomorrow for your breakfast"

Allie went out and shut the door. I looked around and sat down. This place is a mess. It looks more like an old attic than a basement. It's so small. It'll take time to adjust. I sighed before hugging my legs. "Big sis come eat!"

I look over to Cel, giving him a smile, "Don't worry, I'm not hungry." I was about to pat his head when the door suddenly flew open.

"The people from the orphanage are coming here! You guys need to go!" Allie was filled with sweat signifying that he had run a long way before getting in here, yelling as he grabbed Cal, who was the nearest to him and pushed her outside to run.

I got alarmed so I quickly ran out but then remembered that I'm supposed to be the oldest one among the orphanage kids.

I turned around and saw Allie shaking the guy who was sleeping, he looked worried. I went back in to see what was happening. "He's burning!" I quickly held his hand to help Allie wake him up. "Get Talia out, I'll be right behind all of you," I said. "But!"

"No buts! Go!" I yelled while trying to carry the sick kid on my back before hurriedly running away with them. I was the strongest, this is the least I could do since I can't remember anything from her memories. She's only the villain. Will I be able to regain her memories?

I ran as I followed the kids. I don't know where we are now. "Where will we go now?" I worriedly asked Allie as I try to catch my breath while I was still running. "I don't know.." he replied. I bit my lips hard and tried to think of a plan.

I looked around and saw an isle with some wooden boxes in it "Hide in here first! I'll ask someone to help us, make sure to hide well," breathing heavily as I put Earl down and let the others enter first. The isle leads to a dead end so I think this will be the safest one. I arranged the boxes so that no one will be able to find it suspicious.

"What about you?" Cal asked while pulling my shirt. I smiled and shushed them. "Don't worry," patting her head before walking away. I looked around and saw a woman who looked elegant enough to be a noble. Someone that might be able to help us.

"Ma'am! Please help us," I fell onto my knees while clinging onto her dress. "Get off of me! You nasty thing!" she pushed me away before patting her dirtied dress. "Please ma'am help us. The orphanage will take us and harm us again. Please!" I begged as I followed her.

"Guards! This child is making me feel uncomfortable, take her away!"

My eyes widened when I saw some low-ranked guardsmen trying to capture me. Why am I doing this again? What good would it be if I helped them? I don't even know them.

I bit one of the guard's hands and ran away. What am I doing? What's the plot of my story again? I remember that they will be captured by the orphanage again but what will happen next? I tried to look around only to hear a child crying loudly. I turned and saw Talia getting taken away by someone.

Wait! Now I remember this is where the plot will take its wrong turn.