One-Way Trip (1)

"…ake… …p…"

Memories of the past filtered through his mind. Eyes everywhere, judging his every move…

"Wa… up…"

A row of stairs… Liquid flooding the bottom step…

"… up…!"

Laughter… Jeers…

"Wak… ….p!"

A squawk of frustration… Never-ending embarrassment…

"WAKE UP!"

[][][]

"Ack!"

Lynch stood up, his eyes wide, the thick smell of salt water saturating the air. He searched the scene with unfocused eyes, his breathing ragged, the harsh rays of the sun boring down on him from the clear heavens.

"Finally awake, eh?" A rough voice piqued his attention. His head swiveled to the right while he gasped for air. "Fortunate, you are."

"W-who...?" Lynch tried to say, only for his voice to trail off as the odd event unfolded.

"A storm." The unidentified man patted the sand off his pants, the moist lower half stained by the soothing, breaking waves. "Like I said, fortunate, you are."

'A… storm…?' Lynch was confused. Nothing seemed to make sense. He was certain that the day was sunny. After all, there were no black or gray clouds to block the ever-shining light during the day. 'Where… Where am I…?'

If that wasn't enough, he was certain he was in a city, not on a beach in... wherever the hell this was.

"Breath in, lad." His unknown companion took a knee beside him, grabbing something dangling from his belt. Lynch tensed, memories of strangers from the past filling his head. "Drink."

For a moment, Lynch glared at the offered object, a leather water skin with its cork unplugged. Eyes focused on the man, Lynch made no move to accept the offered item.

"Alright, a bit suspicious. Good." The man retracted the water skin and brought it to his lips. While he drank the contents down his throat, clear liquid dropped from the corner of his mouth onto the hot sand beneath.

After a few seconds, the man stopped drinking and gasped for air, his free hand wiping the stains off his face.

"Paranoia is good, lad." The man gave a reassuring nod before offering the waterskin once again. "Drink."

Lynch stared for a few moments longer before receiving the offered object and swiftly bringing it to his lips.

During his bewildered state, he didn't even realize he was incredibly thirsty, as seen by the manner in which he guzzled down the water - he noted - as if it were from God himself.

"Damn, didn't even leave a single drop." The man's words kicked Lynch out of his trance, and he noticed that the water skin was left with nothing but air. "That's alright, lad. You need it more than I do after all the shit that happened."

Lynch said nothing and handed back the water skin to the stranger, who accepted it with a faint smile.

"So, name's Asad." The man said while offering a hand to Lynch. "How about you, lad?"

Lynch stared at the appendage with barely hidden doubt, which made Asad laugh.

"Keep that paranoia on you at all times, lad," Asad grinned, hand still extended to Lynch, who was still sitting. "It'll save your life more than you can count, but..."

Asad's eyes turned stony.

"Do not turn down an honest helping hand," Asad says, his face suddenly expressionless. "It'll kill you faster than you can blink."

The sudden change from Asad sent a shiver down Lynch's spine. Nodding weakly, Lynch grabbed the offered appendage and proceeded to be brought back on his feet.

Only for his weak knees to protest and send him careening back down to the scorching sands. Lynch closed his eyes, bracing for impact, only to feel something stop his rapid descent.

"You okay there, lad?" Lynch opened his eyes and relaxed as Asad's voice returned to its former gruff but compassionate tone. His only response was a nod, his throat still a little dry after going so long without probably drinking anything.

"… Lynch…" Lynch rasped out from his awkward position.

"That your name, lad?" A nod was the only response Asad got. "Alright, can you stand now?"

Lynch tried to give strength back to his knees, only for it to fail once more.

"I guess I'll have to carry you." Asad grabbed Lynch by the back of his knees and propped him on his back.

Lynch grunted at the effort but overall made himself comfortable, for both of their sakes.

"I'll be bringing you to the village o'er yonder." Asad pointed in the relative direction of their destination, with Lynch having to squint hard just to make out irregular shapes in the distance. "Kind people, they are. They'll take you in no problem, lad."

As Asad began his trek, Lynch never noticed the drastic change in his skin color and body size.

[][][]

All was silent as the heavy footfalls graced the ears of the two trekking beneath the scorching sun. Lynch noted that, even this far inland, most of the ground has been nothing but sand.

He had his suspicions about where he was right now, but was completely stumped as to how he was even here to begin with. Not long ago, he was halfway across the globe, going about his business as a normal person would in any normal society.

"So, remember anything from before?" Asad broke the silence with a quick peek at Lynch on his back. Lynch moaned, blinking, unable to explain himself since his recollections were muddled.

'No, wait… I remember…' Eyes widening, Lynch felt a bout of terror run through his veins. 'That's… not possible… Definitely not possible…!'

It was wrong… Everything was wrong…

Blonde hair flowing through the wind… A bright smile, radiant enough to light up a town…

'Big brother!'

Her sweet, angelic voice was music to his ears. Her innocent smile, free from the worries that plague the world…

'Grab hold of anything! Jorge! Don't let go!'

Thunder rocked the sky, turning the once calm sea into a raging beast. Screams and yells of defiance echoed through the deck.

'Big brother!'

A cry of horror, eyes wide in fear. Arms reaching out, then cold. Only cold…

So cold… Why did it feel so cold...?

"Oi, lad! Get a grip!" A violent shove from muscular arms jolted Lynch out of his nightmare-inducing trance. Asad patted Lynch on the back after a few moments of heavy breathing that gradually turned to calm gasps of air. "Better?"

"Y-yes…" Lynch gulped, the visions… No, the memories that he experienced were thrown to the back of his mind at the moment. Looking at his arms, he realized it wasn't what he was used to seeing daily.

'These aren't my arms…'

A horrifying thought. No, it might as well be a fact. All he needed was a mirror to verify his imagination… memory… And he can… he can…

'What should I do…?'

Silence reigned supreme once more, with the only discernible noise being faraway vultures circling the skies in quest of their next meal.

"Lad, you feeling okay?" At first, Lynch didn't respond, but Asad made no further moves to disturb the boy even further.

Falling silent, Asad decided to move instead of getting the kid to talk.

The trek forward continued on in utter silence.