Chapter 44: Molly's Fate

    Things weren't going my way. I had no idea whether I was legally sane, or if the witch was just more clever today. Either way, this was ridiculous.
    She brought me back to my room, not really enthralled in my protection. She probably didn't give if I got hurt or even ran, its not like she'd get in trouble for it anyways. As I tripped along, she stopped every now and then, mocking a prisioner (or at least thats what I thought of the rooms.) "Sup Retard" to a few. "Hey, how you two doing?" She would ask some of the single cell people.  I laughed at that one, even though it was terrible. The fact was, I kind of stuck with her to hear her sick (but funny) sense of humor. We didn't even get back to my room for about thirty minutes. But when we finally did, she looked back at me, "Here we are Klar's, your paradise, complete with girl." She then grabbed my arm and tossed me in.
     The first thing I realized when I got in was the two seperate wall designs. Mine was covered in drawings of future cities, and a few of the Retreat. (They all look pretty professionally done.) I even had one of Molly and I kissing. I hadn't even gotten to that part of the story yet. (I just called it "the story". I'm going insane. ) The other wall was covered in nature photos and posters. The most brilliant, a white tiger that hung over the bed. That must have been the nature professionals.
     I walked over to my bed. I then layed down, kind of exhausted from the bit of lifestyle change. I had went from Future Warrior to Insane quickly. I was kind of confused also. Where was Molly? She was my roommate, so she had to be somewhere. I didn't get curious though, because in the end it wasn't really any of my business. I just had to wait it out. So I went to sleep...

     A couple hours later, the thick metal door to the room opened, squeaking loudly, and squeaky herself said, "Here you go Nature Freak." Then the door shut. And in stepped Molly. She looked just as she had in the future, beautiful and powerful. I liked it still. But she also had another NEW look to her. That was the look of crazy, as she looked at me, her left eye twitching awkwardly.
     She started to talk, "Sup Alex. Long time no see." She casually walked to her bed and sat down. I was still laying. "I've been wondering how long they were going to hold you in the Keep." (The Keep must have been the place where I was strapped to the chair.) I sat up, laughing at the fact that  Molly was actually talking to me again. "Yeah, Doc Murphy was trying to teach me what I supposedly "didn't know" (as she flipped her index and middle finger up and down in a familiar gesture) about nature." I then tried to interrupt, but she continued over me. " Like I don't know about nature. Lions are purple and he can't convince me otherwise." Man, she was a wackjob."So, whats up with you Al."
     (Finally...) "How long was I there?" I asked. "Because the last thing I remember was you and me in an apartment dancing when all of the sudden some people attacked us." I was hoping she would remember something similar.
     "You were in there for a while, I'd say three or four days." I think that she was scared for me. She seemed to stutter a bit. "But about the apartment, I don't remember that at all. I remember you and me on a safari though." Nope.
     "No apartment? Nothing?"
     "Nope."
    "Damn." Maybe I was just a looney bin regular. Nobody knew my story except that nurse. THAT NURSE. "Molly, what was the nurses name. Squeaky I mean." (Squeaky. I'd been calling her that for a while.)
     "You know her name silly. That's nurse Georgie hun. Now get some sleep, and make sure to snore a ton. Keeps the mosquitoes away."
      Nurse Georgie. Sounds familiar. Georgie wasn't good. I had to do it, I had to get to Georgie. She would know whether I was crazy or not. She had to.  

Chapter 46: Fish, Food, and Death

     We walked in and everything was great. I saw some flying fish and giant mongrals and sharks. The aquarium was huge. It had to have had seventy thousand gallons of water in it. If not more. And Molly was absolutely hilarious. She was telling these absolutely crazy fast facts. I think my favorite was "Sharks are cool. They don't eat people, but they suck them into their mouths where parasites eat their intestines, then the shark poops them out whole." What made that funny was that the tour guide behind us looked at her, and she made a face that made Molly look idiotic. It was funny.
     I still had my plans against Nurse Georgie, but I figured I'd enjoy myself before plotting murder. I mean, I never would have if I was back at Nexus. Its different now. As we walked towards the end of our tour, I knew it would be the end for her soon. In fact, it would be right after dinner.
    When we pulled up to the stalls for dinner, there were foods I had come to miss over the years. Burgers, fries, shakes. I hadn't had a good burger in years. It kind of made me think actually. What if this all was real? What if I was crazy and by killing Georgie, I would be erasing any chance I had of living life again. It was crazy, but could you imagine what would happen if everything I planned for the aquarium steps worked out. I had to confirm that I wasn't in a dream again. I needed to know if this is all real.
    First I tried Molly again. There had to be a shard of memory, there had to be. That all was to epic to not have been stored somewhere in that brain of hers. "So, Molly. Do you remember Nexus? That apartment you had there was pretty crazy..."
    "What you talking about you silly monkey-man?" She had no idea did she.
       "Come on Moll, you've gotta remember. The Retreat ring a bell, or maybe the Masks?"
         "Oh, the Masks!" I think I had her. "The masks lemurs wear to hid their alien identities."... Nothing.
    I needed some other proof. I tried to get to Georgie. Maybe a confession or something. That could work.
    "So, hey Georgie, hows it going?" I asked. I don't even know how I would get her to confess. She would die if she didn't though. "Hey... Do you remember those old apartments? The ones I met you in before I was crazy?" I tried my best.
    "No, I don't remember. Your having a moment again, aren't you?" She started to grab a pill box out of her purse."Here you..."
    "That won't be necessary. We don't need you to do that for me. I was just testing you." Plan B, act retarted. "Test success. Guess you aren't a patient." I laughed. This made a crazy red-headed girl next to me laugh herself. But I don't know why.
    "Well, its time to go yall," said Georgie.  I was ready to go. Operation: Nurse Georgie was ready to commense.

Chapter 43:Truth

This couldn't have been happening. It was impossible. Bellville Mental Hospital! But what about Molly, and the Masks, and the Witch. It all had to have happened. "Your bluffing, you witch." I screamed.
    "Now now Alex, don't raise your voice. You may scare Molly," she said. My eyes got wide. Molly was here? But where?
    "Where is she you bastard?!?" I screamed again, this time louder.
     "She's in your room, remember. The one me and Nurse Cherry gave you two. You two were perfect for each other, as roommates that is." My mind went blank. Everything I could remember went blank. Was this squeaky lady telling me the truth? Was I actually creating my own nightmare?
     "What's Molly's problem?" I asked calmer, hoping for a few answers.
     "She has the strange premonitions that she is on a safari. She dreams she is jungle girl," said squeaky. She then laughed, "Just the other day she thought a tiger was under her bed."
      BOOM! My world exploded. As my mind went into a shock I had never known existed, all I could do was wait for more. (Not that I was ready for any more news) The only things I was getting out of this conversation though was that I was either stuck in a new nightmare, or a crazy, delusional child. Either way, my situation wasn't good considering squeaky found it fun beating me.
     The squeaky nurse started towards me. This time with some keys instead of a needle. She then unlocked my left wrist, and my right wrist. "Now get to your room jackass. You're going to get me fired."
    I turned around, and then looked her in the eye. "What's your name again?" I asked, just to see if she'd answer.
    "I'm nurse Jaklyn" she said. "Don't you remember?" She then slapped me upside the head. "Now get a move on you idjit."

Chapter 42: The Boy and The Witch

     When I woke up, everything was brighter. I had that flash you get when you've been in darkness for a long time. But for some reason, I was wishing my eyes would never focus. I was scared about what nightmare I would be forced to wake up to next. And slowly, as my vision got darker and darker, I realized that it wasn't a dream anymore.
     What I woke up to was a snarling face. The snarling face of the witch. " Well, my pretty boy. Quite the adventure you had, tossing and turning like that." She then laughed, and then looked at me again. " I would have been surprised if you would have gone into shock." She then grabbed one of my two arms, which I now realized was strapped down. "You were having fun right?!?" she cackled.
    I was terrified. But in the shock, pride was clinging somewhere. Just enough in face for me to spit right into her face. "Hows that for dreaming?" I cackled myself.
    But before I could get another laugh off, she grabbed my face, gripping it strongly. "Boy, I wouldn't do that if I were you. Otherwise, you're going to be locked in here longer." She then slapped me. "Now hold on." She pulled something out of her pocket. It was a needle about the size of a pencil, filled with a blue liquid.
   I slapped it away, knocking it across the room into a wall. It shattered and crashed as it hit it. But as I looked back at the witch, this time, the look wasn't patience, as it usually showed. It was anger. "THAT COST THE HOSPITAL 200$ TO GET YOU THAT STUFF!" She screamed. She then kicked me hard, right in the nuts.
    "Hospital?" I choked out, wincing in pain.
     "No shit stupid." The witch said...
       But there was something peculiar about her voice this time. It rose. Rose quite a bit, into a high pitched squeak. It was a woman's voice alright, but a squeaker at that. I looked at her again. There were no straps on my neck, so my field of vision was decent. And as I looked at her, her face started to shift into new positions. Her nose started moving upwards, and the wart started disappearing. The ears started to slip into her head, and they changed angle. Her eyes changed color, along with her skin and hair. And eventually, she was a new person.
       "You've been staying at the Bellville Mental Hospital for five years now Al, don't you remember." She then winked, showing one of those cheesy nurse smiles. "Or did you have one of your moments again, Klarsey."

Chapter 41:Everybody Dance (Georgie's Friend)

   Authors Note: This chapter is written in a peaceful manor in dedication to the 22 people who died in Connecticut recently. God Bless their Souls. (Although the cliffhanger ending isn't as peaceful)

 I left the library eventually, after searching and searching for hours on a way to defeat the masks. Nothing. Plus, I got the weird feeling you get when you've been at a library for more than 3 hours. So I had to leave.
    Once I got back out, I wasn't sure whether I should keep exploring or whether I should find something useful to do. I did the latter. I went back downstairs and checked the kitchen. The only thing I found down there was some old guys playing chess (On this ridiculous hologram board thing that was super awesome) and Georgie cleaning up the grime from the meal I must have missed. She had this gigantic smile on her face as she looked at me as I came in. "Hey there KlarsEE. Hosit goin?" She had the hilariously psycho southern accent.
    "Good Georgie." I answered. "A little tired. I found the library."
      She laughed, "A boy who axsually reads. Mirecels happen." She then raised her hands in the air, giggling to herself, "Praise the loid." This was the first time I had seen Georgie like this. Things really esclated quickly as she then walked towards me and grabbed my arm and pranced around the table, as we did a little jig around the table. The guys who had been playing chess looked up and laughed.
     "Georgie, you're especially cheery today. Whats up?" For the small while I had been in the apartments, hiding from the masks, I had never seen Georgie doing anything but clean.
     "Ise happy because Ise gotta frien comin from a fort down sout." She then giggled again, like a Tigger giggle.
     "Well then lets celebrate." I said to Georgie.
      I missed times like this. Other than the time I successfully saved Molly, I had never felt pure joy like this. As Georgie jumped around, waiving her hands like a maniac, I took off. I sprinted, hallway after hallway and told everyone "Go to the dining room. We've got ourselves a celebration." Everyone came down. Even Molly. We ran down all together and without music, we danced. I danced around with people I had met in my short stay, and people I hadn't seen in my life. I even snuck a dance with Molly, who for the first time in a while, didn't have the "I'm going to kill you" look.  We danced, we conga lined, and even did some dances I'd never seen before. It was great.
     Then, in the middle of the dancing, there was a knock on the door...

     Everybody stopped. Some people looked at the door, some attempted to dance again. I looked at Georgie, as she smiled with the biggest smirk I had ever seen. "Shes here?" I mouthed to Georgie.
    "He's here." mouthed back Georgie. She then approached the door. Each step she took got more skittish and skittish, but she still had a stride to her step. She finally got to the door, took the handle, and opened it.
     Time slowed down. People eerily danced around, shuffling at a pace (to my perception) only possible in space. The people staring at the door blinked slowly, three seconds a blink. The person sitting on the other side of the door, was a mask. Not the mask I was looking for, but a big, melted white mask. In fact, it was a group of masks.
      I looked at Molly, and I knew she was in the same shocked mode as I was. Georgie smirked as she looked around the room. Her now bloodshot eyes scanned across the room. In a weirdly glitchy, low voice, this time not as southern, Georgie said, "Turn it off boys." Then there was a crash.
     I looked around, frozen, as the walls started peeling. The floor itself was phasing into a giant black abyss. This one similar to the black hole that had gotten me here. Soon the walls melted, and everything soon melted also. The people standing around the room who were once dancing melted away, like wax figurines to a flame. Then, the blackness folded around me, coming closer, and closer. As I could see the black wave coming at me, I tried to run.
    But I couldn't. The black wave got closer, and closer, and soon hit me like a black tsunami. It took my breath away. Then even though everything I could see in front of me was black, I felt another type of black, as I myself blacked out.

Chapter 40: Information

Red Mask, Fandora    
Search; Results
Search # 233674a41
Results:

(Audio File) Legand of the Red Mask
Read by: Gary Hardnam
 Explains the legacy of the "Phong clan". The controversial story about people living through the racial contrasts of our society tod...

(Document File) 2042 Red Mask Weapondry
 Written by: Fandora Historic Society
Red Mask Weapondry was a manufacturing company that produced blades as well as guns. Known for inventing the only "laser" saber, Red Mask We...

(Video File) Red Masks Spotting; Unknown Mysteries; Paranormal Netowork
  #paranormal #DouglassJohannason #UnknownMysteries

The first thing I picked was the video file. That meant no pain and no reading. What pulled up was what looked like a well made paranormal show that was hosting "Search for the Red Mask". What was great was it was just what I was looking for. It first gave me a sketch of the mask based on eyewitness accounts. I wanted it printed, so I said "print" to see what would happen, and so enough, it came up. A little piece of what almost didn't even seem like paper came up. A floating image of the mask, right in my hand. It was amazing.
    Next, it gave me information about the "Red Mask's" whereabouts. But, sadly against my advantage, it was in the direct middle of the "Retreat" (which was rather gigantic now that I could see it on a map). It also showed that the "Red Mask" moved a lot. There were blips of his sightings all over Earth. (or at least I think im still on Earth. I'm not even sure anymore)
    The third, and final thing I could pull out of the project was that the Red Mask was ancient. I mean, aparently, if this dude was still alive, he'd be 107 years old. So, whatever chance I had of finding the red mask was done. But I'm very zealot, and I couldn't give up. I had to find him. There must have been a way to beat the masks.
    I looked at the other files and got similar answers. Nothing out of the ordinary. (Other than the fact I was 150 years in the future, fighting a hoard of cultist who were following a 200 year old witch. Oh, and all with a girl I nearly got killed and whom had a huge scar on her face) I had to do some research. I had to do some research, but there had to be a way to stop the masks.There just had to be.
 

Part 4 Ad (Final Part)

Well, this is near the end. I can't believe it, but after 6 or 7 months, I finally am near completion of the book. Thank you to Molly for helping me for her short period of time. I'd like to thank all the people who were willing to get this far. And I'd like to thank my future publishers.

Chapter 39: The Library

    After talking to Jack and eating the fabulous turkey Georgie had served, I decided it was about time I ventured around the apartments. There had to be stuff Georgie hadn't shown us while giving us the "grand" tour. Plus, getting out of Molly's way for now was probably best.
     First I stayed downstairs. I walked down the hallway the dining room was in and kept going. From what it looked like, all that was down there was a big shared gender bathroom, (Welcome to the future) and a old pool that was green from the bacteria running through it. (This place was big for an apartment)
   Next I went upstairs. I think it was floor 2/3 floors, I couldn't remember but all I knew is it was where I would spend all of my time while at the apartments I knew there was another set of bathrooms and my room., but it got way more extensive. First thing I had found was a bunch of old gaming equipment. Being from 2000, (until a witch stole me) all I could remember was my old trusty X-Box and Nintendo 64. But here were some pretty cool toys. The dustier old ones were called X-Box 360 and PS3, but beyond that there were some pretty incredible machines. There was a some small orange cube called a Jynx. Next to the cube were different small cubes that fit into a slot. Every time I went to touch a cube, a little hologram came out of it with a title. The one I thought sounded the most familiar was Madden 68. What made the room cool was all of the systems down the row. There was something called a "Perico", one called a "Wii", and one called "Paradox". I wanted to try them all, but I was feeling to adventurous.
    The next room I found was the one I stayed in. It was a gigantic library. In the library, all I could see is shelf upon shelf of books. I mean, obviously there was a wall, considering the building had to eventually end, but it was still gigantic. I could spend days here. I walked in, and was immediately greeted by this R2D2 looking robot that was a tan color, looking old and rusty. "Hello there, what are you looking for today?" It asked, having a rusty feminine voice.
   I stared blankly at it, kind of freaking out at first. But then, an obvious idea came into my head. I said, "Red Mask". Sure enough.
    "Right this wa..." It zapped out of what was probably an eye. I wasn't sure anymore. "Way." It corrected itself, then took of at a very natural walking pace. It creaked as it wheeled its way across the dusty wooded floor. Nobody had been in here. I must have been its first visitor in years. "Here we are..." the little librarian bot choked out, "banana boats." Wow that thing was rusty.
   I was kind of pissed about the stupid robot, but I didn't let it get me down. I just looked over and saw another one of those computers like the one in Nexus. This ones lights were dimmer though, and it kind of had an eerie dusty look to it, even tho it had no true mass. (Another hologram computer.) I looked into it, "Search, Red Mask, Fandora." Sure enough, the computer jumped into action and brought me right to it. In the background I could hear the librarian robot going "Right this way." as it vroomed into another random section.
    What I found on the computer was amazing? What Jack had said was actually true, and it made sense. I couldn't help but laugh. Not because of the findings though, more because of the librarian robot suddenly saying, "Here we are, Cooking with Nail Clippings."

Chapter 38: Starved

    I finally got up and went downstairs. It was more of a limp considering that I was still tired a little. When I got down though, it was crazier than expected. First off, there was a bunch of kids sprinting around the table like little Olympic runners around a track. Secondly, the lady who had greeted us (I didn't know her name) was tossing food onto the table as quickly as possible, trying not to get killed by the track stars. Third, there were actually a lot of people in this place. It seemed bare when Molly and I had walked around, but now the room was packed with people talking, a giant pot roast. and a bunch of little kids. It was like a Thanksgiving back in my time.
    I looked around for an open seat. The only two I could find were either next to Molly, or this big guy with a tattered shirt who looked like he hadn't showered in weeks. I sat next to the guy. I wasn't sure whether I should start talking to him, or whether I should just steal a piece of food from the enormous pot roast that was quickly diminishing. Luckily, I didn't have to choose, because the old lady who had greeted us grabbed my arm and raised me to my feet. "Excurse me, Excurse me. We have ourselves a new guess." She shouted and everybody listened. " Tell us your name boy." She looked at me.
    "My name is Klarsey. I came here through the 'Retreat' with my partner Molly." I pointed too her, and she quickly shot up at the sound of her name. I was sure she didn't mind the attention.
    "Klarseys going to be stayin' wit us a while, so you best be nice." She then looked up at me, "The names Georgia, but friens call me Georgie." She said it more like "GeorgEE" but I knew what she meant.
    "Pleased to meet you Georgie." I said kindly and then sat back down. And right as I did, the sweaty man next to me started to interrogate me.
    "So you survived the Retreat from what I here. That must have been something." He gave me a wink, and although some weird juices came out of his eye, it was friendly. I let him continue. "You know, I got stuck in there once. Not just last week. That was when he had no idea what a Reaper was. I'm lucky to be alive. You'll never believe this. I ran into a Reaper." Not these again. God, one had nearly killed me a week ago. I thought I was finally done with the bastards. " He was big, and nasty, and, like a young kid would do, I ran. It ran after me, growlin' like they do, and I think it nearly got me..." He paused, as if the memory was choking him, then sudden sped up, as he got excited that somebody was actually listening to his story. "Then it stopped. I saw this man. But he wasn't a man. You see, he had this mask on, but unlike the jerks who destroyed this place, his mask was bright red, like a ruby, or one of those dragons you hear about in stories. He could talk to. He screamed 'RUN JACK.' but this time I didn't run. I watched. First the mask grabbed the monsters face, and jabbed his eye." Now he was intense, his voice lowered, and got slower. " He then flipped over the beastie, grabbed one of the horns that was on its back, and ripped the thing off. After that, he did something that would put anyone in the books. He took the freakin' horn, and he stabbed the Reaper. I shit you not, he jabbed the bone ten inches in. After I saw that I had to run." He then . It didn't hit me until later that this man knew my name. But all I know is that he saved me, and I owed him big time. I owed him."
    I looked at Jack, (or so I heard) curious about this mask. I mean, the only masks I actually knew about were the ones that melted stage masks onto peoples faces, and worshiped a demon. I didn't know anyone else. All I knew, is, if this guy could take out a Reaper like Jack had described, we maybe could have a chance. A chance to get the city back. The city back from the masks.

Chapter 37: Dreams

    I fell asleep right after Molly left. Yeah, I was pissed off, but even my prissiness couldn't keep me from sleeping. As I slowly crept into the apparatus of sleep, I could feel the pictures of dreams slowly turning on in my brain.

     Soon I was in true sleep. I was deep into sleep that the dream wasn't a dream any longer but actually a new dimension. I spent my time in this new dimension figuring things out.
     My alternate body woke up in the middle of smoke. A building cracked next to me. As I started to stand, the smoke cleared and there was something strange off in the distance. I wasn't sure whether to approach it or to run. I decided to investigate. For some reason, I knew I was in a dream, but it didn't mattter to me. I walked out of the smoke and past a couple of crumbling buildings. The buildings looked like the ones back home, in 2008. I kept walking, and through the rubble, I couldn't help but laugh. I had been through every nightmare ever and I was dreaming about back home. 
    I found what resembled a door through some broken bricks, and I took it to an outside. But outside the door was a ledge that must have been 20 feet off the ground. I looked into the distance, and I saw what looked like a giant man. This man was in what was probably a toga and the toga stretched down to his knees. Every step he took reviled more and more of his legs, pieces like his thighs and torso.  There were also multiple explosions ricocheting off of his body. It was almost like this being was hostile... enemy.
    I looked through the fog at my surroundings again. I seemed to be in some sort of house. A house made of clay and large and square. There was a shag rug (Now dusty because of the durbis) and some windows with no actual glass in them. They were simply holes in the wall.
    I looked for another door. Maybe there was a way out of here. I could get better berings on my surroundings. I looked through the window. I could climb through that. So I did. I climbed the wreckages of a desk or table that used to be there and climbed out. 
    I fell out and hit the ground, which was about 10 feet below me. It was comfortable though because It happened to be sandy. I was in a desert...

 Suddenly something slapped me awake. A bag. "Wake up retard. Dinners ready." It was Molly. I was pretty shooken but it was just the fact I had been waken up so roughly. "Also, I'm not talking to you." What a little girl. I swear.

Chapter 36: Living Quarters

    As we walked with the old woman, Molly and I kept exchanging glances. What had we gotten ourselves into? We followed her through the corridor as we passed door after door. We walked up stairs and at about the third floor, the woman stopped. "Here's da room use gonna be stayin in." She  opened the door and when we walked in, it looked like a normal room. (considering the year) The only thing that was a little off was that there was only one bed.
   "Um, excuse me. We aren't a couple," I told the lady. "We've just been traveling together."
     "I knows that. Nobody ugly like yourself would get a lovely lil' lady like da girl your standin with." She then walked us in and explained the schedule. The supplies were to low for lunch, but breakfast and dinner were served at 10:00 am and dinner at 8:00 pm.
    After all of this happened, I knew the question had to be posed. "What happened here?"
     The old woman looked at me, and although she seemed cheery, you could tell the question hurt her. "Well, it was just a two days ago that them monstahs attacked. They showed up and immediately started torching buildings. Them monstahs charged and attacked, then, they brought people into town hall, which ain't tree blocks from here. Last I heard, they was putten  people in dese masks and walkin off wit dem."
   Of course, the masks knew where we were headed from the start. I looked at Molly who was definitely just as pissed as I was. I was surprised she hadn't freaked out yet. I was surprised I hadn't freaked out yet. I mean, ever since the masks had showed up, they had ruined everything. I mean, life was totally ridiculous when they had taken Molly. Now they were destroying whole cities. I mean WHAT THE HELL!
   "Isa call use when dinnahs ready," said the old woman. She then started waddling out. (Her walk had turned into more of an awkward stride by the time this happened.) I went to the bed. It had been a lot of walking and shock for a day.  I then sat down and started to lay.
    Molly started walking towards me. "You don't live here, do you?" She looked at me, glaring at me intensely.
    I frowned. I figured Molly's intuition would kick in eventually, I just didn't think this early. I has to try lying. "What makes you say that?" It had to do.
    "You're not mad. I mean, your town was destroyed by our number one enemy and you don't seem the least mad." She had a good point. I was just glad to relax. She was more worried than I was, and I was supposed to live here. I had to do something. But acting mad would end in an argument, and she would hate me. My other option, telling her the truth, may end in her leaving me. I'd die without her. I had to make a decision.
    "I, um. I..." I cracked. She was now looking at me with that, "if you lie, you're dead," look. "I'm not from here. Please let me explain."
    She just looked shocked. "WAIT! So you're telling me I dragged your lazy ass up here to find out this isn't where you freakin live! You've got to be kidding me. DAMMIT KLARSEY!!!" She looked at me again. This was her third and final look. It was a look of dissapointment. She looked at me, telling me something through this look that probably would be the last thing Molly said to me. She told me through this look "I trusted you". Before I could get a word in, Molly broke into tears, and broke away, sprinting out the door. Me... I just sat in the bed, then lay.
   

Apology

(sorry its been so long. I fractured my left hand and it was immoble. I will be writing I Am Alive in a week or so. So please keep following.)

Chapter 35: Woman

    The hill was steeper than we thought, as we both kind of stumbled down. As we got closer and closer to the bottom, the trees of the Retreat shallowed, stopping about three-Fourths of the way down. By the time we got to the bottom of the hill, night had fallen.
    But it wasn't dark. Around us, buildings were on fire, and pretty much rubble. I think the only thing keeping the fire off of the streets were all of the broken water veins, that seemed to be running through the city, splashing water everywhere. We walked, and the look on Molly's face was still shocked. If I didn't find anybody soon, she was going to flip. You could just feel her tension.
    We walked through the city. Everywhere, bodies were burning, buildings were crumbling before our eyes, and the wails of broken hovercars screamed everywhere. My idea that there were survivors was getting more and more ridiculous by the moment. Plus, you could tell that this had all happened recently, so everyone was probably evacuated.
    Finally, we went towards the only thing that seemed to be standing. That was a giant apartment building that was built away from all of the streets. "Molly, I think we found something." I told her, as I carried get, her arm laced around my shoulder. "We should check out that building over there." The only thing that looked unsafe about that building was the small fire that was blackening the bricks on the side. Other than that, pretty safe, considering we had been sleeping in a forest for however long.
    We got to the door, and a closer look showed a victorian style door. I opened it, and suprisingly, it was unlocked. We then just decided to walk in. "Molly, I think we might be safe."
    We walked in and right as we got in, "BARK, BARK!" A dog came flying out of a door right to the left, a giant rottweiler, and tackled me and Molly. It then got onto my chest and growled in my face. I looked at it, its eyes bloodshot, as it bared its teeth, prepared to bite. Then, its head snapped back and...
   "Tiberus, BACK UP!" The thing got off my chest, and, as it limped off, whimpered. I looked at Molly, who was in shock from the dog attack, and we both looked up. "Bad Dog, GO!". Out from the door across the hall from where the dog had come out was a bone-thin, tall woman. She was wearing some rags and she had long, spindly fingers. She pointed at us. "Who ah you kids, stirrin' Tiberus like dat', yall should be shamed." We looked at her, and... I laughed. "I don't know what yall sittn' there for, dinners on the table."
    I got up, grabbed Molly's arm, pulled her up, and we walked with the scrawny old woman.

Chapter 34: Pile of Bodies

    I looked upon the broken buildings, almost in tears. Nothing was going my way! I looked at Molly, who also sat there, looking calmly over the smokey, but placid scenery. She seemed dead, as she blankly stared at the horizon. I was sure seeing something like this was extremely painful for a traveling girl like herself. I hadn't ever even seen Fandora, and I understood that it was a lost. What could have caused this.
    "Molly? Are you Ok?" I asked stupidly, knowing that I had basically stirred her even more than she already was.
     "Klarsey... Not now." She slowly replied, keeping a calm and straight face. Tears had welled up in her eyes now, like an overflowing dam, just about to blow. "Just let me be.
    "But Mol..."
    She jumped up, first tackling me to the ground, then taking her wrist and held it to my throught, choking me down. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THIS MEANS!!! IT MEANS WERE SCREWED!!! DEAD, KLARSEY... DEAD!!!" She then released me, and as I gasped for air, I heard her, crying. She punched the ground, causing her knuckle to bleed, and cried. "I just thought this may be a chance, to survive." She gasped out. She then hit her head on the ground, and screamed. Bloody Murder, High Pitched, scream.
   I didn't know what to say. She was right, we were dead. There was no way we would ever find hiding in Fandora. It was a garbage heap. All of the buildings, from what we could tell, were giant piles of rubble, all smashed into a giant pile. Then, too add to that, piles of bodies are scattered everywhere. Body upon body, stacked high like a dead skyscraper. I sat, looking at it. It looked as if somebody had nuked it, like those pictures of hiroshima. The only difference was...
    THE BODIES!!! They were stacked up. But that means, somebody had to have stacked them. I looked at Molly, who was now lying on the ground, slapping herself like a lunitic. "Molly," I said, jeering her on, "I think we may have a chance."
    "How Klarsey?" She replied, still sulking pretty heavily.
    "I think there are people down there." I told her. I didn't explain why, but I figured she wouldn't listen to me anyways.
    "And what makes you think that."
    "Survivors Intuition." I told her. I then grabbed one of her arms and picked her up. "Howabout we don't jump to assumptions and check it out."
    "Klarsey, Your an idiot."
    "I'm not an idiot. Just let me show you." I acted like I knew something. I mean, Molly still thought I was from Fandora.
    "Ok Klarsey. But if your wrong..."
    "Trust me, I won't be." I then helped her to her feet, and we walked to Fandora.
   

Chapter 33: Fandora

   "Walk faster, its not like were on vacation or anything." said Molly. She seemed to be a little more diligent and uptight ever since she got recaptured. I don't blame her. I mean, she had that scar on her face to remind her of that. What I hated was, that scar was my fault. If I hadn't tracked "Little Miss Nature Extraordinaire", she wouldn't have gotten that wound. I'm glad it had already healed up after only two days. I had a nice scab over it but I think she would be fine in no time.
   "Coming Darling Dearest" I said sarcastically, attempting to piss her off.
    "Shut up, you retard. You don't think the masks will slow down for us do you!"
   "No, but still. Don't you think we could take a break for a moment, we've been walking for hours." I could feel, normal, nightmare survivor, and total un-boy scout Klarsey coming back. I mean, survival was over right?
   "Not if you want to get back to Fandora." I had totally forgotten about my fake back story. But I guess she owed me. Plus, this was probably a great place to hide from the masks for now. So I didn't argue.
    We walked, keeping a fast pace, as we swatted our way through thick parts of jungle. To be honest, I was pretty suprised to hear that I was probably still in North America. Where in North America are there jungles like this?  I mean, my experience through the Retreat had been nothing but trouble. First the Reaper, then the fire, and then the Masks wall. But now I finally could actually stop and get a look. I've probably exagerated to myself enough, but the trees in this forest, and the bright colorful flowers, they were brilliant. I couldn't believe the witch brought me here as "torture". Other than the cult that was after me, it was a pretty awesome place.
    Molly walked, shooting glances at me every now and then to make sure I hadn't lost her. But unlike before, now I had some experience. I could of sworn she was mocking me every now and then with the small obsticles she would go over, as if trying to lose me. But each time, I matched her. I could see I was getting to her. But thats ok, considering how much we had walked today, its reasonable to be pissy.
    It was just starting to get dark out when I heard the cherubic voice "We made it" escape Molly. We were there! Fandora. I could only picture what lay ahead, as I walked up the hill towards Fandora, I pictured Nexus, but bigger and better. A huge fortress...
    I nearly had made it up the hill, as I heard Molly. "GASP!" The sound of it make me want to hurl,as it not only took me off guard, but seemed to tell me "The walking isn't over." I walked over the hill, and there, Fandora lay in ruins.


   

Chapter 32: Journey

   We both got up at the exact same time, early. I don't know how either of us got any sleep last night anyways, with the awkward moments and the whole killing masks thing and all. I mean, after her chewing me out for killing the masks and all, I felt guilty. I probably only got sleep last night because of my pure exhaustion, because if I had and energy to stay up, I probably would have.
    I got up to the smell of dew, a smell that is actually worth waking up too. Not fire, blood, smoke, or anything like that I was used to. That was nice. The only thing that made it a little less worth while was the "Get up rapist." that had immediately escaped Molly's lips. That made me feel SOOO much better. But, like she said, I got up and walked.
    I decided to go into the Retreat a little, not to far to get yelled at about how "I could have killed myself" or some crap like that. I also just closed my eyes. I sat, and relaxed. Listened to the sounds of nature, the strange caws and rustles unrecognizable by my ears. I'll admit, some of the sounds were just strange. 
   When I got back, Molly had already destroyed the tent and was packed with the little supplies we had. (basically some crappy meat we killed something for.) She looked at me "Come on Klars, long day ahead of us." I was supprised she was back to normal already, I mean, after what she had been through.
     "Well you're cheery." I remarked, quietly chuckling to myself that she actually didn't hate me for once. "What? No snappy remarks to ruin my day yet?"
    "Nah, we've got a long way to go today. You don't think our problems with the masks are done yet do you. I mean, you killed 30 of them. We've got to get moving." She then picked up a pack, tossed it to me, then picked up the other pack, and we were on our way.

Chapter 31: Awkward

     I slept through the night, exhausted from the fight at the Masks HQ. Molly was pissed off at me for killing all of those Masks back there. I don't know why though, I mean, she was killing them just like I was. Hypocrite.
    Oh, and one more thing. I kissed her. Yeah, it was pretty strange. I felt the mood around me, pulsing like a heart. So I grabbed her and attempted to kiss her. The feeling wasn't mutual apparently because she shoved me aside. So I grabbed her, taking it as a joke (wow, I'm an idiot) and tried again. She spat in my face, then shoved me off. She then gave me a good scolding, telling me she was tired and so on. I knew the kiss would come eventually, but I decided to let it rest.
    We made camp right after the incident, trying as much as possible to act like the whole kiss thing never happened. I don't think one word was said through the whole hour we took to make camp. We just kind of sat there and made a tent and a fire. She wouldn't even look at me. I tried to start a conversation eventually, about an hour later. I tried things like "So, what did the masks do to you?" I also tried, "Whats your favorite color?" She just wouldn't answer. We just tucked ourselves into the tent, trying as much as possible not to touch each other, and went to sleep.

Molly's Diary 5

(Author's Note: I'm not good at doing stuff like this. Keeping up on projects. I'm sorry I've been gone, and thanks to Randy for dealing with me. I do want to write, and I'm glad you guys read. I love you all! Enjoy! :D xox)

Dear Diary(I now hate this word, so you are life record),

      Is he serious? He comes in here, gets himself caught, makes them mask me, and then kills almost 50 people. And now he thinks he can just hug, and kiss, to make it better. This boy cannot be serious. I am not his girlfriend, or his mum. I am his protector, and in a way, his friend. I am also the one who came out here to trick him. Hell lotta mess that caused. Well anyway, I supposed I should explain why I've been gone.

     Well, after I last saw Klarsey, I got caught again. Obviously. They took you and locked my up. With a full watch. Oh yea, and they beat me up constantly. Who continually hurts a little girl? I mean, seriously, thats the only thing you thought to do? Well, that being said, I don't remember much. I remember waking up crying, and I remember being fed old stale bread and half rotted meat. Besides that, nothings clear until today. That's when I was "saved". Once Klarsey and I got out of the town. I started yelling at his stupid ass. I mean, did you really have to kill everyone? You couldn't find a better way? Not only did I yell at him, I punched him. Hard. In the stomach. And I don't even feel that bad. But I guess that wasn't enough, because once he recovered, he said he was sorry, and then tried to kiss me. Like really kiss me. He jumped on me, pinning me to the ground. It hurt like hell, and I screamed. I also pushed him off and pinned him down. I think he finally got a brain and realized enough is enough, because he walked 20 feet in front of me from then on. We walked until we found a good group of trees, and we made camp. Which leads us here. I would love to tell you more, and I will. But I'm in so much pain and I'm so tired.

Goodnight,
Molly Black xox

Chapter 29: Rage

    The crowd snapped back into the moment, now coming up after me and Molly like a hoard of zombies after a free brain buffet. Molly and I had no chance if I didn't run. I picked her up and strung her almost lifeless body around my shoulders. I then picked up the nearest long inanimate object in grabbable distance and started swinging. (It didn't hit me until later, but I had picked up a 2x4, NICE) I cracked the first mask who got on stage right in the head, then I threw the 2x4 and ran, quick and explosively towards the crowd, I was going to try jumping over them. I planted my foot on a mask who was climbing up on stage, then onto a 7 or 8 foot tall masked dudes head, then jumped. I must have reached ten or eleven feet in the air because I cleared the whole crowd, Molly in hands. WHERE HAD I LEARNED TO DO THAT?
     I hit the ground hard, causing Molly to fly across the pavement a nice ten feet. She skid across then groaned, her body covered in blood. I recovered as quickly as possible and sprinted towards her. Then I tried to lift her, but the masks were already coming, so I went into defensive mode. I grabbed the knife, mysteriously still in Molly's pocket, and took some stabs. My first on missed as the finesse mask dodged around it and grabbed me, so I stabbed him with an awkward backwards motion with the knife. I then tossed his lifeless body onto the next oncoming wave of masks to buy myself some Molly checking time. I looked back towards where I left her, and she was gone.
    I looked down the alleyway and saw her limping off quickly, with urgency, but I knew she wouldn't make it too far. I grabbed the knife, and took off after her. I checked back while running at Molly to see how the masks were, and they were in full sprint, this was my time of glory for the moment. I sprinted too, making sure I was aligned with Molly, I then hit her full speed and in a quick motion, scooped her into my arms and sprinted off. I knew the masks were on our tail so I had to do some quick maneuvering. This whole city was a labyrinth and they were the minitors.
    I took an immediate left into an small alleyway and then a right into another one. I scooped into a building and ran through it to the front entrance. I could still hear the sounds of feet behind me, which meant some of them weren't stupid enough to go into another direction. Now was my time to fend for myself. I got to the main road and found a long, sharp piece of broken pottery and a large stick. I took the pottery, and thrust it into the first guy I saw in front of me. It went through him like a sword in an action movie. I then took the stick and cracked the next guy in line in the head. Two immediately took his place, and they were holding actual weapons, two guns of unrecognizable size and shape. I didn't want to find out what these did, so I ducked as I watched the first mans trigger pull. It shot a green orb out of it that singed the back of my head. But it was too late for him, I lifted upwards, sending the stick into an uppercut motion, thrusting the whole thing through his skull. I then took my new jaw-handle, and  threw him into the other armed thug. I then picked up one of the guns and shot the non impaled mask. I looked up, there were still like 20 or 30 masks to take care of. I didn't want to waste a shot, considering I didn't know this gun too well. I hit one mask in the face, and shot the one next to him, taking out two. That left me with 28 masks, and one injured Molly. Nice odds. I tossed Molly the other gun, as she tried fending for herself, immediately taking three shots, and three shots well taken. 25 to two.
    I took a shot at the crowd, knowing I would hit one. It pierced through one and hit the one behind him, a two shot kill. I screamed "MOLLY, WELCOME BACK" as she took a shot at the guy approaching me.
    She screamed back as I unloaded like, 20 shots on this seemingly bottomless clip. "NO PROBLEM. YOU KNOW I DON'T MIND KICKING MASK ASS." We then unloaded on the crowd of masks. One by one, they all fell, body parts flying around everywhere. I even saw an arm fly out and hit Molly. But she didn't mind as she took a shot anyways and hit the guy in front of us. 5 guys, 4, 3, 2, 1. It was over.
    I looked at her. "You ok?"
    She replied. "Well, other than the missing you, the week of torture, and almost having my face melted off, Yeah, I think I'm ok. Lets go Jackass." It was Molly.

I Am Alive Part 4 early trailer. (Hope You Enjoy)

Chapter 28: Scars

    I lost control. I was going to rip her limbs off and beat her with them. HOW WAS SHE STILL ALIVE?!? I had to do something. I ran at her, teeth tight, fist of rage connected to my arms. I came hard and heavy, running into her and plowing her across the stage. She hit the ground, Hard, not prepared. She then waited for the next impact. All I had to do was decide whether to decapitate her with my hands or punch her slowly and let her suffer a little. I jabbed her in the already crooked nose, making it way more crooked. I then I took my hand, and curled my fingers around it like one of those kung fu movies. Then I raised my hand, and... it was caught.
     I looked to see who was going to die, grabbing my hand like that. It was a man in a black uniform. He twisted my arm, then he snapped it back, I think he would have broken it if the witch didn't suddenly yell "STOP!!!" I looked at her, even though she had just showed me mercy, I still wanted her as my victim. But too late now. She looked at me, grabbing my fact like you would a dog when they didn't listen to you. Then she looked me in the eyes and talked. "You do not know why you have done." She then got up, poised her head and looked at the masks, still holding Molly through all of this. "Mask her boys." And that's all she said.
    I looked up. Still being held by the guard. The rage inside of me, wanting to break out like a werewolf, killing each of the people surrounding me. I watched through the blood veins straining across my vision, as I struggled to get myself free. The placed beat up Molly onto the table and strapped her in. (Which probably didn't make a difference considering the fact that she was pretty much knocked out anyways.) Then they brought out the liquid. I finally got a look at it in real life. It bubbled and sizzled with a very active intensity. Almost like a soda when you first open it. (Too be honest it almost looked like Mt. Dew.) I looked at Molly, and she was lifeless. I didn't see the fighter I had once seen in her. She was broken, tamed.
    They pulled out the mask and painted the acidic goop into it, ready to put this on Molly's face. They grabbed the mask by the eye holes, making sure they didn't screw up and melt this plastic mask onto their own hands. They then grabbed Molly's back, poising her and her head up. She lay there not noticing still in shock from the beat down that must had recently happened backstage. I watched as each little muscle in the mans arm slowly and smoothly went to put the mask onto the beautiful face of Molly. They brought the mask down slowly. Three feet away, Two feet away. One foot away...
    That's when it happened. I felt the surge I had been hoping for. Not of anger, but... of adrenaline. (Although anger probably factor into it somewhere.) The blood in my eyes seemed to suck away, and the next thing I knew everything was almost like a slow motion video. I first tucked my arm, popping my shoulder out of place. I then took the damaged shoulder and flung it over my body, taking the black armored guard with it, and nearly hitting one of the two guards in front of me. They lunged at me, but I saw it coming from a mile away, and juked one out, then immediately punching the other. I then ran at Molly, while she sat across the stage, the man holding her mask in shock. But he saw me coming.
    He smacked the mask onto Molly. The slow motion showing bubbling and skin burning. But that didn't mean it was complete. I reached the masker, and uppercut him in the jaw, actually sending him flying into the crowd offstage. I then took the mask, as it slowly burned my hand and ripped it off of Molly. I then unstrapped her and tossed her over my now re healed shoulder. I then looked off into the crowd, and realized, nobody knew what to do. Even the guards to my sides were shocked. I had to get us out of there still. I felt the energy slowly release from my body as the adrenaline slowly shut off in my body and I cooled down. Every ticking moment went back to being regular speed. I looked, and now I realized. What do I do now?

Chapter 27: We Need Superman

    I got off the pile of junk, showing lightning speed and athletic dexterity. I jumped off a broken hovercraft that was 10 or 15 feet off the ground and hit the ground running. I tucked into a roll and sprinted towards the crowd. I didn't pace myself, and flew through the buildings, quicker and quicker for each step. I went through giant streets and even a few narrow alleyways, dodging pieces of broken building and shingles from the rooftops that fell every step I took. I must had almost been there at the 2 minute mark. But hopefully that wasn't two minutes too soon. I couldn't hear anything or see anyone. It was hard to know if I was even going in the correct direction. Then it finally hit me. Maybe I should get caught too.
     It was fool proof. I mean, yeah, if I didn't get myself out of the bindings of the table or get away from the guards trying to save Molly, I was screwed. But on the other hand, if I did get away, Molly in arms, then I would be the hero for once. Not the victim of some nightmare. I had to try.
     "HEY!!! MASKS!!! COME HERE. FREE DINNER." (Looking back on what I said. What was I thinking?) They did come. First I heard a bunch of stomps coming my way, all in a giant flood of people. The next thing I knew, I was surrounded by the masks thugs. "You guys are quick."
     The next moment was one that I had lived over and over again in the dream about police catching me murdering someone and stamping my head on the ground. They grabbed me, flung me towards the ground and pig piled me. I was the bottom to a stack of Masks. They then picked me up and carried me out.
     We walked slowly, making no hurry of ourselves. Then I saw the crowd of Masks, watching me, all with their staring eye-holes filled with blackness. They parted ways, watching me as I was brought up to the stage. Each little mask, following me up. I walked towards the stage, and then they flung me onto it and let me go. I mean, its not like I was going to run right now. They knew why I was here. I got up on stage, un-attended to and watched. I walked towards Molly, just to see if I wasn't lured here by a dummy or something. Sure enough, it was Molly. (Molly with no mask, PHEW, that was close) I then looked at the figure in the black hood, and it looked back at me. Then in a quick motion, it brought up a finger and waved it at me, like a come here gesture. The finger was bony, like the thing that had grabbed me back in the fire. For all I knew, it was the thing that grabbed me at the fire.
    I walked over, not sure whether this thing was going to grab me, or just let me be. I mean, I was probably screwed anyways. I stopped about 6 feet away. Then I looked at the figure. It raised its head and looked at me. "Welcome to the Society of Masks friend. Hope you enjoy the show." I heard this and looked at the face in the hood. That's when I nearly shit myself. It was the witch.

Chapter 26: Anyone?

Life is a confusing thing. There are moments like deja vu, where you had seen the same thing 20 minutes ago.  Moments that are awkward, like when your parents walk into a sex scene in a movie. But then there are moments like this. Moments where you can't believe what you have to say. Moments where you missed a little detail, or didn't realize what was going on. This is how I feel.
     I just got back to the place I was supposed to save Molly from, and there's nobody here. WHERE WAS SHE? There weren't even signs of life ever being here, other than the crushed buildings and the giant ass wall.   She was gone, and so were the masks. But where, and why? Why would a society build a giant city that looked like a tribal metropolis, just to destroy it and pack their things and run? Better yet, what were they running from? Not me!
     I walked across the wasted landscape that used to be called the Society of Masks. It was a land of the dead. The further I walked, the worse it got. More bodies, more destruction. I couldn't imagine what would do this. I needed to find any clues of where they had gone.
    I looked and found the tallest pile of rubble. Maybe I could see something from high up. I climbed and climbed. First on a brick, then a piece of rubble, and so on. I grabbed a vine hanging off of one of the pieces of brick. As I climbed it, my hands burned from the tiredness and fatigue of not eating. But I got to the top. I had too look around. First thing I saw off in the distance was sunset. It was getting dark. But then I saw the second thing in the distance. It looked like a mob of people. But instead of jumping, and rioting. They all sat there. Standing, watching a stage. I watched the stage and it was empty. The stage had nothing, and all these people were watching it. Then somebody walked out. A person that was short, stubbly, and old. The figure wore a hood and a dagger protruded from where its left hand should have been.
     The next thing was brought out. It was a table, almost like the one the masks operated on. For all I knew, they had caught another victim. They dragged it out and set it in front of daggerhand. Then they brought out a vile of yellow liquid and a mask. They were turning someone into a mask. Great, just the show I needed to see after finding all the people. Daggerhands then raised its hands and said something. I couldn't hear it, but it  stirred up something. The crowd went wild.
     Then they brought out a person. Two men in masks dragged out a person in a hood. This person was small and no older then I was. The placed the hooded person on the table and strapped them in. Then they took off the hood. Time froze... It was Molly.

Chapter 25: Welcome Back

](Authors Note: Molly hasn't written for a while and although we were planning on her writing this chapter, shes on vacation. So please don't mind the delay. She will be back soon.)

    I had made it, even though the witch had led me here, I had made it. I had to find the ladders. So I started walking. I started moving left, walking quickly and quickly. I wanted to get to the enterence without stopping or revealing myself. I walked in such a way, that I had to think about every step.
     I was still suffering from hunger, thirst, and exhaustion. I needed a kit kat bar and some Dr. Pepper basically. I was out of it. I mean, yeah, I was walking across the Retreat with ease suprisingly but it wouldn't last, eventually I would run out of energy. I would have to pace myself if I was going to get to where I was going. I mean, I had a really bad feeling I had a walk.
    I looked at the wall, full of interest of what secrets it held within it. I had heard Molly talk about how the Masks were a terrible group of people, and from what I had seen, it was terrible. But what other secrets had it had. I mean, every thorn protects something beautiful. What were the roses of the Society of Masks? There had to be some. I just had to exploit them.
     I finally found a ladder. I had thought about the Society of Masks the whole way. It had been a two hour walk. I had finally found my way though. From here on, the journey to find Molly would be a sinch.
    I climbed the ladder, looking for any signs of life up top. A guard, maybe a video camera hidden, something that would give me away. The whole way up there was none. I looked for the ladder to go down and instantly found it. I was hoping the safety going up would be repeated going down. But with my luck, probably not. I looked down the ladder, scared of what I would see. Supprisingly nothing. Just some eerie buildings. Even during the day everything was dark. It was disturbingly dark and discreet. Nobody was outside at all, not even patroll. I was actually a little scared.
    I got down to the ground, looking for anybody. But nobody was outside. From what I could see, nothing was outside. The buildings surrounding me were destroyed, mashed to crumbles. I then looked at the pathway in front of me. It almost looked like a road actually. I decided to walk it. The whole way I could see destruction and chaos. I looked towards a building that was actually in tact. Opening the door, there was nothing inside. I saw a shelf, and a long hallway that led into two doors. I walked down too the doors and went right. Inside the door was a body, or actually more like a skeleton. It had died a long time ago.
    I closed the door and went into the one on the left where I found a bathroom with a skeleton in the bath tub. Everything was like a nuke had went off, (Trust me... That was one of the dreams I lived over and over again.) and a big one at that. I also found a huge sink. I tested it, to see if I could have my first drink of water for days. It worked, and I drank. Looks like my lucks changing.
    I walked outside, a little water-logged from all of the water I had drank, considering how hungery I was. I then continued down the road. From all I could see, everything was rubble, ashes, and dead bodies as I saw skeletons scattered across the road. I walked and walked and walked. I saw nothing else in tact at all. Everything was dead, ghostly, baren. Nothing was left. Where was Molly, her captor, the surgery where they placed the masks? I couldn't see any operations I saw when I was there the first time. I looked, and nothing was there. All the evidence of the Masks, or Molly being here, was gone.

Chapter 24: Journey of my Memories

    (This is a manuscript from the Holy Bible.
But man dies, and is laid low;
man breathes his last, and where is he?
As waters fail from a lake,
and a river wastes away and dries up,
so man lies down and rises not again;
till the heavens are no more he will not awake,
or be aroused out of his sleep. (Job 14:10-12) [1] ) 

     As I remembered, this verse was read at my grandfathers funeral. The last day before the witch snatched me and put me in a nightmare. Each waking moment of my life, I felt the meaning of this verse more and more. Now, more than ever I could feel the burn of this verse coursing through my veins. I had made that promise in to save Molly 3 days before, sitting in that tree, as if there was a hope. Ever since I had eaten that little slimy rat I found in the woods, I had seen things. Whatever I had eaten had been tainted. I hadn't drank, hadn't ate, and barely could sleep with all of the rustling out in the woods. The end was near, and I could feel it. 

    I;m sitting on the floor of the Retreat, waiting to be the reapers next meal. I was dead from the start. I had no chance and I still have no chance. I'm  mince meat.  
   I look around, making sure that I would die looking up at the sky, the beautiful, sun lit sky that had lit the Earth back in my time and even a million years before that. I looked around some more, seeing if any creatures had noticed me, ready for their next meal. Nope. 
    I then listened, listened for those last little footsteps before something came out of the woods. But that never came. I heard nothing, felt nothing, and saw nothing, but forest, but retreat. But then came the noise. The little whisper. The chant. 
    "Klarsey... Klarsey..." I could hear it being chanted, over and over again. I was so passed out, I could barely make sense of anything anymore. I screamed back.
    "WHAT?!? WHAT DO YOU WANT?!? I'M DEAD WITCH!!! JUST KILL ME NOW WHY DON'T YOU!!!"
     I listened again. Again the voice came. "Klarsey... Klarsey..." I then realized something. It was my mothers voice. I sprang up, quickly, and looked. "Klarsey..." I took off in a mad dash towards the voice right behind me. "Klarsey..." It was getting louder, and louder now. Was this just a figment of my imagination? "Klarsey..." I sprinted now. Full sprint, not knowing where I was going, and so red from the blood rushing through my entire body. But I didn't care. My mother was here. "Klarsey..." 
    I whispered to myself under my breath. "What Mom? I'm coming Mom." I was still in my mad dash. As I ran, I started to get a feeling this was all in my head. I didn't care anymore. I mean, if it was imagination, I was dead anyway. I kept running. I then ran into a giant web of vines. I tried to run through them but got stopped flat and fell over. They weren't stretching like vines would though. They came to a sudden stop. 
    "Your welcome..." Came the voice in my head. But this time, as it slowly said this, it turned. It went from the sweet loving voice of my mum, to... the witch.
     I looked at the vines, not caring yet about the voice change that went on inside my head. I grabbed the vines and pulled them towards me. Grabbing them they came at me when I gave them a little tug. I then ripped them away. Under them was the cause of my sudden fall. A sign of greatness. In front of me was a familiar wall. It was the wall to the Society of Masks fortress. 

Chapter 23: No Hope

    I run, run way into the retreat. I don't think the Masks were chasing me, but I still just needed to get somewhere. I ran and ran until I couldn't run no more. I probably spooked 20 reapers on the way here, but its not like I have any hope anymore. Molly's gone, I'm stuck in the middle of the retreat with no supplies, and I have an organization of people after me trying to turn me into a white faced monster. My chances were not looking good.
    I finally stopped, shaken, and dizzy from all the running. I couldn't tell you which way was up or down, left or right. I was so disoriented and confused. In the distance I could hear squeaks and rustling and I couldn't tell you what it was, or if it was after me. I looked around, paranoid. There was nothing but trees. I needed rest. I had not rested since back at camp with Molly, before I was taken. I had been out for a while before I ended up in the cage, but I wasn't technically sleeping, but I was recovering. I needed actual sleep. So I looked around, found a log, and slept...
    I woke up with all these sores all over my body, and I wasn't sure whether a bug had gone crazy, or if I was getting one of those stress infection things. All I knew was all these medium sized lumps were all over my body. They weren't itchy or painful, but they were  there. I didn't care though, I had one thing on my mind. I woke up with the immediate realization. The Masks had Molly. I mean, yeah, it was obvious, but when I got up, I realized a lot more. They were going to turn Molly into a freak. Plus, with her past of escaping, I'm sure they had some extra plans for her. I had to save her.
    I then realized something that made me feel pretty stupid. How could I save her if I didn't even know where I was. I ran into the middle of a giant forest, a forest full of monsters and mayhem that would easily end me. I needed to prepare. So I got the supplies nature provided me with. I found some sharp sticks and a  sharper rock. I then sharpened the sticks with the rock and turned them into spears for hunting and defense. I then took some of the staffs and went hunting. Although I remembered the last little hunting trip I went on, a mans got to eat.
    I walked around a small area of woods, listening for sounds and moving slowly so I didn't make to many of my own. I finally found this gross looking monster. It was about the size of a house cat and it was slimy. It had long sharp teeth and two feet that protruded from the bottom of his belly. I took a small stab at it and the  thing barely moved, and I got it first stab. It pussed out this green liquid and died. So I took it back to a clear area and snapped two rocks together, starting a fire. (Quick thing for all you survivalists: It wasn't the first two rocks I snapped together. It took me a nice hour or two to find a pair that would spark.) I then cooked it and ate it. I took the little bugger apart and ate him. Although he tasted like crap, with a really bitter after tone and barely any flavor in the beginning, I needed to eat.
    I then looked around for any signs of where I could have sprinted though last night. I looked for a broken trail of bushes, but found too many broken twigs and stuff to call a path. It was as if every big thing in the woods just tore through the forest like it was no big deal. I needed another strategy to find the Society of Masks HQ. So I did what any terrible survivalist would do. I looked around for the tallest climbable tree around, and climbed it to get a view of everything.
   I finally got to the top of the tree. I couldn't see anything. The trees in the distance were miles higher than any of the trees here. I sat on top of this tree. I knew that a lot would happen, and a lot of obstacles would get in my way, but I sat on top of the tree and made a promise to myself. I looked at my hands, and they were dirty, but that's what  I got. I looked at my hands and made a promise, not knowing if I was just talking into my hands like a retard or if some higher power heard me. I looked at my hands, and promised "I will find Molly. It may take me until tomorrow, it may take me years, but Molly will be found, if its the last thing I do."

Chapter 22: Dare

    "Molly!?!" I was shocked, she came back for me. "How did you find me?"
    "I told you I had a history with the masks. You should have figured I wouldn't leave you in their hands." She said this with pure and utter humor. I almost thought this was all a joke.  Molly walked over to the guard and grabbed the key. I thought it would be so harder to open a cage in the future but apparently not. She then opened the door and helped me out.
    It was very difficult getting out. Every movement I made hurt me in some way or another. It was all the burns I think. I scooted, feeling the skin on my lower body sting and peel. I winced, still scooting towards the end of the cage. Molly looked down at me like I was an idiot. "Hurry up, there are probably 50 masks on their way right now.
    " I can't. I am so burned right now. Its like the most intense sun burn ever." Molly looked at me.
    "Sun burn?" She asked. That must not exist anymore.
    "Never mind. Help me out of here." I scooted again, and now I was on the edge of the cage. She grabbed me and hoisted me up. Then, like one of those army pictures you see in movies, she slung my arm over her shoulder and carried me out the door. That's when the sirens went off.
     "WHOOP... WHOOP... WHOOP" They were loud, and I'm pretty sure the whole camp knew what was going on. One by one they all got out of the houses they were in and came outside. There were searchlights and I even saw something that looked kind of like a helicopter. It was large, but instead of having a rotor, it kind of was a levitating hunk of metal. A hovercraft.
    "Oh shit." said Molly. "It's happening again." Molly looked at me, and I saw a look in her eyes I had never seen before. Pure fear. It looked as if she was about to simply toss me to the side and take off running. She said this instead. "We won't make it if I have to carry you the whole way. Either you simply suffer for a couple minutes and we both high tail it out of here. Or I put you somewhere and come back for you later."
       I looked at her. She looked at me. We both had the same idea. This would have to be quick. "Let me go." I said. She did. I took placing of my feet and stood. My whole body felt like it would simply fall into ashes any second now. I took off running. Each step I took was on hot coals as I sprinted towards a giant gate I could see in the distance. I had a nice 200 feet to go.
    I looked behind me, I don't know whether Molly was still in shock from me taking off or just couldn't catch up to me, but she was way back. I ran for a ladder I could see in the distance. By that time the spotlight had seen me, the hovercraft was coming after me, and I was booking it faster than ever. I got to the ladder and looked up. I had a 30 step climb until I got to a stairwell that led to the top of the wall. I climbed it. I flew up the ladder, scared as I saw the hovercraft had caught up to me, people sitting on the side with what looked like guns pointed at me. I didn't care, I climbed. One I got to the top, the shooting started. I ducked, not seeing any bullets go past me. In fact, no bullet holes near me either. I looked again at the shooters in the hovercraft weren't aiming at me at all. They were shooting at Molly. A team jumped out of the hovercraft, sliding down a rope like an SOG soldier. They then surrounded her, and tackled her. She was then taken. I didn't know what to do, so I ran. I went up the stairwell and ran. When I got to the top of the wall I kept going. I got to another ladder and I went down it towards the Retreat's floor. I then ran, again as fast as I could away from the Society of Masks base. I left Molly behind.

Chapter 21: Charred

     I wake up. Was this another dream? I was in a cage, my body full of burns and bruises, and sitting outside of the gate was a person. This person had a mask. I sat there, moment after moment, scared to death. The nightmares weren't over, I would keep waking up in a different nightmare over and over.
    I looked at my arms, they were burnt nearly off, charred to a crisp. The blackness of them was ashen and disturbingly gross. Where did they come from? I panicked, then though for a couple moments. I remembered fire, a camp, and the angel of death. Then it hit me, I was still in the Retreat. (Or at least somewhere on Earth) I looked at the person sitting in front of me again. White mask, covering his face like an illusion. The mask seemed to fit every feature of his face, as if shaped and then melted on. He seemed to be out cold. I shook my cage, seeing if there was any weak spot, any small point I could simply dive out... Nothing.
    I screamed, to wake the guard, not caring what happened to me at this point. The guard shook, and rattled. He then awoke. He got out of the chair he was lounging on, then revealed some details about himself.  One thing I noticed right off the bat was the mask, it had no straps and no way to hold it on. He also seemed to be moving his lips as the mask moved along with it. He spoke, English. "Do you know why you are here? No... BECAUSE YOU TRESPASSED ON FORSAKEN GROUND!!!" The three changes in emotion scared the crap out of me. "Do you know what the Society of Masks do to trespassers. Let me show you."
    He took off for a moment. He walked out the hole in the wall and was gone for a couple moments. While he was gone I tried to remember what Molly had said about the Society of Masks. "They aren't a force to be recon with." That was all I remembered.
    The man came back in with a device. It had a small square on the bottom and a large circular prism on top. It was a thing to be seen alright. It looked like it had been tossed together by a 3 year old. But then he pressed a switch I couldn't see from my point of view. I saw a hologram, that stood in the air like a normal human being, but it was weirder, as it seemed to transform the whole room into the place the person in the mask wanted me to go. I looked around and I saw a metal table. I then looked an saw some doors, and as the doors opened, I saw a person, a man about 5' 11" dragged in. The man was flailing around, screaming and wailing. He then was put on the metal table and strapped onto it.
    I wasn't sure what was happening, and I didn't want to see, but I had to watch, because the next moments were probably going to be my own fate.
    The man was grabbed, arms, legs, and neck, too keep him from flailing and screaming. Then it happened. A man came in, black suit like a business man. He had with him this bottle of liquid, and a mask. I wasn't sure what would happen next but it was freaking disturbing. The man got a syringe and filled it to the top with this liquid substance he had next to him. He then dropped it onto the mask. The mask started burning, as if plastic. It melted and burned down. The man on the table had no chance to see it coming. It was then slammed onto the mans face, as he squirmed and shrieked in pain from what seemed to be a mask being melted into this mans face. He squealed and shook going slowly into shock from the pain. I watched as I could see the blackening char marks around his neck and the veins quickly pulsing in his arms. He was in hell. Then the shrieking stopped, the man was silent and so was the room. The man in the suit then said "Take our new recruit away." He then spit on the man, and walked out. I watched as the dragged the slump body of the newly masked man away, and I knew that it was going to be me.
    The hologram shut off with a very bright flash. I looked up to see the guard who showed me the video was gone. I looked left, and there were the doors. I looked right, and I saw blood, streaked all over the wall. I looked and followed the blood with my eyes and saw the guard sprawled out on the table about 10 feet away from me. Then I looked next to the table, and saw something I hadn't expected.
    "Hey, how about we get you out of there?" It was Molly.  

Chapter 21-30 Ad

Chapter 20: Molly's Diary 4

(Sorry for having this up so late loves. Randy needs to give me stricter completion dates. :P Also, if this sucks sorry. I'm sick today. - Molly xox)

Diary,

I've got to make this short. The sun's about to set and I'm in hiding so I can't build a fire or risk being caught. Klarsey's life could depend on it. Let me explain: When I last wrote I believe I was at the burned down camp. A lot's happened since then even though it’s only been a day. When I woke up this morning I knew. I knew they had him. He would have woken up if he was passed out; he would've made his way to the ashes. I checked last night and the only footprints I found were from the Society trying to find me in the middle of the night. (I slept a ways away so they wouldn't find me). Once I knew where he was, I knew we were in trouble. If he's still alive, then it's a trap to get me. If he's not, they know I'll try to find him. Either way, I'm trapped. I tried not to think about that as I began walking toward their camp. I could never forget how to get there. I had to memorize the path so I never went to the camp on accident. Anyway, once I got close to the camp, I began to slow pace and take careful steps. Once false move, and I would have a guard on me within 5 seconds. Once I saw the entrance, I stopped. I couldn't bare to go father until I thought it through once more. I needed to think and get a plan ready. Sadly, the best I could come up with was to sneak in along a far edge and hide behind things until I got to where Klarsey would be if he was alive. Now I'm not stupid, so I knew this was a long shot. I sharpened my knife, and began to hesitantly move my way in. Somehow I made it the The Cage. I would know it any day. The big log bars, rock bottom and cover... It's all so primitive and terrible. Once I knew for sure Klarsey was safe, I had to go. I couldn't risk him seeing me and giving me away. I'm that cute idiot's only chance. I booked my way out of there; well I tried. It's not easy when you're trying to be sly. Once I left the camp, I walked a little way off and sat down to think. I made a plan to save him. Here it is: First I'm gonna rim the whole outside of the camp with traps. Then I'm going to light a fire close to the camp to get everyone's attention. Once they go out to stop it, I'll get Klarsey. If that fails, I have no idea. The only other thing I had was to surrender and hope for the best. Hey, at least I'm being semi-productive. Gods, I'm insane. I better get some sleep and think this through. Maybe a better idea will come.

With a shaky goodbye,

Molly Black

Chapter 19: Molly's Diary 3

Dear, Hi, whatever Diary,

     Shit, shut, shot. This is bad. This is very, very bad.  How could I have done this!?  I never should have come into the retreat when I knew. I knew they would come. How could they not? I killed their leader. Well at least that's what they believe. You see, last time I was out here I ran out of food and had to go out hunting. For a normal adventurer this would be fine; but I'm different. I hate hunting and killing innocent animals. It makes me feel like a murderer. Watching the life bleed out of animals hurts me more than it should. Wow, that was off topic. Anyway, while I was hunting I stumbled upon a human lying in the weeds. When I had reached them, it was to late. The man, who had dark black hair and many wrinkles, was dead. He appeared to have died from old age, but one can never be sure out here.  Not being used to death, I instinctively screamed. Before I could react farther, I heard rustling and was quickly surrounded by about 20 young(and handsome) men with pointy sticks. The men grabbed me and forced me to walk to their camp. When we got there, it finally sank in what was going on. I realized I need to react, and asked to use the restroom. They allowed me to go alone, and that is why I am still alive. I ran, like a coward. I ran far, far away. And now I've come back. They found us; they must have seen our fire. Fire, fire, fire. I hate fire. It destroyed everything in this camp, and probably Klarsey also. I suppose I should work through what happened, as to put my mind in sorts.  To begin, as I was running away, from the fire this time, I didn't think to look back. I didn't think to make sure the stupid boy I brought out here was behind me. He must have not been, because when I finally stopped, he  wasn't there. I didn't know if he died or got lost, so I waited until the fire seemed to die down and began walking back. Normally, I would wait a few days. But I needed to find this boy. I couldn't leave a poor innocent human to burn to death if there was anything I could do. So I walked back to camp, looking for the inevitable body along the way. I mean, how could he have lived!?  When I got here, everything was smoldering. The only things that didn't turn to ash we're this book, a couple of pens and a water purifier. (Yes, I do write in books out here. No where to plug in anything else.) But there wasn't a body. He wouldn't have burned that fast if this was his dying place. Which means he is either dead somewhere else or alive and lost. That also means I have to find him before the Society can. Because if they get him I cant imagine what they would do as punishment. Great. I have to protect myself and someone I can't locate. This will be so much fun. Oh dear, I must go, as the sun is dying down. I'll keep you updated as soon as I have a chance.

Byebye love,

Molly Black xox

Chapter 18: Lost in the Inferno

   

I scramble, realizing that I am not completely split up from Molly. The flames grow higher behind me as I run. I panic, my second time I almost die today. That’s when it happens. Just my luck. I'm sprinting forward when a tree lands right in front of me, fully lit as if touched by the devil. I was trapped. A full 360 turn reveals full flames. I'm scared as I hear nothing of Molly in the distance. She's gone, probably miles away from here. No Molly to save me now.
I huddle in a corner, crying. I made it through so many trials, just to be killed here. I feel the flames getting closer as I look to my left and see them approaching, same to my right. This was the end, no dream I could escape to, no witch trying to torture me. This was the finale of the Legacy of Klarsey, the final chapter. I sat, curled into a ball on the forest floor, waiting for the fire to singe my skin off, making me into a human pot roast. I could feel the fire as it came to my back, and I flipped. "AAAHHH!" I screamed in pain, it was flaming me. I thought, as life flashed before me. All torture, and survival. I had been through war zones, hell, mental facilities, and even a damn Godzilla movie. This couldn't be it. My shirt lit on fire, but it had no effect to the burning rage inside of me.
I ripped my shirt off, feeling part of my back melting off with it. I then ran, full of fury towards the fire. The scariest thing yet. I then took my final leap and landed in the middle of another fiery inferno ring. Parts of my arm were peeling off now. This couldn't be the end. I then kept sprinting, quickly towards a small gap I saw in between the fire. I flew, my nerves literally on fire because I was nearly just skin and bone. I dove for the gap, hoping to land in my last fiery ring. I hit the ground. Then looked up to see my progress. Fire... I couldn't get out alive. This was my final adventure. The end of my torture, and probably the last time I would see Molly. I peered upwards one last time to finally seal my fate. All I saw was the black hood and white face of death, I then blacked out.

Chapter 17: Deadly Allies

   
We walked back to the tent. I was still relieved to have my whole body in check. I felt good, and I mean good. I was walking, I was alive, and I was actually gonna make it back to camp. Molly was in front, grumbling to herself, probably about crying in front of me and how much of an idiot I was. I'll let her be, I mean, what can I do?
As we walked back to the tent, there was noise. It was loud and obnoxious, it was like the cackle of the witch. I looked saw Molly, and she was freaking out. The tent was on fire, and so was the whole campground. Molly seemed to react immediately. She grabbed vine, and quickly climbed a tree. She then looked down at me and screamed, "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? COME UP!!!" So I did. Not at the speed she was climbing the vine, but at a nice speed to outrun a fire. As I got to the top of the tree, I noticed something, and as I could see in Molly's face, so could she. "Klarsey, do you see that, do you see it?"
"Yeah, its..." I looked closer, and I could see what looked like... "It's a symbol. It's a face." It looked like one of those actor masks, the frowning and smiling ones.
"Its the TSM." She said this with full aggression, almost in a concentrated fury. "The Society of Masks."
"The who? Society of Masks. That sounds pretty lame..."
She pounced, and pinned me to the top of this tree, then she looked strait into my eyes as she had me lying there. "You have no idea what you are talking about. This is serious shit were dealing with right now. The Society of Masks is an organization like no other. Comparable to Hades from ancient Roman mythology, The Society of Masks is the destroyer of cities, even countries. They are a force not to be recon with."
"Then why are they after us?"
"Because I made some mess ups in the past. I messed up my life and ever since then they've been kicking me in the ass for it. They've hunted me, and have destroyed my work time and time again. They have ruined my life." She looked at me again, with a look that could frighten king kong into a mental hospital. I now understood the seriousness of our situation.
Before I could make any more comments we looked down simultaneously. The tree was on fire, and we were in it. There were no escapes, no way to move, and nowhere to run. We were two fish in a barrel. There was no opportunity of success.
She looked at me, then in on flowing movement, grabbed me, and jumped. We were falling towards the Retreat's floor, and I was waiting to be caught by that force field from the city. But we hit the ground, and she landed on me. The impact was rough, and disoriented me. But I had to go, there was fire and it was gaining fast. I got up, and looked for Molly, and she was already in a mad dash in front of me. So I ran too, away. Away from this conspiracy, and all the supplies. I was going into the Retreat, unarmed, and unsupplied.

Chapter 16: The Retreat

I wake up. Not sure where I am. I don't see tent, I don't see trees, I don't see anything. Where was I? I looked around, and realized I was smothered. So I lifted, trying to lift whatever this massive weight was on top of me. I thought, and then it hit me. This was the beast. I panicked, was it sitting on me, waiting for when it was hungry? Was I its toilet? I lifted, struggling as much as I could to get it off me. I pushed and pulled, kicking myself out of this massive things butt. I then felt the thing itself move. Was it getting up? I screamed. Then I looked. There was Molly, staring down at me with the most pissed off face on the planet.
"What the heck did you think you were doing, taking on a reaper like that? You could have been killed!!! I was so worried." She said as she helped me up off the ground. I was still a little shaken, just waking up underneath some beasts butt and all. "I should kill you myself if your going to do stuff like that all the time. "
"I'm sorry..." I pleated. " I was just trying to show you I wasn't some pussy..."
"SO YOU TOOK ON ONE OF THE DEADLIEST CREATURES ON THE PLANET!!! YOUR RETARTED!!!" She freaked, and after I was fully off the ground she round-house kicked me, knocking me over again. Then she cried. I never though in a million years she would suddenly burst out crying like that. "I've never lost a mission, and you were nearly my first. Don't you ever run on me like that, you hear." She then grabbed me quickly off the ground and hugged me. She must have actually freaked at the tent.
"I'm so sorry. I promise, I will never again take off. And I am glad you were there to save my life. Also... now we have food." I looked at her, and she looked at me. Other than that small hand holding bit, I never thought about how much I actually mattered to her. Yeah, I was only her object of protection, but now, I felt a little more. I decided to make things better with a joke. "SO... wanna make out?" I said, to see a reaction...
"Hell no..." She quickly snapped out of the whole crying thing. " You kissed that things ass." Dang, she was right.