Whispers In The Wind

Chapter 18

Sierra's POV

Gaia asked me to join her. She said that she wanted to take a walk, but she was acting differently. I can't put my finger on it, but there's something off about her. I don't know why, but my heart won't stop beating so fast.

We've been walking for fifteen minutes, but Gaia haven't said anything. She's simply walking, looking straight ahead. I feel like she knows exactly where to go.

"Gaia, wait! Could you please talk to me for a second? Where are we going?" I don't like this anymore. She's like in trance or something. Like a walking dead walking around with no purpose. "Gaia, this is not funny. Okay? I don't like this anymore! I'm going back now."

I meant what I said, but the moment I turn around, Gaia is already behind me. My almost snapped when I look back to where she's supposed to be. No, that's impossible. How did she do that?

"Can you hear them?" Gaia asked. Her eyes are blank but she's smiling. "Can you hear their voice? It's so beautiful."

"Gaia, what the hell are you talking about? You're seriously scaring me right now."

Okay, call me a scaredy cat, but is legit creepy. I felt the sudden drop of temperature before the trees started dancing. The view of the sky was covered by the tall trees and it's making the place look darker. My fear has finally turn into a full-blown hallucination when I saw trees are somehow reaching down to us.

"No, you're hallucinating. Just keep it together, Sierra. It wasn't real. None of it is real." I said loudly with my eyes closed. I have to snap back to reality or I will lose my mind.

Somehow it worked, especially when the trees were making finally stopped. I took five deep breaths before telling myself that everything is going to be fine. Then, slowly, I opened my eyes. At first, all I saw was Gaia, so I smiled. It was already to late when I realized that we're not alone anymore.

I screamed at the top of my lungs, but my voice got stuck in my throat. Group of men, women, and children are surrounding us. They are covered in blood, wearing those native tribe clothes that only covers the lower part of their body. Some of them are missing an eye. One of the women had her right breast cut.

"Can you see them, Sierra? They are all beautiful, right? Don't you like them? Don't you find them beautiful?"

"Gaia, what's happening? What's going on?"

Am I already losing my mind? Even though my legs are trembling, I ran as fast as I could just to get away from them. I don't where I was going, all I know is I have to get away. Without looking back, I left my friend alone with them.

-------------------------

Keisha is the one that's most worried out of all of them. She's trying make her friends understand that something wrong is going on, but none want listen to her. Now, Gaia and Sierra are missing but only Camila and Margarette went with her to find them.

The problem is, Camila is too detached that she looked like she only went with Keisha just to avoid helping with their chores. Margarette on the other hand is like a robot. She's walking— no, she's following Camila and Keisha but she's not saying anything.

"Margarette, are you okay? You're awfully quiet. What's going on?" Keisha asked, but her questions were ignored. She's not even sure if Margarette heard her.

"Something's wrong and you can feel it, can't you? You see the changes that s been going on with our friends. I can sense it too. There's something in this mountain that makes us do things that we don't want to do." Camila said in a serious tone. It became a relief for Keisha to know that someone agrees with her.

"Oh, finally! So, you believe?" She replied to what Camila said.

"I do. I believe you. What's your plan?" Camila then asked.

'No... Don't...' Keisha was about to tell Camila everything when she heard the whisper one more time. It wasn't clear, but she felt like the voice stopped her from telling Camila anything.

"What is it?" Camila then ask when Keisha fell silent.

"Nothing. I honestly don't know what to do. I don't even understand what's going on. All I know is I feel so scared."

"Margarette, where are you going?"

Keisha quickly turn around when Camila looked past her. There, she saw Margarette walking away from them. She's going to the direction of an even darker part of the mountain.

"Marge! Where are you going?" She then asked their friend, but she just stared at her.

"Why don't we just take her back? I don't think it's safe for her roam around like that." Camila then suggested.

They accompanied Margarette to their camp, and saw their friends drinking. Keisha could not believe her eyes. Two of friends are missing, the other one is acting like she's being mind-controlled. How can they be so relax about it.

"Unbelievable, right? They're enjoying themselves while Gaia and Sierra are missing. How can be so selfish, right?"

"Brandon! Gaia and Sierra haven't come back, and you're here, drinking. You said it yourself. It's your job to protect us, and that includes Gaia and Sierra. Why aren't you looking for them?" Keisha angrily asked as they approach their camp.

"Calm down, Keisha. They'll be back soon, you'll see." Dianne is now acting like Antoinette. She doesn't care what happens to their friends. None of their friends care anymore.

Camila dragged her away from their friends. They stopped a few feet away from their tents. Keisha felt scared of friend. Her heart started beating so fast that she's afraid Camila will hear it. She looked at Keisha as if she's thinking about something dark. Her eyes are nailed to Brandon, but there's something else. Like a look of recognition in her eyes.