Hidden Paradise

You could, you know, slow down a bit?

12

Alex kept running fast while holding a bouquet of colorful Dahlia. The mud didn't even seem to bother him much while he struggled to keep going. "Alex! Wait up" Amaris cold after him, walking a bit much slower as she tries to walk in the mud. "How did I walk through this earlier?" she looks at her boots while trying to run. Honestly, I could ask the same question.

"Going back to Elena's camp should seem much easier" Haruki didn't seem to struggle much as he drags his boots and managed to speed up to Alex "Here, let me help" he carries half of the flowers. "Well, Jason was right after all" Oliver looks at me as he rolls his eyes after "Something bad is always bound to happen" he sighs before trying to walk faster too.

Isn't trying to walk faster going to tire their feet more? "Hey Marie, you alright?" I turn to Marie. She kept looking down "Marie?" I called again and it took her a moment to realize I was calling her "Huh?" she looks at me

"Are you alright?" I ask again as she slowly nods her head "Yeah...everything's fine" she gives me a reassuring smile before walking a bit much faster with energy through the mud.

"We're almost there" I remind myself. Oliver offered his hand and helped me push myself out of the mud. "The mud kept rising" He says as we look behind. Earlier, it almost reached our knees and now, it was a few inches above it. "Come on guys! Let's hurry up!" Marie calls after us as they started to climb up the hills.

"I beg to disagree when Haruki said that it should be easier to go back" I let out a sigh before both Oliver and I started to walk together. The mountain or hill wasn't really tall- it would probably be considered to be the smallest one if it was in the Academy Island AND, I've climb almost half of all the mountains there.

Yet, I was already sweating. A few minutes after climbing up, I started to sweat real bad. This is probably because I was tired from walking through thick mud that was almost unto my waist. "You good?" I nod my head at Oliver and continued to walk. "You look like you're about to faint"

Do I? I mean, I don't feel like I'm going to faint at all. I feel, tired and breathing just slightly becomes hard. "Maybe I should take a break" I start to catch my breath while standing on the side of the road. I held my hand to my chest and I could feel my heart beating loudly.

My head feels light too and I feel like I'm losing my breath again. My stomach starts to do backflips and I feel like I'm sick. I continue to let out heavy breaths while trying to calm down.

"You look pale" Oliver stays next to me and held my arm. "I think you should take a break a bit more longer, come here" He guides me as we both sat on a tree stump. "I want to lie down" He held me straight up and starts to massage my palm. "I think you just need a bit of fresh air. Your body probably isn't used to this much" he tells me and continues to massage my palm.

"I think I can go" my head starts to feel a bit much better and I start to slowly stand up "You sure your better?" I nod my head and start to walk forward. Oliver kept holding my hands as we slowly walked forwards. Not long after, my head feels light again.

3RD PERSON POINT OF VIEW (POV)

Athena suddenly felt light headed and continued to pass out. Luckily, Oliver was just right behind her and managed to catch her fall before actually falling down the hill. "Athena?" he held her neck and carefully tried to find her pulse. He then lets out a sigh to find out she wasn't dead yet. "Athena wake up" Oliver slowly shakes her up.

"GUYS" he yelled, the others were probably close to the gate and yet, there they were. It wasn't their fault they got left behind. "No one even bothered to check up on us" Oliver mumbles as he takes a good look at Athena's unconscious body. "GUYS" he kept yelling; Oliver started to take Athena's body and slowly placed it on his back, careful not to hurt her as he gave her a piggy back ride.

"Where even are they?" He complains as he starts to walk. "GUYS!" he yelled much louder this time. "What?" Marie turned her back to see Oliver carrying Athena on his back. "GUYS! Look" she runs towards them, concerned and worried all over her face.

The others heard her as they all turned back to see them too. Despite being tired, Amaris runs faster to Athena. "What happened to her?" She takes her hand and checks for a pulse, a sigh came out after knowing she wasn't dead. "Athena had trouble breathing and suddenly fainted" Oliver explained while holding her tight on his back.

"She must have been so tired' Amaris wipes out Athena's sweats on her unconscious body . Soon after, they arrived on the gate. Chelsea was there waiting for them and as soon as she saw the situation, she quickly opens up the gate. "Do you guys have an infirmary?" Chelsea nods her head "This way" she quickly guides Oliver.

"Hold on" Alex held Amaris arms and pulled her back softly "You can't go yet. We have to give these flowers together and you HAVE to be there. Considering you started it first" Alex mumbles the last sentence and hands her the bouquet of flowers. "Fine, come on" Amaris held it tightly and starts to run towards the field. Her legs were already so tired after trying to walk unto thick mud and climbing up a hill after wards but, she decided to run.

"Elena!" She calls after her "Here" Amaris pants as she placed the bouquet of Dahlia on the table. "There wasn't any...Reflassia or what you-...called it" she takes her breath in stops. "Look, I'm sorry for disrespecting you but this is the closest thing I can give to you." Elena looks at the flower and carefully caressed it. "It's beautiful" these were the same flowers that she's been trying to look for... and she finally found it.

"I know.." Amaris stood before her as Elena takes the bouquet and admires it "So, can I go?" Elena nods her head, not even bothering to take a look at Amaris.

Amaris run as fast as she could with all her strength before stopping when she saw Hope "Hey" Hope looks startled "Can you please tell me where the nearest infirmary is?" Hope nods her head before motioning Amaris to follow her. The two started to run and Amaris tried to keep up with the pace.

"Do you need help? You look so pale" Hope stopped her before they could continue running "Yeah, I just really need to be there with Athena right now" Amaris pants more, trying to maintain inhaling and exhaling on the same normal pace. "Haruki" Hope calls for him.

"Please carry Amaris, we'll be going to the infirmary" Haruki starts to approach closer while Amaris slowly walks backwards. "It's alright, I can manage. I don't really like it when others touch me" Amaris excuses herself while breathing loudly.

"Amaris, are you...okay?" Alex approaches her with a gentle voice. Her lips looked pale and her eyes looked tired. "Do you want me to carry you to the infirmary?" Amaris violently shakes her head ans took three steps away from Alex too.

"Yeah, no" Alex was quick to approach her and carried her into his back. She didn't even complain or threw hands. Instead, she fell unto his back softly while Alex follows Hope to the Infirmary.

"Here, they can both stay here for a while. I'll call a doctor" Hope went out while Alex carefully places Amaris unto the bed. As soon as she lies down unto her bed, it felt like heaven for her back as she arches it. She slowly fell into the mattress and closed her eyes.

"It must have been so tiring for you" Alex shakes his head while tucking Amaris in. He sat unto the next bed and stretched his legs after taking off his shoes. It felt like to do so. Alex also struggled trying to walk fast through that mud. He didn't know why it didn't feel hard before and why he wasn't making complaints throughout the whole journey.

He remembers how Haruki looked at him, it was...hard to describe. As if Haruki knew who he was and what happened to him. Alex's senses came back due to fear and panicked into going back to Elena's camp as soon as possible. He felt too tired trying to figure things out. Alex rests his head unto the pillow and soon slowly fell asleep.

ATHENA'S POV

I suddenly opened my eyes to see an injection stabbed into my skin. The nurse eyes looked surprised as she quickly removed it. A white mask covered her face, but she still seemed to be pretty shock for me. "You passed out a bit while ago...the thing I just injected was for your headaches" she grabs her clip board and started to write something on it before walking away.

My hand felt awfully sore, they didn't even place a band aid or cotton balls on it. I opened the drawers beside me to find a box of band aids and placed on on where she injected it. Randomly, it was on my arm...like on my forearm. The wound started to sting as I sat on the bed and looked around the room.

The nurse mentioned that I passed out earlier...what did I do earlier? Well, Elena got mad at Amaris and we went out and got some plants then...I caught my boots on the corner of my eyes. They were covered in mud, beside 2 more pairs. Did I...pass out after? I look to my side and saw two more were lying down there. They must have been the owner of the boots beside mine. But that also means that they went with us, right?

Slowly, I approached the bed next to mine. The body was facing on the other direction as I slowly pulled the blanket down. "Amaris" I mumbled. She looked so peaceful sleeping "Amaris" I whisper to her ear "Amaris" I whisper again. Her eyes suddenly opened as she sat unto the bed, panting as if someone has been chasing her.

"Athena?" She looks at me as I nod my head. "Thank god you're alright" she quickly pulls me into a hug as I sat unto her bed. "What exactly happened? I don't really remember much" her eyes looked so tired but she still smiled at me.

"Well, we were soon arriving to the gate but Oliver then calls us and says that you passed out. You were even on his back the whole time from the moment you passed out, until he deliverer you into the infirmary"

Oliver? Right...I was last with him while we went home. "What about you? What about Elena? Did she get the flowers? And who is...that?" I point at the person sleeping next to us. "Okay, first of all, I'm alright thank you for asking. Elena got the flowers and didn't even had any questions on what happened or you know, anything about the trip. She just straight up took the bouquet of flowers then admired it. And THAT, is Alex"

"So, how are you feeling? You must have been so tired walking and your body must haven't been used to the weather or something" Amaris slowly touches and caress my hair while trying to fix it too. She still looked so tired, worry was all over her face. Yet, she still manage to hold up a smile. I fight the urge not to cry while Alex is in the room and had a huge smile on my face. "I'm feeling better. There's nothing really to worry about me, right now. There was this nurse who came in earlier and injected my forearm some medicine for my headaches and body needs...or something like that" Worry took over Amaris' face again.