As the group of four walked along the trail, Mary helping Ian walk, Kate trying to figure out where the best place to hide was, and Charlie looking at the water, remembering Mateo’s motionless body drifting down the river. 

It was just like the world changed in the blink of an eye, falling into something that just seems like a distant dream, Charlie thought in his head as he hiked along the trail. I still see his face, in the stars, the dirt, the water. It all was too fast. There’s gotta be something else to it. It can’t end on a cliffhanger, with my closest friends alone at night, trying to find out something that we’re not even sure of. It’s all just… different, Charlie thought. 

Charlie looked towards the river, remembering the harsh currents and whirlpools. The water swirled as the sun started to rise, a low light dancing on the water. Charlie knew that he would have to try to live in a strange place that never changed but was change. Charlie started to pick up the pace, going from hiking to power walking. He looked over to the American side to see lights starting to turn on and people leaving houses to go outside and admire the falls. 

“We have to go faster, and maybe run. We need to go.” Charlie quickly sputtered, going over to help Mary with Ian, practically picking Ian up. 

“You’re right, Charlie,” Kate muttered, looking to the American side, looking at the lights flickering on.

“Well, let’s… oh… my… god…” Charlie stated, looking at the river in a blank stare, mouth gaping open. Charlie saw Mateo’s lifeless body, floating down the river. His clothes had holes in them, practically rags. 

“CHARLIE NO!!” Kate screamed, trying to grab Charlie by the back of his shirt.

“LET ME GET HIM!!” Charlie yelled, tears stinging his eyes as he tried the dive into the water. 

“WE HAVE TO KEEP GOING!!! STOP!!!” Kate screamed, dragging Charlie to the trail. Charlie pried open Kate’s hands, sprinting towards the water. He knew that going back into the water could mean getting caught by the public, but he knew it was worth it. Charlie frantically flapped his bruised arms in the water, his legs kicking with all of his might. Suddenly, Mateo’s body got caught in a whirlpool, slowly falling to the ground of the river. Charlie took a large gulp of air and ducked under the water. 

The current of the whirlpool was like an underwater tornado, causing dirt and mud to get caught in the rapids. Charlie was caught in the maelstrom, slowly getting sucked in. Charlie barely opened his eyes and scanned for anything that resembled a body. After a few seconds, a hand grabbed his foot. Charlie screamed under the water, losing all air that was with him. The hand pulled tightly, trying to drag him back up to the surface. While Charlie was screaming, Mary dived into the water and pried the hand off of him. 

“Go,” Mary motioned to Charlie underwater. Charlie nodded his head as he swam for the surface. Out of nowhere, the hand was back and grabbed Mary around the neck, choking her. She was trying to get the hand away from her neck as she swam for the surface. 

Charlie could barely see anything, so he just swam in a direction and hoped it was up. He swam for a few seconds when he turned directions, this time seeing the surface. He pulsed up and managed to get a breath of water, only for a hand to drag him back underwater. As the light on dusk turned into the muddy brown of water, Charlie squinted underwater to see what tried to grab him, and he nearly passed out when he saw it.

It was Mateo.

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Mateo was talking nonsense, saying things like “huaeg nahd kwi” and “uop maguo dwe”. Charlie was able to make out things like how he blacked out when he hit the rocks and it’s hard for him to move, see, and hear. The group was now up in the streets, early morning now, 7:26 a.m., a clock inside one of the small stores said. The skyscrapers around the group towered high into the sky, with its glimmering beams remaining strong and tight whilst the windows glistened in the early sun. 

The group was all alone on the crowded streets. Charlie knew that Mateo would need medical help, but everyone would be looking for the people that went over the falls. Mary twiddled her thumbs as her stomach rumbled.

“Ughhhhh, I’m starving! Can we get some food or something?” Mary complained, looking like she was about to burst. 

“Not yet,” Kate replied to Mary, “We need a plan.”

“Well, if we go to the hospital to get help for Mateo, then we’ll be caught. But if we don’t go to the hospital, then Mateo might die.” Charlie reasoned, looking down at Mateo.

“Queem efo xin poih?” Mateo babbled, making Charlie look even more worried.

A tourist across the street heard Mateo say that, and the tourist pushed the button to cross the street. The tourist was in a brown overcoat wearing a plaid white and black shirt underneath. They were in normal sweat pants wearing long brown shoes with blue laces. The tourist crossed the street and walked up to the group, gasped as the towering man came over.

“I-is he okay?” the tourist asked the group, eyeing Mateo’s crooked smile, showing chipped and lost teeth.

“Umm, yeah, he-he’s fine. He just has autism and decided that, uh, it would be a good idea to...” Kate started but trailed.

“But he thought it was a good idea to go pet the raccoon in that alley over there.” Charlie pointed to a random alley, awkwardly interrupting Kate.

“Well, does he need help? Because it looks like he took a bit of an intense brawl or something.” the tourist reasoned, starting to get a look in his brown eyes.

“No, we’re fine.” Mary quickly babbled, “BYE NOW!!!”

“Um, I think we got off on the wrong foot. Hi, I’m Trevor.” the man calmly said, reaching his hand out to Charlie for a handshake. Charlie stared for a bit, but then sighed as he shook Trevor’s hand.

“I’m Charlie,” Charlie managed to say, “and that’s Kate, Mary, Ian, and, wait, where’s Ian?!” Charlie screamed. 

“Oh shoot-” Mary mumbled, facepalming herself. “It was probably me, I was helping him get up on the trail, move around. But now he’s stuck in the middle of nowhere, with a broken leg…” 

“Wait, how did Ian break his leg, and why were you helping him walk if he could’ve just gotten crutches, and why are your clothes looking like- ohhhh.” Trevor gasped. 

“Yeah, I think he put two and two together.” Kate leaned over to Charlie and whispered.

“You think?” Charlie sarcastically asked.

“So you’re the ones who went over Niagara Falls!” Trevor gasped. “There’s like a $10,000 reward for y’all.”

“Holy crap,” Mary whispered under her breath.

“Don’t worry, I won’t turn you in, but y’all need to hide, like now. Police are scanning homes, apartments, condos, hotels, even hospitals and trails for y’all, if they find you alive…”

“Guper huye nopo, nopo!” Mateo screamed, crawling over to Trevor to hug his leg.

“Ummm,” Trevor said in a flat tone. “Is he okay?” Trevor asked in a concerned voice. 

“Maybe, he might die though.” Kate said in a flat tone, looking at Mateo as he whispered more gibberish.

Charlie looked away from the conversation and saw some people glazing towards Mateo, giving odd stares. People were starting to get their phones out and tap the screen. Charlie knew that the people had found the ones who went over Niagara Falls, and they weren’t going to let it rest.

“I think we should go now.” Charlie quickly stated, dragging Mateo away from Trevor’s leg. “People seem like they might’ve found the ones who went over Niagara Falls. Plus, we need to find Ian and give medical attention to Mateo, which just one of them is enough. Maybe we… need to split up to find Ian and get help for Mateo.”

“Okay, but quick.” Kate snapped. She walked over to Mateo, bent down, and hoisted him up.

“TUW!!!” Mateo screamed as his limbs flailed. “TUW TUW TUW!!!! TUWWW!!!!!!”

“Okay, I’ll take Mateo to find help, Trevor can come with me.” Kate mentioned.

“Why him? We just met him!” Charlie explained to Kate, whispering.

“I trust him, okay?” Kate retorted.

Charlie sighed, “I guess Mary and I will go search for Ian.” 

“Okay, let’s go.” Kate mumbled, lifting Mateo onto her back and doing it piggy back style. “Okay, he’s heavy.” Kate murmured. “You can carry him, Trevor.”

“Okay,” Trevor slowly said, in a blank tone. 

And there it was. Charlie goes off back to the trails in a hope to find Ian, and Mary and Trevor find a way to help Mateo.

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“So, you finished?” a voice boomed throughout a dimly lit room.

“Yes,” a tentative voice whispered throughout the room. A figure stepped forward from within the darkness, wearing a scruffy black robe. “I will do my best to serve you, Sir Cyrus of Melom.”

“Good,” the voice replied.

Another figure emerged from the shadow, this one with no cloak. The first figure gasped as the newly emerged figure started to float through the air. 

“I am your leader,” the new figure demanded as they swayed in the air. “I am Sir Cyrus Collymore, of Melom.”