I don’t know why I assumed that he would leave a trail of chaos and destruction in his wake that I could follow like breadcrumbs. I guess you could say that it was wishful thinking on my part, or perhaps delusions. After my little tumble I’ve decided that I’m no longer looking for Aether to make sure he’s safe.

I’m going to kill him, because all this is his FAULT!!!!

Using this new found hatred for all things Aether Lislington I set off in a random direction hoping that I’ll run into him… or a way home without him… and yes I would happily leave him behind. I list the reasons I hate Aether as I walk, adding more and more to the list as the time passes with still no sign of Aether.

Venturing even farther from the familiarity and comfort of the witch house a sense of panic, dread, and all sort of doubts begin to crawl up my spine and embed themselves into my subconscious. Now that I’m away from even the semblance of normalcy that a tree house could offer the gravity of the situation barrels over me.

WE ARE REALLY STUCK HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!

That thought stops me in my tracks and causes me to lose that pitiful excuse for breakfast that I had earlier, yes I hid Aether’s food from him so that I could eat it later, survival of the smartest.

I can’t move, I can’t breathe, I can’t think…. I’m just here…. alone. With the prospect of a future in this place without Aether suffering with me. I can’t be stuck here, and speaking of here…I’m lost. I spin in circles my mind swirling out of control. I start to think of all my past mistakes and the sugar cookie smell of this place is starting to get to me. I do that thing they teach you to do when you’re hyperventilating, sitting down and tucking my chin in between my knees.

But sitting so still allows me time to listen, really listen, and the fact that this could be just any other sort of forest really messes with me. I spring up and take off at a sprint into the forest, praying, something I haven’t done since I was If only I could run away from the wayward thoughts in my mind.