Bringing nowhere somewhere

Hey hill-billies,

Just to leave a post to answer anyone's questions about the "My trip... to nowhere" story posted in this blog. Well, I've written the whole story as a book, and I'm not intending to post anymore chapters online, so if anyone is interested, just email me, and I can send you the finished story :)

Thanks!

HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL

Wishing all my blog readers a happy New Year, and may all your New Year's resolutions be fulfilled. I have seven resolutions at the moment and I have my mind set on working towards achieving them preferably before halfway of 2009, as the things i have to do has to be done by then...

But anyway, it is the year of the Ox, in case there is anyone interested to know, hehe.

Have a fantastic New Year all ;)

Twilight Movie - CAN'T WAIT!!!!

My Trip... To Nowhere - Chapter Twenty-One

“To think that you lot are so close to escaping…” My Other-Half said, with his arms folded across his chest, and one foot tapping the ground slowly, almost rhythmically.

I clenched my fists. There were too many of them to fight off. I glanced over at Rio. His facial expression was stony, but determined. I looked back at the clones. How many more of them are out there? There is no way we could get out of this.

“I suggest you come with us quietly, with no objection.” My Other-Half said slowly, his eyes locked onto mine, as if calculating me. “Or you will regret it.”

In the corner of my eye I saw a few heads whip around to look at me. I could feel my cheeks warming up, and was grateful that it was dark, so no one could see. I felt Nicky's eyes burn a hole through me, and I was not able to return her gaze. I turned to look at Rio, at the same time he turned to look at me. In the light of the flames from the torch, his eyes seemed to gleam with intelligence. I studied his expression carefully.

“Well?” My Other-Half said almost impatiently. His voice seemed distance as I thought about it.

Rio nodded at me, with no facial expression. I looked away. There was no way Rio would give away how he was feeling. Then I caught a glance of the flame-lit torch. I threw a glance at Rio and saw a very, very slight smile.

“Fine,” I said in a low voice.

“What?” Nicky said out loud, clearly shocked. I couldn’t look at her.

“You’re giving up already?” she asked me.

Please. I silently prayed. Just go along with this.

“Tom-”

“Nicky, be quiet.” Rio said calmly, in a low voice.

“But-”

“Please, Nicky.” I said quietly.
My Other-Half smiled. He smiled mockingly, and said, “Oh… how very cute.”

I glared at him, as he continued, smirking, “I’ll make sure you two will be in separate cells.”

There was a pause as me and him glared at each other. I felt so small. Like I was the prey – like we all were the prey, and him alone was the hunter. The hunter who had his prey ready on his plate, holding a fork and prodding each of us, prodding me the hardest, not eating us just yet, but will be very soon. We were all powerless against him.

He cocked his head onto one side, and said, “Take them.”

He stood where he was, and watched as the clones – one for each of us – bound our hands with rope. I did not attempt to struggle, and neither did Rio. But Nicky managed to elbow the clone binding her in the ribs. He winced, but took a firmer grip on her arm, bending it far back. Her face contorted with pain, but she let no noise escape her lips. She looked up at me. There was a moment where our eyes met. I was about to smile reassuringly at her, but she lowered her eyes to the ground and looked away. Downhearted, I looked away to see my Other-Half studying me. His eyes bore into mine, as if trying to read my thoughts, but I stared back, cold and defiant.

He nodded in satisfaction when the clones were finished with binding us. He turned and began to walk away, leading the way. The clone guarding Rio pushed him forwards, so him and Rio walked ahead of us prisoners. Richard’s guard shoved him forwards to walk about two metres behind him. Everyone else was forced to walk ahead of me, apart from Nicky. I glanced back to see her walking behind me.

So then, we walked, in a line, in this tunnel, with only a few flame-lit torches being held at the front, and the back. The clone guarding me and Rio were also holding torches.





TO BE CONTINUED...

My Trip.... To Nowhere - Twenty

I spun around, cracking my neck as I did.

Rio stood up suddenly.

Nicky and Allison gasped.

It was dark from where the voice came from.

We couldn’t see anyone.

“Who's there?” Rio demanded.

I slowly got up to my feet, and my mind started racing. Did the voice sound familiar?

More footsteps.

Footsteps getting closer.

A figure appeared, getting closer.

Behind him, a few others.

As he came nearer we had a full view of him.

I gaped at him.

“Good to see you again… Tom.” He smiled at me.

I stared in disgust and anger at him.

I can't believe it… I had completely forgotten about him. We were so into looking out for Rio’s Other-Half, but now… mine came along.

I glanced behind him. He had several others behind him.

I stepped back to stand beside Rio, and looked at him. He was looking at me, clearly with the same question, “What now?”

I felt helpless. To be surrounded by these other clones… and yet to be so near to escaping…

I looked around at Allison and Richard. I saw fear.
I glanced at Nicky and rested my gaze on her. She looked up at me. In her eyes I did not see defeat… she looked at me in confidence… as if she knew I would come up with something.

I looked away and to my Other-Half. He grinned jeeringly at me.

I will not let Nicky or the rest down.

I have to come up with something.

Fast.


TO BE CONTINUED…

My Trip To Nowhere.... - Chapter Nineteen

I stifled a gasp.

No… that can’t be… this must be his Other-Half…

“I’ve got some matches, where are you?”

But… didn’t I knock him out?

“Tom?” this time someone else said it.

I could feel my heart pounding so hard, and I did not dare to breathe. I prayed for Nicky and Josh to stay asleep, or if they woke up, to not move or make a sound.

Suddenly, someone tripped, and fell over me.

“Ow!” she went.

“Oof!” I went.

“Found him!” she went.

“Quiet Allison!”

“Whats going on?” I heard Nicky say in the dark.

“Oh, so you’re here too.” said a relieved voice.

“Rio?” Nicky said. Her voice sounded shocked.

“Tom, where are you? We’ve got matches to light the torch.” Rio said.

“Is it really you?” I managed to ask.

“Of course.” I could picture him smiling slightly in the dark.

“But how…?”

“I’ll explain once there's light.” He said firmly.

I stood up, holding the torch. “I’m… here.” I said.

I heard shuffles, and then I heard the strike of the match. I saw Rio’s face as he lit the torch I held.

The tunnel-like passageway was at once lit with the torch.

“But how did you –” I started.

“I thought you were –” Nicky started.

Rio held one hand up. “I’ll explain. Then you guys will.”

Josh sat up, and looked at us blearily. “Wazzgoinon?” He mumbled.

“How about we all sit together?” Rio said.

I nodded numbly and went to sit opposite Nicky, and he went to sit next to her. I looked around and saw Allison and Richard joining us. He grinned at me when he saw me looking at him, and I looked away at Rio expectedly.

“We – Allison, Richard and I – were caught by my Other-Half, and we were imprisoned.”

I nodded.

“Richard and Allison were knocked out by the guards who surrounded us. We fought to get away, but we were outnumbered. We were dragged into a room, and we were locked in.”

“Then how did you get away?” I asked.

Rio smiled his small smile. “When Richard and Allison finally came around, we planned to somehow trick one of the guards who would usually come in to check on us to let us out. We complained that we needed to stretch out legs because we were so stiff.”

I raised an eyebrow.

Richard chuckled. “Yeah, it was a lame excuse, but hey he fell for it.”

“So we were let out, then we imprisoned that guard into the cell we were locked in.”

I smiled to myself. We had done this before.

“And when we walked out of the room, we walked into another room…” he frowned slightly, and said, “…where we found our Other-Halves sprawled on the floor, knocked out cold.” He looked at me.

I grinned. “Yeah, that was us. We were caught too by your Other-Half, and unfortunately Richard’s and Allison’s Other-Halves were with him.”

“Interesting battle” Rio said, smiling.

I shrugged. “We managed to get away, and steal the keys off your Other-Half.” I glanced over at Nicky who was smiling at me.

“You should have seen him,” she said.

Rio grinned at me. “So then we made out of the room, and… well, ended up finding you guys.”

We all sat together in silence for a few seconds, smiling at each other in relief. I suddenly felt safer. We had Rio back. And Richard. And Allison. We were all back together. But then -

“A very interesting story you got there… Rio”


TO BE CONTINUED…

My Trip To Nowhere... - Chapter Eighteen

“More toast, Tom?”

“No thanks, mom”

“How about some cereal?”

“No thanks.”

That’s my mom; always giving me a heavy breakfast every morning before school. It was so bright and so lovely here, with the sun pouring in through the windows, and I could even hear birds twittering outside. My little brother, Darren, knocked over his cereal bowl. I smiled. I missed this… then I thought to myself, ‘miss this?’ I frowned. Something happened… something happened that made me miss all this. What had happened? My mind seemed so… blank. I tried to think, but everytime a thought crosses my mind, it disappears. It felt so weird. I reached my hand out to pick up my glass of juice. The sunlight fell across the kitchen table, and as I held my glass of juice I didn’t feel the warmth of the sunlight. But I didn’t think much of it. I sipped it, and then put the glass of juice down. Strange… I looked at it. It tasted like… nothing. I glanced around at everyone. They all looked slightly blurred. So… unreal. I rubbed my eyes.

“Tom”

I looked up at mom. But she was busy buttering her toast.

“Tom!”

I looked at dad. He was deep into his newspaper. I glanced at Darren. No… it wasn’t any of them who spoke.

“Wake up!”

I felt myself being shaken. I closed my eyes, and I felt I was leaning against something cold and hard. I did not want to lose the image of eating breakfast with my family. I groaned, and jerked awake. I opened my eyes.

I was back at the dim tunnel-like passageway. At once I felt cold, and stiff. It took me a while to remember where and why I was here. I blinked, and looked at Josh who was in front of me.

“Finally,” he said. “Here,” and he handed me the torch. “It's your turn to keep watch.”

I tried to get up to a proper sitting position. My back was so stiff after lying against the hard and cold wall. The image of eating breakfast with my family was still intact in my mind. I slowly stood up, and stretched. My neck clicked, and I stifled a groan. My body felt so stiff. I turned to see Nicky in a sitting position with her back leaning against the wall. She looked so pale. I bent over and touched her arm. And she was cold. I hesitated, then I took my jumper off, leaving my t-shirt on which was underneath. I draped it over Nicky, and made my way to the opposite wall with the burning torch in one hand. I settled down opposite Nicky and Josh, who lay asleep.

I sat.

And I thought.

I looked over at Nicky.

What seemed to be hours passed by.

Something rustled in the dark.

I froze.

I pricked my ears, and started to listen carefully.

Footsteps.

Light, cautious footsteps coming closer.

I blew out the torch in my hand.

I waited.

“Gee… that was very clever of you Tom. Now how are we supposed to see in the dark?”



TO BE CONTINUED…