The Deceived Ch10

Toark……
I awoke with a start, shivering despite the moderate temperature. I looked around, uneasy. All I saw was my companions sleeping on the ground.
Toark……
I jumped, and my entire body shook. Tanya roused opposite me, asking in a tired voice, “T, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing…thought I heard someone…”
A groan came from my left, “Great…I’m up.”
“G’morning Lauren”
“That’s yet to be decided, but thanks.”
“Keep it down you guys.”
“Too late for me Josephine, I’m up…thanks you lot.” Hendel said grumpily. Annoyed, Josephine growled and rolled into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes and shaking her head. “We still headed North-East?” Hendel asked.
“Yeah, why not?” I answered. Hendel mumbled something in response. “What was that?” I asked Josephine glared at Hendel, “Nothing.” he answered sullenly. I raised my eyebrows but decided not to pursue it. Taking my bearing from the sun, which had just taken its first peek above the horizon, I began to walk North-East. Like yesterday, the landscape slowly changed as walked on it. The parched earth no longer looked so parched, and there were more tufts of grass, and they looked greener than the first small patch we’d seen. Lauren, Hendel and Josephine still walked behind me, arguing occasionally, with each other, but being relatively peaceable. Tanya though…Tanya was keeping her distance from me, walking ahead of my fair enough that when she said something, I had to strain to hear it, and if I said something, she could pretend not to hear it. And so I walked, alone, though surrounded by my own created companions.
Hahaha, that’s rich….
“Bloody hell!”
Lauren looked at me warily, “What’s up?”
Well…fun to know I’m accounted for…
“Nothing…sorry, thought I heard something…must’ve imagined it.” I answered slowly. Now not only was I walking amongst and talking to hallucinations, but I was hearing a random voice inside my head.
Not as random as you might think, but I can see how that would make sense in your position…
“This is moronic.” I whispered under my breath.


So…I wasn’t completely alone. I had the voice in my head to keep me company. Our conversations mostly revolved around my screwed up mind, usually with me commenting on it’s brokenness and the voice defending it. I almost didn’t notice when I stopped walking on soil and started walking on grass. Of course, it’s hard to walk into a tree and not notice it, and not notice what you fall on.
“Ouch….” I groaned, rolling onto my stomach and pushing myself up slowly. I looked at my companions, embarrassed. Hendel was smiling broadly, and Josephine was laughing quietly to herself. Tanya was chuckling mockingly, and Lauren allowed herself only a slight smile and raised eyebrows. I laughed self-consciously, then turned away from my friends and kept walking, straight into a forest.
Forest? Imaginative, though unrealistic….
“So…this was unexpected.” Hendel commented dryly.
“Hey, we can stop walking in that god forsaken desert!” Tanya exclaimed.
“Yes, we can. You can find something to eat too, Toark.” Lauren said, thinking a bit more practically than Tanya.
“Surprisingly, I’m not that hungry, really.”
“Doesn’t matter, kid, you still need the nourishment.” Hendel argued.
Josephine nodded, “Agreed.”
Toark rolled his eyes, “Really, its –.”
They’re right, you will need your strength, whether it be in the real world, or another…
“What’d you say, T?” Tanya asked, curious.
Toark gritted his teeth. This new voice was really starting to annoy him, “I said, sure, why not.”
As a group, they walked into the forest, though now both Tanya and Lauren walked closer to him than they had a few minutes before.
I have to sleep…I will be back, Toark, don’t die on me while I’m away…