Chapter 123 CHAPTER 123
ALIRA'S POV
My hands hurt from where Zade grabbed me tightly, scared to let go as we hit random things that I couldn't decipher in the darkness.
We fell, further and further, nothing making sense for a good minute or five.
All I knew was that this wasn't normal and I tried speaking but my lips wouldn't move.
Probably a good idea, one might inhale a planet.
This wasn't what Zade had described the journey would be like, I know I was barely paying attention but he never mentioned that I would hit my head on something so solid it would twist me upside down, and him too as he refused to let go of me.
As we course corrected, he pulled out his tail and wrapped it around me.
I wanted to scream at him to hide it, what if we suddenly land in full view of people?
We already have a lot to explain, a tail would make it more difficult.
I wanted to shut my eyes but suddenly light attacked my view and I forced my eyes to adjust to it.
We were falling and there was no sea under us.
Just solid, paved government road with a truck driving through.
“Zade!” I screamed and instantly, he wrapped his arms around me.
The impact was intense and he groaned in pain as he landed with his back on the truck.
He gripped it with his claws and pulled me up with him.
“We're safe,” he whispered, “I think.”
The truck didn't stop, thankfully because people were pulling out their phones and I don't think there's any explanation that would make sense.
“Do you know where we are?”
“Let me read some billboards and see. We might be in Australia for all the damn portal cares. That was a very rough ride.”
“We went in very roughly because of Draco. I know he'll hate me now.”
“We're not his problem anymore, he should be happy,” I grumble as I finally see a store that wrote their address on the board advertising their business.
“We're close to home,” I smiled. “We have to get down from this truck, though. He doesn't drive like he's going our way. I don't even know why he hasn't stopped since.”
“Alright, hold tight.”
“Za–” I made to protest but he was already flying off the truck and air swished in my cheeks before I felt sturdy ground again.
I escaped from his arms and rushed to throw up.
Without any earthly money, I didn't know how to steal cars either, we had to walk.
For three hours.
But I'd sold houses around this area pretty well so I knew shortcuts and exactly how to get to my Momma's house.
Hopefully, it's not being occupied by some homeless person, I just want to fall into her bed and sleep all of this away.
“Can I carry you?” Zade asked after my third wince.
“No I'm fine,” I answered, rubbing my arms from the sudden cold, “we're almost there anyway.”
People gave us odd looks, my scales were covered halfway because the clothes I'd pulled on weren't what I'd planned to wear and Zade was carrying our bags, towering over everyone in sight. We were an odd pair but we looked dangerous in a way.
I increased my steps when I heard a police patrol car, someone must have taken pictures of us and now they were coming to ask us questions.
“Do you have the strength to run?” I asked my tired Soul Tie.
“Why? What's wrong?” He asked, instantly going into protector mode.
“Nothing is wrong but I can't talk to anyone right now until I've had three days of proper sleep.”
Alright, I'll carry you and you'll direct me.”
“Isn't that too heavy for –”
He already picked me up before I finished and began running.
It was more efficient anyway, his legs were longer and he finished in the academy with all their running classes.
I winced at the memory, it's too early to start missing it.
It was close to killing me anyway.
Finally, Momma's house was in view and I nearly shed a tear as I saw grasses surrounding it, looking very out of place in the beat suburban neighbourhood I grew up in.
“There!” I pointed to it and Zade ran towards it, dropping me down only when we were at the door.
The flower pot on the front porch still had the spare key so I bent down to retrieve it.
It looked rusted but when I tried, it opened the door.
The second the door shut behind us, tears sprang to my eyes.
I wiped it away, it wasn't the time for my emotions to act up.
Drakkonia was behind me and this is normal, this should be my life.
The house was still the way it was when I ran away, Baldwin on my heels.
So I set to cleaning up everywhere, Zade tried to help but I didn't allow him.
I'll start teaching him how dishwashers and cleaning utensils work later.
At the moment, I was overstimulated and just needed to get the bad air out, remove waste from the house and dust everywhere so I could sleep without waking up sick tomorrow.
“Is there any food in all that load we carried?” I asked aa I laid the clean bedsheets.
“Yes, I packed some things so if I don't like the food here, I can plant them.”
“You're very thoughtful babe but I'm sure you'll like Earth's food a bit. Let's eat some now, we'll figure everything else out later.”
So we did that.
And then we slept for the night and most of the next day.
Without thinking or feeling or speaking much.
But the third day came and our food reserve was gone and his stomach was screaming louder than mine.
Reality came knocking and we must answer.
It was time to find what to do with the life I struggled so hard to return to.
Hopefully, things are different this time around.