-BROKEN STRINGS- Ch 2

Instructions

We slowly made our way through the forest, the tension palpable. I glanced at Katie and Felix, whose faces were red with exhaustion and fear- though Katie was desperate to mask it. The sun drenched the leaves in warm rays of light. Autumn was coming, and that was shown clearly in the slight browning at the tips. But, thank goodness, the autumn hadn’t fully taken hold yet. I turned to Katie and Felix, and asked, “So, twins, am I right? How’d you get here?” Felix shrugged, “Yep. I was born with that one,” he gestured at Katie, “although I was first. By two minutes.” He cracked a grin, “We- uh- kind of got kidnapped. This man with like… grey and light yellow hair and bright yellow eyes just grabbed us and knocked us out. He kind of like… summoned a thunder bolt or something. I don’t know, really. It was weird.” I froze, the sunlight suddenly feeling cold. Thunder bolts? That sounded too familiar. I’d heard a lot of stories about it from Hermes. I paled, whispering, “Felix, that wasn’t a man. That was the king of the gods. Zeus, if I’m correct.” Katie’s eyes widened, “Zeus? As in thunder-bolty, slightly weird Zeus? Guy with like 1000 kids?” “Yeah, him,” I bit my lip, “Maybe he’s just… bored or something. I don’t know. It probably isn’t bad… anyways, where are you two from?” “2025! The year where everything sucks!” Felix announced proudly, “Uhh.. hang on, lemme calculate that…” he paused, “3000 years in the future. Give or take.” My eyes widened in interest, “R- really? What’s it like?” Katie pulled something out from her pocket, “Lemme show you!” She handed me this square, slightly rounded object, “Can’t say it’ll work, but it’s something. Hey, wait, it’s on!” The black side of the object lit up, showing an image of Katie and Felix with someone else, someone who looked similar but a little older, “Who’s this?” “Oh… that’s… that’s Darren… he’s our older brother.” Felix winced. I decided not to probe, “So what even is this?” I handed it back to Katie. “It’s a phone!” Katie smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes, “You use it to talk and call and message people from anywhere! Mine wouldn’t work, of course, but yeah!” I wanted to ask more- I think I was a little more fascinated than I should be- but Felix’s stomach cut me off. I raised an eyebrow, “Hungry?” “Yeah…” he admitted. “Ever tried wild boar?” Felix’s jaw dropped, “Come again?” “Wild boar,” I chuckled, “My best mate taught me how to catch them. They’re the best.” “I’m in! I’m ravenous! Pile it up, mate, cause I’m starving!” I laughed, my smile bright. But there was something in me that couldn’t stop thinking about the future.