I sat up quickly, feeling like I was falling... Caden- I looked around, relieved to find him lying on the ground next to me. "Caden..." I whispered, shaking him a bit to try and wake him. No matter how much I shook him, he wouldn't wake. "Caden!!" I said raising my voice a bit. I raised my hand ready to slap him, but then suddenly he sat up, gasping, coughing up water onto the ground beside him. "Caden are you okay??" I asked, panicked. He tried to respond but was cut off by another cough. "Oh my gosh Caden-" I helped him sit up and patted his back. "Ahg, my ribs hurt," he groaned when the coughing finally subsided. "Are they... broken or just bruised..?" He shifted uncomfortably. "I dunno, but they sure feel broken..." "Do you think you could walk? We need to figure out where we are." He grimaced as he stood himself up. "Yeah, I'm good." He looked around. "I don't think we're in Ohio anymore..." I shook my head, "Not at all." A twig snapped in the distance. I tensed, nervous. Caden went rigid as well. Before whispering, "Oh, great. Death by cliche." His voice held a humorous undertone. I couldn't help but smile, "It's not THAT bad." I whispered back. His face split into a snarky grin. "That's what everyone thinks!" Just then an animal growled. "That sounds too close for comfort-" I said, my voice higher pitched. "Yeah, it did..." He pulled a hunting knife out of his pocket and switched the blade open. I stood up behind Caden, "What if it's dangerous..." I whispered. "Well, I mean...I'm the one with the knife so I should probably stay in the front...so maybe we just back away a bit and hope it's not feeling testy today." I gripped his arm as the noise came closer. "Caden-" I noticed his breathing had sped up. "Yeah?" I thought about confessing the truth, trying not to think of the cliches. He smiled reassuringly. "We'll get out of this, okay?" I nodded slowly, "Okay..." Just then a big animal leapt out of some bushing, pouncing on Caden. I screamed. Someone whistled in the distance and the beast quickly retreated, standing next to someone. She had longer hair, and clothes made from the vegetation and animal skin. Caden quickly stood up again, stepping back a bit. I could see the blood running down his t-shirt. "I apologize." The woman said. "My friend is often... out of control." She was out of breath. Caden looked puzzled. "Your friend?'' She nodded, "You aren't from around here, are you?" "How'd you guess?" he asked, laughing. She frowned, "No one ever comes into the woods, lest with their partner. Only males come in, and most of the time they never come out. Besides, you two are awfully young." "Awfully young...for what?" "Awfully young for... everything really." She glanced at me, "You talk?" I peered over Caden's shoulder, "Y-yes." Caden turned to me. "What should we do?" he mouthed. I shrugged, nervous. "W-where exactly... are we?" I asked quietly. The woman looked at me, "Speak up." Caden nodded. "There's no way we'll be able to figure anything out, otherwise." I took Caden's hand and cautiously stepped up. "W-where are we?" I asked. She sat on the floor of the clearing, "Ah, you've entered the world of Celestium." And that's when Caden fell to the ground.
