Warped- Chapter 1: The Hidden Soul

“How long have we been here? Are they going to come soon?”

“C’mon give it up Brit. There is no chance we’re being rescued. We’ve been here for a week now.”

“How do you know? How do you know Mom and Dad won’t come back any day now?”

“Brit. They’re gone. Get it through your brain. THEY’RE GONE! At least I’ve accepted the facts.”

“How can you not miss them? How can you-”

“Brit just shut up okay? Don’t you get it? I miss them just as much as you do! Just get over it! We are never going to survive if you can’t move on!”

Just then Sam came into view. “Guys- guys- guys don’t tell me you’re arguing AGAIN!!” She dropped the berries onto the ground beneath the ledge they called home.

“Then tell her! Tell her that Mom and Dad aren’t coming back! Tell her they’re dead!” Julie cried.

Brit was in tears now, crying at the unfairness. “No! They can’t! Sam!”

“Both of you- calm down! You realize that we’re never going to get anywhere if we don’t get over it.”

“See! I told you- they’re dead,” Julie yelled.

“How could they just... No! They’re not dead!”

Sam sighed. It was going to be a long time- possibly the rest of her life- before she got to relax again.

&*&*&*&

If it weren’t for the fact that they were alone and helplessly lost Sam would’ve enjoyed the experience.

Then again, the fact that they were alone and helplessly lost completely ruined it, turning what would’ve been a great camping trip into a terror-filled disaster.

And now they were dead.

Her parents, who she had relied on, were dead. And she was in charge. She was in charge of picking berries to live off of, and attempting to locate and catch fish.

Before, Sam had cherished being the oldest sister. The two younger ones respected her. And now- well- they relied on her. And she hated it. ‘Yeah, and I always thought being boss would be fun. Yeah right.’ Sam thought.

It wasn’t that the place was bad. The location of the site was wonderful. The autumn air was crisp, and the surrounding trees were just beginning to turn a blend of crimson, orange and yellow. There were berry trees, which supplied plenty of food. There was a stream nearby, and an unlucky fish occasionally swam by. Yes, all of this would be wonderful if Allie and Pete hadn’t died.

The flash flood had caught them completely off guard. At first, it was nothing. Hey, what can a little rain do? The ‘pitter patter’ wasn’t bad at all. It just kept raining.

By the third day it was soaked, and the stream was nearly overflowing.

By the fifth day, heck, it was overflowing.

And on the seventh day they were gone.

The next day the water receded, but there was still no sign of Pete and Allie. The girls were alone.

It had been a week. A week when Sam had learned that berries tasted much better when you were half starved to death, and fish were a lot harder to catch than all the TV shows showed. And she had learned that cold river baths were much better than staying covered in dirt and grime.

Sam could still remember the scene before her parents had disappeared. They were going out to get some more firewood. And then... they were gone.

The girls had done pretty well by themselves. Sam had picked berries, and caught some fish. They had found a hollow rock that they could fit in. There was a stream nearby, and shelter, and food. Of course, there was also the fact that they were stranded in the middle of the Canadian wilderness without a map, compass or adult supervision.

That ruined it all.

So. Here she was, sitting on a hard sharp cold surface, listening to her younger sisters’ peaceful breathing as they slept on the sleeping bags that hadn’t washed away.

So.

She knew they couldn’t stay here forever. Winter was coming. The berries would all be gone, the fish all somewhere else. It would be well below zero and she and her sisters would either starve to death or freeze to death. ‘What wonderful options,’ Sam thought wryly.

“Sam?” Julie’s voice scared Sam to death.

“Holy- oh. It’s just you. What’s up?”

“Sam... What’re we gonna do? You’re 15, I’m sure you can take care of us, but I’m 10, Brit’s 8 and winter’s coming. We can’t just- just wait.”

“I know Julie,” Sam murmured. “We can’t. But what can we do? I can’t go look for help, I might get lost and what would you do? It’s too dangerous. We’re lost.” Sam sighed in despair.

“It’s one of those things that you see on TV,” Julie said, breaking the momentary silence. “You think, ‘oh, that’s never gonna happen to me,’ and look where we are now.”

“I know. I feel so bad for Brit. I mean we can handle it; we’re older... but Brit... I dunno. She looks so calm but she’s not, and whenever she’s awake she seems so helpless...”

“I know. I mean, I’ve been a little hard on her, but we can’t let her pull us all down! It doesn’t work that way!”

“I know. But remember- we’re all sisters. We have to stick together. Believe it or not, I think without Brit, we would all forget that we’re lost in the middle of the woods here.”

“I know. Brit’s the pessimist, I’m the optimist, and you’re... you.”

Sam laughed. “Really? I had no idea that I was me, are you crazy?” she said sarcastically, “C’mon, I’m going to bed. We have to get up tomorrow, unfortunately.”

Julie just laughed and fell into her sleeping bag. “Good night.”

“Good night Julie.”

&*&*&*&

Sam was awakened by the brilliant sun shining into her eyes and morning birds chirping their sweet melodies. Blinking, she slowly opened her eyes and stretched. “Oh god... Jeez... What time is it?”

Unfortunately, there was no clock around. And a watch soaked in mud and water didn’t quite work too well. Judging by where the sun was, Sam concluded that it was around seven. 'Time to get up,’ Sam thought. ‘And I always thought nine was early.’

Ten minutes later, breakfast was ready- berries- again.

“Berries AGAIN?” Julie groaned.

“Well would you like to go and try to catch something else?” Sam demanded.

“Well SORRY it’s not my fault we’ve been eating berries for the past week!”

“Well SORRY it’s not my fault I have to take care of you two! Why don’t you just go on without me then!” Sam stormed out, fuming.

“Woo-hoo temper...” Julie said.

“I don’t blame her,” Brit said icily.

“You’re just mad ‘cuz I was right about Mom and Dad.”

“YES I AM!” Brit yelled, storming off as well.

“Jeez. What has gotten into them?” Julie muttered.

&*&*&*&

A single figure stood there, sobbing. “Brit? Oh thank god, Brit! You had us worried to death!”

“Go away!”

“Brit. Promise me you won’t wander off again.”

“It’s not my fault Julie’s being mean!”

“Brit, I know its not, but sometimes we all have to stick together. You’re very lucky
you didn’t get lost! Look around you. If I hadn’t come here to look for you, who
knows what would’ve happened.”

Brit gave up arguing, resorting to sniffling and wiping her eyes. “Can we go back to
The Rock now?” she asked.

“Of course. Now just follow me okay?”

“Okay.”

&*&*&*&

“THERE YOU ARE! IT’S ABOUT TIME YOU GOT BACK!”

“Okay Julie, you really need to CHILL.”

“How can I? Think about it will you? We’re stranded in the middle of the Canadian wilderness, our parents are dead, and you want me to CHILL? Yeah right!”

Sam was fuming now, trying to stay calm. “Listen. I don’t want to be here any more than you do. You think I’m happy about Mom and Dad? It’s not my fault I have to take care of YOU SPOILED BRAT!”

She lost it.

Just then Brit cut in. “Guys! Really. Arguing is going to get us nowhere. Even you said so,” she said, gesturing towards Sam.

Sam sighed. “You’re right. Ya know you learn pretty fast Brit.”

Brit just shrugged.

“Listen, Julie. I’m sorry if I came a bit late, and if you hate the food, but there really isn’t that much we can eat.”

“I know. I’m sorry if I’ve been a bit... temperamental lately.”

Brit grinned. “You know, if it weren’t for the fact that we’re in the middle of the woods, this would be a nice moment.”

“Yeah right,” Sam said, smirking. “If only.”

&*&*&*&

The Rock really wasn’t much. But it was pretty much all they had. And it was really the closest thing to decent there was in the middle of the Canadian woods.

Decent it was. Mysterious it was as well. Every time Sam entered she felt something stir inside her; as if The Rock had a purpose. As if it was alive.

She didn’t know if the other girls had noticed it, but whether they had or not, she was not going to mention it. They had just gotten over the death of their parents; anything else would surely bring them to the edge between sanity and insanity.

It wasn’t just the feeling that The Rock had a spirit. It was... designed. The mineral grains of quartz that had formed The Rock seemed to be in a very distinct pattern of roughness and color, even though The Rock had probably been there for centuries, eroding away. ‘It’s not normal. It can’t be.’ Sam thought, wincing. If Julie and Brit found out- even suspected anything, it would be total mayhem. They would flat-out refuse to go in it, and... That would be the end of them.

There was something else. Sam couldn’t quite place her finger on it; but there was someone... there... as if they were watching them. Sam shook the feeling. ‘Obviously, this whole experience has caused you to go completely delusional. There is nothing wrong with The Rock, and there never was.’ Sam just wished she could believe in her own words.

&*&*&*&

Julie couldn’t help but shake the fact that there was something wrong with the surroundings. It wasn’t the berry trees; they ate from it and they were all still alive, it wasn’t the stream; nothing ever happened to Sam when she went fishing... but it couldn’t- it couldn’t be The Rock. It was where they lived.
It was also... Julie couldn’t figure it out. All of a sudden, it hit her. Oh my god it’s alive! The Rock- it’s alive, it has a spirit.’ Just then she got into The Rock- and stopped dead straight.

There was something there- and it wasn’t the first time she saw it. “Oh god it’s the picture again!” she whispered to herself. ‘Okay, okay, Julie. Calm down. You’re hallucinating. Just turn around and it’ll be gone,’ she thought to herself. She slowly rotated on her heel and turned back. It was gone. 'Good.'

&*&*&*&

‘Oh god. Oh god oh god oh god oh god. It’s back. Ahhh. Make it stop! I don’t want this. There is something wrong with this! The Rock- I can- I can feel it! I’m not supposed to! Oh god it wants us!’ Brit was rocketed into a state of pure terror as she realized- once again- that The Rock was indeed alive. ‘Sam. Sam will know what to do, she always does. Oh god I gotta go get Sam!’

&*&*&*&

“Got it!” Sam yelled, as she managed to get a fish with her dad’s rod. “Yes!” Just then Brit came barging into the scene. “Sam! Oh god Sam it’s alive! You have to help!”

“What? What’s alive?” Sam asked, with genuine concern.

“The Rock! I can feel it! There’s something wrong with it! It wants us! It wants us in it!” Sam’s eyes widened, first in shock, and then in terror. “How do you know this?”

“I can feel it! Sam it’s alive!”

“Yeah. Brit you’re right. I could feel it too. I just didn’t want you guys to know because I thought it would scare you. I was right. C’mon, we have to find Julie and let her know.”

&*&*&*&

“Julie?” Sam’s voice rang out, circling the forest before the sound scattered away. “Julie!!!”

Julie caught sight of them, annoyed. “What?”

“Julie. I have to find out if you’ve noticed or not... have you noticed that The Rock... seems to be... alive?”

Julie’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “Oh my god... and I thought I was hallucinating...”

“What? Did you see something? I mean, me and Brit just felt it, but-”

Julie cut her off, saying, “Brit? You felt something too?”

“Yeah... It’s alive... and it wants us. I can practically hear it- its not just feelings... it wants us... and now.”

Julie gulped. “I don’t know. Brit, you’ve always been able to hear stuff we haven’t and Sam knows what people are feeling... but I- I saw- I saw a portrait... like drawn into The Rock... but I blinked and it wasn’t there anymore...”

“That would make sense. You have better vision than all of us. And I always wondered why the grains seemed to form a distinct pattern,” Sam said.

Suddenly Brit cut in. “What did the portrait look like?”

“I don’t know... I can’t quite remember... But there was a boy- and he was staring at us... Brit’s right... he wants us... somehow.”

“I always thought The Rock was alive,” Sam said. “Right now, let’s go back and
Julie can tell us what the portrait looks like, okay?”

Julie nodded. She was oddly pale as the trio made their way through the dense forest of trees and plants.

When they got to The Rock, all three girls could tell that The Rock wanted them- it was stronger than ever. “It feels us. It knows we know, and it wants us- now,” Sam whispered, petrified.

“I can hear it. It knows, alright, and it definitely wants us,” Brit added. Julie urged for them to follow.

As they crept into The Rock, a strange silence fell over the forest. The wind was still, and the birds were no longer chirping. The forest held its breath, waiting... waiting...

The stillness was torture, as Sam could feel all the animals’ curiosity. They all know what’s going to happen,’ she thought. The atoms, everything was alive, everything was waiting.

Brit could hear the forest through the stillness; she could hear the news spreading through the forest- somehow- she could understand the language of the forest and all the living inhabitants. Everything’s alive... and everything knows,’ she thought.

Julie could feel the pressure growing; the stillness of the forest was just an illusion; everything was just about the opposite of still as the atoms making up the world as they knew it struggled to keep under normal behavior. She could see it- she could see the atoms behaving; suddenly, she knew every single intricate detail about the miniature particles of the forest. ‘Alright Julie,’ she told herself, ‘just see the portrait and describe it.’ She turned around to face the portrait, and...

It wasn’t there. The portrait wasn’t there.

“What do you see?” Sam asked anxiously.

“I don’t know. Hold on.” Julie replied. This is wonderful. It appears when you’re trying to block it out, and when you want it to be there, it completely disappears.’ Just then the solution hit Julie like a ton of bricks smashing into a plastic wall. Then don’t want it.’ Julie stared ahead. Could it work?

Slowly, surely, Julie closed her eyes and willed every atom of her body to not want the portrait to be there. She felt the atoms bending to her will, her mind was being fooled by itself, and Julie felt the power rush through her veins. She opened her eyes.

The portrait was there. “Yes!” Julie whispered, being careful not to let her mind go back to wanting the portrait.

“Describe it!” Brit said.

“Okay. It’s just one person... he’s a guy and he looks around 15, same age as Sam...”

As her name was called, Sam felt a shock run through her body. She couldn’t control it- it was taking over. Oh shoot,’ she thought. 'What is happening now?’

Suddenly, she felt the portrait calling her name; it was her turn. She felt her mind being controlled by someone else even though she couldn’t even see the portrait or the controller.

Her mind wanted the portrait. Wanted the portrait visible, and so did Sam. She wanted it. Sam focused her mind, going off into a trance-like stage; focusing on nothing but the portrait. She urged the portrait to come out, and she felt its desire. It was indeed alive. She felt the portrait’s desperate need to come out into the open; to reveal itself.

The portrait appeared. Julie stopped describing, ending abruptly. “Erm... guys... do you-”

Sam cut her off. “It was me. Something took over me, and it wanted the portrait out in the open. And I did too. The portrait wants to be out in the open guys. And it got its wish, alright.”

Brit was sheet white, and neither of the older girls blamed her. “Normally, I’d be jealous that you two got to play all the mind games, but as of now, I’m rather happy that I didn’t have to do any of that crazy magical stuff,” she said.

“It wants us,” Sam said. “There’s something behind the portrait that wants to be found.”

“What?” Julie said, confused.

“Behind the portrait,” Sam repeated. “There’s something there that wants us to find it. I can feel it. The particles, atoms, whatever, it’s urging us to look for it. Just reach behind the portrait and you’ll get it.”

Julie tried, reaching her hand behind the portrait. It was then that she noticed that the portrait was floating in midair. “Whoa! There’s nothing there,” she said.

Sam stepped up, the remaining color draining from her face, “Let me try,” she said.
Sam reached behind it, and urged the object to come to her. She concentrated with all her might, feeling the power come to her. Suddenly a piece of paper appeared in her hand. “Got it!” she whispered. She was weak; the energy had been completely drained out of her. This was dangerous. With the last tidbit of energy she had, she opened the paper and began to read.

Dear Reader,

Clearly you have found my note and your own powers. Congratulations. Now, I know what has happened to you. Your parents are gone, and you are alone, and lost. And, most of all, you are scared. You have discovered your powers and are drained, but as you are reading this note, your energy will be restored.
I am lost. No. Captured would be a better word. I am trapped, and I need your help. You three are the only ones who can help me.
It will be a perilous journey, but the rewards are great. You shall get your parents back.

But the journey through the worlds is extremely dangerous. The time and basic laws will be different in each world; some completely different from others and yours.
If you wish to help me, the one who brought out this paper must bring out the portal into the next world. Good luck.

Sam looked up, paler than ever. “That means me,” she whispered.

“Are you sure we should do this?” she asked.

Julie’s decision was final: “I want Mom and Dad. I’ll do anything.”

Sam nodded. “Alright.” She closed her eyes, and once again went into the state of deep trance required to bring out these things. The Note had neither explained how these powers worked, nor how they had gotten them, but one thing was for sure, it definitely implied that the girls would need them.

Sam’s energy was once again being drained, but she felt some sense of familiarity now, as she concentrated with all her might at making the portal appear. When she opened her eyes, it was there. The portal was pitch-black, with no end to its depth. But it wasn’t just that- there was a golden key hovering just in front of it. Sam spoke. “Julie, grab that key. We might need it. I have the note in my pocket; we never know what we’re going to need. If the key is in front of the portal, we might as
well take it. Who knows what we’ll find.”

The portal’s presence was sensed by the forest. The forest was once again restless, waiting for the outcome of the appearance.

As Julie grabbed the key, Sam spoke again, saying “Now remember girls. If anything happens to anyone of us, the others have to continue okay? No matter what happens,” she said.

“Okay,” Julie said.

“Course,” Brit added.

The girls locked hands, preparing to go in. As they leaned forward... nothing happened. “What happened there?” Sam asked.

“Nothing,” Brit replied. “That’s the problem.”

Just then Sam’s eyes widened in realization. “The key! We need the key!” she said.

“That means you have to bring out the keyhole,” Julie muttered.

Sam didn’t hear this statement; she was already in trance. It was getting easier
now, practice might not make perfect, but it certainly helped.

“Sam? You can stop now. It’s there.” Julie’s voice awakened Sam.

“It is? Last time it took longer.” Sam opened her eyes, and there it was- a shiny gold keyhole that went along with the key. Julie stuck the key in- it fit. As she slowly turned it, all three girls heard an invisible lock click and the stillness intensify.

The portal was still black, but there was something different about. “It’s different. I can feel it,” Sam said.

Julie added, “I can see it. There’s a layer of atoms or particles, something like that- missing from the outside, so we can get in. This thing is definitely well-protected.”

“Well I don’t blame whoever wrote the note. It’s definitely dangerous. There’s no signature on the note.” Sam said, as she saw the inquiring look Julie shot her.


“I can hear it guys. It wants us to shut up and get in already,” Brit said, wincing.

“Well, here goes nothing,” Sam said.

The three girls linked hands, all of them clammy with sweat, as the forest was now in a state of feverish anticipation.

The girls jumped in.

&*&*&*&