chapter nineteen

Tweek

A black shadow closes in on me. It takes the form of Kenny and reveales a row sharp teeth. I try to scream but it gets stuck in my throat. My feet are glued to a pitchblack floor that slowly crumples beneath me. The Kenny looking creature comes closer and I smell its disgusting breath. I close my eyes but I still see the creature towering over me. It opens its mouth and reveals a split tongue. My stomach turns and acid flows up my esophagus and burns my tongue aways and melts my teeth. I cannot swallow nor open my mouth. I feel like I'm drowning. "You have to go back.", the Kenny creature says, "the answer lies in Starks Pond."

I wake up screaming with sweat dripping down my face and back. Craig lays snoring next to me with one arm wrapped loosly around my waist while drooling on the matress. My eyes start to adjust on the darkness and I can make out Briannas crib. It's selfmade and really ugly but it serves its use. I rub my temple and go over shadow Kennys words again. Starks Pond. The pond in South Park. But why should there be an answer. I don't even know why Kenny was in my dreams. Maybe he really died like Craig assumes and now he's in hell and haunts me. This isn't the first dream I had about Kenny. He appears every other night with weird messages like these. But this exact dream I've been having ever since we joined forces with Christophe. I just know that he's trying to get me to do it. But what should I say to the others? Hey guys I going back to South Park because Kenny told me to in a dream? No that's stupid. I would have to do a cloak-and-dagger operation with Craig and Brianna. I can't get anyone else get involved in this. I look outside and it's still dark, not even dawning. I wake up Craig and he looks at me still half asleep."What's going on honey?", he mumbles."We're leaving. Brianna, you and me."

The cold night air whips into our faces and I pull the from Leo knitted scarf up my face. Craig does the same and he straightens Briannas cap. He has her in a baby sling with her facing his chest. "So Starks Pond?", he asks."Yeah, Starks Pond. I know it sound crazy but Kenny keeps on appearing with the same message. He's trying to send me a hint I just know it.""I believe you.", Craig reassures me.He interwinds our hands and I smile at him. We walk silently next to eachother and hours pass. Somewhere between Denver and South Park Brianna awakes. We take a break, light a fire on the side of the abandoned road and feed her. Craig and I snuggle close to eachother with Brianna in our midst. We rest a while until it starts dawning, then we move again. Brianna is wide awake blabbing something to herself. After a while the sign of South Park finally comes in sight. Now we only need to go to Starks Pond and find the answer.

The water of Starks Pond is rippling as the sun mirrors it self in the clear water. I look around to search for anything out of the ordinary. But nothing seems different. I rub my temples and think hard where it could be. Where we should look. But my mind is nothing but dark blankness. I look over to Craig but he's busy playing around with Brianna, so I'm alone with my thoughts. Kennys dream goes through my head on and on again. I'm looking for any clue he could have given me. I remember feeling like I was drowning and he said 'the answer lies in Starks Pond.'"Craig, I'm going for a swim.", I tell him and take my shirt off.He raises a brow looking concerned: "Are you sure this is what you need to do? Also the pond is probably freezing. You could get really sick.""I know, but I'm sure I need to do this."Craig nods understanding but not less concerned. I press a kiss on his lips and it's sweet and short. Before I dive into the pond I say: "If I don't return... I love you Craig."He looks at me in horror and I dive in. The water is freezing and feels like sharp bites into skin. I open my eyes and take a look around. I only see darkness as I dive deeper. Slowly I feel that my lungs need air again. I swim up again and take a deep breath before I dive down deep again. Now I see a bright light filling the otherwise dark pond. I dive deeper and the light gets brigher. My lungs start to ask for oxygen again, but I keep on pushing. I feel like this is what I need to do. Darkness starts to consume me and my brain screams that I should go up but my limbs are too heavy to move. My eyelids flutter close and I can make out a shadow. "Tweek!", it's Kennys voice I hear before passing completely out.

To be continued...