~Edwin

He had only shut his eyes for a couple of minutes before a wave as immense and impacting as a tsunami crashed over him, scattering seeds of drowsiness all over the thin male. It rooted deeply inside of him and continued to grow increasingly rapid until the student has fallen into a deep slumber.

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The strong yet worn out Edwin instantly plunged into a world of darkness; nothing luminous or literate was present before his eyes, his ears heard nothing but the resonance of solitude and silence, and his senses could not pick up a trace of any scent, sound, person, or food. Nothing was felt; he was not even able to locate himself, nor recognize anything physically, yet deep in his heart, he felt he was falling down through a pitch black pit that seemed to endlessly continued beneath him. He waited anxiously for the pulling in his heart to stop.

Nothing was different.

This stirring feeling of anxiety and wonder prancing and wandering about inside of Edwin never ceased; his heart began to race in a velocity he never experienced before, and he felt his muscles tense and his breathing shortening. He began to feel heavy all of a sudden, VERY heavy and over regular pressure. Edwin felt a scream of panic and fear surge upwards and out of his mouth, yet when he tried to let the sound out, only a soft, tiny echo was heard amid the vast darkness. He helplessly continued to cry for help and salvation, yet his pitiful requests for help didn't seem to make too much of an impact within this endless pit of doom. He felt absolutely morbid, which wa something he hadn't felt since seventh grade; his head felt like it was going to explode of all the hidden tension that dwelled inside, and the racing of his heart never subsided. He frantically tensed his muscles more, in case this meant he was close to falling.

But falling where?

Where would he land?

Would he even land?

If he did, would he catch himself in time?

Edwin decided not to ponder on that; he kept his eyes focused on the rushing darkness that seemed to zip past him quicker by the second. He continued to scream for help, but the echoes didn't get any louder.

Someone please! Help me! Save me! Get me out of this plunging tunnel of doom, I'm begging you!

These were the thoughts that rumbled loudly in his mind as he gave up on imploring for help and continued to helplessly race through the darkness with utter fear.

However, right when time took away another minute of his life, Edwin saw the rapid arrival of blinding white light that caused him to sigh of relief. Before his eyes could even take refuge under his two hands to prevent eye damage, he felt everything, including his back and his head, plummet harshly down on a stone surface, thus bringing all the heavy weight down on him simultaneously.

Edwin released an ear-piercing scream of the pain. Clear, running tears streamed down his face as he poorly attempted to stand on his feet. He hissed, scowled, and cursed even, but the morbid, stinging sensation all over his body wouldn't budge, not even a centimeter. After falling to the ground with a wail once more, he succumbed to his conditions and laid there for a countless amount of time.

Despite the unbearable pain, Edwin felt a twinge of relief and gratitude sparking within him; after what felt like hours and hours of falling and floating alongside the walls of a black hole, he was finally able to see something appealing to his eyes:

A vast, infinite canvas above painted with a stunning combination of indigo and violet. Miniscule white, glittery stars adorned the brilliant night sky, and, to add on to it, a soft, chilly breeze that blew tenderly over Edwin's face.

I've never seen anything as pulchritudionous or eye-catching as this night sky above. This is just absolutely perfect!

His trail of admiring thoughts immediately vanished as soon as he remarked silently how this sky was nothing like the sky back at home. Thus, it reminded him that it was because he was not back at home, but somehow thrown into some unknown terrain where everything, even nature's presence, looked and felt completely different.

Edwin jolted to his feet, neglecting the pain the remained in his back and his limbs. He found himself on a patch of green, glistening grass that seemed to stretch outwards, covering a large distance. He began to walk across the terrain in hopes of seeking a guidance out of this place, or, perhaps, a familiar face.

Except there's no way that anyone I know personally will be here in... whatever this place is called.

Edwin trudged through the grass; some were short and some were as tall as trees! Yet, he didn't find anything but more and more grass. He sighed bitterly, irritated to the bone.

"There must be something or someone that could help me figure out where I am, or how to get back home, in my bed, where I was supposed to be!" He angrily muttered out loud.

He ventured on, keeping his eyes and ears out for any possible solutions, yet none of these options appeared to be in his favor. Nonetheless, after torturous minutes of walking and walking with a pain that ached him so, he came across a part of the surface where it was circled by tall, glamorous, jungle trees that, in Edwin's point of view, functioned like a blockade, a prevention of anyone entering the giant stone temple implanted in the middle of the circle.

Edwin took a few minutes to stare at awe, wishing his town had secret works of art such as the one his eyes were majestically beholding.

I must take a picture of this! If only I had my phone, he thought with a hint of disappointment.

He sprinted around the cluster of trees and some rather surreal looking boulders that bunched together with the trees and loomed over his moving shadow. Edwin didn't have time to stare; he wanted to find an entrance, whether it be obvious or concealed, to the stone temple, where he concludes he'll find the help and guide he needs, judging by the mysterious structure and the ongoing chills it gave Edwin.

He searched thoroughly and analyzed the circular blockade of trees and boulders for a great amount of time until he finally came to realize he has been running in numerous, complete circles; what frustrated him even more was the fact that during this long time interval, he found absolutely nothing that could lead him inside.

Great! Now what am I going to do? I can't just stand here!

Edduin looked up towards the night sky once more with pleading eyes.

"Please, oh dear lord, help me find my way home! Show me what is this place, help me return safely, at least give me an idea of what to do! Please!" He prayed out loud with a shaking voice. His ears soon picked up the sound of the chilly breeze that danced about, but nothing else useful was heard, unfortunately for him.

Well, that was, until a tree branch snapped in half.

Startled, his head abruptly whirled to face exactly where the broken tree branch was. He gradually looked up at the surreal, immense, majestic green tree covered in green moss. The abundant amount of branches that protruded from the the dark colored bark gave him an idea.

Well, if I can't go around it, maybe I can go OVER it! He reasoned in his head.

He prayed silently to the night sky above that there wouldn't be any tree of force field.

Edwin ventured near the tree that hung above him; it was most definitely monstrous and frightening to watch and gaze at, yet a snapping reminder was all it took to shake Edwin out of his frantic trance.

Don't look so scared; remember: you're EDWIN RIVERA-MENDEZ, and Edduin Rivera-Mendez is not afraid of barely anyone or anything! You took down a tough kid earlier this week, you can surely scale up a tree.

Within a time frame of two seconds, he had already leapt on the tree to start climbing it. Edwin already knew how to climb all sorts of trees; skinny, thick, tall, small, you name it! But this tree, for some reason, distinguishes from the other trees he had ever laid eyes on. It was as if the tree held a power, an authority, or simply a concealed feature that wasn't visible on the trees back home. Edwin took his mind off it as soon as his mind encountered the size of the tree once more. Nothing was going to stop him from reaching the stone temple!

After some struggling, hanging, slipping and grunting, he heaved himself one more time, despite his aches, and positioned his feet comfortably inside the leaves of the tree. The leaves looked absolutely gorgeous: there was no sign of uncleanliness; they just kept on shining and illuminating the night like a night light in a pitch black room, or a lighthouse during a foggy midnight. He pushed himself up to his feet and looked over the territory he found minutes ago with admiring eyes.

I've done it! Gosh, I can't get over how beautiful this place looks!

However, in no later than two minutes did his feet decide to betray him. Unknowingly to Edwin, he took just a baby step towards the stone temple, his mind still bewitched by the sight of this extraordinary feature in the middle of this gorgeous place.

Before he even thought about it, he stepped on to the surface of nothing but air.

And then, well..

He face planted.

After that...

"Hey, guys! I think I heard something-- perhaps someone!-- crash on the ground--over there!" A worn out, yet a very familiar voice echoed in his ears that were covered with tiny pieces of grass.

Edwin couldn't help but blush madly of the embarrassment that someone saw him face plant onto the ground.

All because your stupid self didn't watch where you placed your own feet.

Edwin took a deep breath.

Hopefully they did not see that bit!

"I think it is a person! Ha! How silly, it wasn't even looking where it was going-- it just stepped off the tree as if it could walk in midair and just plummeted straight into the patch of grass!" Laughed a recognizable female girl, one that made him grimace a bit.

Serena!

Edwin leapt to his feet and cleaned off as much dirt and grass as he could from his pijamas; he didn't want to be teased anymore for his idiotic action.

Besides, I've been through too much today. I wonder though, would she or the others recognize me?-

"EDWIN?!" Exclaimed an incredulous voice, the same voice that first spoke since Edwin fell of that darn tree.

Looks like my question has been answered.

He slowly veered his body to meet face to face with the boy who had just spoken.

Indeed, the familiarity of his voice made sense now, because he had just encountered a shocked, petrified Alfonso.

More voices came from behind the wide-eyed midget, each voice of suprise and query mixed with another.

"Edwin, what are you doing here?"

"Edwin! Someone brought you here too?!"

"Oh lord, this is so strange! How many more of us are going to appear tonight?"

"Edwin, do you know who are what brought us here to this place? Or what this place is even called?"

The last question came from Serena, and it stabbed him deep into his chest for some reason. Probably because his original quest ever since he ended up here WAS to find the person or object that caused their finding of this mysterious site. But did he ever succeed in completing that quest?

No.

At least he would've, if Alfonso and Serena hadn't got in the middle of it.

"No, but that's why I climbed up that tree; I thought that stone temple over there would hold the answers to all of our questions, plus the way back home," Edwin stated neutrally. He didn't want to sound mad at them; it wasn't as if they intentionally interrupted and ruined his plans. Besides, sincerely, he was just as bewildered and confused as his classmates that stood before him.

A girl with striking blonde hair and brilliant cyan eyes spoke with even more bewilderment than the rest.

"Wait, what stone temple?" She inquired. She and the rest of the group spun around and glanced at the majestic stone temple that laid at the center of the circle. Everyone except Edwin stood ajar as their eyes filled with utter awe and admiration at the sight. Edwin slipped a snicker behind them.

It looks like they were too busy running around and into each other to even notice this beautiful temple!

"It's amazing!" The blonde exclaimed with much happiness and excitement. She must have already assumed that the temple might mean a chance for answers.

"I agree. I wonder how we didn't notice this in the first place!" Exclaimed a cheerful, optimistic voice. Edwin widened his eyes and murmured, "Christian?"

He didn't even notice his own best friend amid all the haste. A wave of guilt crashed over him, which made him turn a bright red when Christian noticed and smirked at him.

"You just noticed me now? Such. A. Shame," Chrisitian clicked his teeth while shaking his head in false disapproval. Edwin couldn't help but sheepishly chuckle at Christian's statement. He put his hands on his back and clutched them together, while lowering his head and slowly pivoting around in a slow, awkward motion.

Alfonso and Christian turned around and laughed at the bashful Edwin. The blonde also managed to giggle a bit while still staring at the temple. The other girl, who had her shoulder draped over the blonde's, rolled her eyes.

"Typical Edwin, always forgetting simple things," She remarked in a playful, snarky tone. Edwin opened his mouth to protest when Serena spoke out.

"Guys, focus! Let's head on to the stone temple quickly! Who knows what will happen if we stay here for any longer?" Serena said firmly to the group of Herold High freshman. Everyone immediately dropped the topic of Edwin and Christian and sprinted their way towards the stone temple.

After minutes of tripping, groaning of exhaustion, and simply sprinting on end, the group of six fortunately slowed to a stop, panting like dogs under the burning sun on an early summer morning. The boys instantly fell to the ground and rolled around, collecting green grass that stuck on their PJ's. The three girls who managed to keep themselves on their feet after much exercise couldn't help but laugh at the hilarious sight.

As a response to the giggling and laughing that was occurring near the entrance of the gray temple, a shadow began to near the group of teenagers; it's shadow got bigger and bigger and seemed to form the shape of a young girl with a low ponytail, yet they still kept laughing and rolling about, indicating they either didn't notice or didn't care

The shadow stopped for a moment, examining the the crew of laughing teenagers while moving its shoulders slowly and lightly; it seemed to be taking shallow breaths.

No one noticed yet.

Then, all of a sudden, it cleared its throat with a loud "Ahem!" that reverberated across the temple.

Every one of the six stopped abruptly and slowly turned around, soon to encounter unexpected visitor.