Chapter 4: The Crossing
The moon is high in the sky now, casting long, eerie shadows across the landscape. Alvin's steps grow heavier with each passing moment as he moves deeper into the unknown. He can feel the pull of the power of waking, stronger now, almost like an invisible hand guiding him forward. But there’s something else—something darker lingering at the edges of his mind.
He pauses for a moment, standing at the edge of a cliff, looking down at the swirling mist below. There’s no turning back. He’s made his choice. He has to find Theodore. But a nagging doubt creeps in—one he can’t shake.
ALVIN:
(to himself, softly)
I have to do this. I can’t let him stay lost...
(Suddenly, a voice breaks the silence. It’s familiar, though distant, as if coming from somewhere just beyond his reach.)
VOICE:
(calling softly)
Alvin...
(Alvin’s heart skips a beat. He spins around, searching the shadows. The voice is faint but unmistakable. His eyes narrow.)
ALVIN:
(urgently)
Theodore? Is that you?
(A figure steps out from the mist, cloaked in darkness. It’s not Theodore, but someone else—someone who has haunted Alvin’s nightmares. The figure is tall, their silhouette sharp and unnerving.)
ALVIN:
(defiantly)
Who are you?
(The figure smiles, a chilling, almost knowing grin.)
FIGURE:
I’m someone who has been watching you, Alvin. Waiting for you to make your move.
(Alvin’s fists clench, but he stands his ground.)
ALVIN:
I don’t have time for games. Where is he? Where’s Theodore?
(The figure steps closer, their presence overwhelming.)
FIGURE:
You’re so focused on finding him, Alvin... but you’re forgetting something. You’re not the only one who’s been searching. Others are after him too. And you don’t know the cost of what you’re about to do. Do you really think you can save him without paying the price?
(Alvin’s eyes flare with determination.)
ALVIN:
I’ll pay any price. I’ve already lost him once. I’m not losing him again.
(The figure laughs softly, stepping back as if amused by Alvin’s resolve.)
FIGURE:
Then you’re even more foolish than I thought. You’re walking into a storm, Alvin. The kind you won’t be able to escape. You think you’re doing this for Theodore... but in the end, you’re only doing it for yourself. For the part of you that can never let go. The part of you that’s been running, that’s been chasing a dream that was never meant to be.
(Alvin’s breath quickens, but he’s unshaken.)
ALVIN:
I don’t care. I’ll find him. No matter what it takes.
(The figure pauses, their eyes glinting with an almost sadistic pleasure.)
FIGURE:
Very well. But remember this: once you step into the abyss, there’s no guarantee you’ll ever find your way back out. Not even if you wanted to.
(The figure turns, their form beginning to dissipate into the mist. Before they vanish entirely, they leave Alvin with one final warning.)
FIGURE:
(calling back)
The cost is always greater than you think, Alvin. Be careful what you wish for.
(Alvin watches as the figure vanishes, his heart pounding. He stands there for a long moment, contemplating their words. But he knows—he knows what he has to do. He can’t go back now.)
ALVIN:
(to himself, resolved)
I’ll make it back. I will.
(With renewed determination, Alvin steps into the mist, the world around him swirling as he crosses into the unknown. The air grows colder, and the weight of what he’s about to face presses down on him, but he pushes forward, each step more certain than the last.)
(Meanwhile, back with Simon and Brittany, the night stretches on in silence. Simon paces restlessly, unable to shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong. He can’t help but feel that Alvin is walking straight into danger. But there’s nothing he can do to stop it now.)
SIMON:
(softly, to Brittany)
I... I should have stopped him. I should have been stronger.
BRITTANY:
(gently)
Simon, you can’t change what’s happened. But you can believe in him. He’s going to need that when he comes back.
(Simon looks at her, his expression pained, but he nods slowly, trying to fi
nd some semblance of peace.)
SIMON:
(quietly)
I just hope... I hope he’s not too late.
