Traveler - The Price (Book 3)
Chapter 14

We all have some madness inside us, but this is not a bad thing. We have parts of us that are like broken toys, but that’s fine too. In the end, that madness makes us unique because it behaves differently in every one of us. It monopolizes some of us completely, others fight to keep it in, and others try to balance it. Our various ways to treat the madness in our lives makes us see things differently. I was sure I had left the madness to take control over me, but I was feeling better. I felt like I could be my true self, free of everything, in a way I never had the courage to show myself before.

I felt I needed to be in charge because I had the impression I knew where to go. I pushed Ivy aside, and I walked away from the main road, on a path, behind a ruin.

“Jo, what are you doing? I don’t think that’s the right way” she says.

“It’s this way! I know it!”

“How can you know? I memorized the map, and I’m pretty sure it’s not that way!”

I ignored her completely, and I continued walking until I found myself in front of a lake. We had deviated a little from our path, but I had a feeling that was the right way.

“We deviated. We need to go back to the main street” says Deby.

“Shh!” I said. “It must be something here because I had a feeling.”

“Jo, there’s nothing here. It’s just a stupid lake. Let’s get out of here before we bump into some other creature!” says Ivy.

I looked at the lake. The water was foul, and I couldn’t see how deep it was or what it was inside. I got close, and I had that weird feeling like I was supposed to jump inside.

“Hold this” I said giving my backpack to Aaron.

I climbed one of the trees, to have a better view of the surroundings. From up there, I couldn’t see either what was inside the lake because of the dirty and dark water. I stood on my feet on a branch, and I jumped into the lake. I touched the bottom with my feet, and I felt something. I tried to grab it, but I had to get out to take a breath.

“Jo, what the hell?” asks Ivy.

“It’s something in there” I said.

“So, get out of there!” says Aaron.

“No! It’s not alive! It’s something that I need to replace!”

“You’re completely out of your mind! Get out of there!” shouts Deby whose patience was about to end.

I took a deep breath, and I got into the water again. I was searching with my hands in the mud the object that wouldn’t let me leave that place. When I wanted to get out to breathe again, I touched it with my foot. It was something thick, and from what I could feel, it had something carved in it, a model or a symbol. I grabbed it, and I got outside. There, everyone was waiting for me restively.

“Next time, don’t think I’m crazy” I said swimming proudly to the shore.

“What have you found?” asks Aaron helping me to get out.

It was a piece of wood, which had carved in it three long and curved symbols. It looked like it was put there just before I got into the lake because it didn’t seem damaged by the water or the mud.

“Look” says Deby turning it on the other side.

It was a “J” carved just at the end of each symbol. Then I realized I had been drawn by the only weapon that could have killed me. I remembered Joana’s words and I knew I was right.

“Oh, my God” I said in a whisper.

“What is it, Jo?” asks Ivy.

I took the piece of wood, and I studied it carefully. It was a little long at the bottoms, but I had no idea how that thing which wasn’t inspiring me any fear was supposed to kill me.

“This is the weapon I was talking about” I said finally.

“How do you know?” asks Aaron.

“I just know. As Joana said.”

“I think we should take care of it. We don’t want to get into the wrong hands” continues Aaron.

“I don’t think that anyone besides us knows what this is, but we will take care of it” I say.

I put in on my waist, and I squeezed my clothes. I was almost dry, so it was no point in changing.

“Jo, I want to tell you something for about two days” says Ivy.

“Tell me” I said.

“I was under the impression that you were going crazy, acting weird, but today you were right.”

I processed the information for a couple of seconds, the I decided to agree with her.

“I feel the same way. When I killed the Ouroboros, I felt that anger that I couldn’t control. I looked at my reflection, and I noticed my eyes were exactly as when I attacked you.”

“What are you talking about?” asks Aaron.

“Sometimes, my eyes become orange… Only for a few seconds and I feel an inexplicable anger. After a while, I calm down. I can’t explain it.”

“I think I can…” he says disappointedly.

“I don’t know if it has anything to do with the price I have to pay, but it’s nothing I can’t solve! It’s no need to impatience.”

That was the first time the others heard that there were some consequences since I got Aaron back.

“Jo, sorry, but what the hell did you expect?” says Ivy irritated.

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, I get it, we played with the destiny, you kill the Ouroboros, things aren’t normal anymore, but did you think that if you bring someone back from the Underworld, there will be no consequences?”

“It doesn’t matter, and I don’t give a damn because what I have done is in the past, and if it were to choose again, I would do the same thing! I’m not in the mood for your lessons, Ivy!”

She nodded her head as a disapproval and continued her way. I felt that tension between us again, and I knew everyone thought I was crazy. I wasn’t sure either if I was going crazy or not, but at least Ivy had said it to my face.

We were on the main street again, and after a few minutes of walking, we saw over a fence a ruined rolling stock. I looked excited at the others.

“Let’s steal a car!” I say climbing on the fence.

I threw the backpack on the other side, but I saw no one was following me.

“What? Don’t you want not to walk further? At least as long as we can?”

“Jo… there’s a gate on your left. I think I will use it” says Deby trying not to laugh.

I rolled my eyes, and I continued to climb the fence. I jumped on the other side, where the others were already waiting for me.

“By the way, we’re not stealing anything” laughs Deby. “It’s not like it’s someone here who can make a tour and sell us a car.”

“Ok, I get it. I better shut up because you always replace something wrong in what I say” I grumbled miffed.

We were walking among the dusty and old cars. They all looked like junk, rather than to be used. It had passed some years, that’s true since the civilization had disappeared, but we hoped we could replace one to make our journey easier.

“Hey, come here!” says Andy.

“Did you replace anything?” asks Aaron.

“Yes! Something amazing!” he says enthusiastic.

It was a big van, probably used for carrying goods because it didn’t have windows in the back. He had a problem with the vans, but I didn’t say anything to him. It was a good car to take us where we needed to arrive. It wasn’t the time to be rude. A lot of cars had the keys inside, and others were put in a weird position, a sign that people had tried to run with them in the past, probably some years ago, when it all had started. However, we couldn’t replace any men around.

We got inside, and Andy sat with Aaron, of course, on the front. We got comfortable in the back. It was enough space for us to take a nap. It was a good thing because we weren’t forced to stay outside anymore and to light the fire every time.

“I hope we can keep it in one piece” says Andy after a few attempts of starting it.

“Come on. Let’s replace a gas station. It will not take us too far if we don’t replace one” says Aaron.

We hit the road again, happier this time because we had a car. Deby was the most drilled one for she hated walking since I’ve known her. Andy was excited too because he loved cars. He had revealed this passion of his pretty late.

I stretched my legs, and I put them in Aaron’s seat. Ivy was sitting between their seats, to explain them the way, and Deby was scattering for something to eat in the backpack. She took out a bag of chips and opened it. She shared with us. I had in mind to ask her if they were good to eat because that box didn’t look so good, but I have changed my mind at the last minute.

I relaxed, and I let the sleep take me over. I needed some rest, after so many travels between the worlds. I heard the others talking, but at one point I didn’t hear anything. The tiredness had said its word.