Rips in the Sky

“What happens now?” He doesn’t know how long he’s been floating in the sky. Occasionally, he could hear barking on the ground. His guide didn’t speak.

“Are you still there? Hello?"

Yet, he was not alone.

The child with him wasn’t much use to keeping his mind on track. This kid didn’t talk at all. He couldn’t get a single word out of him.

“What’s your name?”

No answer.

“What were you doing in that cave?”

No answer.

He was running out of basic questions to ask the child. However, he couldn’t help but get the feeling that he already knew the kid from somewhere. He cocked his head to the side.

“Ben?”

The child turned his head. He froze and took a step back. What was going on here? He looked up at the empty space over his head.

“What is Ben doing here? I thought he was back out here.”

He is.

“What?” He turned and looked at the boy blinking at him. Yeah, this was Ben as a kid, alright. His mind was in a trippy, confusing place. Was it wrong to be weirded out by seeing this little kid version of the guy he had met a few times?

“How is this even possible?”

We’re in the place where time mixes and loses itself.

“It what?”

Never mind! There’s not much time. Plus, you wouldn’t get it.

He rolled his non-existent eyes. “I’m not a dumb kid, you know?” The voice didn’t respond.

“What happens now?” He looked to see little Ben closer to him. He let out a short yelp. When did this kid have time to move in closer?

Calm down. He’s here to help us.

He looked confused as he stared into Little Ben’s eyes. “How?”

Just put your hand on his forehead and drink him down.

“What?”

Just do it! It won’t be long before the hounds catch your scent! Here! Their hand grabbed him by the wrist. A heavy chill ran through the space where his body should be. He winced as the invisible hand moved his up to the boy’s forehead. Ben didn’t try to move. The little boy closed his eyes. Meanwhile, his body went stiff as soon as his fingers made contact with the skin.

Clear your mind and focus on him.

He didn’t have a chance to argue. All he could do was focus on little Ben. He had to do this to get Baby Doll back and get home. In front of him, Little Ben started to glow. In a flash, he was gone. There was no time for him to register what happened. His green eyes snapped open and he too was yanked out of the air in the cave.

Outside, deep purple cracks started to appear in the sky.