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Back The Wishing Game Save as PDF
Chapters (66)
  1. PREFACE
  2. Full Page Image
  3. ONE
  4. TWO
  5. One week ago
  6. THREE
  7. Present day
  8. FOUR
  9. FIVE
  10. SIX
  11. SEVEN
  12. EIGHT
  13. NINE
  14. TEN
  15. ELEVEN
  16. TWELVE
  17. THIRTEEN
  18. FOURTEEN
  19. FIFTEEN
  20. SIXTEEN
  21. SEVENTEEN
  22. EIGHTEEN
  23. NINETEEN
  24. TWENTY
  25. TWENTY-ONE
  26. TWENTY-TWO
  27. TWENTY-THREE
  28. TWENTY-FOUR
  29. TWENTY-FIVE
  30. TWENTY-SIX
  31. TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. TWENTY-EIGHT
  33. TWENTY-NINE
  34. THIRTY
  35. THIRTY-ONE
  36. THIRTY-TWO
  37. THIRTY-THREE
  38. THIRTY-FOUR
  39. THIRTY-FIVE
  40. THIRTY-SIX
  41. THIRTY-SEVEN
  42. THIRTY-EIGHT
  43. THIRTY-NINE
  44. FORTY
  45. FORTY-ONE
  46. FORTY-TWO
  47. FORTY-THREE
  48. FORTY-FOUR
  49. FORTY-FIVE
  50. FORTY-SIX
  51. FORTY-SEVEN
  52. FORTY-EIGHT
  53. FORTY-NINE
  54. FIFTY
  55. FIFTY-ONE
  56. FIFTY-TWO
  57. FIFTY-THREE
  58. FIFTY-FOUR
  59. FIFTY-FIVE
  60. FIFTY-SIX
  61. FIFTY-SEVEN
  62. FIFTY-EIGHT
  63. FIFTY-NINE
  64. SIXTY
  65. SIXTY-ONE
  66. SIXTY-TWO

A shiver goes down my spine as I realize just how precarious the situation I'm in is. And it's not even just about me anymore, or Nikki. It's about my teammates too. If anything happens to me, not only will I cease to exist. So will they.

Maybe Nikki was right. Maybe this is too dangerous. But what is the alternative? Living without him for the rest of my days? Taking my own life so I could see him faster? But even then, who's to say we'll even meet again in the next life?

I cannot continue on without him. The only reason I've managed to do it so far has been because I refused to give in to my grief. I chose to focus on my goal to bring him back instead. But until now, I haven't let myself think of the possibility of failure. I could not even entertain the thought that I might lose.

But what if...

No! I shake myself the moment that thought enters my mind.

I can't let myself get distracted.

Gazing up ahead at Ze's broad back that radiates with strength, I get a renewed burst of confidence.

"Ze?"

He half turns toward me.

"I'm glad we're on the same team." I smile tentatively.

His brows shoot up, his expression one of surprise. His cheeks heat up before he suddenly looks away.

"As you should," he grumbles—but his tone isn't as biting as before.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what I call progress.

TWENTY-NINE

It's night when Ze finally suggests we take a break. The soles of my feet ache, and my muscles are so tense, it takes Herculean strength for me to continue forward. Yet in all this time, I haven't complained—not when everything rests on this journey and successfully finding the third plant. Ze already considers me the weakest link of our team. I don't want to give him more reason to look down on me.

We've probably walked for close to ten hours now. The road was a mixture of desolate desert and steppe before we finally spotted a hint of tall, green trees.

"We shall rest here for the night," he declares as he stops in the middle of a patch of grass nestled among towering foliage and sprawling trees.

He doesn't need to say it twice as I plop myself on the ground, the soft grass cushioning my ungraceful fall. I take a deep breath, a whimper escaping me as I bring my fist against my thighs and calves, hoping to unknot some of the residual tension.

Ze takes one look at me and shakes his head. But he makes himself useful as he gathers some stones, twigs, and dry grass to make a fire. His movements are swift and confident, and a spark bursts to life from the first attempt.