It took a few moments before the young man before him spoke again but even through his brief silence he knew the answer to his own question. He could see the slight alarm in the others eyes. He could see a piece of hope devoured in his irises as he realized that what they went through, was very real. And as he spoke Carter's suspicions were given truth.<br/><br/>"<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#0080ff">Actually, I was praying you'd have no idea what I was talking about so I could convince myself it was just a nightmare.</span>"<br/><br/>Carter's heart sank through his stomach as he laid his head back down in the damp cold grass below him. Closing his eyes as he tried to register what this just means. "<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffa64d">I would much prefer to believe we're both crazy then realize that that place. That thing, was real.</span>" Carter's opened once more as the second much older voice interrupted the two. His hazel gaze locking to the man and listening to his ever word as if it may cure the madness he felt was plaguing within his mind. And his words seemed to make sense to an extent. He wasn't sure how he hadn't realized how the land had changed on his way into the woods before. The bright sunny day morphing, the trees seeping fog. But even though he found some sanity in this realization he had more questions.<br/><br/>"<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffa64d">I wasn't... Asleep... Or I don't know think so.</span>" He spoke once more, his voice starting to return again. Though he wasn't sure it was true. Had his trip to the woods all been a dream of reality? "<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffa64d">I.. must have stumbled here on accident... Which would explain why there is two now. I was looking in a large forest for clues to a missing girl-</span>"<br/><br/>The words stumbled out of his mouth as an explosion of realization dawned upon him. This, this must be where the girl disappeared too. And if that's so and no matter if you live or die you return here then...<br/><br/>Carter's gaze looked towards the other figures standing near the fire. He saw them whispering, each unsure when to approach. A handsome young man with glasses, a girl with pig tales, a girl who looked a lot like his older sister. But each was unfamiliar, he could not see Claudette, not yet anyhow. And before he tried to look more his attention turned back to the man as he also realized that he would have to return to that hellish place again.<br/><br/>"<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffa64d">Are you telling me, were stuck in some twisted version of the hunger games? Forced to live and die night after night without any hope of escape? Why even try, if that is true?</span>" Questions about Claudette pushed aside for now, he had to focus on what this meant for his life before he troubled his head with more thoughts about he kissing girl. This was his nightmare too now.