A Remaining Podeshire 1

Chapter 3 (Part 2)

     Oliver lands on the ground unharmed. As his feet touch the floor, he bends his knees and lays his fingers on the sharp tip of the grass. Oliver stands upright. Then, he looks around, seeing the darkness everywhere.

     Taking a deep, slow breath, Oliver walks to the far-right side of the yard. Then, he jumps and reaches the peak of the thick, wooden fence before climbing over to the other side. Panting from exhaustion, he hops off and lands outside the lawn.

     Oliver hears loud, groaning carriages with faint murmurs on his right side. He swiftly looks to his right and spots strolling men and women on the street. Seeing the crowded outdoors causes Oliver's face to wrinkle in disgust. His stomach rumbles, feeling uneasy as he watches a group of people passing through the sidewalk. Grunting, Oliver walks in the opposite direction.

     As he walks further to his right, Oliver enters a deep forest. The tall pine trees tower over each other, and their thick branches envelop the ground with shadow as they block the moonlight. The moist leaves glisten under the starlight, but no light reaches the soil underneath the branches.

     Oliver uses his power to summon speckles of glowing yellowish light from his hand. It then sparkles through the trees and logs, deeper into the forest. As the shimmering element gradually moves away, Oliver follows it, guiding him through the woods.

     Oliver ventures deeper into the forest, stumbling upon hanging vines and thick bushes. Walking across trees, he accidentally steps on a puddle, soaking his stockings with mud. Oliver quickly moves to the side, and his palm lands on a mossy stone. His body quivers in disgust as he resumes walking forward and following the glowing element through the dark.

     Soon, Oliver spots moonlight beaming forward. Oliver hurries, punching branches away from his face. As the glowing element reaches the clearing, it fades and blends with the natural light while Oliver hastens across thorny bushes.

     Oliver finally reaches the end of the woods. He holds onto his knees as he pants loudly. Oliver's eyes then glance left and right, checking if he is the only person in the area. He spots no one but the vast grasslands stretching into the horizon.

     The luminous full moon cascades a soft, ethereal glow to the grassland. The bright, shimmering stars sparkle in the space as comets bolt across the atmosphere. And the neon galaxies glimmer in the heavens, filling the sky with art.

     As the wind blows softly, Oliver begins wandering around the plains. His hand meets the grass as he struts across them. Then, the breeze brushes onto his body as he takes slow, comforting breaths that dissolve his stress.

     As he ventures further away, deeper into the grassland, Oliver feels the chains around him loosening. He places his hands into his shorts' pocket as he marches across the grass. His head stiffly faces forward as he strolls around until he gets a quick, unexpected glimpse of a figure on the horizon.

     Oliver stops as his eyes squint. While observing the object from afar, he assumes it might be a slim boulder. However, he grows curious about why there is one in the middle of the grassland.

     Curiosity rises within Oliver, demanding he come closer to the figure. Obeying his desires, Oliver sprints towards the object he assumes to be only a boulder. As Oliver gains nearer, his eyes get a clearer view of the figure.

     As Oliver steps closer, the figure gradually appears like a person in his eyes. Oliver halts, immediately covering his mouth as he realizes the slim boulder is nothing but a man. The unexpected moment has Oliver's heartbeat pounding through his chest. Goosebumps cover him and raise his hair as he stands behind the man.

     With the man facing the other direction, not seeing Oliver but the endless grassland, Oliver slowly and stealthily walks backwards. Oliver locks his gaze on the person to assure himself the man won't turn around and see him. As he steps back, Oliver's eyes scan the man's body, and his height causes Oliver to shiver.

     The unfamiliar man stands a few inches taller than Oliver. The man's arms and shoulders stretch broader as well. And his hair is as dark as a shadow, blending with the night sky and complementing his lightly tanned skin.

     Oliver's eyes slowly glance down at the man's outfit. He notices the man's black coat with fluffy white fur trimmings. As Oliver's eyes dart lower, he sees the unfamiliar person wearing black trousers and leather shoes. Oliver then notices the man holding a small notebook in his right hand.

     Suddenly, the man bends down and pushes the grass off his face. He begins observing a glowing brown mushroom patch on the soil while jotting down notes on the small notebook with a pencil. Meanwhile, Oliver continues sneaking away with his eyes fixated on the man.

     Oliver unexpectedly steps on a branch, and it snaps loudly. Oliver gasps, his fear loading in his brain. Oliver's fright drags him down as he falls to the ground.

"Ah—"

     The man swiftly turns his head towards Oliver. He then rises from his knees, tucks his pencil between the notebook, and keeps them inside his coat's pocket. The man starts approaching Oliver with a puffed chest and broad arms.

     Oliver's jaw shivered with his breath. His pupils contracted in fear. He felt the world around him pause as he prepared for what might happen.

     Unexpectedly, the man offered Oliver a hand. Confused, Oliver stared at the man as he refused to make skin contact with the unfamiliar person. Oliver looked at the man's face and saw him lightly smiling.

     Slowly gaining trust, Oliver held the man's hand. Then, the man pulled him up. Their hands refused to let go of one another as they took one step back.

"Are you alright, sir?" the man asked as he assisted Oliver from the ground.

"Maybe..." Oliver responded timidly, avoiding eye contact.

     Anxiety surged with Oliver's blood as his heartbeat throbbed faster than an eagle. Keeping his head down, Oliver slowly glanced at the unfamiliar man's face. As Oliver peered at the man in the eyes, he took a slow, deep breath through his nose.

     The man's eyes are as dark as the night sky, but they gleam like the stars. His captivating smirk brings highlights to his light, subtle beard. And his glance is as soft as the clouds but also sharp like a sword.