Perth hesitates walking into the woods again. The crazy boy is fresh in his mind and his song plays in his ears. Who is he? Perth wonders. How can he just sit in the woods and talk gibberish like that.
Perth decides he just won't follow the song if he hears it today. He can ignore the naked man and just pray and return to his beautiful fiancée and pretend yesterday never happened. Maybe it didn't happen. Maybe Perth is starting to go crazy and having weird hallucinations about crazy men.
He sighs as he takes his regular path to his spot and his mind races with worries and images. He really needs to connect with God right now. God knows the answer. He arrives at his clearing and slowly gets down to his knees. He closes his eyes as he thinks about God and asks him for answers. He wishes the world peace for everyone and before he's finished he hears the song.
"God, if you're listening you'll do what's best for me. You'll lead me towards what is right. I'll be sent home" he finishes quickly and smiles when the song ends. Chompoo is his home. He opens his eyes and almost screams as the dome comes into view and the sound of the running river fills his ears.
"Told you you'd see me again today" the familiar husky voice laughs. Perth slowly turns and sees the boy still sitting at the river. Perth wants to cry. Why is he here? Did God not here his prayer?
"I need to leave" Perth chokes out. He keeps his eyes on the ground as he stands and the boy just laughs softly and leans back.
"Why? You asked the Gods to bring you home and you're here. I told you yesterday that it's fate" the boy continues to chuckle and Perth just whips around to glare at him.
"My home is where Chompoo is! My fate is with her! Not some naked, psychotic, homeless man in the woods! God does not want me with a man, okay? You're insane," Perth sneers and the boy just looks up at him. His eyes lock Perth in place and his heart hammers as the boy stands up.
"I'm insane? You're the one that returned to me. I've been here for many years, waiting for the person to free me. I can wait many more years if you're sure that person is not you.
Though you fit the description of a beautiful stranger with mesmerizing eyes and the power to steal my breath away."
Perth is caught off guard as the boy cups his face and he uses all his willpower to pull away. How did he get so close so fast? Perth didn't even remember him moving.
"Stop doing that" Perth tells him sternly and the boy tilts his head.
"Doing what?"
"That thing where you move really fast. Don't do that. And don't touch me. It's disgusting" Perth replies back and the boy looks hurt for a moment.
"You think I'm disgusting? I'm supposed to be beautiful. Everyone says I'm beautiful" the boy looks close to tears and Perth feels bad instantly.
"You're alright. You're not like ugly, you're just not my type" Perth quickly assures him. He wants to slap himself for how stupid that sounded. Just runaway, he thinks, and never come back.
The two stare at each other in silence for a long time. Perth can't seem to move and his eyes are locked on the boys. Something about this feels normal, like it's happened before. The boy looks away first and down at his feet. He's surprisingly clean for someone that lives so far away from civilization.
"There are many different beliefs when it comes to soulmates" -Saint speaks slowly- "some believe that it's two souls that no matter what will always find each other in life. Others say it's two people that help bring out the best in the other and you only have one and it can be anyone. Some say that you can have more than one. People even recite that humans were created with four arms, four legs and a head with two faces. They say Zeus was terrified of their power and cut them in half and they're left trying to find the other half for all their lives. And some, some believe they don't exist. So, tell me Perth what do you believe?" Saint finishes.
"I believe God as a path for us all and he'll make sure you end up with someone that is best for you" Perth tells him and Saint hums.
"So, no soulmates? Just Gods desires?"
He questions back and Perth nods.
"Exactly."
"Does God desire you to be here? Because two days now you've stumbled into my home and I will not complain. I just find it interesting that you do not believe in soulmates and yet I already feel like my soul calls out to you and your soul is clearly calling back" Saint smiles and Perth frowns and slowly steps back.
"My souls calls to God and my future wife" Perth argues back and Saint again smiles and Perth notes how perfect his stupid smile is.
"So then why are you here with me and not with them?" The boy rebuttals and Perth opens his mouth and then close it quickly. His mind races for an answer and the other boy patiently waits.
"You are the devil" Perth eventually whispers and the boy shakes his head.
"Not quite. Though you are correct about me not being fully human. Not yet at least. If you would sit, I could tell you about me" he offers.
"No! God no! You need to stay away from me-"
"You're the one that comes to me-"
"Bullshit! You're some faggot that lives in the woods and I will not be corrupted! Stay away from me!" Perth screams. He turns and runs from the boy and the river and the glass dome. He runs away from his words and the way his soul aches as he runs farther and farther away. He does not believe in magic and he does not believe in soulmates. He doesn't believe in homosexuals or Zeus or anything like that.
He stops eventually and sinks to his knees as he cries. Is God testing his loyalty? Is this payback for the time he thought himself to be a sinner? For the time he questioned God himself? He sobs into his knees that are curled to his chest and he hears the sound of Saint's song play in his head. He knows the song. He's heard it before yesterday. He doesn't know how but he can hum along if he wants to.
He can't let himself be like this. He gave up on these thoughts years ago. He stands on shaky feet and wipes his eyes. He decides to stay away from the woods for awhile. He needs time to clear his head. He can't do that here anymore. Not with the song that never stops playing and the boy that scares him for reasons he won't admit.
