𝙁𝙐𝙎𝙃𝙄 | 𝗍𝗈 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖾𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗍𝗒

02

After days traveling, the two got close.

Cuddling with Johann everynight, hold each other hands as they walk to maintain the warm, the nameless boy giving her his spare clothes to keep her body warm and them talking about their life before they meet. 

As they were walking like now, the boy stops as he saw a small dead sapling, rushing there before looking back at the confused girl behind he smiled and said, "look! a tree!" 

"Amazing! this is proof we're getting closer to the mountains! We can use some of this as fuel!" the boy cheered.

The girl runs beside the boy, smiling as she cheer in happiness. At last, they're close... 

The boy starts to gather the small woods and tied it together behind, he stands up, "Well, let's resume our journey!" about to hold the girl's hand when he noticed something from his left, the girl also looked to where he was looking. She flinched as the hardened water broke beneath the boy, just like what happened to her a few days ago. 

She panicked, huriedly helping the boy to resurface, holding his hand, "Haha.. I screwed up..." he stated. As she helped him get out of the cold water, she turns to Johann, their wolf friend. She felt something wrong with him but brushed it off. He looked like... smiling.

"Agh, my face is freezing." the boy's voice causes her to look at him, she smiled.

"I'm completely soaked!! But it's amazing!!" she giggled at his cheerfulness. Well, after those days, her throat doesn't hurt as she produces sounds. But she's still cautious talking.

"To think there'd be a river here! Let's fish!" 

Her eyes trails down to his thigh, "You were smiling just now, weren't you?" he said, talking to the wolf who sits beside her. Then she gasp as she points on his blooded legs, earning the boy's attention, he looks down realizing he got cut.

"Damn..."

The girl drags him far from the cracked ice, "Woah!" 

She made the boy sit on the ground as she glance at his wound before carefully touching it causing the boy to winced, holding the girl's wrist to stop. They stares at each others eyes, "Hey... I'm okay... I'll treat this later before we sleep." sliding his hands from her wrist down to her hands and intertwined them.

———————

Ripping a piece of cloth, he tied it around his thigh. She sighed in relief as she hugged her knees while her hands rubbing Johann's back. 

"There! Finished! Just a flesh wound" he smiled at his two friend. She scooted beside Johann, yawning as Johann closes his eyes, her eyes staring at him worriedly. He looks... not well. Maybe they should go back and just live their life... together... in the middle of coldness. But that's okay.. she have him. They're gonna be happy, even they're only three.

"Hey, what's with that look? It feels like you're saying we should go back..." he said, laying down and noticing her gaze at him. She nodded, looking down at her fingers, "I'm not going back." raising her head to look at him again, shocked.

He continued, "I can't do something that uncool. And we still have plenty of food." chewing food.

She stared down at the wolf, pointing at it, "Johann says too?" he asked as she nodded in agreement. He furrowed his eyebrows in determination, "Let's keep going tomorrow." pointing the direction in front if him, "The day after tomorrow, and the day after that. We'll keep walking, even if you complain!" his determination made her smile softly, "As long as I have strength, I'll use it! I can protect you and Johann."

Well, what can she do if he really wants to? When after he saved her, she promised to follow the boy wherever he go. She'll be with him... as long as she's alive.

———————

It was just like the time she almost lose her life. Blizzard. 

She stare at their intertwined hands before she looked up at the boy who smiles at her making her smile too. Suddenly he stopped, looking down at his wound. It gotten larger... maybe it wasn't just a simple wound. And it's making her worried. Squeezing his hands, forcing herself not to cry and beg him to go back. What if... she loses him? just like when she loses her family and friends?

After the blizzard, they build their tent. She caressed his wounded thigh. He looked sick that only worsened her worry as his snot exits his nose. He smiled softly as he stares at her and Johann.

Another day, they walk and walk. 

Her head hanging down, as snow covered her other hand beside her. She didn't want to look at his tired and sick face because if she did, maybe she would drag him back or let her tears escape her eyes. 

He was talking but her mind was not in reality... in her mind, they were not walking with coldness. They were in the middle of a beautiful meadow, sitting below the tree. Laughing as they eat apple pie she baked, feeding Johann with delicious foods.

Her head laying on his lap as he read a book, while he sometimes sweared when the wind flew the book pages. She imagined them in a warm and beautiful place. Opposite from where they were right now. 

She flinches as the boy lets go of her hand, letting her go back to reality. She watched as the boy wipes the stone. Furrowing her eyebrows as he stops, walking slowly to him, it was hard to walk now as if her legs were glued to the snow. 

Eyes widening as she saw the arrow with a big X on it. Covering her mouth as she gasped. Dead end. Looking around them, they're ruined wheels and tombstones. Many of them. Maybe it was his family and friends. He lost his too. Just like her.

It was a silent for a moment, when he stands up, "This is amazing! These are the remains of the People!" crouching down to the one tombstone, clearing it, "Look at this! This means that everyone made it this far!" his positivity made her cry.

"That's why... for sure, ahead of us... is the way to the mountains! WE CAN DEFINITELY MAKE IT!" her shoulder shakes as tears finally rolled down to her cold cheeks.

"We can make it..." placing a hand to his shoulder, squeezing it lightly as she crouched down between the boy and Johann. Also placing her other hand to Johann.

"Can we... make it?"

Glancing at the girl and Johann, "What do you think?..."

"Please... say something..." 

Speak please... just comfort him with words now...

"That's right... you two can't reply.."

"I've only been talking to myself all along..."

No... she can talk.. she have her own voice.. she can talk. please... let her talk.

But what would she say? To keep going when it's clear that they had failed? To go back and stay at this cold place? She didn't even comfort someone before. either she know how to comfort.

"I'm sorry for saying those things even though you've been with me..." he said before standing up and extended his hand to her with a smile.

"Let's go back." that's it.

"I want to go back." he whispered as the three of them hugged.

She nodded, words slipping out from her mouth, "L-let's go back."

———————

yk it's hard to write while crying :'> I hope i did great.