Forest Fire

7

It was the first time in weeks that Forest had finally gotten a decent amount of sleep.

The boy, Ekko, had allowed her up in the top of the treehouse where he stayed. There was only one bed.

The girl slept on the floor, surprised that he hadn't tied her up again, or thrown her in a cage.

When she woke, Ekko was sitting in the same place he'd been when she passed out.

Forest squinted, sitting up. He was deeply focused on the task at hand. It soon became clear that he was constructing something.

After observing him for a few minutes, the girl didn't doubt he's been the ones to create the technology unique to this settlement. It wasn't hard to tell that he was smart. Forest wondered if the board she'd originally tried to ride was his creation.

Uncertainly, the girl stood. Ekko didn't turn to yell at her or throw anything at her head, so she took a few steps forward.

The boy let out a sigh. Forest could feel high tension in the air as she neared the table. Ekko was annoyed. She couldn't tell if it was with her or some external crisis.

Forest tore her eyes away from the masked boy and focused on the table instead. Metal parts were spread out on the cloth. One was glowing green, and it's beauty drew her in closer.

She reached a hand out, feeling a force pulling against her skin like gravity.

"Don't touch that." Ekko snapped, his tone harsh and his body stiff.
Forest ripped her hand away and hid it behind her back.

The boy did not turn or attempt to give Forest any notice at all. It was as if she was invisible.

Timidly and slowly, the girl turned her attention to the other contents of the room.

Forest was noticing a reoccurring pattern of the settlement.

Plants.

Everywhere she looked, there were all types of greens.
Of course, a lot of the population lived in the large twisting tree, but even beyond it, vines laced every wall and lined the rooftops above.

Pots of small plants sat in the window, and the walls were colored a light brown. Strange inventions lied around, ones that Forest couldn't even guess the purpose of.

"Are you an inventor?" The words tumbled out of the girl's mouth before she could stop them.

"I liked you better when you didn't ask questions."

Forest was taken aback by his sudden coldness, though she decided against giving a reply, not wanting to risk being tied up again.

"Ekko." A voice came from behind them. A man was standing in the door. His posture was familiar. Forest was sure he'd been one of the men from the day before. He did not look happy to see the girl.

Ekko looked up quickly, standing and positioning himself so that he was blocking the way to Forest.

The man looked between Ekko and the girl, raising a brow.

"We need to talk." He said.

"About what?" Ekko asked.