123rd: The stakes of delusion.

Ch 1: Are we even real?

[ ❗2678words ]

The town of Xhirr, My childhood hometown. The wafting lavender breeze it gives, makes me want to Smile all day with the glee of reunion. The date of our journey February 19th, My hometown in the past was a poor but humble town that i always loved although.. As of this day, My eyes widened with change. The town of Xhirr or the so called stone and rubble town changed, Although the buildings i remembered in childhood are still here, The sighing self that was in my mind was disappointed of tourists treating this place as a new tourism site with their ruckus ruining the peace i remembered in the past moreover. But my mind lingers in curiosity, what exactly happened for my childhood town, Xhirr to have tourists all over the place?

'' Well even though i'm confused, i'll still think that it's a good idea to visit here on the excuse of astrie's request. ''

I said as my mouth curved into a reluctant but anticipating smile. Not in realization that i thought out loud, i was startled by the sudden rasp i felt on my shoulder.

''You know.. You should really have more awareness of what you're really doing. Well I'm not complaining because, i too think out loud whether i like it or not. But we really need to get going, or the grumpy tour guide might break with arrogance you know?''

My friend, astrie said giving a lopsided grin as xe ran ahead of the called slowpoke, me. Though glancing behind xem, xe laughed as i was still behind even if i tried to catch up by running with my effort upraise to get to xem. xe would give xir hands out to me as i grab it, but to my suprise Astrie dragged me with xem along the unfinished roads of dried mud. Though xe did "drag" me with care no one would expect if you seen astrie's usual self.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The person said to be my friend had white hair uncommon in any region of earth, though xe says it's natural white hair i think to myself that it's dyed. Xe's wearing a black and white checkered pattern sweater with its white plain chiffon shirt buttoned up with a lapel collar grasping xir neck. Paired with the sweater all-together was black high-waist jeans that was baggy from the feet, As footwear however was lace-up platform boots with complementary buckle straps for décor.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The nostalgia of running together like this brought my sibling-like figure and myself to ignite a spark of deja vu in us. Did this happen before?..

Arriving with a joyful spirit, we made it in time Thankfully. But as arriving, the tour guide would smile with cold but calm uncanniness. Nothing like the rumors of arrogance that roams around the town of Xhirr, We decided not to say something since we were described as ever so silent once the tour started.

Although i knew all the places here already, well i assumed so. But nothing hurts being a person who double-checks, And because Astrie is new here I'm pretty sure xe'll need a tour for the place. We were ready to depart in a off-road vehicle, as it drove off the tour guide started speaking. Their voice felt calming at most, Astrie was blank in expression as though xe expected something.. More.

As the hours tick by, the tour ended in the silence of the particular passengers, Calmly getting out of their seat one by one, It seems the peace of the people is still here. I let out a breathe of relief as i thought to myself in a mere blank space, i wonder is my childhood friends and uncles still here? Still within my seat, the unaware self disappeared as someone tapped my shoulder saying the tour is over. I apologized on the brink of speed, as i jumped up standing. I performed quite the blunder of actions as i can say. Subtle eyes would stare at me and astrie as we walk away. Who knew the town expanded this fast.. It grew pretty big considering how it was just a small village of the Southern Isles.