The Golden Walker

Come Back For Me Salan

"Sam, girl, you good? Isn't this a bit TOO long for a trip?" Sarvae questioned her friend worriedly. "Um, this is a 5-month long trip." Kuttu lied, twiddling her thumbs. "Awww...we won't see you for 5 months? Bummer. Em and I really miss you." The twelve-year-old pouted. "I know. BTW, how's school?" Kuttu contradicted, changing the subject. "Oh! Um, school's great. Yita says hi. Feli and Mana do too. AND exams began. Science is so hard! A whole lab report we need to write!" Sarvae moaned. "Oh, say hi to Callie!" Callison Camilla Catarvae popped into view at her exact words. "Hi Sam!" she said cheerfully. "Hi Cal. How's Katty?" "She's great! Maybe when you come back we can have a sleepover with Em!" Callie exclaimed happily. Kuttu smiled at her excitement. "We will." "Promise?" Callie made puppy eyes. "Promise." "Yay! Bye Sam!" "Bye girl." Sarvae winked and hung up. Kuttu breathed out. "Hey. Why the long face? You should be happy! We saved Arika and made Diomhair mad." Mittu made her way next to her elder sister. Kuttu raised an eyebrow (Well, tried). "You count making Diomhair mad a good thing?" she remarked, rolling her eyes. "I think of it as a priority," Mittu said, patting herself on the back. "Sure, whatever you say." Kuttu giggled. "Soo, y'wanna go outside? We're watching a movie, called 'Triumphs of Love'. Supposedly Lu's favourite one." Kuttu smiled. "Sure!" They both came out of the tent, where everyone was watching a fierce princess saving her prince. "Oh my love, you saved m-" began the prince on the screen. "Shh. No time for talking, let's go before they reach us, idiot." The princess growled. But as she looked away, you could see she loved him, despite how stupid he was.

Kuttu sat next to Jiti, who was already fangirling over how cool the main character was. "She's cool, she's amazing, she's fierce," Jiti said in awe. "She's marvellous, she's beautiful, she's one to be adored!" Mittu imitated her and put a grin on Kuttu's face. Jiti grumbled. "Let me fangirl in peace you monkey-face!" "I'M a monkey face?? Then you're a punk!" "Jerk!" "Idiot!" "Meatball!" "Jelly-blob!" "Cereal-box!" "Bird poop!" Arika laughed at their antics. She was strong and well now, and had casts on both her arms. Cassandra couldn't have been more happy to see her after the disastrous three weeks she'd had and what happened at the ball. Luckily they had managed to rescue her and here she was, safe and sound. She kept on asking if Arika was hungry or thirsty, and even at the slightest sneeze Cassandra sent her off to bed. "Cassandraaa! I'm fine! Some dust just got in my nose. Really, I'm okay!" Arika protested as the girl tucked her in after a tiny sneeze. "No, no, no. You're sick." Lil'ta tutted and felt her forehead, which was a little hot. "Do you need anything?" "Are you hurt?" "I'll get some soup!" "Make sure it's warm!" Chatters surrounded Arika, and she wondered how much her absence had affected her friends. Three weeks she'd been gone, and why didn't she see the walker anywhere? When she asked about it, Kuttu just shook her head sadly and led her to a bedroom, where the walker lay, getting worse every day, and just shouting the word "Thyml! Thyml!" in her sleep. Once, she even whispered, "You didn't come back for me Salan," and then started sobbing.

 Arika was a bit saddened by her thoughts, and Anshu noticed. "Hey! Who wants popcorn? There's caramel, cheese, and white frosting. Arika?" She exclaimed, looking at the girl, whose face lit up. "I WANT CHEESE AND THERE'S NO STOPPING ME!" Mittu yelled with her fist in the air, before poor Arika could even say a word. She was about to order Fred to fetch the popcorn, but one death glare from Anshu and she sat back down quietly. "I'll have caramel." Arika said happily, and mouthed a silent 'thank you' to Anshu. Luoxia watched the conversation with a smile, and Leo looked at her and wondered how he never noticed how beautiful she was. "You idiot, she's been your friend for 15 years, and you see it now?" said a voice in his head. Only it wasn't a voice in his head. It was Kuttu, with a glare on her face. "Wh-what! No! I wasn't...looking. I..." He stammered. "Don't play dumb. I saw the way you were at the ball. But seriously, I'm disappointed. YOU BETTER go and confess, otherwise." She imitated an axe cutting her neck. Leo gulped. He may have been a criminal for four years, but this was KUTTU. She could be scary when she wanted to. "But I can't," he protested, but Kuttu wouldn't hear a word of it. "Make a move, bro! I'm 9 years younger than you and I know more about this stuff than YOU." She whisper-shouted. Leo sighed and just watched the movie. After, he and Luoxia walked along a cliff near Asan's beautiful shorelines, a glimmer of sunset just over the horizon. "I guess we don't need you here anymore." She said softly, brushing a strand of her hair out of her face. "What?" "You know, you helped us get Arika back. So, you can go somewhere. Where are you going to go?" Leo looked at her for a few seconds. "I dunno. Maybe I'll go to Farmer Frock's farmhouse and try and find a job. Remember when we used to walk there and steal the tomatoes for Miss Notgarren to roast with our breakfast? And sometimes Mrs. Fricka would catch us but still send us off with two bottles of milk straight from the cow!"