In the quiet desert village of Dey, living among the sand dunes and mirages, existed an anomaly - me. I was different, born without the ability to read, write or keep long memories. My scientist father hailed my uniqueness as a miracle, but my life...
The evening classes were over, and with a heavy sigh of relief, I stepped out of the dull classrooms, bathed in the calming hues of the sunset sky. As I walked, my thoughts began to drift towards tomorrow's event - The Great Vigil.
The Great Vigil, an annual tradition of our village, had everyone on their toes, all anxious and excited about the upcoming ceremony. As the anxiety welled up inside me, I took a misstep; A neglected rock protruding from the uneven road became my unexpected adversary. I tripped, falling heavily onto my knees, sharp pain seared through me like lightning.
A gasp escaped my lips, but I bit back the cry that threatened to surface. Behind me, a few steps away, my classmates were silently trailing, heading home from our evening classes. Their chuckles reached my ears, filling me with unwelcome embarrassment. Their hushed whispers quickly followed, spreading the news of my clumsiness like wildfire.
Among the sea of faceless spectators, one face stood out - the striking figure of Wesa. He rushed towards me, with a piercing hawk-like determination in his eyes. He squatted down next to me, ignoring my words of assurance that it was just a minor scratch. His stoic silence spoke volumes more than any comforting words could. His cool gaze studied the graze on my knee in silent deliberation.
From the safety harness of his backpack, he produced a compact but well-stocked emergency medical kit. With the precision of a surgeon and the gentleness of a caregiver, he cleaned the wound, applying gentle pressure as he bandaged it.
The unexpected intimate contact sent an electric sensation spiraling up my leg. His lengthy fingers traced the path from my knee to my thigh, ensuring there were no further injuries. My skin tingled where his touch had left its mark. A soft shiver went down my spine, and a strange, unfamiliar excitement flooded my being. My stomach fluttered suspiciously, and I found myself lost, questioning the motive behind his unexpected care.
Our eyes met, his cold, dark gaze held mine, sending flickers of confusion and fear running through my mind. It's peppered with an unidentifiable emotion, an assertive hint that mirrored a choreographic dance of discipline and retribution for my momentary lapse. There was an undeniable silence that ensued, painfully stretching the time.
"Come on, I'll walk you home." He finally broke the silence, his tone neutral as if he was narrating the evening weather forecast. His veiled offer left me no room to refuse. Nodding in compliance, I let him pull me to my feet, my arm draped over his shoulder for support.
The gathering of gawking peers watched with rapt attention as we began to walk away, their whispers growing louder in their unabashed curiosity. "Such a loyal lapdog..." they mocked. "She doesn't deserve him at all." Their ugly speculation sprinkled a sour note on the otherwise comforting gesture. Yet, I held my head high, comforted by an unknown warmness in my belly.
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