Soulbound - A Double Life Story

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Joel

    Jimmy split from our little group a few days ago deciding to try and find his soulmate. He said something about feeling like a third wheel when he was around Etho and me. I tried to convince him that Scar would talk with him but he refused, saying that he wouldn't fall in any holes. It didn't stop my mind from wandering, wondering if he was okay. Etho grabbed my hand, pulling me back to reality as we continued to walk. We were trying to find a decent place to call our home, or at least a place to set up camp while we were here. None of us really knew what was going on.

   We ran into Impulse and Beckham yesterday, they had set up in a meadow. Both had hammers. Bdubs was nailing planks of wood together and laying stone foundations for a house while Impulse manufactured the planks, nails, and cobble. We stayed to help for a bit, Etho talking with Impulse and Scar, myself helping Bdubs lift up with wall frame and attach it to make a corner. He was surprised when I told him Etho and I were Soulbound, but seemed generally happy. He then lifted his left hand and showed me something I had not even considered. He wore a ring, simple gold, but a ring nonetheless. We spoke for a while about the engagement and how soon Impulse and Bdubs had found each other. It was a good time but they all have to end at some point. We left the next morning following Impulse's directions to a gorge with running water and tall grass, both things we were in need of.

   "Hey, Scar!" A small man walked out from the underbrush, his straw colored hair all too familiar. I instinctively shuffled back a few steps, trying to get away from the man. Etho held my hand tightly, sensing my distress.

   "Grian!" Scar laughed and ran up to the shorter man giving him a high five. "Look! I made a friend, I think she's my soulbound." He gestured to Minnie, sitting on his shoulder. She crossed her arms and her wings began to buzz as she flew a bit away. "Minnie come back! Im sorry! What did I do?"

   "Hi, um, i'm Grian," the smaller man exclaimed giving both myself and Etho a small smile. I stayed quiet, Etho doing the same. I hesitantly stepped in front of Etho, my hand on the handle of my axe.

   "What do you want?" Grian's eyes turned sad a moment. I would have expected annoyance, anger, maybe even surprise, but not sadness.

   "I know nobody trusts me, and I can understand why. But for a moment imagine you're stuck in your body, not just standing in one place, but like you're being pulled like a puppet, walking into the center of a group of strangers and speaking words even you don't understand." He took a breath, flexing his fingers. "I don't know why I said the things I did. I don't know why I was the puppet, but please, if Scar can forgive me can't anyone else? I've been alone for weeks!" I see Grian's eyes begin to well with tears and he turns away a moment, taking a shaky breath. Before either Etho or I can answer Scar comes running back into the clearing, Minnie trailing behind him.

   "Sorry guys! I didn't introduce you!" Scar placed a hand on Grian's shoulder. Grian rolled his eyes but was obviously smiling. "This is Grain! He passed out a few weeks ago..." His eyes looked upwards, thinking for a moment. "Actually I think you guys were there too! Anyways, I got to slap his face to wake him up, it was great!"

   Etho chuckled behind me, stepping forward a bit and wrapping an arm protectively around my shoulder. It was odd, I should be the one protecting him.

   "So, Grian, this is Etho. he wears a mask all the time and doesn't talk much but he's great, I keep falling down and scraping my knees, he's the one with the bandages so, I stick around." I cross my arms, I can't tell whether or not that was a complement. "And there it is, Joel's resting grumpy face."

   "I do NOT have a resting grumpy face" Grian's eyebrows raise in amusement.

   "You do. Anyways, he's nice I guess. He and Etho are a Soul-pair? Soulbinded? Whatever you call the Soulbound people. We picked him up a few weeks ago."