Harmony

Suria

It was a woman, and she didn't appear to have noticed Pixie. She was probably in her early twenties, with longish, straight dark hair. Even from a distance, her hair shone in the sunlight and radiated health. She was clearly from some part of Asia, though Pixie could only guess which part. The woman was wearing a knee-length dark blue skirt, a light blue floral-patterned blouse, royal blue socks and similar brown boots to Pixie's. She was a ways down the hill and her attention was fixated on a rocky section of the path, rather than looking up towards where Pixie was.

Pixie quickly dashed across the remainder of the path to the far-right house, getting behind the far wall so as not to be seen. For the first time, she might have to deal with an employee of the resort and explain why she'd used the facilities without paying. She needed to come up with a plan. She hoped the woman would understand and be able to help.

Her relief at finding someone else, even though it had only been a day or so, was significant. It was quite ironic that only minutes ago she had felt answers were not far away. Here was a potential solution to her situation, walking up the valley towards her. She was hopeful, if not expectant, that this woman could help her find out who she was. However, as soon as this thought entered her mind, it left again.

This stranger appeared to be as lost and confused as Pixie was the day before.

She was at times looking at the community centre and the rest of the village, around at the mountains, back down at the path, and then repeating the cycle. It was the actions of someone who was seeing everything for the first time. Her probing glances also indicated a search for answers, just as Pixie had done when she first approached these buildings.

The woman was walking carefully up the path next to the stream, and every now and again glancing up at the village. Pixie dared not move from her hiding place. However, as the woman got closer, she reassessed her decision to stay hidden. She didn't want the woman to be startled or be fearful. It was likely they would need to figure out this mystery together. Thus, she needed to make a good impression. They would need to get along as well as possible, with no suspicion. Pixie must therefore behave openly.

Pixie took a few steps backwards so as to be entirely out of sight, then commenced as walking as she normally would, preparing to feign surprise as she walked out into the open. It seemed to work. She emerged from behind the house and the woman saw her immediately. She waved, and Pixie waved back. The woman's face lit up in the most beautiful expression of delight and relief that Pixie could not help but smile back warmly and broadly. The woman was now about fifty metres away.

"Hello!" she said. "I'm so glad there is someone here. I really need some help."

Her English was perfect, as if she'd spoken it all her life, despite her Asian appearance. She also sounded hopeful, but Pixie had no idea how she was going to break the news to her that she was in the same situation and could offer no help at all. She searched for some nice words to open with but came up with nothing even remotely to her liking. She simply said the first thing that came to mind after a few moments of mental stumbling around: "Yes, there's someone here."

"I've been watching the village for a while and I saw you on the patio resting, and then I saw you hide and watch me from behind that house. Please, I mean no harm. I'm lost and can't remember a lot of things."

Pixie should have felt embarrassed, but instead she was only disappointed. She didn't even try to conceal her facial expression. She could not come up with any words and was feeling guilty as well for trying to hide from her. She must say something. Fortunately, the woman continued speaking.

"You... You don't live here either... Do you?" The woman's voice had become small and tentative and had lost much of its hopefulness.

Pixie could only shake her head in response.