The Runaway

Chapter 53

We've been walking, walking for a long time. So much walking. It has been days.

Sometimes, I'm super motivated to get home, and others I lay on the grass and stare at the sky. It took a while to get out of the city. Why is it so big? There were so many buildings I didn't know of and there was this one that had strawberry sandwiches. Of course, we got one... it wasn't the same as the ones at home.

The bread was actual bread and not squished strawberries. There was white stuff in the middle, it was soft. Such strange things. Their culture is so weird. Would they think ours is weird?

"Do you think humans would think our culture is weird?"

He nods.

"What part do you think they'll find weird?"

"A lot. The waterfalls for one. They wouldn't be able to understand water falling out of a wall and being absorbed into the ground. No dead animals laying around, the cleanliness. A lot of things."

"I see that. I think they would be shocked by all the animals and plants, ones they refer to as "magical". Did you know many humans think we don't exist?"

He looks at me confused. "How?"

"I don't know. It's crazy. Many also don't believe what they call magic is real. Some also believe there is only one God and not one for each thing."

He furrows his eyebrows. "That would be a lot to take care of for a God, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah, and others believe in different Gods. It is a whole mess. And then there are different "religions" for a God. There was so much when I read the book that I got a headache."

"Sounds about right."

I remember all the jewelry he has, definitely not because I've been staring at him. "What piercings do you have?"

He thinks and swings our arms back and forth. I am tired of waiting for our hands' marriage. "Uhhmm... one in the middle of my ear, one across the top, the bottom, the sides? I forgot the names."

"Who did them?"

He looks at the ground. "I tried to when I was little. Mother was a screaming mess when she saw my ear full of blood. She then did them when I got older."

"That's nice of her."

He nods. "Who did yours?"

Did I tell him my ears are pierced? "My trainer actually. She's good at them."

"Oh, nice."

We keep walking through lands of dandelions. They reflect the stars in the sky, highlighting parts of grass the moon cannot. They are soft under my feet; they caress my legs as we walk.

"I can't wait to get home so you don't have to carry so much stuff anymore, me neither. I hate carrying boots as much as I hate wearing them."

"What have boots ever done to you?"

"They're heavy and too big."

He looks at me like I'm unreasonable. Those are great reasons to be anti- boots.

"There's a waterfall nearby."

"Oh? We should go there."

He pulls me along with him to a different direction, not too different from the way we were going. The ground is uneven and bumpy. My poor toes keep hitting the dirt. My feet are ugly too.

I look as if I've been in the forest for years, living off of a berry bush and am friends with a bear. What a crazy thought.

After much walking, we come across trees and I hear water. Oh yay. We keep walking till there is a waterfall in front of us. Oh my- it is beautiful.