Half Human [#Wattys2016]

Who is he

I'm in the fire dwellings to trade for a non-spreading infinite burning flame when a boy about my age (16) approaches me.

He pulls out a rather small sword about the length from my elbow to my wrist and shouts, "Give me your money and food."

I don not move, I just stare at him.

He swings the sword in the direction of my chest.

I grabbed the sword from his hand and scowled, "How dare you!"

"You either give me some food or  I will kill"

I grab him by the shirt lift him up and say through my teeth, "You make me pity that your not even intelligent enough to be a thief." I throw him into the group hard enough so I hear the thud in his chest.

"Sorry, let me rephrase that. Can I have just a bit of food,please,I'm starving."

"Then starve! You're just making me feel more pity," I turn around as I'm walking away and say sternly,"and not in a good way."

I feel a tiny feeling in me, of actual pity for him because for a second I see myself in him, remembering when I lost everyone I knew and loved. I starved to extents I never knew could be felt.

I toss him an enchanted piece of bread. "This should fill you till tomorrow."

He replies to me with gratitude,"Thank you so much!"

I pretend I never heard him. Then I realize we are the only people in that area. It takes a second for me to realize...the lavmites are migrating! I run and grab the boy's arm to pull him aside. I was just in time too, we turn around to see the lava flow and small lavmites jumping in and out of it like the embers of a fire.

One lavmite infant, not bigger than a human pinky nail, accidentally jumps out of the flow and the boy leans in and tries to pick it up.

"If you love your hands I wouldn't suggest doing that."

He quickly retracts his hands and turns to face me and extends one of his hands at me facing the palm sideways.

"What are u doing?"

"It's a greeting." He looks me up and down a few times.
"A _human_ greeting, where I'm from."

I raise my head slightly and say "I'm not pathetic enough to do human greetings."

I started walking away when he says,"I have no home and my village was raided. Do u mind if I chat with you for a while?"

I never knew I would hear that sentence ever coming from someone outside my village.I know how it felt to be clueless, homeless, which I still am, hopeless and have your village raided so I let him join me. Which is extremely unlike me and it will be the very last time it shall happen.