One Bullet

Vier

So me and the dragon lady kept running into the woods. Knowing she would get tired eventually, I slowed to an even pace. She seemed old, so I had to play a fair ball game with her. She was alright with it. Wasn't the best runner, or had the stamina to go a long time, but she was alright.

For a woman about to die.

I stopped us soon enough and she was heaving, and vomited a little. Watching, I stood there like an idiot and watched her puke out a fingernail shaped thing, and what looked like an eyeball. But I'm sure it was something those guys made her ate. Wasn't even cooked so it mustn't be good for her health. Especially a dragon.

Dragons don't like the taste of human, they think it's a bitter taste and the large dragons with wings get specially prepared meals from temples on the edges of Mountain Valley. Some even say on the other side of the mountains is an ancient temple where we used to live. The first civilisation here was there and thus, there was the birth of the first dragon that came to bond with us. It's amazing to think that we used to live on the outside of the valley, across the mountains into the uncharted territory of the Outlands.

They say even the plants would eat us if they were close enough.

But that's myths, they don't exist. Just like what they say about the kingdoms in Mountain Valley, no one can live there. It's impossible. Implausible. Not able to happen at all. Though I would like to hike across it and go to the uncharted wilderness past the valleys and hinder there for the rest of my life. It wouldn't be the best life if the myths are true, but it would be fun. Enjoyable for sure.

"Are... are you alright?" I ask curiously after I stare at her with a shut-down brain. She nods and shudders. "I remember the screams of this child as I was forced to eat her." She tells me as she picks up the eye. I see hunger in her eyes and spot a cherry tree. "Want some cherries?" I ask. She nods and I lead her to the tree. The sun glistens on the cherries and the dragon puts a hand on my shoulder.

"Cala Berries." She whispers. I look at her with confusion. Cala Berries? I thought they were extinct?

"Cala Berries?" She nods and picks one. She holds it in her hand gently and bounces her claw on the skin, threatening to pierce the surface. "Poison berries. Every so often a seed will grow into a beautiful tree and it produces these. Rarely will one have a seed in it, which is why they are known to be extinct," she pierces the surface and licks the juice off her finger. "Aren't they-"

"No, they're only poisonous if you love." She tells me. Nodding, I slowly take a step back.

"They're heartbreak berries to the humans. Cala to the dragons. They're so sweet and juicy," she drinks from the berry, "but if you love someone, you'll end up loving this even more. The lover will die, and when he or she does, you'll have a heartbreak, and die slowly."

"Death by berry?" I ask curiously, noting that in my head and take one. Reth eats the berry and I take another and eat it warily. Hoping she's telling the truth.

"You do not love?" She asks curiously. I shrug and eat the berry more before swallowing the cool juice and skin. It's smooth on my tongue and dribbles down, making my saliva glands go crazy. "How can I love when I kill?" I ask. She eyes me in a dishonest way and I flick out my hidden blade. "See, I kill. So I can't love a person." I tell her. Reth nods and we continue towards New Blood.

"We might get there by dawn," I tell her, "but if we have wings, a few hours." I tell her. A fox runs in front of me, looks up and sniffs the air, then continues through the trees. Weird. Foxes don't go near humans unless their tricksters.

"So the man gave you the gun?" Reth asks, spotting it. I nod and put a hand on it, acting proud but I'm not so sure. "Yes, I have the good luck gun. You going to bring out a gold one and say it's bad luck and we should trade?" I joke. She shakes her head no and I nod. "I wouldn't trade anyways."

We keep walking in silence and continue through the woods. She says nothing and I make no noise whatsoever.

As the sun sets, I start to look for a good place to camp for the night. Hopefully she won't mind sleeping on the ground again. Just one more night.

Turns out she doesn't and I set up a fire and end up slaughtering a bunny and cooking it for food. A gourmet meal.

"So where are you from, Blade? You have a name that doesn't roll off a lot of tongues well for names." Reth asks in pure curiosity.

"I'm from the other side of the regions. My mother abandoned me and my father committed suicide after raising me until I was five." I tell her bluntly. Reth looks at me, shocked. I sigh and look into the fire. I'm not good at life stories.

"I'm so sorry, Blade. It must be hard to-"
"I'm used to it, Reth. It's fine," I sigh, "just wish he had waited until I was older. Or maybe know what would come of me when I was older and from his suicide." I tell her. She looks at me curiously, I haven't told her what my main occupation is.

"What have you become? You seem like a nice young man." Reth asks out of curiosity again.

"I kill for a living, Reth. I'm on my way to New Blood so I can go past the mountains and into the world of death, where I belong. I feel like I'm being dragged there. What about you Reth, where are you from?" I try to change the subject off of me. She relaxes against the tree, and sighs. "I'm from a town on the border of the Valley, I was born and raised there. I ran away with my husband when I was seventeen. I never looked back until the fogs came and those men where there." She tells me. She goes on about her life and I drone out. I have to wonder; why does this gun only have one bullet?

Or why she asked about the gun? Should I have trusted that man with my statue? Would I be better off giving my soul? I shake my head no and keep my eye on her, she has the teeth of a carnivore, and I hate those kinds of teeth. All sets I have seen have dug into my leg or arm.