Off to Nowhere

Chapter 4

"So, how old are you again?" I asked as we walked around Belle's Park. It's a park located not very far from home. I like this place because not a lot of guests go here. They prefer going to other bigger, classier and more famous parks. I always go here, I like being around flowers and grass. I also like it here because this is the only place where you can see raisaes, my favourite flower. They're nothing more than coloured sweet smelling roses.

"It depends. As a guest, I'm eleven," Max replied.

"Depends on what?"

"Well, compared to humans, our basis of time is quite slow. We have a few more hours in a day than them. Four years for us is about five for them. So I'm a little over fourteen maybe, in human age. You would be about thirteen," he explained. The last thing I want would be me getting older. We went to the fountain located in the middle of the park. We rested our arms along its circular fence.

"Have you been to the above before?" I asked, as I played with the falling water from the fountain.

"Yes I have, when I was still very young," he answered. "I always went with Torlon, my guardian. He taught me all about this human stuff since he's gone to the above a lot, way before it was forbidden for guests to go there. He said that I acquired my adventurous traits from my father."

I crossed my eyebrows. "Acquiring traits? Father?"

"Unlike you, humans weren't made in a fruit from a Life Tree; they have these things called "genetics" wherein a girl and a boy create a child somehow. The child then gets some shares from the boy who is called the father and the girl which is called the mother. My father is the guest while my mother is the human," he said.

I stopped, and sat on a pretty bench carved with pretty flowers.

"Well what happened to your fath-"

I was distracted when he sat beside me and spit out the bubblegum he had been chewing for a while now on his hand. He rolled it into a ball. I can see some dirt from his hands on the gum now.

"Eww, that's gross!" I exclaimed

"I got the physical appearance of a human being," he added, snubbing my reaction "and the abilities of a guest. I can stretch as wide as I can," he then stretched the gum until his elbow was in front of my face.

"That's what makes me a guest. I can deform whenever I want but I choose not to. It takes a lot of energy. I only use it for emergencies."

He collected his gum into a ball and put in back in his mouth. I looked at him, putting on a face of disgust that I myself cannot describe. Eke. Despicable.

"What about you France, what makes you a guest?" he asked, turning to me.

I thought for a while. What does make me a guest? I tucked my bangs behind my ears.

"Well, I was made in a Life fruit that Meedle picked from the Life Tree, that's fair enou-."

"Oh, you can never be so sure,” Max interrupted. "If you were made in a Life fruit you should have a deformity. That's how Life fruits work. But there you are looking completely human-like."

"Maybe it made a mistake or had some errors-"

"The Life fruit doesn't make mistakes." he interrupted once again, "No matter what there would always be a deformity, from the day you were brought out from the Life fruit, no matter how minimal. You should have very big eyes, at least, very small hands or some blue skin but you look perfectly normal, for a human I mean."

I can't afford to say anything to defend myself. He's right. There has to be a human part of me. I stared into an imaginary abyss beneath me…too many thoughts.

"Hey France, are you okay?"

I stood up quickly and brushed my skirt.

"I'm fine. I should leave now. Thanks for your time, I really learned a lot," I said. Max looked down. His smile was  turned upside down.

"Okay, goodbye."

I waved at him and started walking home. I think he thought he offended me or hurt my feelings, I don't know. I didn't bother to look back. A lot of thoughts crossed my mind. What if I really was a human? I've never even seen my baby pictures, so it is possible. And besides, why would Meedle lie about her not being deformed when she was young? And why won't she take me to a doctor? It's too dangerous she always says. But I would take the risk if it means finding out the truth about me. Too bad I can't go to the doctor alone, not until I'm twelve.

-

At least it's not purple bacon, I thought to myself. But it's still something as unlikable as purple bacon- chocolate rice. They're very bitter but healthy. Everything healthy tastes bad in here. Oh how I yearn for some fruit or at least some vegetables.

I took some chocolate rice, and this strange expression crossed my face. I always wear this face whenever I eat this. It's bitter. I wonder how Meedle could handle the bitterness.

I collected some courage, and then I finally spoke.

"M.. Meedle."

She looked at me with her unusually round eyes. "Yes?"

I sighed. "Am I really a guest?"

She dropped her spoon. She looked at me and gave me a thin smile.

"Of course dear, why do you ask?" She said, picking up the spoon from below her chair.

"I was just wondering. I learned a lot about humans today and maybe I am one. You know, everything fits. It would all make sense if I was a-"

"You are not a human being young lady!" Meedle exclaimed in a tone of voice I've never heard from her before. My eyes widened, shock was evident in my eyes. She clamed herself and said in a weird, sweet voice, "You are a guest, you understand?"

I nodded. "Yes I understand but what makes me a guest Meedle?"

"I picked you up from the Life tree, isn't that enough proof for you?"

Pbft. Kind’ a like a Déjà Vu.

"But why am I not deformed?" I asked.

"I don't know. Maybe the fruit had some biological difficulties."

The Life fruit doesn't make mistakes, I thought to myself, reiterating what has been said by Max.

"Why won't you take me to the doctor then?" I asked.

"How many times do I have to tell you, it is dange-"

"Take me to the doctor!" I yelled. Wow, I never knew I could talk like that to Meedle before, but this is a different situation. I just want to know everything about me.

"If you won't then I'll find someone else that would take me there," I stood up, leaving the plate unclean from the chocolate rice, and face the direction to my room. I heard a gasp from Meedle, but I continued walking.

"Wait!" Meedle exclaimed, stopping me from my exit.

I turned my head. Meedle looks quite worried; I can see it on her face.

"Alright, let's go to the doctor tomorrow. I'll pick you up after your tree house session."

I can't help but smile.

"Thanks Meedle!" I said in a jolly manner and went to my room. That sure ruined the drama, but I don't care, I'm going to the doctor.