Pleasing my Destiny

Chapter 6

"We only have a half day's walk left." Nipahem stated.

I looked around as I drank some water. "I'm getting hungry." The food that Bill and Suzy gave us was gone. We were lucky we found some water when we did.

The grass seemed to be growing with every step we took. There was no more yellow, dead grass, or wilting flowers starving for just a little bit of water. No more tumbleweeds, and no more dead bushes. Now it was a vibrant green, with various colors of weeds. The evergreen trees were spread out but becoming denser every mile or so. "I know," Nipahem said while looking around. "it would not take long to find something to eat out here."

"No, I can wait until we get to the forest." I looked to my left and grinned. "Or maybe, we don't have to wait so long." I nodded towards on open space that had a big apple tree. "It's kinda like it was put there just for us." I laughed as I walked towards the tree.

"Yeah, it does seem that way." Nipahem smiled.

The tree was just short enough so that when I stood on my toes, I could reach an apple. The leaves were glistening a healthy green. The bark was smooth and an off-white, with branches going various directions.

It was odd though, as I looked around, there was not one other apple tree around, nor were there any apples rotting underneath the tree. It really was like it just sprouted here all of a sudden.

I reach up and grasp the most vibrant, juiciest looking apple that I could see. I pull it, and the stem releases from the tree with a cracking sound. I sit underneath the tree, getting some rest, and waited for Nipahem to sit next to me.

I bite into my apple, and little bits of clear liquid squirts out. "It's beautiful here, you could say almost magical."

"Magical?" Nipahem also bites into the apple he picked. "You could say that, yes." He stares out into the field as if he's trying to figure something out. "We could stay here for the night."

"No, only half a day's walk until we are there. Once we get there we will set up camp." I took another bite, and got the bottle from the side of my backpack and twisted the cap off and drank it. "Why does it seem like you don't want to go? I told you before, although I need to go, you don't have too. You can go your own way. I understand this is my path, not yours." I looked him in the eyes as I said the last part.

"This is my path," Nipahem mumbled while glancing down. " I go where you go. I don't want you to get hurt again."

Looking up into the sky, I squinted as the sun was too bright. "I don't think I'll be hurt, or maybe I will be." I looked at him and gave a small smile. "But I know this is how I move on, I know it is. I feel as if it'll open up another part of my life, one that I can live with. I can't keep tearing myself down anymore. I know it must not make sense to you."

Nipahem stood, giving me a smile that was not true. "It does make sense." He reached his hand over and I clasped it and stood up.

"Then what's wrong?" I stood in front of him, not moving until I got the answer.

He glanced at the sky for a few seconds then looked at me with worry framing his features. "What if when you get there, what you discover is not what you imagined for yourself? What if it's the complete opposite?"

I thought about his questions for a minute and smiled. "I think that whatever is to come, good or bad, it will be okay. I have you, and I know that we can defeat the world if we are together. I also know, that what's to come will change me. It's going to give me a new start." I turned around and started walking back to the road. "No, that's wrong. I'm going to give me a new start. This is just a start of a new journey."

I guess that was the answer that Nipahem needed. He walked to my side, shoulder to shoulder. Not saying one word, but a satisfied look on his face.

We headed down the road once again, not looking back once. I could only think about what I'm going to do once we get there. Will we stay for awhile? Or will I finally say goodbye to my mother and leave?

I looked over to Nipahem. He can't possibly want to stay with me forever. Why has he stayed with me anyway? It was weird that he even came with me in the first place. I didn't know him, he didn't know me. At the time we were complete strangers, and despite being strangers, I found myself trusting him with my life. Thinking back on it, I don't know why I felt so safe with him. It was almost like fate brought us together.

"Why are you staring at me?" Nipahem asked and then smirked. "Is it because I am ruggedly handsome?"

"I was just thinking." I looked away. "And was that actually a joke I heard from you?"

"Yeah, you could say Bill changed me." He said dramatically and smiled.

I looked over at him and laughed. "Well, I don't think I mind the change."

Nipahem glanced at me. "What were you thinking about though?"

I looked down at my boots. Thanks to Suzy, no sore feet. "Nothing important."

"Well, that's a lie." Nipahem narrowed his eyes.

"It's not though. I mean, I was kind of just thinking about everything and anything. It's really not that important. I promise." I tried to sound convincing, although I don't think it really worked.

"Fine, I'll let you off. Only because we are here." He smiled and nodded forward.

I stopped mid step, and looked away from Nipahem, and saw the tree lining. I really must have been in my own head, the sun was already going down, and we were maybe five minutes away.

"We are finally here." I exclaimed. My heart was beating so fast, I thought it was going to pop out of my chest. I was right, this is where I needed to be. Not only was my heart beating fast, it felt like electricity going through my veins. I belonged here.

Nipahem put his hand on my shoulder. "Well, let's get moving." He had a genuine smile on his face, but something else also crossed his features.

The closer we got as we began walking, the more I could hear the swaying of the branches and crackling of the leaves and smell the pine in the air. Finally, once I was standing right outside of the forest, I could even hear the hares running about, and I could see a fawn staring at me, then sprinting away, going to find its mother.

There was something about the forest though. Almost new, like I'm seeing it for the first time. It was almost like it was glowing, but that's crazy, right? It can't be actually glowing, right? "Do you see that?"

"See what?"Nipahem gave the forest a glance over but saw nothing.

"Nothing, just my mind playing tricks on me. Adrenaline pumping I guess." I tried to smile, but couldn't. I was into much of awe to do anything.

I felt something push me gently through the glowing ring that seemed to engulf the forest. Not expecting it, I had to grab a tree to not fall over. I looked to where my hand was placed and saw gold simmering between the coarse bark of the tree. "You must see this, don't you?" I looked up, wanting to see that Nipahem saw it, to make sure I'm not going crazy, but instead, my sight landed on the most stunning scenery in front of me.