The Ashen Forest

The Hike up The Mountain to the Wall

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(Diana's POV)

I hiked along pastel dirt scuffling away the creamy pebbles and stepping on tiny flowers.  The sky was grey and it cast down depressing shadows all around us.  The air was robust and I sighed, a bead of sweat crawled down my face as I weighed the pros and cons of speaking up.  Javier was ahead right by the lovely Val chatting excitedly.  We were going to help Val reinforce the wall to make sure the wilderness stayed trapped.

"What is on the other side really?" I questioned in a small voice.

Javier sighed and muttered "not again"

Val stopped and turned around to face me, as we made eye contact my heart sped a bit.  I pushed away the suggestive thoughts angrily.  

"Oh its horrible Diana,"  Val stood and batted away a shiny bug that flew too close to his face.  

"How? They leave us alone and we don't really know what goes on there it would not make sense to kill the creatures that happen to come through, they don't know better... what if they are just curious?"

"Those killers do not care Diana." He spoke each word with more harshness as he slowly ran out of patience.  "This is where the wildest of monsters came to hide, nothing I tell you, nothing can tame them.  If you happen to fall on the other side of the wall you will be eaten alive."

I was shocked at his answer and I trembled a bit, but I couldn't help but stay curious.

Javier was going to put his word in, I just knew that he was going to give me an angry lecture at home.  Hopefully he would forget.

"Diana why don't you go help mom back home, since you don't seem to want to be here."

"Javier I want to come, why don't you relax,and can't I ask questions? Jeeze!"

I felt hot tears form at the back of my eyes but I held them back, I had to.

Val sensed the tension and I'm sure he regretted bringing us siblings that occasionally fought.

"Hey! Were here!" Val nervously laughed and we excitedly scurried to catch up to him.

It was a huge wall with strips of steel bolted to it and white stone steps were chiseled into the mountain.  I looked down and saw that part of the mountain also had a very steep slope so we had to avoid that part, I shivered.  

I tried to look at Val discreetly, he was so adorable, I thought to myself. Then I pushed away the feelings since it wasn't right, he was too old for me. I saw he had a slight tan to his greyish skin and on his wrist was the stringy bracelet that I made him.  I sighed in relief that he still had it.  My job was to examine the wall and note any weak points, I had thought it was exciting and I even read up on architecture and construction to make sure I could be the best at my job.  Of course,  I realized what a sham my job was as I was to stare at the wall while Javier and Val did the physical work.  What weak points could this massive wall have that I would look out for?  I figured the wall wasn't going anywhere.  I complained and they told me to be on the look out for wild animals and that kept me content, Javier even gave me his binoculars which made me happy for now.  I could do work like them, after all I was just as capable and I had strong muscles too.

"Javier don't get to close to the top of the wall, especially you Diana!" He yelled, "stay down there!"

I raised up my thumb to him to signal okay.  

Javier and Val were some what far off and I was alone, it was starting to get boring but lucky for me it was so darn beautiful here. I had my knife that Val gave me for self defense so I wasn't afraid, why should I be? It was so peaceful up here.  I looked at the calming expanse of the gray sky and if I was lucky I would see a peak of vivid blue from behind grey clouds.  The wind was cold, so it felt fresh, and the green shrubbery was scattered among the mountain, along with a few random trees.  This is why I came with them, i told my self, I may or may not also be here for Val.