The kingdom isn't much of an exciting place, considering it's almost non-existent. A castle and maybe three huts are all it is really, and I'm the only one left in the hardly-a-village. Everyone else has disappeared. My days are spent hunting for answers. Answers I'm sure I'll never find.
I continue to hunt through the one trunk of belonging in my hut, looking for my father's shoulder bag- a worn leather pouch with a strap he used to stash his books in. My father loved to read.
I grab the bag and drag it from the trunk as a shadow crosses the doorway.
"Hey."
I turn to see my best friend, Kaden, leaning against the rotten doorframe.
"Hi."
"Any luck?"
"No. I haven't even found my father' books yet, much less the answers you're looking for."
"Look, it's not my fault we-"
"I know, idiot. It's my fault." I say irritably. "It's my fault we can travel through time and discovered this little old kingdom, and now we are stuck here."
"Don't be so saucy, child."
"We are the same age, Kaden." I growl. "You're just as much fifteen as I am."
Kaden shrugs and comes closer to me, squatting down to examine the trunk's contents. "Your dad was really a collector, wasn't he?"
My throat constricts. "Yes."
Kaden's fingers curl around my shoulder in a comforting squeeze. An awkward silence follows.
"We should probably get back to the dugout. No telling what's gonna come by and tell on us." States Kaden, getting up and extending his hand to me. I grab it and he boosts me to my feet.
"Thanks." I say. Kaden bobs his head, then checks through the surrounding forest through the smashed window.
"All clear."
I nod and follow him out, trying to be close behind but not stepping on his heels. The dugout isn't too far away; only about a two minute walk, but we rush anyway. It's not safe to stay in one spot for long, especially since we're two teenagers of opposite genders. We can't afford to have people assuming things because we always stick together, even share a dugout. We have our own space, however, so it's not as bad. Having half a dugout and my best friend for a roomie isn't too shabby and it's totally better than living alone in this strange place.
The dugout door slips open flawlessly, the heavy oak skimming over the dirt floor as we push it inwards to open it. Kaden closes the door behind us and departs to his side of the dugout, and I go to mine. A heavy wooden trunk half filled with things I've scavenged and a sheet pulled over a bed of grass to serve as a mattress sit in my corner. I drop to my knees and flip the latch on the trunk open. I set the shoulder bag inside and pull a blanket out, throwing the fleece-lined sheet over the makeshift mattress and then adding another- thin- blanket for a pillow. I glance across the room to Kaden. He hasn't bothered to make his bed; his blankets are just in a heap on the covered grass mattress. I smile to myself; we're so different and yet we've been best friends since we were toddlers.
"You hungry?"
I glance up to see Kaden setting a loaf of bread and some cheese on the table in the middle of the dugout.
"Yeah," I reply absently. He smiles, grabs his dagger, and cuts slices of bread for each of us. The round loaf is soon devoured, along with the cheese and the rest of the water in our canteens.
"Thanks." I murmur, returning to my bed. I flop down, wrinkling the blanket, and start to unbraid my thick golden hair. I comb it out with my fingers the best I can to rake most of the knots out, then use an old comb to smooth it out. In no time flat I've got it braided again, a blonde rope hanging almost to my waist. I duck under my blanket and exchange my torn jeans for a pair of cargo pants and then sit up to examine the tears in the knees of my jeans. They'll need mending soon, I'll probably do it tomorrow night.
"Goodnight, Jess."
"Goodnight, Kaden." I mutter, blowing out my lamp. I settle down into the covers and stare listlessly at the ceiling, invisible in the dark. It's a relief to be where I know I'm safe, where I can hide in the shadows. Where I'm unaware of what's to come.
-----
Hope you like Part One of The Enchanted Pea!
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Have a fantabulous day/night/afternoon!
THIS STORY IS COPYRIGHT
IF YOU STEAL ANY OF IT I WILL PERSONALLY SEND MY AGENTS AFTER YOU
AND THEY WILL DRAG YOU TO ME
AND I WILL BEAT YOU UP
AND PUT YOU IN A BOOK AND KILL YOU
THEN LET YOU GO
AND HOPE YOU'RE SORRY.
AND I WILL EAT SUCCESS DONUTS.
AND I WILL NOT SHARE.
ANY.
OF.
THEM.
