Courage Comes From Lies

Chapter 3: Tara

It wasn't until late afternoon that I woke up. But it wasn't where I remember passing out. I woke up in a hammock. A wool hammock laced with brown bear fur. I sat up holding my head. Man I had the worst migraine ever. I looked around as I wondered how I got here. I tried to stand up but couldn't. I looked to see why my ankle was hurting. Damn it. I sprained it while running away. I must not have felt it. Yeah that's happened to me a lot. I never feel pain until hours AFTER it happens. As I tried to stand up again, I yelped falling out the hammock onto my stomach. I groaned in pain. "God. Why does this have to happen to me now?" I froze immediately. I heard something in the bushes. I quickly took out my switchblade and held it out defensively looking around, my hand trembling. Soon, and very soon I might add, a girl, about my age, came out the bushes. I jumped back trembling as I looked up at her. She looked down at me curiously. I blushed slightly looking at her. She had long brown hair with blonde tips. It was flowing gracefully in the breeze. Her hair went with her light green eyes perfectly. She had small lips, pointy ears and a thin nose. I then felt my heart starting to pound in my chest as I stared at her, my cheeks turning a bit red. She tilted her head at me confused and spoke gently, "Are you okay? You look a bit flushed."
When she spoke to me I couldn't muster the words to reply. She held her hand out to me with a soft smile. I had enough sense left to take her hand and pull myself up. She smiled at me saying "You never answered my question. Are you okay? When I found you, you were out cold." I swallowed looking at her then quickly put my knife away.
"Y-Yes I'm fine."
"Are you sure? You seem to be turning red." She moved closer and pressed her hand against my forehead. I blinked watching her and I couldn't help but stare at her. I felt her skin against mine.
"Y-Yes I'm sure!" I moved back immediately, just looking at her with a light blush and confusion.
She tilted her head looking at me then just smiled. "Alright. I didn't introduce myself did I? My name is Devin. I'm sorry we met like this. Its the first I'm meeting another girl my age."
"What- really? How old are you?"
"I'm fourteen." She looked at me.
"What?! I'd have guessed you were at least seventeen with your body figure-"
She blushed slightly and giggled. "I.. just developed a bit quicker. Thats not strange is it?" She smiled at me and I felt my heart pound.
"O-Oh. No I didn't mean it like that. Its just- with this body type and breast size and... other things... I just wouldn't believe you were fourteen."
She chuckled. "Well I am. I'm a fourteen year old Sienna with the Transfer Memory."
"What? You already have your Memory?"
"Yes I do." She replied to me.
"I don't get mine until age eighteen." I then began to mumble "I actually was at a family member's ceremony yesterday but...." I looked down as I clenched my fists in my dress. I guess she noticed because she took my hands in hers. I looked at my hands in hers. Her hands were soft. I looked at her as she smiled at me.
"I can sense your pain. You've lost loved ones. Some people who meant everything to you" she said.
I pulled my hands away looking at her. "How do you know that?" I asked curiously but nervously.
"With my Memory, I can sense who's felt pain and what pain they've had and will have in the future. The only problem is I end up feeling their pain as well. Its not the best Memory but its mine."
"I see." I looked at myself. I can't imagine having a Memory like that. I then looked at her again. "I didn't introduce myself either right? I'm Tara. Tara Koldem. I'm fourteen too."
"Really?" She looked at me a bit surprised.
I tilted my head looking at her. "Yeah? Do I not look it?"
"No you look a bit.. younger."
I blushed and sank down a bit embarrassed. "I-I look younger than my age?"
"I didn't mean to offend. You look really cute. By the way why are you wearing a mini dress? I wouldn't wear something like that in a forest."
"O-Oh, right. I completely forgot I was in this stupid tent. I was at the Memory Ceremony for my elder sister. She was becoming an Elder Junior."
"Oh I see. Where is she now? I'd love to meet her."
"She's.... well.." I hesitated as I looked down.
She looked at me and tilted her head. "Doica guards crashed the party?"
"What?" I looked at her blinking. "How'd you know? I mean yes that's what happened but... how?"
"I told you. I feel people's pain."
"But that doesn't explain how you could figure out who it was."
"The Doica guards work for the Queen. I'd gone through the same thing with the Queen long enough to recognize the pain she's given someone through her power. You've been through a lot. Haven't you?"
"I suppose..." I looked away.
"Well... you should change. That dress looks very uncomfortable. Come with me." She then climbed up the huge tree we were under and beckoned me to follow. I looked up and sighed as I followed her.
"God who makes someone climb a freaking tree like this with a dress on?" I began mumbling to myself until I reached the top. My eyes widened as I pulled myself up into a large tree house. Like a mansion in the trees. I walked in as she smiled down at me sitting in a branch. I glanced up at her. "What is this place?" I called to her. She jumped down and landed in front of me.
"Its where I live."
"You live in the forest in a giant tree house?"
"Yeah what's wrong with that?"
"Well... when I first saw you, I figured you'd just like.. gotten lost or something. You look pampered."
She giggled softly. "You shouldn't judge a book by its cover Tara"
"Yeah I guess. But seriously this place is nuts. How long did it take to build it?"
"About..... five months"
"Wow. That's actually not even long."
"Yep. Anyway come with me. I have some clothes for you." I followed her as she walked inside. I looked around in awe. It was so much bigger and nicer inside than out.
"Wait here" Devin said as she walked into a room with a bamboo door. I sat on the floor as I observed everything I saw. A painted picture of two young girls and their father. "Must be her, her sister and her dad." A sculpture of a man and his dog. I noticed she had a lot of arts and crafts. She must've been creative. Like Khloe... I looked down then got to thinking about what happened. I almost started crying when Devin came back. I wiped my eyes and stood up looking at her.
"Here. These should fit you good." She held up a pair of ripped blue jeans with red liner designs and a green shirt with a word design that said "This girl is bound to the wild" on it. They were cute. I took them from her with a grateful smile.
"Thanks" I said as I sat them down and unzipped the dress. I had completely forgotten Devin was there as I dropped the dress. I only fully remembered when I noticed her staring at my body. Even though I hated how I looked, I had a reasonably good body figure. My body wasn't thin like Devin's or Khloe's. My body was thick. Not fat or anything. Just a bit pudgy.
When I noticed, I immediately covered myself as I blushed hard. "Um.. Devin? Can I change without an audience?" I glanced to the side with a shy and embarrassed blush.
I could tell she was flustered as well because she stuttered as she said "S-Sorry Tara. I-I'll just be in the room." She slowly backed away. I sighed still blushing a bit as I mumbled to myself, "What a weird girl." It was twelve minutes later when Devin came back out.
"Tara?" she called. I came from the bathroom wearing the clothes. She chuckled softly looking at me. I looked away pushing a lock of hair behind my ear.
"You look really nice in my clothes Tara. You can keep those. I wouldn't have looked so good wearing them." I squealed quietly looking down as my blush deepened. She smiled as she said "Its almost midnight. We should head to bed. We've got to get on the road tomorrow."
"For what?"
"A lot of stuff. I'll explain later. Alright? For now we need sleep."
"Right."
"How about we sleep on top of the tree house tonight? There's a really cool star shower happening tonight."
"What- really? That's amazing. Only if you don't see me as a stranger."
"Of course not." She walked out and climbed up the side of the house. I followed her and sat down on the roof. She handed me a bag of potato chips before sitting next to me. We then both looked up and watched the stars. I smiled. "They're beautiful. Aren't they?"
"Yeah. They are." She smiled. "But I've seen something even prettier than this."
"What could be more beautiful than stars?"
She smiled more. I glanced at her. "What is it?"
"I'll tell you later." She giggled under her breath. I looked confused but went back to looking at the stars. She leaned against me watching as she whispered, "Good night Tara. I blushed looking down at her. "G-Good night Devin."