When Roots Grow Too Far, You Just Have To Dig Deeper

Chapter Seven: Rubbing Salt Into The Food

Nugget had offered for Felix to climb the ladder first to make sure he didn't fall and break his neck on his journey to the surface. Which meant when Felix made it to the top, he had to wait a little while for Nugget to climb up and secure the entrance to the Nugget Cave. This gave Felix a chance to run away if he wanted to, but the entrance to the Nugget Cave appeared to be surrounded by a forest. Felix could barely walk across the Nugget Cave floor without falling, twice, and according to Nugget the floors were mathematically balanced and leveled. But if he couldn't manage to walk across a level plane, how was he supposed to make an escape through a forest?

Besides, he was really hungry, didn't know which way went towards home and was extremely weak. Instead of executing an escape plan, Felix found a rock and waited a few minutes for Nugget to surface. "Nugget is glad to see that Nugget's Soulmate is still here."

"Why...why wouldn't I be?"

"Nugget recognized the window of opportunity that his Soulmate could've ran away."

"So you let me go first anyway?"

"It was for his Soulmate's safety."

Nugget locked the metal door to the Nugget Cave and held out his hand, "Where does Nugget's Soulmate want to go?"

Felix grabbed his hand and made a realization, "I....I've never eaten out before." Felix had honestly expected Nugget to laugh or make fun of him for not experiencing something so.....normal.

"Well, does Nugget's Soulmate have a particular preference?"

"I-I dunno...."

"Why don't we try McDonald's then? It's not too far from the entrance of the Nugget Cave and Nugget and his Soulmate can return back quickly."

Felix didn't say anything, he forgot it was his turn to say anything until Nugget tapped his shoulder. "Oh! Right, McDonald's sounds okay I guess....?" So the two made their way as Nugget led them both into one direction, Felix tried to remember the way they went for a future escape plan but couldn't wrap his head around Nugget's seemingly odd directions.

"How do you know where to go? There's just trees."

"Nugget is following his path he made." Felix tried to see a "path" but couldn't find anything, no signs, or dug out lanes, all he could do was sigh in defeat.

"Look down, focus on the plant life." Felix didn't want to look for patterns or anything, but he looked down and still couldn't find any signs. However, after a while he noticed was a hidden flower placed subtly along the way they were going that kept repeating every few steps. "You planted the flowers up here too?"

"One use Nugget has of the flowers Nugget gets from his Soulmate are used to make certain patterns and paths that only Nugget can understand and bestow unto others."

"But why?"

"Nugget doesn't like trespassers or intruders, he would prefer they get lost then find the Nugget Cave."

They walked for several more minutes in silence until Felix smashed it again, "do you have to hold my hand?"

"If Nugget's Soulmate doesn't like the guidance, Nugget can let go. However, it should be easier to move for Nugget's Soulmate if he holds Nugget's hand."