Talia

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I climb out of the window. Luckily there is a porch I can follow to some stairs that brings me to the ground. I run as fast as I can away from the inn. I have no idea where I'm going.

"Talia! Doll! Wait!" Banan shouts from somewhere behind. I don't dare to turn around to confirm how far away he is. I run until I meet a dead end. A huge wall divides the road and whatever is on the other side. In each corner there are at least four barrels. Maybe I have enough time to run out of here. My breath is calm, and so am I.

"Finally! I managed to catch you," Banan says with a heavy breath. "Nowhere to go. Just come." I smile at him. I run to the wall, jump on two barrels and try to jump again. My hands are just long enough to reach the top. I hitch myself up and sit on top of the wall for a little break.

"Wow," Banan exclaim. "Man, you're really tall. I should stop underestimating you." I wave at him and jump from the top. Fortunately I fall into water. It is a small lake of fresh water. Untouched water lilies hide between long strays of grass. And before my eyes, on a lily blade, sits a little ugly creature. You can compare it with a frog. Its whole body is blue and probably slimy. Its back is covered of a huge blade, like a dorsal fin. The frogflyer also has a long tail following him. Linda is terrified of these small animals.

"Grrh," it says. I splash water on it and swim to dry land.

"Talia!" His splash echoes in my head. I start to run again. Before I get the chance to look behind myself, an object hit me in the head, and I trip with my face first.

"Sorry," Banan apologizes. He helps me back on my feet.

"Oh.. you look.. hm.. look at the sun, we should get back. Don't you think so?" I slap him. My hand leaves a red mark on his face. I search for the objective that made me trip. 5 meters away from us I can see a boot. I smack him one more time.

"You know, youre not what I expected you to be," he says with a shocking face.

"To bad," I say angry.

"It's already gone," he says while investigating my face. He forces me back with him to the inn.

I walk in and see a table covered with food. Plates are filled with everything from fruit to fish.

"Iii! Why is there so much?"

"I don't know what you like, therefore I bought everything I could find."

"Find? Where on earth did you find this much?" He doesn't answer. Banan stares at the roof like he is having a flashback I will never hear about.

Everything is delicious. My stomach has never been this satisfied before. Linda was never good at cooking. She always tried to increase her level of skills with dishes. Since she always tried out a new recipe, she never mastered any of them. They would mostly end up as a drink or a disastrous pudding. I couldn't complain, her cooking is better than mine.

"You must love food." I look up from my plate. Banan stares at me with a flirtatious face, and an even creepier smile than usual.

"What?" I ask offended.

"Nothing." He looks like a lovesick boy, staring dreamingly at the roof. I feel a little embarrassed. Could it be that he has been watching me like that the whole time I was eating? I hate when people look at me when I eat. It's uncomfortable. Home, we usually take our plate and go to different rooms. It is unnatural for me to eat with someone else, especially when that someone is Banan. We eat lunch at our school, but my school is strict. Unlike every other school in Odel, we have to sit alone with our desk all the time.

"Did you make this?" I ask him. He snaps out of his imaginary world and focus on me.

"Time to sleep," he says and drags me from the table, and into the bedroom. This time he doesn't tie me to the bed, but to himself.

"I don't know about this." I say concerned.

"It's okay. I'm a soldier. You don't have to be scared," he says encouraging. "If you try to escape this time, I will notice."

I mumble something.

"What?" He asks and comes closer.

"I have to go," I say embarrassed.

"Ah. I will follow you," Banan says natural.

"No."

"Why not? I won't peek. I never knew girls were this shy." He ties us apart. When I come back, he tie us together again.

"Stay on your side of the bed," I say strict.

"Yes." This is probably the most awkward night I have ever had. Except from when Anzor visited me that time, which was even more awkward. We are silent. I'm looking around the room to find something interesting to watch. I pull my blanket tight around me so no air can sneak in and make me cold. I always do this, it makes me warmer and I feel safe. When I was little and afraid of monsters I would go to Linda. She would make me some "Pudding", and cheer me up. 'In order to sleep, you have to pretend to be asleep.' She used to say.

I wake up from a window slamming. Earlier that window was closed. I guess Banan must have opened it during the night. It is still dark though. It takes a moment for me to realize how close Banan is to me. He is sleeping peacefully next to me. I take a look around the room, nothing seems unusual. I switch side, facing the door out of here. I width my hand across the bed, prepared to feel the edge of it. But my arm have much space, I have to stretch my whole body to reach the edge. Banan is not the one close to me; I'm the one close to him. This is embarrassing. At home I end up using the whole bed for my body. A lump forms in my throat as I think of home. I hear a creak coming from the dark.