I'm still amazed when Ms. Makiko gets back to the counter. So I try one last time if it will work. "At least let me take a sip of that?" I say, pointing to the bottle. But of course, that will take another miracle for it to happen.
I left the shop empty-handed and is heading back to my house. Even midday, the streets are filled with people hustling to the stores. There must be a recent ship docks to the harbor.
Some who are not used to the heat of the sun take some umbrellas, but mostly the townspeople walk bare to the sun's blaze. Although the sun is enough to burn, the wind permeates a pleasant feeling.
There are still a few more weeks before the whole island enters the rainy season. But it doesn't make any difference. Some days there will be rain but mostly it's sunny.
I walk around the neighborhood, humming an off-key song while brushing my hands on my hips. The sky looks like a vast cerulean sea, with little clouds enough to make it a long peaceful day.
I walk past a beautiful woman running towards a fisherman who immediately embraces her and spins her around. "How's the sea?" she asks. "We caught many!" and he replies. Both of them looks like a lovely couple.
I continue strolling around when a little girl bumps into me. "Ah! Sorry big brother," she says and rubs her little nose.
I smile at her. "Don't mind." Her round eyes compliments her curly hair and rosy cheek.
"Anisa!" A boy runs to us, holding a red kite in his hands.
"Big brother!" she says.
"Are you okay?" he asks.
"Yes."
"Come, let's fly this one." The boy turns to me. "I'm sorry big brother."
"Don't worry about it."
They both run towards the harbor, etches with smile on their faces. I look at them thoughtfully, that looks fun.
I turn back to my little walk and before I know it, the lines of houses turns into a set of trees as I walk into the path towards my house.
I slow my pace. I grew weary of staying inside the house and doing my usual work. Mostly, I spend my days lazing on the highest branch of the tree. Or reading the Books of Creatures and Whatnots. Or studying the maps we stole—for the past month of scrounging maps from lawbreakers, we only manage to get five—but that's pretty tiresome doing it all over again.
I better water the little garden I have beside the house, then, or the plants will wither and die. But Mr. Stewart will probably water them himself, so there's no other thing left to do. I sigh.
There's quite a distance between the entrance of the woods and my house. It is a straight path obscured with trees but it is easy to walk here since the path is a plain stretch of land than that from the Angry Forest.
What should I do today, I wonder. If it's another rounds of lazy afternoon then I'm not up for it.
Maybe I'll sail today. Since the weather's nice and balmy, this will be a good day to set the sails and start my adventure. That's right! I better prepare the things I need and head straight to the edge of Mirth Town where I hide my boat before I'll change my mind.
I amble through the congenial atmosphere when Mr. Stewart runs up to me, yelling like a madman. "Ali-ieeeeee!"
"What?!" I ask, surprised.
"An intruder! He's in the house!" he screams.
With no second wasted, I run the short distance to the house. The little garden beside the house is okay so there's nothing to worry about it. But too bad my maps and things I need to sail to the seas are placed on top of the wooden table, boldly shown for any possible theft, though those maps are stolen objects but still!
I hear Mr. Knickles yells an intriguing ideology before I hear a clash inside the small house.
"I thought you're all just cute creatures but why are you attacking me!" whines another voice inside.
I slam the door to the house and completely baffled by the situation unfolds inside. Mr. Knickles is holding the leg of the crumpled table beside the window. His arms aiming for the golden boy slumps to the ground.
"Die!" yells Mr. Knickles.
"Woah! Mr. Knickles!" I say.
"But he said he's a good guy," Mr. Knickles grumbles thoughtfully. The wooden leg suspends on the air, whether to hit or not. He grumbles something else before he glances up to me.
"Ali, he is the intruder!" squeaks Mr. Stewart, popping from behind me to the top of the long table where I put most of my things.
"I, um, just passing by," says the golden boy, smiling sheepishly. That's why Hellion reminds me of someone. They have the same golden hair and blue fetching eyes.
"You're the golden boy," I say.
"Not quite. I'm Hero, by the way." Hero stands up, inching away from Mr. Knickles who's still holding the long sharp left leg of the table.
Mr. Knickles grumbles something that sounds like 'That carking boy disrupting my sleep' before walking inside the old cabinet.
"It's a surprise someone will pass by here," I say, moving to clean the mess. Some things are flown to the floor but all in all, I think the house is fine except maybe for the broken table.
"Yeah." He huffs.
"And judging from that scratches and dirt, there's quite unquestionable chance you passed by the Angry Forest?" I say askingly.
He smiles a toothy grin. "But you have quite interesting things you have here." He moves towards the long table.
"Yes."
"Maps, books, and blank notebooks." He grabs a familiar book I bought when I went to old gramps Kiki's store. "You're sailing?" he asks, showing me the Different Things to Consider when Traveling and Sailing book.
"Yes! I'm on a quest to find the lost country and write the greatest book of all time," I say.
He takes some time before he replies, "Can I come too?"
"Nope."
"What?!"
"I say no." His eyes are wide when he looks at me in discontentment.
"What is your dream?" I ask. I turn towards Mr. Stewart and ask him if he'd already watered the new plant and he says 'no'. I leave the house and walk the short distance to my little garden.
I have my own crops for food consumption and since I can also, but hardly, go to the river where I can get a bunch of fish, we manage to live just fine.
I pick up the watering pot and turn to the mound that has yet to sprout and sprinkles water on it. Hero follows closely behind, watching in fascination.
"Do you plant?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "But I've seen it done before," he adds almost defensively. I give a small laugh.
"So, what is it?"
"I think I also want to sail to the seas. And when you say you're going to find the lost country, I feel like I wanted to find it too," he says.
"So, you have the same dream as me!" I exclaims.
"Yeah, I think so."
"But I still can't let you board my ship," I say.
"Why?!" he whines.
"Because I don't feel like it," I simply say. Hero groans looking like a small kid.
"How do you manage to slip through the forest?" I ask, but I don't think I need Hero's respond to answer my question. I notice a beautiful big red stag tarries in the distance, munching on the grass.
My eyes shines when I look back to Hero. "Can I take a ride?" I ask. Eager to have to take a ride on the back of the stag.
His face falls. "Only if you let me sail with you."
"Nope."