We walked down the path by the ridge, looking out over the scenery. The waterfall was just as beautiful as the first day I saw it.
"So."
"So?" Dan asked
"What is your family like?" I asked. Dan looked back at me, startled. "Interesting." He replied.
There was a moment of silence as we walked around the bend and cutoff from the trail.
"Beautiful isnt it?" I said. Leaves had begun to fall and shades of red and brown coated the ground.
"Yep. Just around here is where it should be." He said, almost as if he was puzzled.
"Ah. Here."
"It's a bush?" I asked.
"Not a bush. No- did you think I lived in a bush?" He questioned. I burst out laughing, slapping my knee. He rolled his eyes at me and pulled away the bushes to reveal a old, gray, weathered home with white furnishings.
"Oh."
"It looks nice." I said.
"Yeah."
We walked up the curved pavement. Dan knocked on the door that looked as almost as old as the house itself. It was as if it was going to fall off the hinges.
"Bum. Bum. Bum bum bum."
"Oh! Danny is back! Raven! C'mere!" A jolly, high pitched voice come from behind the door.
The door opened to reveal a hairy woman and a angry, black haired man.
"Oh? Who's this Danny? She staying for dinner?" The woman asked.
"No mom. Meet Daisy." Dan replied, aggravated. I assume she meant I was the dinner.
"Girlfriend? Friend? Swimming buddy?" The man asked. Dan sighed.
"Daisy meet my mom and dad. Raven and Veronica Helios." Dan said, "Mom and dad, meet Daisy, the GAURDIAN"
The mom gasped and held my face in her hand. "Say it ain't so! Well I'll be! Right in my presence! Well I'm honored." Veronica smiled.
"I guess it don't take a mathematician to know what we are then?" Raven asked, but Veronica nudged at him to stop.
A loud crashing noise appeared from behind them as they turned to look.
"Bubby! Bubby!" Little puppies popped under the feet of Veronica and Raven, shouting "Bubby!"
I could only resist the urge so long before I picked one of them up. It was so soft and delicate.
It barked in my face and scratched at my arms before I sat it back down on the ground, where it continued to bark.
"Daisy!" Someone from behind me yelled, as they put their arms around my neck in a hugging position.
"Aiden?" I asked.
Aiden smiled. I think I saw Dan roll his eyes out of the corner of mine. "Look at all the fluffy puppies daisy! These are my little brothers!" Aiden cheered, letting go of me.
"Awww! Look at them!"
They tilted their heads at me. "ANYWAYS," Dan interrupted, "I need a couple dollars for some supplies for a dance we're having at school."
"Of course. Have fun!" Veronica said, handing Dan $10 out of her pocket.That easy? I couldn't never get $1!
"C'mon daisy." Dan said. "Well I'll see you guys. I got homework." Aiden sighed.
We walked back down through the trail and back to the town's sidewalk. "There is a convenience store about a block away."
"Oh. You know this place pretty well huh?"
"I've lived here for a while actually. I journeyed to Nevada to deliver some kind of sword to some other...people..." Dan explained, "I was adopted when I was 7 and have lived here since then. With a family like mine you learn alot about direction and senses. I also have a map of the town."
"Oh. Can I maybe have the map of the town?" I asked.
"I don't see why not. I carry it wherever I go."
He handed me the map out of his pants pocket and unfolded it. "See right here. Here is the convenience store."
"It feels like such a small town." I added.
"Most of it is woods. Around 90% I'd say."
"Giving more cover to the things and people that lurk around here."
"Exactly."
I looked up to see the bright lights of the convenience store flashing in my eyes. Open! Cold drinks inside! Hot meals!
A bell dinged as we walked through the door.
"Welcome welcome!" A old man from behind the corner spoke to us.
I passed a through each isle. Each isle had it's own designated theme. Food, art supply, clothes, and finally, party supply. I grabbed blue and pink streamer off of the shelf. I turned to see that Dan had grabbed a big banner and a bunch of snacks.
"Are we buying all of this?" I asked. He nodded. We carried the stuff back to the counter and laid it down.
"$5.56. Party, Yes?" The man said in broken English. "School dance" Dan replied to him, laying the money on the counter. "Ah yes. Love school party. Have fun." Said the man, picking the money up and counting it. The man then swept all our items into a bag and handed it over the counter.
We waved amongst eachother as we left the store.
"We will decorate first thing tomorrow." Dan said, "Well. Time for us to part ways."
"Bye Daisy." He waved.
"Bye Danny."
He turned around, gripping his fists. "Don't call me that!"
I laughed at him. He turned back around and stomped away.
Wait a minute, where was I?
I found myself alone in the middle of a dark and empty street, the only light the streetlamp above my head.
I had lost track of time and it was getting cold outside. I was thankful for the map, though.
I pulled the map out of my back pocket and looked at it. I was here, at the convenience store. I began to look around the map. Several heavily wooded spots were marked with strange symbols. One of them has to be my home.
I had no sense of direction. If I could find north, I could make my way home.
I headed back into the convenience store where I was once again greeted by the man. "Welcome. Forget something?"
"Do you have a phone?" I asked.
He pulled a phone out of a drawer behind the counter.
"Sí. Yes. Need to call someone? Need ride?"
"Yes. Gracias." I replied, " Actually... what do you know about what goes on around here?"