The sound of their accelerated breathing was… Delightful. It was because they endured for him that Artie gazed at them so endearingly. There was a patting sound as the young boy named Freddy hopped off the dirt ground and up to Artie's chest, wrapping his arms around him. Artie couldn't support the boy's weight and fell back onto his bottom, the child continuing to grasp him. His small body had become sweaty, and his brown hair was unkempt and oily. Delighted by their reunion, Artie caressed his back soothingly.
"Is he heavy?" Whispered the boy's older sister, kneeling down next to them.
Artie looked at her as she peered from him to her sobbing younger brother, who settled between his legs. She'd grown even taller, her long light brown hair had been trimmed to shoulder length, and her muddy brown eyes were different. They seemed darker, more damaged than when they'd met.
"No, he's not," Responded Artie, continuing to rub his back.
"I see." Uttered the woman, sitting next to him and crossing her legs.
There was peace between the three of them as they sat on the ground. There was a lot that could be said, yet no one wanted to speak. Content with just being reunited, they remained there.
After some minutes passed, Freddy lifted his tearful face.
"It's not fair," he said shakily, sniffling and wiping his eyes.
"What's not fair?" asked Artie, looking at him curiously.
The young boy dug his face back into Artie's chest and tightened his grasp on him. The older sister relayed her brother's worry, sharing his concern.
"He means the trial." She explained, softly tugging on Freddy's shirt.
Artie had assumed he'd cried tears of joy, but it was becoming apparent he was also upset. Fearful of what would happen if Artie was sent back into the depths of the threatening forest.
Most people had walked past, ignoring their scene, but one person approached them. Artie raised his sights, Inspecting the stranger.
"It appears I'm interrupting."
Standing in front of them was the man Artie thought to be "bright." His blonde hair seemed to shine like the sword on his waist, even with the sun setting. What was strange was that Artie had not seen any buildings, armor, or weapons built with metal, yet his sword definitely looked to be forged with some kind of iron.
"Phillip!" Exclaimed Freddy, releasing his grip on Artie and running to the man.
"You have to do something!" He continued, his face full of emotion as he grabbed the man's leg.
He placed a hand on Freddy's bushy hair and spoke defeatedly.
"I didn't know you were acquainted…."
"I'm sorry, but my hands are tied."
Crushed, the young boy sharply inhaled and squeezed the fabric of the man's pants.
The older sister, too, raised and walked over to the man named Phillip. Aware of his position, she looked at him with pleading eyes.
Artie recalled that his
mother often made a similar face, typically when she wanted his father to do something.
Before long, he caved in, placing his hand on her shoulder and smiling.
"Alright"
"I'll speak with Mayor Wana," He assured.
Artie stood and eyed them, curious about their connection. His gaze strayed from the man's smiling face to the hand he laid on the girl's shoulder.
"..."
Artie looked away towards a nearby building, feeling an uneasy, unwanted emotion begin to flower inside of him.
There was nothing special about the structure he peered at. In hindsight, he would discern his action as childish and awkward.
Hearing steps begin to stray towards him, Artie abandoned his observation of the buildings and turned.
"I'm Phillip," Introduced the man.
Phillip had an aura about him. It was distinguished yet gentle. In addition, his appearance was just as charming. His clear blue eyes were polite and did not discriminate against Artie and his crumbling form. It's because the man had the presence of nobility that Artie felt slightly inferior at the moment.
…
"Thanks for defending me during the trial," said Artie, reaching and grabbing the man's hand.
"I wish there was more I could have done." Remarked Phillip genuinely.
While the two men greeted each other, the older sister concerningly scanned Artie. Since they'd met before the end of the world, she knew he'd lost an alarming amount of weight. The girl opened her mouth to speak, then closed it, unsure how to proceed. From her past experiences with Artie, she became aware of his stubbornness in some areas and was cautious not to offend him.
"Um," She shyly sounded, getting his Attention.
"It's getting late. Shall we move indoors?"
Artie perceived the nervousness of her voice; it wasn't like her, who'd always been straightforward.
"You guys go ahead; you must have a lot to catch up on." Said Phillip, nodding goodbye.
Freddy and his older sister waved farewell, then awaited Artie's word.
"Sure," He agreed, rubbing his own arm for warmth.
The older sister held out her flat palm and motioned to her brother. Freddy compliantly rushed to his sister's side and grabbed onto her hand. Artie followed behind them, surveying the town and how different it looked under the setting sun.
The walk was relatively quiet except for Freddy's scattered inquiries about the buildings. It also served as a valuable lesson for Artie, who was still learning the locations.
Once at their destination, the siblings halted before the entrance and allowed Artie to enter first. He looked at a hanging sign that read "Taste of Home" then at their delighted faces.
Entering, Artie's head immediately snapped upward at breathtaking floating lights.
"Fireflies," Breathed Artie, his eyes wide and fixed on the display.
They were no larger than a quarter and lit up a fiery orange. Much like fireflies, they flew irregularly, hovering above the heads of the people in attendance.
Along with the glowing creatures, lanterns of the same color sat on tables and hung on support pillars. The property had a second floor accessible through a wide spiral staircase. The staircase was located dead center of the establishment and coiled three times upward before reaching level two. Tables and chairs covered most of the first floor, and far back, he could see a bustling kitchen area.
The dainty orange critters, well-placed lanterns, and the dark brown wood used for the structure paired to create a warm, hospitable environment.
"Over here!" Exclaimed Freddy, pulling Artie out of his trance and towards the stairs.
The siblings were clearly no strangers to that place. They led him from the ground floor and up the spiral stairs to the second. The design was similar, but Instead of a kitchen area, there was a well-lit balcony where hunters and workers socialized.
The dense aroma of food being prepared made Artie's stomach rumble, and he began to worry about an upcoming inevitability.
He's dead broke-
While there was still no currency, he knew hunters paid with services and trade; Things he could not offer. Burdened by his desire to eat, he felt the remarkable scene he'd been introduced to start to flatten.
Joyfully, Freddy ran ahead to an empty table and pulled back a chair. Instead of sitting, he looked at Artie and smiled.
"Thanks," Giggled Artie, sitting on the pulled-back chair.
Freddy then pulled back a second chair to the left of Artie. The older sister smiled, then thanked the young boy before sitting. Finally, Freddy sat to the right of his sister. Once situated in his seat, he delicately reached up towards the glowing flies. Artie didn't realize until then, but more of the creatures were hovering over that part of the buildings than anywhere else. He guessed it was why they chose that particular table rather than another.
"It's pretty," Commented Artie, looking up at the moving lights.
"Mhm!" Sounded the boy, his face and hair lit by the snug orange glow.
Artie found a fraction of ease in the boy's genuine excitement. A peace that combated all the misery he'd faced up until then. The sister must have felt something similar because she had also been smiling at the inattentive child.
"What a pleasant surprise!" Exclaimed a woman.
Distracted, Artie didn't hear the stranger approach the table. Freddy and his sister both recognized the person and adequately greeted them.
"It's rare to see you this late," commented the stranger, meeting the older sister's.
"I can spare a few minutes," smiled the sister.
"Great, don't forget to make time for that handsome little brother of yours," Winked the woman standing.
The older woman was chubby, had rosy cheeks, and wore gold hoop earrings. Her voice was sweet and carried a thick southern accent. On her kitchen apron was bold and neat stitching of the restaurant's name.
"And who do we have here?" Inquired the spirited woman, turning to Artie.
("I'm a friend? An acquaintance?") Questioned Artie, thinking about how he'd introduce himself.
Freddy jolted forward in his seat and excitedly stiffed his hand towards Artie.
"It's him!" He blurted loudly, looking enthusiastically at her.
"You found the friend you were looking for!?" Roared the woman, her cheeks perked up with how widely she smiled.
Artie inched back in his seat, taken aback by the sudden increase in their volume.
The plump woman leaned in towards Artie and clasped the hand he rested on the table.
"Little Freddy here told me all about what you did for them. It might not mean anything coming from a stranger, but thank you."
Her voice lowered and mellowed out along with her expression. She left her hand on Artie for what he felt was an excessive amount of time.
"I'm just glad they're okay," Mumbled Artie, failing to find more words to say.
She cheekily squinted and grinned at Artie. She promptly peered over at Freddy's sister, who returned a look of confusion, then the older woman looked back to him again.
"May not be much, but dinner will be my treat tonight," She announced, withdrawing her hand and self from Artie.
Her words riled up his hunger even more. He'd had a lousy day and was grateful for that small act of kindness.
With time to waste before the food arrived, they conversed. The chatter was led mainly by Freddy, who shared his experience in the town. The education system seemed to excite him the most; he shared stories of his first day of school and the friends he'd made. At one point, his sister actually had to calm him when he became short of breath from talking too fast.
"Sounds like you're enjoying school; I, for one, hated it." Commented Artie, hanging his head down and playing dead.
"What was it like?" asked the older sibling, leaning in.
Artie noticed both of them had watched him with piqued interest, awaiting something grand and fascinating to come out of his mouth.
"You didn't go to school?" He inquired.
"We had a home instructor," explained the sister, shaking her head.
("They were definitely rich kids.")
Artie adjusted himself in his chair, tapped his chin, and thought for a moment.
"Where should I start…." He muttered.
"Ah, how about when I was around your age?"
The young boy propped up in his chair. Because of the height, only his shoulders and head were visible. Artie chuckled at the sight of his evident excitement. Turning to the sister, he saw she also tuned in intently on his retelling of school.
Artie covered everything he recollected from his childhood school experiences, from class to homework, friend groups, and report cards.
"Oh, and there are bullies that try to take your apple juice! The key to dealing with jerks is to stand up to them the first time, let them know you're not a beta male but a predator." Artie voiced, clutching his fist in the air and looking challengingly at Freddy.
As he told his stories, he made gestures with his hand and changed the tone of his voice to simulate the emotions he felt at the time. Artie was aware of his talent for storytelling, though he hadn't had anyone to share his tales with for some time.
By the end of his retelling, both siblings had been on the edge of their chairs. Their faces were blown away and captivated by every word.
A rush of satisfaction circulated his body, confirming that he'd done well to entertain them by their expressions.
"What about high school?!" Blurted the older sister.
Upon her outburst, she hastily raised her hand over her mouth. Hiding behind her palm, the face of the girl reddened. Freddy had been gripping the table's edge, speechless until his sister woke him.
"Do you think school will be the same here?" Whined Freddy softly.
The boy's amazement quickly turned to concern. Artie knew nothing about the new world's education, but he could guess it didn't stack up to regular school. He started to feel guilty about translating his school life to the siblings.
It was Freddy's first school experience, so he had nothing to compare it to. However, he learned that the education of the new world was only a bite-sized candy compared to Earth which had the entire bar. He'd surely want more of the features Artie mentioned were available in the past.
"It's still early. I'm sure school will return to how it was before, no better!" Assured Artie, raising his hand high in cheer.
"And of course, next, I'll tell you all about high school," laughed Artie, looking at the flustered older sister.
"T-thanks… I've always wondered if it was like the movies." She murmured, removing the hand from her face.
Once again, Artie considered where to begin his tale. However, before he could start, even more pressing matters presented themselves.
Food. Dinner had arrived at the table, stealing his focus entirely. His mouth salivated at the mere appearance and smell of it. As far as he could tell, the food was normal chicken breast. Not that it mattered, it could have been just about anything, and he would have eaten it.
The conversation paused as the trio dug into their meals. Artie tried his hardest to dine like a civilized human being and not devour it like the starved animal he was.
("I could cry right now….") He thought, tapping the ground with his foot like an excited dog.
After vacuuming everything on the plate, he observed the others still eating. It was brief, but he caught them sneaking a peek at him, faintly smiling.
Artie awkwardly cleared his throat, then pushed the empty plate aside so he had space on the table to place his arm.
"W-Where was I," He stuttered.
"Unfortunately, I have work now." stated the sister, wiping her hands and rising from the chair.
There was an unpleasant shift in the mood when she stood. Freddy's face sank, and Artie forced a smile as he faced her.
"Another time then," He chuckled.
"I'd like that, "smiled the girl, scuffing Freddy's hair.
"Go straight home after you're finished eating." She said to the boy.
Watchful of the child's sad, sulking face, Artie began to pity the boy who so obviously wanted his sister to stay.
"If you want, I can look after him for the night." Suggested Artie.
The boy raised his glum face, practically begging her with his eyes until she caught wind of his message.
"Sure," She sighed.
"Just don't cause any trouble for him, okay?"
Freddy's face lit up, and he slung his short arms around his sister, shaking the table and his chair.
"I hope it's not too much trouble." Commented the girl, returning an embrace to her brother.
Artie coolly brushed metaphorical dirt off his shoulder and assured her it was no bother to him. The girl walked off with a wave goodbye, leaving the two boys behind.
Once they were finished there, Freddy led Artie two minutes through the darkened, cold town. Lanterns had been lit in a few spots, but Artie still felt relieved he was there to show the boy home.
Arriving at the building labeled "Inn keep," Artie followed Freddy inside, up a set of steps, and to a door on the second floor. The format of each level was similar to typical hotels; Long hallways with many rooms on each side.
The inside of their home actually made Artie redact some of his previous pity. There was more space than the studio he owned on Earth 1, a large bed more extravagant than his last lousy mattress, and a long shelf with drawers.
"..."
The boy lit lanterns before removing his shoes and climbing onto the wooden framed bed. Artie expected him to be hyper and want to play, but he moped alone instead.
"Hanging in there?" asked Artie, sitting on the opposite side of the bed.
His question must have invoked more sadness in the boy because he began to weep into a pillow silently. Though muffled, the silence of the room made it difficult to miss.
…
As if strung alone by the boy, Artie started to feel an insatiable sorrow creep up his throat. He thought it'd be selfish of him to also break down, so he resisted and thought of alleviating the situation.
("I don't think he's in the mood for jokes or storytelling….")
Stumped, he sighed. As he exhaled, he felt the looseness of his shoulders, the steadiness of his heart, the lack of… everything terrible.
Artie's eye's watered without his approval. It had been a long journey, and finally, after days of constant struggle and near-death experiences, he'd let his guard down. He desperately needed time to process everything that had happened. His first time seeing a human killed, killing a living being himself, the constant hunger, and his dire yearning to see his lost family. There had been many distractions to keep him from worrying, but now he despaired at the idea they hadn't survived that world.
Cold and stressed, he pinched the meager fat on his leg.
"I know…" Sobbed Artie, lowering his jittery head to hide his tears.
Lying stomach-down on the bed, Freddy turned his head to observe the grieved Artie. Like adding baking soda to a school project volcano, the boy erupted, releasing everything he held back.
"Mother, Father." He cried.
Remembering that adults accompanied the siblings, Artie turned his sobbing face towards the boy.
("I'm so sorry….") He thought, not having the strength to offer his condolences verbally.
Lit only by scarce lanterns, they both discharged their grief in the wooden room.
Together, yet alone, missing the people they wished to be with the most.
Through Freddy's cries, Artie learned his sister had also been drafted as a hunter. Sympathetic to his awful situation, Artie laid on his back, shoulder to shoulder with him.
("We both have it rough, huh,") Thought Artie, using his one good hand to wipe his tears.
Freddy scooched down slightly on the bed then pressed his head against Artie's shoulder. After some time, the boy fell asleep. Artie, however, found himself still awake, looking up at the blank ceiling accepting, or at least trying to accept, everything that had, and will happen.