I keep cursing myself. "Why didn't I kill him before you got there? Why did you go to save me? I ended you like this?"
"He's such a beautiful, handsome boy, never married. Neither am I. If you were alive, I might marry you."
I never thought he will leave the world like this. I leave his body on the mattress and go to fetch some water from the river. There, I also break down in tears. 'Oh river! Why does he leave like this? Why does he have to die?' As I turn back with water in hand, I see Nathaniel's dead body standing right in front of me. A scream echoes, making it feel like all the creatures of the jungle have flown away.
He frowns looking at me being disgusted. "What's wrong with you?" "You're dead!" I say in great despair making him scoff.
"Thanks for letting me know I am dead." My eyes get opened in big surprise. "He's not dead!" "Did you try to kill me?" He asks me being suspicious.
I start touching him to ensure if it's really Nathaniel. Seeing him alive, it feels like I'm in ecstasy. In a jump, he distances himself from me. "Eww! Alexandra. How perverted and hungry you can be?" He covers his body with his hands. I hug him immediately and he definitely can't resist the hug. "Seriously, you're alive, Nathaniel?" "Yes, I'm but what happened?" I leave him and slapping his arm. "Why didn't you respond when I was calling you?" "I was sleeping!"
"Huh! Huh! Huh! Huh!" My mouth gets pried open. My frustration level rises higher listening to him. "You were sleeping?" "Yes, I was." I become silent for a moment upon hearing his words. What did he just say!
"I was screaming holding you, didn't you hear that?" "No!" "Oh, I thought you're dead." Now, I get it why he couldn't hear me being kidnapped by the monster.
"You must be the happiest creature in the world, well, I've to agree on that. No one is happier than someone who sleeps and makes people believe that he's dead."
"Are you appreciating me or just teasing me?"
"I don't dare to tease you." "By the way, you should be happy if I die, but why are you crying?" Nathaniel questions me with his eyebrow raised , clearly and indication of suspiciousness. "Because I can't lose you, I mean, you know, I'll be alone in the dark forest." "Yeah, that's it. A girl like you who knows nothing but her own interests in life, will she cry for me anymore?" I smile even as his every word hurts me.
"I can't change your mind, though, but someday in the near future, if you come to know that I didn't harm anyone, what will you do?"
"Then I will end myself because I won't be able to stand the regret of hurting anyone for no reason." "Then consider me guilty."
Hearing my answer, he smiles, that breathtaking smile that I love like crazy.
It's already night, I'm sitting on one side of the mattress and Nathaniel is on the other side. Suddenly he takes out something from his pocket and holds it out in front of me.
"I think these are yours." "Yes, those are indeed." I accept my jewelry from him as he gives it to me.
These are the jewelries that I left at various places along the way so that he could track me.
"I never thought you would collect them, thank you so much."
"I don't need your thanks. Do you know how many ways I had to go around because of your jewelry? You threw one in one direction, another in another direction. "If I had delayed more to find you, what would have happened to you?"
After he says that, I realize he is totally right in his opinion. The creature twisted me around so that Nathaniel couldn't find me easily. The monster is a package of whole devil.
"Sorry but thanks again for saving us." "I don't need your thanks." "Then what you need from me?" "Don't you know? I need your soul." "Then take it, why are you making delay? I don't like it dying every day in this horrendous thought of death. I think death is more easier than this."
"If you hurry, I'll take more time." Is he somewhat dumb? If he makes delay, it'll be more fun cause I'll get more time to spend with him.
For now, I stop arguing with him and start wearing these jewelries one by one. They are very special to me now because he took such care to put them away and give them back to me. I thought he never notices me well and my jewelries are far away.
In the meantime, my struggle to wear the thick chain has begun. I kinda want to ask help from him but who knows if I get another insulation.
"Nathaniel, can you help me hook the chain?" I ask him so looks at me. "No, I can't, try to do your own job."
"Please, I really can't."
I immediately walk over and sit in front of him. Now where will you go not chaining it? I am exactly like you. We've few more days together, let's just keep bothering him in those days.
"C'mon, child. Do it, you can do it. I know you can. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon." I start cheering and imagining his pissed face, I hardly suppress my laughter.
"Alexandra, what's this behavior!" "It's nothing, c'mon, tie it." I handover the chain to him. "You're literally silly and childish." "Indeed I'm, just eighteen years old." "Huh, eighteen years old! You're too old that you can't even imagine." "Huh, I don't care. I'll always be eighteen years old." "Shut up." After saying this, he slowly helps me put on my chain. I look at him and making him shocked, starts pulling his magic like cheeks. "Thank you so much, cutie." As I say enthusiastically, he gently removes my hand from his face.
"What happened to you?" "Trying to live. Btw how are you feeling now?" "I'm good now." I check his back, magically his wound is healed. Here everything is such magical that I'm gradually falling for this fantasy land.
"Nathaniel! Oh no! What's that?" I utter being afraid.