Seeing that he was attracting attention James started moving again. The direction didn't matter so he continued on in the same direction as before.
Having decided not to go back to the government or accept charity from his parents James was at a loss. The most important part of his life was Wilbur right at this moment, but his little buddy was taking off on adventures all his own.
'If I didn't have Wilbur, what would be most important right now?'
Asking himself this question James' first thought was that he needed to find a place to sleep. The sun would set in two hours. It was going to get cold.
Thinking this suddenly he smacked his head.
'Wait! I have finals this week. If I don't do well my whole plan for where to go to college will be changed!!'
But then James shook his head. All of that was already gone regardless of what kind of grades he received on his tests. There is no way he could go to a school of higher learning, now. More and more strange things were happening to him.
'It is not that cold tonight. Maybe I can find a place to stay for the night and then take another one of my finals tomorrow.'
Having made his decision James decided that he could only continue with his plan doing as well as possible on his tests.
There was a bridge a few blocks away which he had often walked over. Heading there James was surprised that the space under the bridge was already occupied.
"Hey, get out of here kid! Go find your own spot!"
Surprised James went to a few more places and found that every single one of them ended up being too exposed or already occupied. It had never crossed his mind that there were so many homeless individuals in the city. With free housing and free food no one should be sleeping on the streets.
'Well except for me... Maybe these people also have various reasons for being on the streets too.'
Finally James found himself at the end of the city. It was already dark, long past sunset. There were only a few hours left of the night and James was tired physically and emotionally. Knowing he was putting his life in his hands he walked straight up to the wall which soared up twenty meters straight above his head and turning leaned his back up against it and fell asleep.
In the morning a guard kicked his shoe.
"Kid, wake up! You can't be here. Go home!"
When James didn't wake up fast enough the second guard shoe as well.
"Come on, boy, no one's going to do anything to you if you take off. But you can't stay here. Get up, get going before we have to do something."
The second guard's reasoning finally struck a cord with James and he struggled, pushing with his legs so that his back slid back up against the wall.
"I am up, I'm up."
James mumbled.
"Good, don't let us catch you here when we come back, do you here?"
The second guard patted James shoulder and then they were off.
'I guess I should catch a bus and go back to school. I have to take the test.'
If only this wasn't all happening during finals week. James hot footed it to the nearest main road and making sure he was on the right side of the street caught a bus that went in the general direction of his school.
By the time the bus had gone another twenty minutes James was wide awake and focusing on thinking rationally. He knew in his mind that he wasn't acting rationally, but it was just one moment at a time. Focusing on the next right thing right now was getting to school and taking another one of his college entrance exams.
Bus routes and schedules ran through his mind. It helped a bit to calm his nerves and focused his brain.
The test went smoothly, as least as well as could be expected. A lot of people mumbled stuff about him and held their nose so they wouldn't smell him. He heard a lot of complaints and even though it was banned a few people sprayed some scents into the air. Not least of which was the lady proctor who had to walk past his desk every once in a while. His fellow students around him probably became used to the smell, but she had to go in and out of it never able to acclimatize to the aroma.
After the test James hurriedly left the school. Tired from taking the test all he wanted to do was relax. The good part was that he had had plenty of time to think and had already decided that until the tests were over he should just stay outside the city walls. As long as he stayed within sight of the walls he would be fine. He had camped with his Dad and sister out there several times. It wasn't a big deal, if caught the guards would escort any one found back inside the city.
The wilds were not completely safe. Even the roads could be dangerous. But on a scale of one to ten, anything within sight of the wall was a one. Not a big deal at all.
Still, no one lightly travelled unless they had the money to afford protection. And even then you were taking your life in your own hands.
Just like what James was doing by going outside the city walls. First he had to go through one of only two gates. Then under the sharp eyes of the guards he had to go far enough that he could get out of their sight and then circle back to get as close to the wall as possible. This was the most dangerous part of the plan and the most time consuming.
To make sure that the guards would not become aware of his plan he had to make up a good excuse.
"Name and purpose, please."
A guard asked James when he approached the gate.
"James Wallenburg and I am going to visit my cousin over at farm station one."
He spoke back easily.
The guard looked up at him and stared. After a moment he shrugged ever so slightly,
"Alright, stay on this road. The farm is a two hour walk. Go ahead."
The guard jotted some information down while giving a couple helpful hints.
"Thank you, sir!"
James beamed brightly and then moved out from under the massive gate. He walked for half an hour and then entered the woods on his left after making sure that no one was on the road in either direction. It took a lot longer to make his way back to the wall, but after an hour and a half he found a densely foliaged tree not ten yards from the wall. Climbing up it he had to break quite a few dead branches in order to make enough room.
The branches were so dense up here that he didn't worry at all about falling and just relaxed.
[Cheep, cheep!]
Startled James sat bolt upright for a moment and then relaxed. For a moment there he thought he had heard Wilbur.
[Peep, peep!!]
This time he fell a few feet off the main branch that he had been resting on. Fortunately he was able to catch himself. Also he was able to confirm that it really was Wilbur, because Wilbur the pup himself was standing on the branch he had just been on.
[Cheep, cheep, cheeeeep!]
Wilbur was not happy at all for having his master almost fall on him and was brushing himself off.
"Wilbur, it's you! I can't believe it!!"
James scooped up his bonded pet and brought his friend to his cheek.
"Oh, I missed you so much! Where have you been!! And how did you find me out here??"
Wilbur snuggled up to James' cheek as well. The pup was looking more and more like a mouse and after not seeing him for a day James could see many of the changes. Wilbur's eyes were now completely open, his ears looked fully formed and too big for his size. Most of all he seemed to be even more inquisitive and energetic.
If that was possible at all!
Not answering any of James' questions Wilbur took off along the branch and then looked back over his shoulder.
The taming contract bond that they shared was telling James that Wilbur wanted to be followed, but there was nothing out there but a sharp fall for James.
"Little buddy, I can't follow you out there!"
James urgently tried to communicate, but Wilbur just kept sending the same feelings over the bond and looking back.