"Why so quiet?" Mallory asked with a smile, aware of her change in appearance, though curious to hear what Nathaniel would say upon seeing her like this.
"Are you… really you? Mom?" Nathaniel looked at the young woman in front of him, trying to find in her the mother he'd always known. Her voice was the same, unmistakable, but everything else seemed different.
"Don't you recognize your beautiful mother when you see her?" Mallory replied casually, stretching her arms toward the sky and taking a deep breath. She let herself fall back onto the grass, sighing with satisfaction. "I didn't think the change would be so noticeable. I feel like a new woman, like someone different from who I was at twenty, before… well, before being reborn, I suppose," she commented, recalling the way the voice had referred to this new life. Then she sat up, bending her knees and bringing her hands close to her face, examining them. Her skin was soft and smooth, as if the weight of the years and exhaustion had vanished completely. "This is incredible, really incredible. I feel like I have a scream of happiness held back, haha…" she placed her hands on her face, enjoying the feeling of her renewed youth and the peace of this moment.
"So… it really is you," Nathaniel murmured, smiling at seeing his mother's joy. "Wow, I never would have imagined you could look like this. And I see you're very happy with the result," he said as he sat beside her, letting his gaze drift over the landscape of this new world. "It's a beautiful place, don't you think?"
"Mmm… huh? Oh, yes, of course. It is very pretty." Mallory was so absorbed in her own amazement that she hadn't paid much attention to the landscape. She stretched her arms again, looking at them before resting her hands on the grass and looking at Nathaniel. "Are you okay with all this, right? Even though it was a decision for both of us… I know, deep down, it was more for me."
Nathaniel nodded firmly. "I'm fine, Mom. Besides, we're lucky it's not night or raining, if they even have that here." He rested his head on Mallory's side, just above her arm, and sighed. "Being with you makes me feel safe, after all."
"Oh, sweetheart… you don't know how happy it makes me to hear you talk like that. It's time for a hug," Mallory said, wrapping an arm around Nathaniel's neck and securing the hug by clasping her hands over his opposite shoulder. They stayed like that in silence, feeling the calm of their surroundings and each other's presence in this new beginning.
Several minutes passed as they both gazed at the meadow in silence. Slowly, they began to think about what they would do next: which direction to walk? Would they be near a settlement? And if they found people, would they speak the same language? Mallory was the first to break the silence.
"So… where do we start?"
"Mmm… I saw a dirt path between those trees up there. Maybe we can start there."
"Sounds good," Mallory nodded, standing up. "I hope there's something interesting along the way. Walking for hours wasn't what I imagined as my first experience."
Nathaniel chuckled softly. "I'm sure we'll find interesting things along the way, Mom."
"We'll see," she said, smiling.
They both started walking along the path between the trees, which offered pleasant shade. Mallory sighed occasionally, stretching her arms and looking at the landscape with anticipation. Nathaniel, for his part, felt a growing curiosity about his mother's potential abilities in this world.
"Do you feel any special change in yourself, Mom? Like… more strength or speed," he asked as he rested his hand on a nearby tree trunk.
"Superpowers?" Mallory laughed, though she quickly realized. "Oh, right… my wish."
"Exactly," Nathaniel nodded. "Don't you feel anything different?"
"Hmm… not at the moment," she replied, shrugging. "How am I supposed to know? You're the expert in these things."
Nathaniel patted the tree, smiling with enthusiasm. "Maybe you don't feel it. We could try a demonstration, something simple, right here."
"With this tree?" Mallory frowned, doubtful. "I asked for the strength to protect you, but… I don't feel like there's any danger."
"Uh… you have a point," Nathaniel admitted, though he then reconsidered the idea, motivated by curiosity. "But you don't need to split the tree in half. We can do something simple, like dent the trunk or make it shake a bit. If you have superhuman strength or speed, it's better to test it now and know how strong you are. That way, we'll be prepared if a dangerous creature shows up. Logical, right?"
Mallory smiled, the sparkle in her eyes reflecting Nathaniel's excitement. "Yes… you're right! It's a good idea."
"Go for it!" Nathaniel encouraged her, stepping back a few steps to give her space, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Alright, here I go…" Mallory raised her fists, taking a boxer's stance. She eyed the tree trunk, imagining the devastating impact she hoped to deliver. She swallowed, feeling a mix of excitement and uncertainty. For a moment, she thought about stopping and suggesting something lighter, but Nathaniel's enthusiastic "I know you can do it!" convinced her to go on. Clenching her fists tightly, she let out a playful yell to pump herself up and threw a direct punch at the trunk with all her might.
Nathaniel watched, holding his breath, waiting to see the result of the punch. But, after a few moments of anticipation, the tree remained intact, without a single dent. Mallory kept her fist on the trunk, feeling a slight sting in her knuckles.
"Ouch… ouch, ouch, ouch," she complained, shaking her hand as she stepped back. "So? Did anything happen?"
Nathaniel approached the tree, running his hand over the area his mother had punched. He found no mark, not a single scratch.
"No… I don't think anything happened."
"Really? I thought I would at least leave a mark… I put my all into it." Mallory sighed, a bit disappointed.
Nathaniel scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed, and turned around to apologize for having encouraged her to try it. He lowered his head, feeling guilty for motivating her only for her to end up hurting herself.
However, while he was lost in thought, something dark was slowly descending between the leaves of the tree. An enormous spider, with long, thin legs, was silently approaching his head, alerted by the slight vibrations from Mallory's impact.
Mallory, still focused on examining her hand, didn't notice the creature stalking her son. However, a strange sensation of alertness swept through her body, as if something was warning her of imminent danger. Instinctively, she looked up and saw the spider only inches away from Nathaniel, its legs poised to pounce on him.
Her eyes widened. An ordinary person would scream or back away in fear, but Mallory couldn't afford that.
Mallory reacted instinctively upon seeing the enormous spider above Nathaniel: she struck, struck with all her strength.
"Watch out!"
Nathaniel's eyes flew open at the sound of his mother's shout. At first, he looked down, confused, but then saw Mallory's figure leaning over him, partially blocking his view. He stepped back, bewildered, and followed the direction of her outstretched fist. The tree in front of them was split in two.
"Ah… I… what happened was…" Mallory panted, trying to process what had happened. In an instant, she had gone from calm to a state of total alertness and then, suddenly, back to calm, barely understanding what she had done. Her body had reacted before her mind; Nathaniel had been the reason, the spider the trigger… and the split tree, the consequence. She looked at her hand in surprise, seeing a purple substance slowly dripping down her arm. She let out a disgusted scream and shook her hand, wiping it against the trunk until she was sure there was no trace of the slimy stuff left. "Ugh! A reminder of that horrid spider…"
"Spider!?" Nathaniel exclaimed, feeling a chill as he looked around cautiously. "There was one right here?"
"Yes! It was huge and about to jump on you or bite you or… I don't know what it was planning to do!" Mallory grabbed his shoulders and pulled him close to her as they both watched the trees with a mix of alarm, in case another creature appeared.
"Then you used your power! Right?" Nathaniel asked, unable to hide his excitement.
"Uh… yes, I did." Mallory smiled, though inside she was still trying to process everything. "Of course, I did. I swung my fist, and the tree went flying… you couldn't have done it, and…" She looked around, realizing they were alone. "Yes, it was me. There's no other explanation."
"That was incredible, Mom! I don't even see where the other half of the tree ended up… you must've sent it flying far away. You're amazing!"
Mallory nodded to herself, finally understanding that she had been the one to split the tree in two. She felt that the wish she'd made, to protect Nathaniel, resonated powerfully within her. Remembering the pain in her knuckles from just a few minutes ago, she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of greatness and security she'd never experienced before. She raised both hands in triumph, with a victorious smile on her face. Her son's admiration spurred her on even more, filling her with a pride she couldn't hide.
"Yes, I'm awesome!" she said, puffed up with pride. Then, quickly returning to her protective role, she added, "And now… let's get out of here as quickly as possible." She took Nathaniel's hand and started walking firmly, avoiding getting too close to the trees as they followed the dirt path. However, she soon realized the trees on either side were starting to blur.
"W-wait, Mom! You're going too fast. Way too fast!" Nathaniel exclaimed in surprise.
"Don't exaggerate, Nathaniel. I just want to get away from these trees before we run into another giant spider."
"No, really! I can't touch the ground!"
"What? What do you mean?" Mallory looked over her shoulder at her son, and, just as he said, she was practically lifting him off the ground. Only her hand kept him close to her as the trees flew by at high speed, becoming a blur in her vision. Worried that she might have hurt him, she turned to hold him in a protective hug as she braked with her feet, digging her heels into the dirt to come to a stop.
The sudden stop kicked up a cloud of dust, and they both began coughing. Mallory waved her arms to clear it, and when the dust settled, she looked at Nathaniel with concern, kneeling in front of him. She took his arm gently, looking for signs of injury. "Does it hurt?! Can you move it? Tell me you can open and close your hand!"
"M-Mom, calm down. I just got startled. I'm fine, really."
"Are you sure? I practically dragged you along just now! I didn't mean to!"
"I know, I know! Your reaction says it all." Nathaniel raised his hand and gently waved it to show he was okay. He opened and closed his fist a few times. In reality, his shoulder did hurt a little, but nothing serious; more than the pain, he was worried about seeing his mother so affected. "Look, Mom, I'm fine."
"Oh… well… don't wave your arm too hard, just in case it makes something worse…" Mallory sighed with relief, though she still felt a pang of guilt. "I didn't realize I could go that fast… way too fast, really. Maybe it's also part of my wish to protect you?"
"Mmm… well, you said you wanted to get out of the trees quickly in case another spider showed up," Nathaniel reasoned. Looking around, he noticed they had come to a more open area. Most of the trees were far away, and in front of them, the dirt path continued through hills and small slopes. "So, yes, it seems like your power gives you strength… and speed when you're protecting me."
"I suppose it's good to know…" Mallory said, though her tone still carried a hint of guilt. "But I would have preferred to realize it sooner, to avoid these accidents."
"Mom… I'm really fine," Nathaniel replied with a smile. He moved closer to her and hugged her to comfort her, his tone soft, wanting to ease her worry.
"Alright… but I'm your mother, and I have to protect you, even from scratches," Mallory murmured, returning the hug. She ran a hand over his back and the other through his hair, stroking it tenderly, as she always did. "Now that we're in an open space, we can walk calmly without fearing something will jump on our heads. Let's go, son, this time at a slower pace."
"Sure, Mom. At a slower pace…"
Mother and son linked hands again, moving forward at a steady pace along the path that stretched as far as the eye could see. Although they had covered a good distance in their sudden sprint, they had barely realized that they were much closer to a possible inhabited area. Unbeknownst to them, Mallory, by running with Nathaniel, had covered several kilometers in a matter of seconds. However, this act had not gone unnoticed, and now someone was watching them from a distance, stalking them with a silent curiosity.