Godtrust ~ Chp.5.1

“Wake up. We fell asleep yesterday. We have to go home” Alice muttered, softly kicking Cian in the side. She had barely woken up herself. He black hair was in knots, her eyes were crusted over, and she had what seemed like a perpetual scowl. “Wake up.” she kicked him again. He let out a set of soft murmurs and loud grumbles. “I’m not doin’ this for the good of my health. Get up or I’m going back to the village without you.”

“Fine. Okay. Just give me a second to get ready.” he was lying on his stomach, and stretched his arms wide.

“Get ready?” Alice was amused. “I’m sorry. Do you have someone to look good for? A hair bump for your mother? Maybe some aesthetically pleasing stubble when you confront the priest and tell him that there’s no heaven?” His head shot up, and he looked at Alice through the corner of his eye.

“Damn.” he murmured.

“What?”

“I thought that was a dream.”

Alice had to give Cian a few minutes to prepare himself. The clubhouse had been built by tying pieces of wood together with string. Cian took some of it, and tied his clothes- which had been ripped in the accident- back together. Alice used the time to brush the knots out of her hair with her fingers.

To help wake himself up, Cian went to the water, which was just a small lake when the tide went out, and splashed water in his face. As a joke, he brought some over in cupped hands and threw it in Alice’s face. She was angry, but ultimately appreciated it. So much had happened recently, which made her appreciate the, albeit mean, joke.

They walked to the forest’s entrance. Cian had seen the sight before, but this was Alice’s first glimpse of morning on the island. With the pastel blue backdrop, the sun was like a dangling earring, hanging from a giant’s ear, who was sleeping high above in space. The clouds were little rabbits that hopped carelessly through the sky, and you just wanted to rest your head on them. Little flakes of orange spotted the sky, like flakes of fire, and, occasionally, the wind would blow the tips of branches under them, and the tips looked like they were glowing, but only for a moment. The sight took her breath away, but the lazy winds made sure it wasn't absent long.

“What if another one of those things shows up?” Cian mumbled. They both looked back to the, still impaled, beast.

“Lice.” Alice said under her breath.

“What?”

“I’ve decided to call them lice. It kinda looks like a woodlouse, and the plural of woodlouse is woodlice, so i’m calling them lice.”

“Yeah. What if some lice show up?”

“Run?” she offered.

“Run.”

They walked the path slowly. Neither of them had eaten in some time, and their energy levels were low. Occasionally, they stumbled over some large rocks, or fallen branches. They both noticed how beat-up the trees looked- branches were sticking out like broken limbs. Something big had gone through here.

The notice board looked the same. It was plastered left and right with various advertisements, announcements, and notices.

“Okay. Which way do you want to go?” Cian asked Alice as she skimmed the board, looking for some useful information.

“I want to check on Granddad. Make sure he’s okay.”

“I need to go home. Check on my family and change my clothes.”

“Well i’ll just go my way, and you can go yours. We don’t need to be together constantly, Cian.”

“Yeah, but there's safety in numbers so..” he paused for a second.

“If you want to come with me, you just have to ask, idiot.” she smiled to take the sting out of her words.

Cian was waiting in the kitchen. He sat at the table, sipping tea. Above him, he could hear stomping footsteps- Alice’s heavy feet. She was not the most graceful of people. Looking around, he was amazed at the kitchen. At home, they had nothing more than basic equipment and a stove. This kitchen was bursting at the seams. An assortment of cabinets, most too full to close, hung on the wall. The counter at the center of the room was overflowing with different food, pots, pans, and utensils. It amazed him.

Cian looked down into his mug, and stared at his silhouette. It wasn't until his features were gone that he could see how truly scrawny he was.At the edge of his mug, he could see someone else. Long hair melted into thin shoulders. He turned around to greet and question Alice, but when he did he found he was alone.

He examined the room again, under fearful eyes. The cabinets, left agar, now held more uncertainty than curiosity. In the corner of his eye, he could see shapes reflected, that moved out of his vision, like they knew. They moved like a shy dancer, leaping out of sight, but giving glimpses of the beauty of their art. The once natural and comforting green that plastered the walls turned sickly, and threatened to close around and entomb him. He needed air.

“I’m getting some, air. I’ll be around back.” Cian shouted into the house, hoping they’d reach his friend. He walked past the table, to a small door that lead to a back garden.

It had the usual scenery- mountainous trees; luscious, dancing grace- all left so carelessly under a bright blue dome.

He had barely left the house when he heard his name. He turned around to find Lucy standing right behind him. She had long, white hair that fell in dull stings past her shoulders and to her waist. Her eyes were wide, and mostly pupil. Her face was expressionless. Cian was thinking over her, how he’d mistaken her for a boy when he was in his world, then her words came back like lightning. Nothing exists here. Maybe she was serious.. Maybe he’d thought of her as a boy, simply because things beyond himself hadn't existed there.

“Why are you here? I thought you couldn't leave the other world.”

“I am real because you know I am real.” she said. The muscles of her face tightened, like she was trying to express something, but wouldn't allow herself.

“So how are..” he began, but was cut off by a soft voice that, somehow, also conveyed authority.

“Listen. She won’t hurt you, but protect your friend. She is important. There is time.” and with that she was gone.

A moment later, Alice appeared where Lucy once stood. “He’s not here.” she sighed. “But, it doesn’t look like he left in a hurry, or anything, And all his stuff is here, so I doubt he went very far.”

“So, the village now?” he said, forgetting her.

“Yeah.” she pushed him out of the doorway. “We’ll go around the side, it’ll be easier.” Cian could hear laughter ringing in his ears. At first, he thought of Lucy, but no. This laugh was of a higher pitch, and coming from the house.