I opened my eyes and heard someone chopping wood. He's up. I slowly sat up from the bed and held my head. It feels heavy. I look at my watch and saw that my heart rate and temperature are normal. I was about to stand up when I noticed a pile of clothes on the chair, I look at myself, I didn't realize that my clothes are dirty from yesterday's work.
"Good afternoon." He said. I look up to the sky, "It's already afternoon?"
"Yep." He grunted while pulling an axe, "You sleep pretty hard." He said and placed the axe on the side, "I prepared a meal for you." He was about to walk away..
"What happened to me last night?" I asked. He look back and immediately looked away. I forgot, I am wearing the housedress from the clothes he put on the chair. He left a note saying that it was from her mom. I didn't know her mom is small and quite skinny, so the housedress looks small and fit to me.
"You were having a nightmare." Nightmare. Why can't I remember having one last night?
We went again to the picnic table. I watch him prepare the foods while yelling at Bella to stop chasing the rabbit she found in the forest. I watch him also cutting the apples he got from the forest. His hands have scars, yet it's beautiful. What? What did you say Ember?
"Good news, I'm able to attach the planks with cement coated in it to prevent further cracks." He said. I nodded and started peeling the skin of the sweet potato, "And about the cables, I was able to trade some from the market."
"You went to a market?" Because of this isolated place, I forgot we're not alone in this world.
"Yeah." He patted Bella's head while giving her a piece of fish.
"So you just walked?"
"Of course not." He laughed, "I have a horse."
"Really?!" In all my life, I have never ridden a horse before. Ever. I'm always in our house, studying, making science projects, enjoying the privilege of being an only child, and most of the time... alone.
"You want to ride?"
"Of course!"
After a good meal, or should I say snack, he told me to change clothes since housedress isn't appropriate for horse riding. He made me borrow some clothes from her mom again, I asked him multiple times if it's okay and he said yes.
We left Bella alone in his place and we walked for 30 minute in the forest. He told me stories about his experiences in hunting and the way he set traps for the wild pigs and chickens, he even gave me instructions where to not set foot because he made a bomb for other wild animals.
"There they are." And he starts to whistle. I look at the plain field in front of us. Multiple horses are running around, even the ponies are there. I smiled as they started following the origin of the whistle.
"Be careful, they're not used to making new friends." I look at the horses in front of me. They are in the shades of black, white, brown, and gray, "Just slowly offer your hand and touch their forehead."
Since the white one is closest to me, I approached the horse and slowly held out my hand, "Slowly.." I heard him say. My whole body is now stiff, only my right arm is moving towards its forehead. I closed my eyes as my hand is slowly nearing its forehead.
"That's right." I heard him say and that's when I felt a soft warm cushion-like being is resting on my palm, "Oh my God." I reacted. He chuckled, "He likes you."
"It's a boy?" He nodded.
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After giving me small tutorial about riding a horse, he told me to practice first. He showed me how to climb on but when I followed what he did, I fell. Not just once, but multiple times! He just laughed and laughed every time I fell. I wanted to be annoyed, but whenever I look at him, I couldn't help but laugh also.
I don't know how long we practiced. We just noticed that the sun is about to set. He told me we can practice again whenever I want to.
"Eventually you'll be able to get it." He said. He gave me a bowl of warm water with a towel soaked in it, "Use this to wash your face."
"Do you have mirror?"
"Mirror? Wait." He stood up and walk away. I am left in the living room with Bella sleeping near the fireplace.
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"I'm sorry. I couldn't find my mom's mirror. This was mine." He handed me a mirror with cracks in it, "This is fine." I said. I placed it on my lap and starts wiping my face with the towel.
"Do you have names for your horses?" I asked since the silence was getting awkward.
"Nope. I only named the dog. The other animals doesn't have one." I stopped looking to the mirror and look at him, "Hmm I should suggest the white one to be named as Storm."
"Why Storm?"
"Coz of her color." I said. He looked at me in the eyes. He's not smiling, he just looked straight into my eyes. I look away, "Or maybe Winter."
"Storm is nice." He replied. I can sense him still looking at me, "If ever you go back to your world.." I look at him, "What's the first thing you will do?" I felt my heart suddenly ached. I didn't think about this. I was preoccupied of the idea of returning, but not the idea of why I should go back.
"I don't know, to be honest." I replied, "Same routine I guess?" He nodded. I smiled, "Thank you for everything."
"You're welcome." He said. We stared at each other's eyes for a moment. His eyes has a lot of things to tell. It's a universe I want to explore. Before I could go deeper to something I know I might regret, I look away and stood up.
"I think I should go to bed." I said and walked away. Yes that's right Ember. This is right. Don't make this harder for you.
I lay on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I need to focus on my goal. No sidelines.
