The Land of Closed Eyes

Chapter 4: A Girl

We began our journey, we are both convinced that it will be short one.

I stopped my humming while walking with him, sometimes the flutes melody stops several times then it played louder and louder. We walked passing snow covered market with dried rotten foods, a park with no children on it, black bricks building with cracked windows, and a fountain with frozen water on the pool above it, couples of ravens and small owls hunting for food. Suddenly, my stomach grumbled slightly and I hold it,

"Man, I am really hungry, do you have something to be eaten?"

I looked at him and pointing at his bag, he showed him his bag. What was inside there were some French style sweets, like chocolate and three small boxes with cakes inside. I made an open mouth smile and laughing a bit, I get used to laughing even when I did not really want to. I just kept a faked faith that things will or were okay if I laughed like normal happy person,

"Aren't you a sweet tooth? You sure eat nothing but sweets"

We sat down when I put my I took a box of chocolate cake inside, then eat it while walking. I only knew that chocolate made people happy, at least helped it chemically.

"Humph! I only want to live with joy, not a nonsensical boring long life" He looked away

He pouted like a child, pinching my cheeks when I was about to ate, then he took my plastic spoon with a spoonful cake on it, ate it then returned it to me,

"Thanks for the meal" He laughed on his action and sighed when I laughed at him back because what happens after that was just silent except ringing calls from his phone, I have always kept my phone in silent when necessary.

I enjoy the silence of night while walking, he was a bit busy with answering calls and messages while walking,

"This little town is so old that it does not have wi-fi, it is kind of hassle, my data would get wasted, although internet seems a luxury now, though"

He muttered under his breath, I just laughed lightly and gave him my portable hotspot, "and here we go, hero saves the day" I poked his shoulder and sighed when he thanked me,

"The melody is going louder and louder, let me check the surrounding, give me the chalk".

He gave me his chalk then waited while leaning on a brick wall so I won't get lost, tapping his feet few times while waiting for my return or his messages to be answered.

After half hour or more, I walked and see same typical scenery again, like dark mountains and lots of constellation. I opened my phone and turned on GPS to check where am I now, but was all in vain since I keep losing signal, it was common for losing signal, so I try not to think much. I turned back to Chapman and told him what I have seen and found.

Suddenly, there is a hooded girl with black long coat pushing a gypsy-styled cart passing us. It was exactly like Jonathan have said to us, it was not a fairy tale. "Sorry, I don't think I called you. Are you the rumored girl?"

I politely asked her, Chapman spotted us rather quickly, "Sorry! I might do the tapping foot thing, it is my habit, are you a ghost?". The girl just shook head and laughing.

"Wait! Wait! Why a ghost? You don't ask someone whether she is a ghost or not, no, no, no that is just very wrong. I know I will sound like a terribly old figure by saying things typical like lectures to younger people"

I dragged him with my arms between his underarms, I was a bit worried of his manner now,

"I am sorry! He is well...can you leave us for a while?". I pulled Chapman's collar down,

"Honestly, are you never talk to a girl before?"

Chapman gave me a pout and shook his head fast, he showed strong dejected feeling on what I have asked

"Nope! Not at all, most of the girls that I know are weirder than me, besides I only know blunt one and I dated her, not the erotic model I have shown you though".

I just facepalmed, forget about anxiety that I had, this guy just does not have any shame at all, what a complete opposite compared to me. "Hahahaha yeah, your girlfriend, interesting. I am sorry for previous"

I tried to be light and convincing by smirking smugly, I saw him blushed quickly and shook his head, "I can only wish to have one though"

He puffed his cheek like a pufferfish then faced against me for a bit, before peeking at me slightly, he is just a like a bratty cousin of mine. I made an apologetic face to humoring him,

"Sorry for teasing you very much" I patted his head and ruffled his hair slightly. He made up kitten purring voice while closing his eyes, we bought just laughing for sudden purring sounds that happens on out of the blue.

The girl giggled a bit watching us like that, her hoodie fell and revealed her hair that has grayish white color, her eyes that has pale purple tone, skin as smooth and white like milk. It was a poor sight that such beauty covered by black satin hoodie that reflects moonlight perfectly, although some will find it beautiful and mysterious.

"Sorry about that, I thought you were the same as other women I have met, what is your name?" Chapman blushed in embarrassment, it was rather rare and almost funny of him makes such expression. The girl smiled and twirled her hair,

"Lorei"

She gave us a beautiful sensual smile with her red wine-tinted lips, "What are you both name? Want to know something interesting? I sell things you know"

She pointed at her purple cart. She and her cart color was beautiful color in the middle of nothingness surrounded by white frozen snow, caged by night full of stars that watched us.

"My name is Chapman Hayden" answered him with an obviously made up charming smile, it was easy to spot since his cheeks were blushing and he tried to cover it as much as possible, I bet he is lying about his date.

"I am from America. This is my friend, Chideha Halley. We both like books!".

She clapped her hand repeatedly fast, "So do I! I love books! I found someone throws a book of short stories, there is a story named "The Little Girl in Snoozing Town" her eyes showed excitement and passion, it was my first time looked at a beautiful girl with that kind of expression.

I got interested a bit on the story that took my interest, "I love reading, but I never heard that story before, "Can I see the story?"

I whispered to her and blushed softly, it was rare for me to ask a stranger. Lore nodded and opened her door, revealing plenty books, and a small painting of scythe and candles, like a goth girl. She got a weird taste, that is what I thought.

"Want me to offer you some help to search for that storybook? It sounds very interesting" I knocked her door then placed a paper cup filled with chocolate.

"No thanks, here it is the story that I talked about. This is a definitely a good one!"

Lorei smiled and showed me the page, the pages are yellowish because of the age, I saw that the years of publishing was around the 1900s, about years ago from this year.

I gave her a nod and took the book, began to read it.