Aqi: Control

Chapter 10: Bread

Chapter 10: Bread

         Aqi felt a shoe collide with hers and she looked up at a seemingly familiar face. “Hey, rich kids have homes why are you sleeping in an alleyway?” the all too familiar voice reached her ears and her eyes shot open, she wasn't sleeping but she couldn't hear his thoughts.

         “I'm not sleeping. I'm waiting,” she stated looking up and him and bringing her knees against her body.

         “For what? To be found? Are you lost or a runaway?” he asked, not able to figure this strange girl out.

         “I ran away, but I guess I fail if I can only make it one day. I was gonna head back home in the morning,” she sighed, not sure why she felt so comfortable sharing all of this with him. A loud rumble filled the silent alley and Aqi grabbed her stomach, suddenly realizing that she hadn't eaten anything all day. Groaning, she closed her eyes and tried to push the feeling away.

         “Here.” Aqi's eyes jolted opened at the sudden closeness of this stranger and he held out a piece of bread towards her. She took it and examined it for a minute unsure of this strange new food.

         “This is the wrong kind of bread,” she stated while still looking it over.

         “What do you mean 'wrong kind'?” he asked while looking kind of offended.

         “It just doesn't feel right,” she stated as she continued to turn it in her hands.

         “It's bread – it should feel like bread.”

         “I know but I get this like feeling you know? And it's just wrong,” she said before feeling raindrops start to pour down. It didn't last for more that two minutes but Aqi felt soaked and could feel the melting bread in her hands.

         “Eat the soggy bread,” he commanded.

         “What?” she questioned, looking up at him as if he was crazy.

         “That was Lùhng's way of telling you to be grateful and not picky when someone offers you something,” he said, not going on to explain that the rain would pour again in a couple of minutes because the storms have been indecisive lately.

         “Fine,” she concluded, eating the bread in her hands until it was gone. Not pleased with her decision, she held back any negative comments and stood up to face this kind but mean person. “I'm Aqi,” she introduced herself while bowing.

         “You're so formal,” he laughed and she stood back up to question him. “I'm Saru,” he said while nodding his head. “And around here, no one bows not even to be polite.”

         “Well I'm not from around here and I'm not disrespectful so take what you get.”

         “I wasn't complaining,” he smiled. “Come on it'll rain again soon, you'll catch a cold out here,” he said before turning around to walk out onto the side walk. Aqi hesitantly followed, easily catching up.

         “Where are we going?” she said. She was still questioning why she trusted him even though she couldn't read his thoughts and didn't know anything about him except his looks and name.

         “Somewhere that is dry and indoors,” he answered, not really caring to be specific.

         “You're not taking me to some abandoned building are you?”

         “No, if I wanted to do that we would be walking in the other direction,”

         “Okay, so you're not like some weird pedophile or anything are you, because things could get awkward if you are.” Aqi's attempt at a conversation seemed to go well when he laughed at her comment.

         “No. I don't even have a criminal record which is pretty good considering where I live,” he said as he walked up a few steps to a door and pulled keys from his pocket. “We're here,” he stated, opening the door and motioning for Aqi enter first. “Take off your shoes,” he said once he had joined her inside and closed the door.

         “I know how this works,” she stated, one shoe already off and she was untying the other.

         “Just making sure,” he commented before walking past her and into another room to set down and put away the groceries that he had purchased that day. Aqi walked into the plain room and was comforted by the simple homeyness of it. She sat down on the floor, unsure of what she was supposed to do.