The Slayer

Chapter 11 - Where to go from Here

Chapter Eleven

Where to go from Here

Waltz strolled down the road whistling to himself and twirling a twig in his hand as he went.

A few steps behind Sumaey followed, watching him closely and frowning as she stared at the back of his head. Her brow furrowed in annoyance.

'Where are we going?' she asked sulkily.

'Hmmm' Waltz replied. 'Don't know.'

Sumaey fell silent as Waltz continued to whistle.

They walked on for a few more seconds, before Sumaey spoke again.

'Where were you heading before you met me?'

'Nowhere in particular.'

Sumaey ground her teeth, glaring at him, her brow wrinkling further.

'If you're not heading anywhere then why are you out here in the first place?'

'I've nowhere else to be' Waltz sang back.

Sumaey halted suddenly; crossing her arms as her patience wore ever thinner.

'Don't you have a family or something?' she asked him. 'Don't you have a job? Don't you live anywhere?'

Before her Waltz slowed to a stop, his tune coming to an end as he lowered the twig he carried.

He turned back to Sumaey.

'Yes, sometimes, and no.'

He turned away and continued to walk.

'I'm not taking another step' Sumaey declared loudly, 'until you've decided where we are heading!'

Waltz sighed wearily, turning back to her.

'And I'm hungry' Sumaey added. 'And you smell. When was the last time you took a bath?'

Waltz sniffed himself self-consciously as Sumaey glared. He looked to her again, giving her his most dazzling smile.

'I'll set up camp for us' Waltz offered with a grin. 'We just need to find somewhere decent to stay. Now let's keep walking until we find a suitable spot. How does that sound? Do you like that idea? That sounds great doesn't it? Good. Onwards' he pointed happily. 'That way! Let's go!'

And so he continued walking in the direction he had been going before.

Sumaey sighed tiredly as Waltz soldiered on. She uncrossed her arms and walked after him, following him wherever they were going.

*

*

A short while later, Waltz found a patch of woodland not too far from the road that pleased him enough to rest there, and a short while after that, he was lying on his back with his hands folded behind his head and his feet propped up against the low branch of a tree. Beside him burned a small fire, and on the other side sat Sumaey, hugging her knees to her chest and glaring at Waltz disapprovingly.

'You call this a camp?' she said at last.

'Hm?' Waltz said, stirring from his nap. 'Did you say something?'

Sumaey's brow furrowed even further.

'I said...' she began less than patiently, '...do you call this a camp?'

'Yes' Waltz answered happily, resting back with a happy grin upon his face as he snuggled into the earth contently. 'It's rather comfortable don't you think?'