Live & Learn (ONC 2020)

A day of merde

Merde!

Leo found himself using that word a lot today. He peeked through the glass. Nothing. Relieved, he sank down against the door. That was a close one!

Those guys... How did they get here? More importantly, how did they find him? He hadn't seen them in years, surely they had forgotten?

Images came to mind. Eyes filled with boiling hatred. Shouts. Him, running for his life.

Hmm. Maybe a few years wouldn't be enough to make them forget. It was more likely that he stood at the top of their to do list. Or at least in the top ten. What did he know? Maybe they came across someone more worthy of the top place on their list.

A strangled sound came from somewhere to his right and Leo turned towards it.

Right. The girl.

She was staring at him wide eyed. Damn, he'd scared her. Noticing he was still holding her arm, rather ruffly, his cheeks slightly flushed and he let go. What he had done was rude, but better to be rude then dead. Or imprisoned. Or whatever those guys would do to him once they had him.

She stood there, just staring. Maybe he should apologize? That seemed like the least he could do.

"Sorry about that I um..." Leo desperately looked around searching for an excuse. "...I just really wanted to...um.....buy you something to eat?" He mentally hit his head against a wall. Stupid! Stupid excuse! Stumbling over his words Leo continued.

"Because, you know...um..you seemed err... really hungry! Yes, yes very, very hungry. I could almost hear your stomach rumbling. You really need some food in there. So... do you want me to buy you something to eat? Then we can discuss away while you put some food into your morta...normal body. I mean just your body. Your stomach to be precise."

Heat flushing to his cheeks Leo tried to smile at the girl. She still stared at him, but now she silently nodded.

Before she could start noticing his red face Leo quickly marched to the counter and bought a Pastrami sandwich. Then, noticing a croissant between all the sandwiches, he had to suppress the urge to rub his eyes. He didn't believe them, but fortunately unlike his magic his eyes were reliable.

After all this time he had found it! Immediately Leo got the attention of the sandwich selling guy and bought one, or two. Then he walked to the table the girl had picked, munching on his croissant. A blissful feeling spread from his mouth to the rest of his body, his stomach in particular. It had been years since he had a croissant!

He almost didn't notice it when he reached the table. Stopping himself just in time he handed the girl her sandwich and sat down across from her.

Leo eyed her curiously. What did she want to 'discuss'? Come to think of it, who was she? What was her name?

"Ih whope yhou.....whaitf fa fsechondf." Leo cleared his mouth and started again. "I hope you don't mind me asking but may I ask your name?"

Then, in an after thought.

"Mine is Leo. My name I mean. And yours is?"

The girl did remember to clear her mouth before she spoke. After she swallowed she answered.

"I'm Luna."

Putting on a professional look she continued, but Leo wasn't really listening anymore. He had noticed something outside that screamed for his immediate attention.

The men were walking towards the sandwich shop.

Leo pressed himself against his seat, trying to melt into it. He glanced at his ring. He could try melting for real, but then he remembered his attempted in James cafe and changed his mind.