Little

Chapter 6

Walking the dirty and crowded streets of Kathmandu, Stephen found a new definition for the word ew.

Peter seemed to be enjoying it. Clinging to Stephen's hand so he wouldn't get lost, he giggled at literally everything he saw. The people walking by, annoying birds. He even ran into a flock while wearing his Iron Man mask, shouting at the birds to go away. He stuck out his hand and fired an imaginary shot.

Stephen was walking around and asking people for the location of Kamar-Taj. Most didn't understand him, and walked away. Even those who did shook their head no and gave him no answer.

"Kamar-Taj..." he groaned. Probably a fake name for a fake place. 

What he didn't realize is that someone had overheard him and was following him.

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Two hours had passed. Peter occasionally complained that his feet were getting tired or that he was thirsty, but Stephen could tell he was making himself be quiet. He probably had more to complain about but just wasn't. He didn't understand why, but he enjoyed the silence as long as it could.

He asked another person about Kamar-Taj. Finally, this person pointed him down a narrow street.

He walked down until the street came to a dead end.

"I have bad feeling about this," Peter said. He came closer to Stephen, hugging his leg tightly.

He had a good reason to have a bad feeling. Now, four menacing guys surrounded them.

"Look, guys, I don't have any money," he told them, spreading his arms out to show he didn't have anything at all.

"Your watch," one guy said, nodding his head towards Stephen's wrist. His last expensive watch was on his wrist.

"No, please, it's all I have left," Stephen said, begging. He didn't want to lose this watch.

"Your watch, or the kid," the guy said pulling out a knife. Stephen almost laughed. If he had a choice, he would leave Peter, take his watch, and run. These guys must've assumed that Peter was his son. No, he wasn't, but Stephen also couldn't leave Peter behind. The court back home would be ready to put him behind bars if they found out Peter was dead.

Peter whimpered and hid behind Stephen. "Go and hide," he said very quietly to Peter. He obeyed and ran.

"Okay, fine," Stephen said. He acted like he was taking off his watch--then gave the guy a hard punch.

His hand hurt like crazy. He almost blacked out. But he did see the guys approaching him and they all started kicking him. He could hear Peter crying from somewhere else.

Suddenly, he saw the feet of the guys moving away from him. One of them fell to the ground unconscious. 

He stood up and saw a middle-aged guy in green and black robes looking at him. He had a scar across his forehead but either than that had a friendly face. He handed Stephen his watch, which was, unfortunately, cracked.

"You're looking  for Kamar-Taj?" he asked. Stephen could only nod wordlessly.

"Come with me," he said.

Peter ran back to Stephen and hugged him tightly. "Did the bad guys hurt you?" he asked, tears running down his face.

"I'm fine now," Stephen said, forcing a smile onto his face. Both of them followed the guy out of the alley.

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They walked past temples and other buildings until they came to a shabby looking door.

"Really? You sure?" Stephen asked, doubtful that this was the place. He pointed back at a temple they'd just passed. "That one looks a bit more Kamar-Tajey."

The other guy just stared at him. "I once stood in your place," he said. "And I, too, was... disrespectful. So might I offer you some advice?"

"Forget everything you think you know."

"Okay....then," Stephen said, confused. He and Peter walked inside the building.

Inside was warm and clean and smelled like incense. The guy led them into a large room.

"The sanctuary of our teacher, the Ancient One," he said, pointing a hand to inside the room.

"The Ancient One? What's his real name?" Stephen asked. The guy looked at him again. "Right," Stephen said, remembering.  "Forget everything I think I know. Sorry."

He walked inside the room, with Peter trailing close behind. In a chair, a man with long gray hair sat reading a book. He looked up at Stephen as he entered. 

"Thank for, um, seeing me," he started to say. Two other people came up from behind and took of his jacket for him.

"Oh! Um, that's a thing," he said. Someone else, wearing a white robe, came up to him and poured him a cup of tea.

"Um...thank you for seeing me...Ancient One," he said as the guy started to walk away.

"You're very welcome," the person pouring him tea said.

Stephen, confused, looked at the guy for an answer.

"The Ancient One," he said.