The Wings Of A Caged Bird | First Draft

chapter 6 : the paper bird

"So that's the plan," I finish.

In the end, I couldn't sleep a wink last night either. My head was clouded with too many thoughts which kept piercing through my drowsy consciousness every time I was reaching the stage of Almost Asleep. Not to mention every time I drifted away, a vehicle would audibly pass by and disturb my light sleep. Perhaps I did fall asleep for like 10 minutes, and even that was consumed by a horrifying nightmare where Edgar was being forced to use the girls' washroom. I can still see his teary face every time I close my eyes.

"Ya trynna tell me, young man," asks a flabbergasted Mr. Azim, "that you gonna walk all the damn way down to the cedar forest?" A piece of noodles is dangling from the corner of his mouth.

Mr. Azim is the same bus driver whose wallet I prevented from getting stolen last night, and who thanked me endlessly because it was his daughter's birthday. He is a cheerful man on his late 30s. Coincidentally, both of us are back to the same restaurant at almost the same time for breakfast. Mr. Azim is having chicken noodles and potato salad for breakfast. I am having a delicious pancake (I could never tell mom that I wanted pancakes for breakfast). Mr. Azim has ordered a cup of milk tea for the both us.

When he saw me, he cracked a wide smile and immediately made himself home on the chair across from me, without even asking if he can. I was heavily uncomfortable at first, but the more we talked, I realized he is very friendly and became comfortable soon.

"That's the plan," I repeat, taking the last bite from the pancake and putting down my knife and fork.

"But it would take ya, like, five hours? Six? Even more? And do ya even know where the forest is, young man?"

I look down at the plate in embarrassment. "Uh . . . we were thinking of just checking the GPS."

"Huh? We? There's someone else with ya?"

Shit. "Ah no, I meant my, uh, me and my . . . bag." I pointed to the bag which is on the chair beside me, giving a nervous glance at July who is sitting on the chair beside Mr. Azim.

He lets out a hearty laughter. "Ayeh, I see!" He slurps on the noodles and then eats two spoonfuls of salad and then takes a sip from the tea, mixing all three in his mouth before starting to chew. I almost puke. So many kinds of people in this world.

He continues. "Anywho, the cedar forest ain't even in Greenwoods, it's jussa part of the Greenwoods forest, which stretches all the damn way up to Adeemore, two towns away, ya see? A portion of it falls in Greenwoods, though, but a very small portion. Issa lil' deep into the woods, but y'all can find a trail leading there easily. And that trail, if ya walk, is a bit hard to find, easy to miss, and woulda definitely take over five hours to reach. And that ain't the only trail out there, young man. You choose the wrong one, and instead of the cedar forest you reach into the gingerbread house of a damn witch. Ya know what I mean? Ya do know the story of Hansel and Gretel right?"

"Of course." I nod and let out a small laugh. Was it a gingerbread house though? I don't remember at all. "But I have no choice, Mr. Azim. I'm short on money, and I need to stay here for a while. Time is not a concern; I have no particular aim other than to visit the forest, come out, and somehow pass the next two weeks in this town. Or wherever the world takes me. I can relax. But I see your point. I truly don't have any real idea about how to go there."

"Ayeh, that's what I'm here for! Allah's definitely brought us togetha for this reason. Ya rememeber that I'm a bus driver, right? I can hop ya in."

"Ah, I'm sorry, Mr. Azim. The whole reason I am walking is to save the money. So I can't . . ."

"I'll let ya in for free as thanks."

"Oh no no no." I vigorously shake my head. "Please, I insist. I wouldn't be able to enjoy a ride I haven't paid for. Thanks a lot for the offer, though."