章 5: Chapter Four
I starred at the unknown man in horror. His coal colored hair was catching my eye and I found myself asking if it was soft for a second. I knew for sure that I didn't know what to do in this situation.
I stood there stunned and unsure. I didn’t know what to do next. Do I say something? Do I stay silent? Will I get in trouble for talking to him? Would I get in trouble for even looking at him?
The man broke the silence with a deeply concerned look painted all over his face, “You don’t look so well, you need some help?” He held out his hand to me, offering to help. I could feel the back of my throat, it was hard to swallow and felt like it was swelling up by the second.
I took his hand in that moment. I didn't think for just a moment and wanted help, I didn't care if the commune would get angry at me. I was finally an adult and needed to make decisions that were best for me. I had to look out for myself first and foremost, it didn't mean that I wasn't scared shitless while I was propping myself against the kind stranger.
He was taller than I expected. Looking over my shoulder as he fixed his grip on my waist and wrist, I saw that I was still standing on a huge tree root. I pouted, I didn't know if that meant me and the mystery man were really short or we're crazy tall.
His fingers held my waistline gently, like he was afraid that I would shatter under one touch. I felt my cheeks get warm and the swelling feeling in the back of my throat return. I leaned on his supporting arm and shoulder, close to his fluffy looking locks. I could smell an aroma coming off of him, it wasn't a smell from nature but it wasn't unpleasant. It was man made, that much I could place on it.
"Um-" I started, I didn't know what to say. Thankfully the man did.
With a look of surprise, he gasped, "Where are my manners? My name is Magnus, I was on a nature hike for some research and happened upon you. Sorry for such a late introduction."
I felt my cheeks still, they wouldn't did down in heat. My heart was racing like earlier when I was running but I wasn't exhausted. I'm sure I could place the feeling into words, something like determination to see him smile, a fire burning bright in my soul that hasn't before. My stomach was twisting but I wanted to capture every detail of his face. The splatter of freckles over his nose, they stretched from ear to ear and met at the middle. It was like little specks of brown dye, it wore his honey eyes well.
"Yeah, it's no problem…" I felt nervous and didn't know what to say still, then I realized I didn't introduce myself in the chaos still. My voice squeaked as I spoke, "Constance, nice to meet you, Magnus."
Magnus's face melted in a sense, it became more soft as soon as I said my name. "Constance." He repeated, in a tone that was swept away by something sweet, almost like the pie I had this morning.
His face was beaming, "That is a beautiful name, Constance." With this compliment, I wanted to hide my face and deny it but I held myself together.
"Thanks." I stepped on my bad foot for a second on accident and sprung back off of it immediately from the sharp pain that shot through my foot and leg. "Maybe we can do this in a more comfortable situation, yeah?" I didn't wanted to come off rude but bless me, the pain was something I didn't want another second of. It didn't feel the same like when I lost a tooth, it didn't hurt like when I broke a finger. This was a different pain and I wanted it to be fixed now.
Magnus made sure we were ready to go and replied in an apologetic manner, "Oh my bad, of course. On three we are going to step, okay?" I nodded, he started counting, "One," His fingers gripped just a bit tighter, "Two," I felt unsure that I was ready but didn't want to get hurt further from backing out, "Three."
I moved my good foot and hopped my bad foot in unison with Magnus. He smiled at me, "Good, lean on me if you stumble, okay?" I felt the swirling feeling travel to my chest too and could only nod again.
After a few trips and tumbles, we were off. It took a good moment to find a steady rhythm but once we found it, we knew to keep it up as Magnus lead me out of the forest. I was fortunate that he didn't even bother to ask about where I lived. I knew that when I got home, I was in so much trouble.
I saw the trees loosen up in branches and leaves as we were making our way to the exit. A chill ran down my spine and killed whatever giddy feelings that were bubbling in my soul. We were leaving the forest, the one place that I know I could return home to, there was no chance of me returning without Magnus's help now. Either way I chose on this road, I have to return the same way and face everyone about bringing a stranger to the town.
Why did today have to be the day I got lost on my way home? I could swear that the forest wasn't that thick the other day when we harvested berries and bark for paper. This thought would loose itself into the back of my brain due to us reaching the top of a hillside.
It was at a different edge of the woods that I lived in my whole life. I didn't know where I left just a few moments ago when I see it from this angle. The view below didn't help me in my crisis. It looked like dark roads everywhere with the same house on every square space of land within a few inches of each other. There was a few different things here and there like different shaped buildings that appeared more important than others and a space that kids were running around in that had grass and an amalgamation of colors and bending pieces of man made material that glimmered in the sunlight was what they played with instead of wooden toys like when I was young. Their clothes were cuts I only saw on boys on the girls and the colors were all different. They weren't afraid to look different with their clothes or their appearance. One was platinum blonde and skin that matched that of the middle of freshly sliced bread. Another had braids with little accessories holding them in place and skin that challenged the darkest tree's complexion. They ran around with a third kid that had freckles like Magnus and fire red hair, she screamed and giggled while they tapped and ran away from each other.
"Well," Magnus stretched his arm out to the view of the big community, "Welcome to the cul-de-sac."
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