ARC I: Where a Child Drifted
Chapter 7 — When He Asked
My stomach was full. I had eaten almost half of the pot by myself.
They were shocked when they saw how much I ate.
Now silence surrounded us, and the wind was slow and calm. The smell of winter was all around us.
I sat there, looking at the sky, finally taking a calm breath after a long time.
"Hey… I want to ask you something," Karel said, looking at me, his voice growing tense as the words left his mouth.
"How did you get inside the forest, and why was the monster chasing you?" he said, continuing to cook without looking my way.
The words hit me like an avalanche, as if I had forgotten something—something very important.
What did he say?
Inside the forest.
Monster.
What is he even talking about?
Many thoughts rushed into my mind.
How can I forget something like this? I thought, placing my hand on my head. My breathing grew tense.
The weight of the memory was immense, crushing me beneath it.
My expression went blank, and my hand began to shake uncontrollably.
I took a long breath, my lungs burning from something I couldn't understand.
I looked up, removing my hand from my head.
Karel was adding ingredients to the stew for everyone.
Phil was doing something near the carriage.
I looked at Niki. She saw my expression and, without saying a word, hugged me tightly.
The warmth was something I knew—something familiar.
It felt just like Mom.
My eyes began to water.
How can I forget something like this?
The thought echoed in my head again and again.
"I'm a bad child… How… how can I do that?" I said, looking at Niki, my nose and eyes burning.
"I'm bad… I'm bad… I ran.
I couldn't do anything for them. I just ran, leaving them behind," I said, my voice cracking with every word.
"They're… they're dead.
Mom… Dad…" I cried, hugging her even tighter.
Both Karel and Phil came closer, unable to say or do anything. They stood there like statues.
Niki placed a hand on my head and gently stroked it.
I didn't calm down at all.
"It's all going to be alright," Niki said softly, repeating it again and again. She stayed there, not leaving me.
"Mom… Dad…" I continued to cry, resting my head against her.
When I finally stopped, my eyes were swollen and my voice was weak.
I sat there, staring into the fire. The silence was thick.
"Let's all go to sleep. We'll talk tomorrow," Phil said, clapping his hands once.
We all went to the tent to sleep.
I didn't sleep.
I cried quietly until morning, finally falling asleep just before sunrise.