He keeps walking. God knows how long has it been. He's out of breath.
"Hey…you can put me down." I say.
"What do you take me for- i'm a strong man ok?" He says proudly even though I can hear the exhaustion from his voice. "I can walk like this forever."
He also has an injury on his head. "Does it hurt?"
Silence
"What?" His voice soft.
"Your head."
"Why would it hurt?"
"You got hit there and you were…bleeding." I say sounding more concerned than I should. "You're not made of steel, you're a human being not superman."
Silence
Did I show too much concern?
It's not that I care…i'm just showing humanity.
Why's he silent?
…
"I'm fine." He finally speaks.
His voice different than usual, soft.
A little while later
I feel so sleepy.
I unconsciously lean my head on his shoulder. My eyes closing.
Just as I was about to sleep he suddenly stops walking. "Finally, there's a house there." He says breathing out.
I raise my head and look forward. There is a house made out of wood.
A few moments later
We're standing outside the door of the house.
He knocks.
No answer.
I knock.
No answer.
"What if nobody lives in there?" I say.
"Could be. Then we should break the door."
"How can-"
Suddenly the door opens.
We both turn our heads towards the door.
An old lady standing there, a frown on her face-
gasp
And a rifle in her hand.
"Who are you?!" She says angrily.
Ace looks at me and nods his head assuringly. He'll handle it.
"We are actually lost in here, we came here to camp but got robbed instead…and now we don't know where to go…we need help, beautiful lady.
Silence
Ouu this is scary is she gonna shoot us-
"Awww~~ such a cute boy." She pinches his cheek.
Huh?
I didn't expect this reaction.
"I will for sure help. Come in." She says opening the door fully giving us space to enter.
We walk in. She closes the door.
I hope we don't get eaten alive tonight.
"My names's Mabel."
Ace smiles. "Ace." He extended his arms.
She smiles and shakes his hand. "Such a sweet name." She smiles and tilts her head looking at me.
"Oh…Raya." I step close smiling and shake her hand as well.
"Ace and Raya, such beautiful names and such a beautiful couple. You two look newly married."
"Actually we are-" Ace starts.
"I know~ Oh and you can call me grandma if you like, i'm used to kids calling me that." She walks to the open kitchen.
Her house is really small but cozy, the living room and kitchen attached and stairs that go up.
"Oh, grandma, thanks for helping us." Ace says.
"Oh come on." She fans her hand. "You know these days girls and boys date and never get married, my son, he also never got married and he died alone."
"Your son's dead?" Ace says with a little shock in his voice.
"Yeah- oh you must be thinking how am I alive?"
Ace shakes his head but she continues. "He actually was an alcoholic. Oh and what was I saying whenever a girl and a boy who are not married come here, I never let them step a foot inside, this generation has forgotten our culture and religion. You two are married and that makes me happy, so stay for however long you like."
Ace looks at me. I look at him.
Sigh
"Uh…grandma do you have a phone, I need to call someone."
"Phone? Pfft, no darling I don't. There's a telephone booth around here, it is a little far away. You can go tomorrow morning."
Ace nods and looks at me, I nod.
"Oh and, you two can sleep upstairs, I won't be here, I need to go to my sister's. Oh and, i'll leave the keys here, this is the kitchen, i'm not here most of the times so it might be a little empty."
She shouldn't be trusting random people. After all we could be killers or thieves, we're not but we could be.
After a while
We ate whatever was in the kitchen and went upstairs, the lady was still downstairs.
She said she would leave, why didn't she?
I mean if she stays here we'll have to act like a couple—why does everyone think we're couple?
Oh is it cause we were sticking together and trying to hide our handcuffed hands?
Definitely.
Ace opens the door, the house is that small that Ace doesn't fit in here.
It's funny.
"What's so funny?" He asks.
I didn't know I was laughing in silence.
"Nothing."
We enter the room. There's a mattress on the floor and a couch sticking to the wall. There's no light in here, why is it brigh- I look up, oh wow. The ceiling is made out of glass, the stars and moon visible. That's where the light's coming from.
Ace sits on the couch. I suddenly remember and walk towards the door.
"Where are you going?" He asks.
Oh I forgot, if I go he has to go with me. I look around hoping I find a medical kit or some medicines. I start walking and opening each cabinet. "What are you looking for?" He says as he gets dragged along.
Finally after looking I found a kit. I open it and check the dates of each thing. "Great. Come." I walk towards the couch, that looks like a single bed. I make him sit and stand in front of him as I open a bottle. "What-"
"You got injuries on your head and mouth." I say as I pour the antiseptic solution on a cotton pad and I reach for his wound on the back of his head.
"Wait-" He grabs my hand.
"What?"
"It's ok, leave it as is."
I look at him, free my hand from his and reach for the wound again.
"It's o-"
"Shut up." I look at him again. "Don't say a word."
He goes silent.
He's like a kid.
I softly pat the cotton pad on his wound, apply an ointment and put a bandage on it.
I move back, take another cotton pad pour the solution and grab his chin.
Concentrating as much as I can I softly pat the cotton pad on the corner of his lips.
I blow on it. I hope it's not hurting.
I take the ointment on my finger and apply it as gently as I can.
I keep blowing in between so it doesn't burn.
"Done." I smile softly.
I look at him. My breath stops as I realise how close we are, unknowingly I was standing in between his legs, my body almost touching his.
He looks…lost.
I clear my throat and step back. "I-it's done."
He blinks twice and looks away. "Hm…u-uh thanks."
I place the stuff back at a near spot. "Hey, can you try breaking this?" I say looking at the handcuffs.
"Oh…uh, wait." He gets up and looks around.
As he keeps walking around I spot a hammer in the corner of the room. "There." I point.
He spots it and grabs it. We sit on the ground.
"Are you gonna be able to aim it?" I ask, worried.
"My aim is greater than…" He thinks. "than…"
"Mickey Mouse?"
He looks at me. "What does Mickey Mouse have to do with aim?"
"That's what i'm saying. You're not Robin Hood that your aim will be perfect."
"Do you wanna try aiming then?"
"No. You go. I have no other option to trust you."
He aims it, I open my eyes and looks at my hand. "Oh…my hand is attached."
"Told ya, i'm good at everything."
I shake my head as he praises himself. I lay on the mattress and sigh.
I look at him he's trying to lay on the couch but he's too tall.
After thinking for a while…
"Hey…" I start.
He looks at me.
"You can sleep here."
Silence
I didn't know he was a gentleman but how is he gonna sleep on the co-
"Sure." He lays down beside me.
I look at him, my mouth open as if I didn't offer him that.
He props himself and places his hands behind his head laying completely flat.
He didn't even think twice before laying down.
"Hey?"
I turn my head to him, he's looking at the ceiling.
"What?" I answer.
He slowly turns his head to me, a smirk on his face.
"Wanna do it?"