Someday I will learn

Chapter 2: The light and the flies

While I'm sleeping in my bed. I got a bad dream. There are too many flames and people are screaming in chaos and fear.

I wake up in my bed with tears in my eyes. Bad emotions flow on my body and I don’t feel quite right.

Turning my eye’s on the clock. It's around 3:00 AM the sun is still not rising. It’s still chilly cold outside and the moon and stars are shining bright above the dark sky.

I heard a knock on the window in my room. I get up from my bed and take a look outside. I then saw Mayu with a shovel in her hand.

"Laura comes here, we're living the town right now."

Said Mayu in a whispering sound.

Since I promised that I will go with her, I started to prepare myself and take a basket containing our breakfast before living the house.

Before I left the house. I look at my mother's face who is still fast asleep. I feel a bit guilty not telling her about living early in the morning.

“I'm sorry mother, I can't tell you about this. But I promise to become careful on my way.”

I said with low toned voice. I sneak out of the house and run toward Mayu.

"Laura faster or else the gatekeeper will notice us."

"The gatekeeper does its job 24 hours, right? How do we cross the gate without permission from the chief?"

"It's just easy Laura."

Look like Mayu got a plan to cross the gate. She drags me to the side of the wall. The village is surrounded by tall stone walls to protect the people from the monsters outside. Most of the monsters living around our town are weak monsters and not very harmful.

Mayu get’s a rope with a hook on its end. She throws it to the other side of the wall. She tests the rope durability by pulling it hard.

"This will do...”

“Is this fine? What if the gatekeeper saw us?”

“Don’t worry they are fast asleep at this time. Also, we’re climbing the wall far from the stationed guards. There is no way of them finding out that we leave the town.”

It’s my first time climbing such height. I’m not confident enough with the strength of my arms.

Can I really climb this high wall on my own?

"That sounds scary. Maybe, I’m not going anymore.”

"Are you going to go back after getting here? Don't worry Laura, I’ll assist you."

She’s right, I don’t want to grow up being such a coward. Experience is a way to learning new things. I need to steel myself.

Mayu started to climb the gate first then when she's on the top. Mayu offered her hands to help me climbing up.

"Okay, Laura let's go jump to another side."

"Jump? We might break our legs if we do that."

"We’re landing on this moss. There’s no way we break our bones from that... I know let's just jump together at the same time."

"That's no different, we're still jumping from the top of the gate feels scary.”

"Geez, you're such a baby Laura. I guess I will do the plan b…"

Mayu gets the rope from the other side to the other side of the stone wall. "... We can now get down manually. It’s less scary this way right?”

“Yep.”

Mayu and I started going down from the top of the gate when the rope accidentally break.

In the end, Mayu and I fall from the top of the gate. I’m not seriously injured. Honestly, I don’t feel pain at all. Then I noticed that Mayu is below my body. Seems like Mayu became the cushion on my landing.

“Are you okay Mayu?!”

“I’m fine… Also, get up already.”

I stood up and helped Mayu stand up. She is a bit out of balance standing and it makes me worried. But she is is no ordinary in few moments she is back and it feels like nothing happened.

"Thank you, Laura."

"Thanks, goodness the basket is not damaged when we fall."

Mayu started to look to the basket with me and asked:

"What's inside this basket?"

"It's our breakfast I made last night. It's my special breakfast sandwich it also got a chicken on it."

"I would love to try it later... Laura duck down. We need to sneak our way. Out in the guard's vision."

“I thought their fast asleep.”

“Seems like they heard the sound we made when we fall from the wall. We go to be careful and sneak out.

Mayu and I duck down and hide through the thick bushes.

The guards started to investigate the with a torch in his hand. The guards look around but they never saw any of our trails behind.

"I'm quite sure I hear a slamming noise from here... I guess it's just my imagination.”

“We’re not having a healthy sleep. Let’s go back to the station and sleep.”

The guards said and goes back to their positions and take a nap.

Looks like the town is in danger if the guards are very careless like them. I’m a bit disappointed with them. Still, I’m happy that Mayu and I are not caught in the action. I can imagine the punishment if we’re found out.

Mayu and I take a deep breath from nervousness.

"That was close, but I kinda feel bad for the guard who works hard to observe the surrounding while other sleeping."

I said with sympathy.

"Some guards are hard-working and some aren’t. I can’t blame them at all. If they wanted to sleep during their shift. The morning breeze is very nice and cozy.”

Mayu said.

From her backpack, she gets a small lamp and lights it up. Mayu checks the direction using a compass.

Now that I notice it. Mayu did come prepared and have all the necessary items for this journey. She truly is a reliable big sister model.

Meanwhile, All I bring is these chicken sandwiches.

"Let’s go and walk straight to the west to reach the border. Beyond the border is the starry forest… I can’t wait to see it.”

I follow Mayu’s footsteps. She fearlessly walked to the dark path ahead of us.

I always admire Mayu's brave act and clever moves. I wish I was like her in the future.

For now, making chicken sandwiches is the only thing that I can do here, But I know someday I will learn.

"Laura, what are you smiling about?"

"Don't mind me, I'm just a little excited about the things we will see beyond the border."

"I see, I think I feel the same way. I can't wait to see the world beyond the border too."

We keep on walking straight west and get tired. We sat down under the giant root of the tree we never seen before. Unfortunately, the tree seems to be cut down. Just looking at the giant trunk. We know that the tree is really tall in the time it's still living.

Staring at it I wonder what kind of thing was able to cut down a tree this big. The one who cut this tree might not be a human at all. Even a human swings its sword for a very long time to cut this tree. They will never be able to make this clean flawless cut.

I give up thinking about it.

We take a rest and eat our breakfast.

I started to feel embarrassed for seeing someone eat my cooking for the first time, but Mayu seemed to be delighted with the sandwich I made and it makes me very happy.

After eating, the sandwich Mayu gets the book from her bag and looks for the map.

"I knew it, look Laura over here. This cut big tree here must be this big tree."

I take a look at the map and notice that we're really near to the border.

"With a little walk, we will arrive at the border. I wish I met a fairy."

I said with glimmering eyes.

"Well, that's not impossible when we arrive there."

The sun started to rise and the two of us continue our adventure.

Following the map, we got too many unfamiliar paths and trails. Until we reach a gate with thorns enveloped on it. It’s creepy looking and sinister. The gate seemed to be very old and started to decay.

“Looks like we reached the border.”

“A gate?”

“We should go and find out what’s behind this gate.”

Mayu easily broke the lock on the gate and then we started walking beyond the border.

I started to fill the chill to the creepy forest beyond the gate and started clinging to Mayu.

"Mayu Mayu let's go home, this forest is giving me chill. I don't like going in here."

"Don't worry Laura. If a monster appeared I'm going to pounce it using this shovel. I promised to protect you at all cost."

Mayu makes me feel at ease by patting my head.

Doing that I feel a little braver and the chill started to go away for some reason.

"Look Laura there is a passage over there."

We saw a path of light and started following it.

Beyond the creepy forest, we saw a wonderful tree with star-shaped leaves. The leaves are so beautiful and some unidentified butterfly-like creature is flying around it.

Seeing that a big smile on our face appeared.

"It’s real! This we reached the starry forest! Emily’s adventure is real. I knew the book is telling the truth. Beyond the border, we will find many wonderful things."

Mayu’s happiness was seen on her face and action. She is jumping in joy.

This is my first time seeing this star-shaped leaf in this mysterious tree and it looks amazing.

"World sure is wonderful! Seem’s like we made the first step on our dream."

I said cheerfully.

That’s what I thought while being swallowed to the beauty I’m seeing in front of my eyes.

Turning my glance on Mayu. She was in hurried with a desperate expression on her face. I was confused at that moment.

And then...

"Laura! Duck!"

In a split second the cheerful expression on our faces started to crumble away.

With Mayu's warning, I'm able to dodge the scythe of death.

Behind me, a monster appeared.

Mayu immediately came to protect me. She uses her shovel and pointed it at the monster-like she was holding a sword.

"Mayu…. W-What is that thing?"

I said as I look at the terrifying monster face

He got pointy horns and a hundred eyes in his face. He's holding a giant black sword.

What's this I can't move my legs? My legs started to shake and tears started to fall from my eyes.

Mayu seemed to be acting brave but in reality, her hand is shaking in fear. She barely holding the shovel in her hand.

Why is this happening? I'm supposed to meet fairies here right? Why a monster appeared suddenly?

"Don't come closer! Don't come closer or else I will attack you with my shovel."

Said Mayu to the monster.

The monster charged toward us. Mayu uses her shovel to defend herself.

"It’s so heavy.”

Mayu said then step backward.

Using her shovel Mayu distracts the monster by splashing dirt toward its face.

I whose unable to move is noticed by the monster then attacks me with its claws. I thought I was a goner, but opening my eye’s I saw Mayu sacrifice herself and take the attack.

Mayu receives a scratch on her left arm.

Seeing Mayu protecting me make me came back to my sense and stand up.

"Take this monster."

I threw the basket I'm holding to the monster to buy time then.

With a little time, Mayu and I take the chance to run away. The monster recovered and chase us but before it gets us, we already make it through the gate.

While running away. I noticed the dripping blood from Mayu's left arm.

"Are you okay Mayu?"

"Don't worry this is just a shallow wound. It will heal eventually."

Mayu said the smile.

Even still she said those words and smile. I know that it hurts a lot.

We arrived at the village before the sun truly shines and immediately go to the farm. Under the big tree where we used to play and eat. I was treating Mayu's wound.

"Ouch! Alcohol really hurts."

"Just bares it, it will remove the bacteria and prevent infection."

I said and cover her hand with a bandage.

Mayu look at her arm and said:

"It didn't hurt anymore thank you, Laura."

"It's okay, no need to thank me. To be honest I'm the one who should thank you. If you didn't warn me earlier. I might lose my head from the monster. Thank you, Mayu for saving me."

Mayu pat my head and said:

"Raise your head… I just fulfill my promise and I don't want my precious friend to die in front of me."

"Me too, I don't want to lose you."

Mayu's face started blushed and averted her eye’s away from me.

"Stop saying words like that. It making uneasy."

"You're so cute when you blushing."

Mayu lay down to the thick moss and look up in the blue sky.

"I'm not blushing. Forget it, Laura... Going there is not a waste. It's a shame that we didn't explore further, but It's good to know that everything in this book is real. The big starry tree in the middle of the creepy garden is the proof of it."

"You're right It's really a shame, but maybe next time when we are stronger we will take an adventure toward that unknown land."

I said and lay down beside Mayu.

Mayu smile and replies.

"Yeah."