The Legend of the Immortal Traveler

Summer

Today as I continue my journey, I find myself traveling through a village called Crestwood. As I look to find lodging for the night, I see a young girl sitting on the corner of the street in what look like rags. People were walking past her, giving her looks of disgust. My heart hurt for her. I approached her hoping she would let me help her, at least for the night or two I would be here.

"Hello, my name is Aroura. What's your name?" I ask as friendly as I could.

Never raising her gaze, " I am Summer. I am the local nobody."

"Everybody is someone, they just have to believe in themselves." I tell her hoping to lift her spirits.

"Not me, I am nobody. Nobody loves me, nobody wants me. I am just alone." she replies.

"Well, how about you come with me to find lodging for the night, and you can tell me about yourself." I tell her hoping she will accept.

She nodded her head, slowly gathered her belongings from the ground beside he. She helped me find the lodge. I paid for a double room, and we went to settle in. I had been walking a few days, so the thought of a both sounded very good. But when we were settled, I offered for her to bathe first. She smiled timidly, as if she were unsure if I were serious. After a few minutes of convincing, she happily went to bathe. I gave her some fresh cloths from my pack. While she bathed, I took out my journal, and map. I needed to record my path here.

During my journeys, I have been drawing a map to record all the places I have been and when, to go with the journal. She came into the room while I was filling in the map. She asked what I was doing, so I explained to her that I was creating a record of my journey.

"That is great. It must be so wonderful to travel unhindered by anyone. I would love to get away from this place." she spoke as she studied all the places on my map.

"It gets lonely. Traveling alone, I often find myself wanting someone to talk to. I spend days in the woods or countryside with no people anywhere around." I told her honestly. "So, tell me, how did you end up alone on the streets?"

Her gaze shifted, "My parents where always busy, they expected me to be responsible for taking care of the house and never break a rule." she looked down at the floor, shaking her head. "I was supposed to be too responsible to get involved with boys. I was expected to make adult choices. But I met a boy, who stole my heart. At first, I managed to hide it from my parents. I would sneak out at night to meet him, but one night my father came home early and followed me. He believed that I was lying about him being the only boy I had dated. My father began hitting me, the oy tried to help me but my father hit him, too. That was the last time I saw the boy. My father drug me home and beat me for hours. Yelling about how I had let him down. The next day when they went to work, I packed my ag of cloths and left. I would rather sleep in the streets than live with him another minute." she finished.

"How long has it been?" I ask.

"Two years and two hundred miles, but it's still not enough. I look over my shoulder out of fear that I will run into my parent." she tells me, the pain apparent in her voice,

"How old are you?" I ask her, "be honest with me please."

"I just turned eighteen a few weeks ago. I have been on the street since just before my sixteenth birthday," she replied.

"Well, for at least tonight you will be safe and warm. We will see what we can figure out for you to not be on the streets going hungry." I tell her as I gather my stuff back into my pack. "I am going to get cleaned up and then we will get some dinner" she nods as I walk into the bathroom.

After I finished my bath, I get dressed to go get something to eat. There was a diner in the lodge, so we ate there, while we ate, we discussed possible solutions to her situation. We ruled out staying here and getting a job, because people here looked at her with cruel, judging eyes. People seem to think the worst without ever talking to her. The waiter asked if I knew that she was a street beggar. When I told her that I did know, she just asked why I would bother with street trash like Summer. I was beyond stunned and offended.

No one in this town that I have talked to had ever bothered to stop and talk to Summer. They don't know anything about her, not even her name. They have never bothered to offer her help or food. I definitely cannot leave her here. At first light Summer and I will leave this town, and we will find a new place for her to start her life fresh. I explained to her that I thought this place was bad for her and I would like for her to come with me to find a better place to give her a fair chance in life. She was excited at the chance to join me on my journey. So, we call it a night to rest and leave at first light.

The next morning, I was up before the sun, finishing my journal and updating my map with information before we leave. I cleaned our cloths last night and they were dry, so I put my stuff in my pack, and got dressed to leave. Soon the sun was starting to rise, and Summer was up finishing getting her few items together, as we walked through town on our way to leave, I could see people stop and whisper. These people are unbelievable, one stopped us to ask if she was forcing me to help her. I rolled my eyes and ignored them. We kept walking, the faster I am out of this town the better.

Finally, outside of Crestwood, I feel the air is lighter, the hate in that town was so thick, it made it hard to breath. We are currently walking through the countryside. Our path is lined with wildflowers, with a few trees dotting the land. Spring is finally beginning, and the birds can be heard singing in the distance. Summer seems to be enjoying the journey. She is humming as we walk, completely relaxed, now that she has a chance to look for good things in life.

The sun is starting to sink in the sky, so I decide to stop and set up camp for the night. I could keep going but I am sure Summer needs some rest. After we get camp set up, I sit down next to the fire and offer her some jerk I have in my pack. She accepts with a smile.

"We should be a day or two away from the next town." I tell her, "I know this is not very comfortable, but I love being in nature."

She smiles, "it's the most comfortable I have been in a long time. I don't mind sleeping on the ground as long as I am with a friend, who treats me like an actual person."

"I am glad to be able to help you, and to be your friend." I replied.

"So, how did you end up out here traveling alone?" she ask.

I explained to her how my life had been difficult and how my family was broken, so I had chosen to explore the world. To escape my family and how I had been cursed. I told her I had been on a journey to find myself, and that I am still on that journey.

She laid down and drifted off, while I added more woods to the fire. Then I laid down and stared at the stars as I began to drift off. I am awakened well before dawn to the sound of someone approaching, I slowly raise up, taking in my surroundings. As time has passed since the curse, I have noticed that my senses are heightened, and I am quicker with my movements. I see a pair of young men heading toward us at a cautious pace. They appear to have come from the woods, some distance down the field from where we were camping. I quickly get to my feet preparing to defend the two of us. I do not wake Summer because I am not sure what is going to happen, and I need to be able to focus.

"Ma'am, please pardon our intrusion, but we need to speak with you, while she is asleep." the first male said.

"How do you know you need to talk to me? I am just a stranger traveling through this place. And why do you need to talk to me in the middle of the night?" I respond not letting my guard down.

"That will take a few minutes to explain" The second male said, "But if you will give us a few minutes to sit and talk we can explain."

"We mean you no harm," The first male spoke again." It's very important you hear what we have to say."

"Alright," I finally reply, "let's sit by the fire so we don't disturb Summer."

"My name is Jax, we are from the Crestwater pack. This is Kal." the first male began. "You are Aroura?"

My eyes widened when he said my name. "Yes, but how do you know my name?"

"We were sent here by the pack oracle, to speak with you." Kal states, "She had a vision from the moon goddess, that you needed guidance to get Summer to where she is supposed to be,"

"What does that mean?" I ask a little confused.

"It means, you were supposed to be there to find her. You were meant to be here to guide her to start her destine future. Summer is meant to do important things" Kal explained.

"And you were sent by the moon goddess, to help her because you are special. We know what you are, the truth" Jax continues, "we know about the curse, and why you were given it. There are things you must learn along your journey, but you were always meant to be here in this moment."

I am stunned and confused, "So what is it I need to know to help Summer?"

"There is a town, about a day’s travel from here. Summer must make her life there." Kal tells me. "She will meet her destiny there and will go from there to achieve great things."

Jax hands me a pack, "This contains some extra money and supplies to help her get settled. I will be a few months for everything to fall in place, but it will happen."

Kal looks at me and says, "The future of Crestwater pack depends on you getting her to Waterfall Crest safely, the moon goddess has so many things for you to do, but this must be achieved by Sunrise Day after tomorrow."

"So, this town is a day travel? So, by sunset tomorrow, we should be there?" I ask.

"Yes," Jax replies. "If you want to stay a few days to help her, get settled that would be great, help her get comfortable and get to know people. She will find people who accept her there"

"Also, may I see your map?" Kal asks.

"My map? How do you know about it?" I respond in shock.

"I was told to add our pack’s location to your map" Kal answers, "It will be important for you in the future."

Unsure of who to think, I hand Kal my map. He carefully adds an encampment to the the map just past our current location. He draws in the gate and a large house surrounded by smaller ones.

"This location is only for you to know when the time comes that you know you must return." Kal explains.

"We are going to let you rest, no one will bother you while you rest. Guards will be watching over you" Jax informs me.

"Travel in peace, Aroura." They stated as they left.

I laid back down, but my mind was racing. What do they mean, they know the truth of who I am? I am so confused, they told me things that they should not have known. I do know that I must get Summer to Waterfall Crest to see if anything makes sense about what they said. While I am laying there going over things in my head, the sun starts to rise. As I rise to put out the fire, and start packing things to leave, I notice a bag beside the pack Jax gave me. I open the bag to find fresh sandwiches.

I wake Summer up and give her a sandwich. She looks at me, questioning where the sandwiches can from before she eats it. I just said a friend brought them for us. I don't tell her about the visitors last night, because it could affect her decisions. We finish packing our stuff and get started towards Summer's destiny. As we pass the area Kal had added to the map, I see where the road branches off. I guess I will find out what's down that road someday.

By sunset, we were settling into a cabin in Waterfall crest. The pack I was given last night held enough to pay for the cabin for a few months and enough for her to start out on. When we went to dinner, she was offered a job at the local cafe. The people here seem kind and friendly. I believe Summer will be happy here.

Before bed, I tell her, I will stay a day or two, to make sure she is alright here. After that I must move on, she doesn't want me to leave so soon, but she has a future here, I don't right now. After we talk a bit, she understands better that I am destined to travel to see new places and touch new lives.

Over the next two days, I watch as Summer got settled into her new life. The people here seem to look at us like they know us, it’s like they know something we don't. It's a little unnerving the way they look at me, but I dismiss it because they treat Summer so kindly, like she belongs.

When the sun rose the next morning, I was packed and ready to leave. Summer hugged me, telling me she would never forget what I had done for her. I assured her that I will stay in touch and hopefully see her again. My heart is feeling a bit warmer knowing she was happy and my friend.