The Wrong Person Was Transported to the Horrific Lost Village

While Mari's group sorted out their accommodations, the other newcomers got acquainted with their new environment.

 

Cassandra and Gregorio--

The beauty and the giant were being led through the southern part of the town by a young woman, Maya.

"So, these were some stores that were here since the start, we think. One of them is a hardware store. If you need anything, check here."

Maya was a woman whose athletic form could be peeked at through the tattered black shawl she wore over a simple shirt. Her long black hair was tied back in a ponytail, and her piercing brown eyes seemed to reflect the desolation of the abandoned town they were navigating. 

Maya moved with a graceful and agile demeanor that spoke of years of some training, and her lithe form seemed to just glide over the cracked and uneven ground as if it was an illusion.

Cassandra, a young woman accustomed to being poised and deliberate in her every move, was surprised by the grace this survivor exhibited. Furthermore, the young woman's ability to make baggy pants and tatters look fetching was noteworthy.

"I'm not very good around tools," Cassandra said, a wry smile gracing her.

Maya looked over her shoulder at the pair and smiled. Hardships had left their mark on her features. How many stressful nights had the young girl endured, Cassandra had wondered. Even so, there was a resilience there, one that comforted both Cassandra and Gregorio.

"Good thing you have Greg, huh?"

Greg chuckled. "I'll be happy to do my best."

"Yeah. And we can help out too if something's really broken."

A voice called out from the hardware store, asking Maya for help. She pardoned herself and quickly went to help the elderly villager trying to pull something out.

"She's a nice girl, don't you think, Greg?"

"I agree, Cass."

The two sat on a bench and looked around with similar gentle smiles on their faces.

"It's not so bad here," Cassandra said. "As long as we follow the Rules, we'll be able to live in peace."

"Do you think you will manage okay, Cass?"

Cassandra's smile softened. "I think so... It'll be one of the nicer homes I've had... Well... As long as what they said about the Rules is true... There are a lot of seniors here, though. If they can make it here, we certainly can."

Greg chuckled and closed his eyes. "I'm glad. You look better when you're looking toward the future."

"That said... For our first days here, I think we should stick close to Ryza."

"Oh? Did she recognize you?"

Cassandra nodded. "She did. She gave me a signal too." Cassandra smiled wider. "She didn't forget me after that one time." A giggle passed, and she composed herself again. "We'll live close to Ryza at first. If anything happens, she'll help us. Or at least..."

"That's the hope."

Cassandra nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. "We'll be fine as long as we stay close to the child. Ryza will be able to protect us if we're all in the same place and help make her job easier."

Maya walked out of the hardware store with a satisfied smile. "Ready to move on? I can show you the houses and whatnot."

"How lovely," Cassandra said. "Please lead the way."

 

 

Paulie and Jackson--

"Wow..." Paulie said, walking along the street, awestruck. "I can't believe those girls want to be flatmates with us... Wow..."

Jackson casually stared at his friend who was still in shock from Kia requesting that the boys find somewhere nice the four of them could live.

"Wow... They're still teenagers, though. And we're like three years older. Is that appropriate, though?" Paulie mumbled to himself.

"I really don't think we need to worry about either of the girls wanting to hook up with either of us," Jackson said, though Paulie completely missed it as he contemplated the new situation.

"I wonder if there's somewhere the four of us can live..."

"Already pursuing love interests, huh? Must be nice to be a main character."

Paulie snapped out of his awestruck wonder and focused his eyes on their tour guide.

"Ahh, sorry, Minora. It's just that our friends asked us to make sure we get a good place... They're not love interests, I swear," Paulie said as Jackson rolled his eyes.

Minora, the pale and gaunt young woman, groaned.

"Whatever. The houses are right over here," she said.

This woman with tired eyes continued leading the two. Her dull, mousy hair was limp and lank, hanging in greasy strands around her face. She wore drab, worn-out clothing that stood out against the picturesque village, as if she were trying to disappear entirely and failing. Her movements, too, were slow and deliberate, as if she were trying to avoid attracting attention but was failing because they were too unusual.

To her credit, Paulie had forgotten about her, but that was because she was quiet, and he was easily distracted.

Jackson, however, had kept an eye on Minora, appraising her. She seemed to be lost in her head. He was certain he had seen a strange, stubborn look in her eye too. She seemed to be the type that would fixate on an idea. What he found strangest about her was that she was trying to not draw attention to herself but was somehow unaware that everything she did just made her stand out more.

Still, he concluded she was harmless all the same. She complied to be the tour guide too. If she hadn't wanted to do this, she wouldn't have been there to greet them in the first place.

"Hey, Minora," Jackson said. "Can I ask you a question?"

Minora shrugged. "Sure. What else are minor characters good for if not filling in blanks when asked?"

Jackson mentally stumbled for a moment. Was she upset? It didn't seem that way, given that she kept looking at him, waiting for him to continue. A few seconds passed, and Jackson carefully continued.

"Actually... I was wondering if you have ever heard of or know a girl named Sally Ringhouse?"

"Sally Ringhouse?" Minora repeated, furrowing her brows.

Paulie tilted his head. "Sally?" he asked. "Who's that?"

"She would be about our age," Jackson continued, failing to hear his friend. "She had reddish brown hair. Maybe she was here with her family?"

Minora hummed as she thought on the question. "I'm not sure... I've been here for four years, and in that time, I haven't met anyone like that..." Minora, with a brow arced, leveled her gaze. "Maybe try asking Dampee. He's an old man who has been here for a long time. He's the one that can give you a coherent answer out of all the 'experienced' ones."

"Dampee..." Jackson muttered.

"He went out with the group that found those girls. He spends a lot of his time at the diner."

"Oh, alright... Thank you, Minora."

"Don't worry about it..." she muttered.

Paulie looked on as Jackson nodded and continued on as if he never asked the question. "Jack?" Paulie asked, a little concerned.

Jackson shrugged and showed Paulie a pained smile. "I had a friend that left the city with her family and never came back... I just wondered, you know?"

"Ahh... Yeah... Got it..." Paulie switched from concern to a smile and lightly punched Jackson's shoulder. "Honestly, I hope she isn't here. This place is a nightmare."

Jackson chuckled. "Yeah... you're right..."

Minora gestured to the townhouse they were approaching. "So here's one of the empty units. Check it out if you want."

"Yeah," Paulie said, his eyes sparkling. It was a two floor unit with gabled roofs and opaque windows. He walked into the house, smitten, with Jackson following a few steps behind.

"Hey."

Jackson stopped in his tracks. Minora's hand was gripping his wrist. He turned to face her but couldn't hide his shock when he saw her eyes. The way they shook--the way they searched his eyes for answers--there was a hint of madness in her eyes, a sense that she was teetering on the edge of sanity.

"You got on that bus because you were looking for that person didn't you? That Sally?"

"Urk--"

Minora came closer until their noses were mere centimeters from touching. 

"You're a main character, aren't you?"

"I--" Jackson forced a smile and placed his hand on her shoulder, applying a gentle force to her shoulder. "Everyone is the main character of their own life."

Minora recoiled at the thought and just stared at Jackson as he awkwardly pulled away.

"I'm just going to... check out the house, okay?"

Minora said nothing. She just maintained her bewildered stare. Jackson, unwilling to do anything else, followed Paulie into the house.

"He..." Minora said, finally blinking. "He is such a main character."

 

 

Mei and Kia--

The patient's room was quiet. Most had left the room to go see the village. Even Mister Tolk had found the strength to get up and had walked out with Gran.

Mei was sitting in the bed, absentmindedly staring at the ceiling, her injuries pulsing but not necessarily hurting. She was a grizzly sight. So many stitches covered her bruised face. Her right eye was totally covered. Her arm was in a cast. She wouldn't be leaving the bed any time soon.

Kia hummed a tune beside her as she peeled an apple. Kia worked diligently, cutting the apple into pieces and placing it on a paper plate. Mei hadn't looked at Kia--she couldn't bear it. 

This wasn't how it was supposed to go, Mei had told herself over and over. Kia's innocent hum just pushed her further and further down the metaphorical hole swallowing up her thoughts.

"Mei, look. Some apple slices for you--"

"Kia, what are you doing?" Mei asked, her white hair creating a wall between her and Mei's eyes.

"I'm giving you yummy apple slices," Kia said, chipper.

"Can you cut it out?"

"Huh?"

Mei's voice was sharp, and her gaze cold as she finally turned to face Kia. Kia flinched--

I knew I'm disgusting, Mei thought, reaffirming her choice.

"I mean, can you stop pretending everything's okay? You don't have to be nice to me, you don't have to act like everything's normal," Mei said, her voice cracking with emotion. "I'm gross, Kia. Repulsive! We don't have to hide that. I'm disgusting! Vomit looks better than me!"

Kia's eyes widened in surprise and hurt. "That's not true, Mei!"

Mei's face crumpled as she held back tears. "It is! You couldn't even look at me without gagging!" Mei looked back toward her trembling fists and tried to keep it together. "You shouldn't hang around someone like me. I'll just ruin your day--"

Kia's finger grazed Mei's cheek, catching the single tear that snuck out from Mei's left eye. Mei looked at her, snot running from her nose, and more tears flowed out.

Kia, tears streaming down her face, met Mei's gaze unflinchingly, smiling at her with rosy cheeks.

"You're still beautiful, Mei."

Mei's composure crumbled, and her face contorted as she covered her mouth, her tears soaking through her bandages.

"Don't cry, Mei," Kia said, giggling through the tears. "All those cuts are going to sting, aren't they? And I... I can't stand to see you hurt."

Mei's mouth fell open before she quickly started wiping her tears. Kia took a napkin and helped her, afraid her friend would open a cut again.

Mei chuckled. "Yeah... I'll stop... Thanks, Kia."

The girls shared a glance before hugging.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Kia."

"Me too, Mei! You're my best friend!"

There was a curtain that separated Mei's bed from her neighbor's. That neighbor pulled that curtain away and stared at the pair.

"Hey, I'm glad you two reaffirmed your commitment to each other, but can we all acknowledge that you are not the worst off, Mei?"

The pair looked over to their neighbor while the girl pointed at her own face.

"The right side of my face got shredded. I'm going to have to wear a mask for the rest of my life." She cracked a smile. "Mei, if you think you're ugly enough to lose a friend because of it, then what hope is there for me?"

Kia's mouth opened wide, and a fire grew in her eye. "Oh my gosh, Gracie! Not you too! You're plenty cute! And you can totally pull off a cute mask!"

Mei wiped her snot and nodded. "Don't worry, girl. Us disfigured ones will stick together."

Grace, who Kia had taken to affectionately calling "Gracie," groaned. She groaned, but she was smiling at the same time. "I don't want to be called the 'Disfigured Ones.'"

Kia giggled louder. "You'll always have friends in us!"

The three girls giggled together, filling the clinic with laughter all by themselves.

 

 

Mister Tolk and Gran--

The pair stood a few feet outside the clinic, Gran following a step behind Tolk, as Tolk limped along with the wooden cane the villagers had given him.

He looked over his shoulder. "Are you in love with my nefarious assailant, Gran?"

Gran, the man hugging the bag his fishing spear was in like it was a life-support device, paled. "No! Of course not, Tolk! I'm keeping a hold on it to make sure no one else gets hurt!"

Tolk laughed so hard he hurt himself. "Oh, come now, Gran. Please refrain from such humorous responses."

"Sorry--"

"Don't apologize for an old man's inability to control his diaphragm!" Tolk said, chuckling.

Gran let out a breath and walked up to stand side-by-side with Tolk.

"It looks like some villagers are willing to give us a tour, Tolk," Gran said, nodding at a pair eating beneath a tree. "Should we go?"

"Not yet," Tolk said, looking out toward the forest. "I would enjoy a moment to take in all this wonderous nature."

Gran smiled and stood beside Tolk, ready to support him as need be. Then his eyes wandered over to the far sight of Mikos and Susy leaving the village perimeter.

"It was strange, wasn't it?" Gran asked.

"Mikos's sudden change in demeanor, you mean?" Mister Tolk said, his eyes wandering over to the pair.

"Yeah... He's all over that girl now."

"If he was a naturally thoughtful type, he would have been doting on Susy since the moment she returned to us. After all, she is one of our vulnerable if she is truly plagued by violent mental illness... But as I recall it, Mikos only changed in demeanor when Susy said her last name."

"Yeah, his face when he heard it was something. And then he asked about her mother."

"That's right... It seems to me that our dear Susy's mother is not someone Mikos wants to be on the wrong side of should we escape this mystifying place."

"Hmm... I wonder what Susy's mother does."

"For now, only those two know." Tolk grinned at Gran. "Don't worry, my friend. We have our own mysteries to keep us occupied!"

"We do?"

 

 

Susy and Mikos--

"Ahh the air here is just so crisp and free, I love it!" Susy said as she spun around, sheer euphoria radiating from her. She skipped over to the small creek she found running right outside the village and spun around again as butterflies took off and the warm sun tickled her nose.

"M-Miss Susy, please be careful!" said Mikos, the pale, haggard, and increasingly anxious former tour guide.

He timidly followed the joyous Susy, jumping whenever Susy did so much as move at a pace faster than a walk.

"What a beautiful place! I feel so free!" Susy said, hugging herself with the brightest smile.

Off to the distance, sitting on a picnic table, was a large brown-skinned man with long black hair watching the pair with a cheerful smile. Sitting behind him was another young lady in a black leather jacket with a similar smile. Both watched the newcomers with kind eyes, content to watch over them as they enjoyed themselves. Suffice to say that they could not see how much of a nervous wreck Mikos was. Both their eyes wandered over to the side when they noticed someone familiar approaching the pair.

Susy noticed the newcomer as well and smiled at her, and waved. "Hi, Anabelle," Susy sang. "That was your name, right?"

"It is," Anabelle said as she stood before Susy. Mikos breathed a sigh of relief, glad Susy wasn't twirling so close to the creek.

Susy giggled. "I always knew I would be good at remembering names. So, what's on your mind, Anabelle? Did you come to enjoy nature too?"

"No, I didn't--"

"You have a beautiful home, Anabelle! I'm jealous that you got to live here for so long."

Anabelle was caught by surprise at the thought and took a few moments to recompose herself. "Yes, it can be really beautiful when the sun's out."

"And I'm sure it's beautiful when the moon is out," Susy said with a rosy smile.

"I wouldn't be so quick to believe that."

"Anything is better than the city." Susy giggled and gestured with her finger. "I'm sure of that much, and you cannot tell me otherwise."

"I..." Anabelle nodded and let the girl believe what she wanted. "Well, we all see things differently. Anyway, Susy, I wanted to ask you a question. May I?"

"You want to ask me a question?" Susy asked, even more cheerful than before. "Of course, please! Please ask! I'll do my best to answer!"

"Right... I wanted to ask about Haunting Tone--"

The words got stuck in Anabelle's throat. The cheerful girl before her had disappeared in an instant, and instead, she was being stared down by a curious girl with furrowed brows and a suspicious glare. The contrast between the two expressions unnerved Anabelle more than it should have.

"Did Haunting do something to you? Is that why you're asking?"

"No, no, not at all!" Anabelle said, shaking her hands. "I just wanted to understand what kind of girl she was. They told me you and Haunting got along well."

Susy lit up again. "Oh! Okay! Yeah, I can tell you about Haunting."

"Great... Did you know her before getting on the bus--"

"Haunting's so nice!" Susy said, unable to hide her glee. "We just met on the bus, but she was talking with me and being nice to me, and telling me all about weird facts! Oh, and then, when I was in trouble, she helped me." Susy knocked on her head. "But me and my stupid self can't even remember that... But you know that part, I think."

"Yeah... So, Haunting is a good person?"

"Definitely. She's like... Hmm... She's my second-favorite person."

Anabelle cocked her head, curious--no, perplexed. She had what she thought was a good guess about who the favorite person was. Still, she had to ask and confirm.

"Who is your favorite person, if you don't mind my asking?"

Susy smiled. "I don't mind. I love answering questions. My favorite person is Mei."

Anabelle's eyes widened. That wasn't the answer she expected.

"Mei? The injured girl? Why is she your favorite?"

Susy turned bashful, her cheeks reddening. "I don't know," she said with a giggle. "I just... I just like her vibe. And when I see the way that Kia gets along with her, I just kind of wish that could be me. So, she must be my favorite."

"Oh... And what about Mari?"

"Mari?" Susy repeated, raising an innocent brow.

"What do you think of her?"

"Well, she helped Haunting and I... and she took us on a walk and kept us safe... I guess she's my third favorite. I didn't really think about it. A lot of the other people on the bus are like my third favorites, honestly."

"Huh..." 

Was it because of Susy's strange cheerfulness? Was it because of the unexpected answers? Anabelle had become curious. She pressed Susy for one more answer.

"Susy, do you have a least favorite person--"

"The bus driver," Susy said flatly.

Anabelle nodded slowly. "Well, I guess he did get you into this situation--"

"Hey, Anabelle!"

Anabelle turned around and looked at the two by the picnic table.

"Mind coming up here when you're done down there? We want to talk about the next challenge!"

"Oh! Okay! I'll come right up. Susy--"

Anabelle turned her eyes back to Susy. The cheerful girl's eyes were glued to Anabelle's left wrist. She looked up at Anabelle, her gaze more piercing than before.

"That's a cute bracelet, Anabelle."

"Ahh--"

Said bracelet was mostly hidden by a sleeve. It was a little shocking that she could spot it.

"It reminds me of the Prince of the Forest."

Anabelle gulped.

"Do you know that story, Anabelle?" Susy asked, smiling. 

It felt to Anabelle like the girl was only an inch away from her, when in reality, she had never moved.

"They say the story was from before the Great Disaster. Have you heard of it, Anabelle?"

Anabelle took a step back, pulling her sleeve further down. "No, I'm afraid I haven't... My friends are calling me, Susy--"

"Aww, it's so nice to have friends."

"It is... I'm going to go over there now."

"Of course, thanks for saying hello." 

Anabelle turned on her heels and quickly stepped away. 

"I hope I answered your questions better than you answered mine," Susy said.

Anabelle looked over her shoulder at Susy and saw the girl smiling--did she mean to make her last remark so biting? Anabelle refrained from trying to satisfy her curiosity and scurried away as Susy returned to admiring nature.