“Man, it’s dark.” Trebone said with a grin.
“Yeah.” Placida replied, laughing back.
Hansen observed from behind.
There was nothing funny about that.
It had only been a few hours since the group had entered the forest.
Hansen continued to think as he walked in the back.
Things were just fine when we entered. It’s this place.
Hansen looked at the forest around him. Large trees with enveloping canopies. Thick, viny creepers and sharp, spiky brush. It felt as though the place was trying to reject him.
And it’s so cold too…
It wasn’t cold in the forest. Hansen and the others only felt that way.
Yet, despite all of this, somehow, they kept moving forward.
This sucks. Hansen pulled his sagging hair back into shape, and looked at the two in front of him.
How are those two still moving forward?
As if responding to the question, Placida hunched over and crouched.
“Can we take a break? It’s too cold… I’m really uncomfortable.”
“All right.” replied Trebone.
I guess they feel it too.
Trebone gave Placida his water pouch and went to a tree nearby to stretch his legs. Placida drank the water and then got up.
Hansen himself saw the two apart.
How am I going to bring them together?
He racked his mind, thinking of ways to get them to talk.
Ask a question? No, then only one person might answer.
“Come on. Let’s get moving.”
The trio started walking again, stepping over vines and working around trees and brush.
Hansen continued to think.
Debate a topic? No, that could create an even bigger rift between the group.
They kept on walking, when Hansen suddenly got an idea.
“Hey.” Hansen said, waiting for the two to look at him . Once they acknowledge him, he continued.
“Do you guys, maybe, want to play a game?”
If he asks, I can say that just walking around here is sort of…
“Sure. What is it?” Trebone asked.
“Uhh…” Hansen was startled.
He just accepted it. He must be feeling the pressure too.
“”I was just thinking that I would say a passage from, like, a book, and somebody would guess which book.”
“Sounds fun.” Trebone said eagerly.
“Let’s do it.” said Placida.
Perfect Both of them have read plenty of books, so this should be fun. Hmm. Now I just need a quote… that one should work.
“There was once a man,
a man whose head was stuck in da wall(courtesy of his ex-homie chad),
da wall granted powers,
great, mysterious powers–”
“Ohh… I see you are knowledgeable about Da Wall, but do you know about Paul and the orange basketball?” Trebone asked with a grin.
“Yes. I threw it at him and he got his head stuck in da wall.” Hansen replied, also grinning.
The two laughed heartily. Placida, wondering what the two were talking about, looked quizzical.
“What’s the joke about?” she asked.
“Oh, it’s nothing… It’s just this story called ‘Da Wallman’. What happens is Wallman meets a man name Paul, who gives him a weapon called a basketball. The joke is that Wallman would always defeat his opponents by getting their heads stuck into things.”
“Ohh.” Placida’s head fell back as she let out a laugh.
A good mood was in the air.
Perfect. My secret plan is working.
Hansen felt a sudden compulsion to laugh like a mad man. Thankfully, he refrained.
“Since you won, maybe you should pick a quote.”
“Sure. Uhh… let’s see.”
Trebone had donned the look of a thinker, with his hand holding his chin up as he thought.
Hansen felt a small twinge as he saw Placida look to Trebone expectantly.
I’m doing this for the group. Still though…
Hansen looked to Trebone.
It makes sense that she’s looking at him.
Although it was a little painful, Hansen accepted his place. After all, Hansen was Hansen and Trebone was Trebone. Trebone’s place was at the front. His place was as the silent observer. And Placida’s place, though she might not have realized it, was by Trebone’s side.
“Aha! I got it!” Trebone said, slapping the back of his right hand against his left palm.
“What is it?” Hansen asked.
“I see two things in the sky: the sun and the stars. Is it therefore not plausible to burn sheep alive?”
The trio looked at one another and laughed once more. Then, the game continued.
“Hmm. I don’t think I’ve heard of that one. The Book of Bord perhaps?”
“No.” Trebone held his head high and stuck his nose out, proud of the quote he had chosen.
“Hmm. “ Placida held her chin in thought, mimicking Trebone’s earlier pose. “ I don’t know… could it be The Generic History Textbook, 5th edition?”
Trebone looked at her for a second, before spitting an answer.
“Uhh, no, actually, it was the Teachings of Carloman.”
All was quiet for a single second.
“Where… did you get you hand on a copy of that?” Placida asked.
“At a caravan. Why do you ask?” Trebone furrowed his brows.
This is bad. Hansen was ready to step in.
“Carloman… isn’t to be trusted. He is the enemy of Chadwick. A bringer of evil. Don’t you at least know that much?” Placida was quaking.
This is really bad. Hansen was frozen in place, watching his work crumble away.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.” Trebone was more scared than shocked. He didn’t want Placida to cry again.
“W-why? Didn’t you know how dangerous it was? And you even had the nerve to bring it up?”
“Don’t be so harsh…” Hansen reached to place a hand on her shoulder, only to have it swatted away.
“Why? Why shouldn’t I? How could any– “
“Actually… “ Trebone stared at the ground with clenched fists.
“The truth is… I never went to school.”
Comments (0)
See all