"Okay, Mom, I'm satisfied now. I'm going to get my boots and take Evelyn up to the spring on the mountain," I said, looking softly and with good humor.
She, squinting her eyes at me, emphasizing her white eyebrows, responded, "And which adult will go with you? Your father and I are going to explore the Black Tower, and I don't want two kids wandering the world alone."
"To be honest, I think I have enough responsibility with my nine years of experience to guide my dear sister on a journey following the river's course, fully understanding that we can't get too close to it due to danger, with the intention of observing the spring that falls before the twin mountains." I concluded, drawing a genuine surprise from her as she shook her head.
Standing up, leaving the low table and coming toward me, she poked, "If you don't take care or don't take good care of your sister, consider yourself... injured."
I replied, putting my hand on my forehead in a salute, "Yes, ma'am."
"I've told you, I'm not a ma'am, I'm a young woman in her prime," she criticized, putting her hand in my hair and stroking it, expressing her tenderness and satisfaction.
Aidan just looked on, his hand on his chin hiding a slight smile.
I left the garden and walked slowly toward the stairs leading to the first floor. As I climbed the steps, I felt the light alpine breeze passing through the veranda.
Reaching the top of the stairs, I passed by the veranda that extended in front of the rooms, offering a panoramic view of the garden and the distant hills, as well as the Black Tower. The sun rose weakly, casting long shadows and bathing everything in warm light.
I opened the door to my room.
I grabbed my boots, feeling the rough, worn leather texture against my hands. With the boots in hand, I retraced my steps, passing again by my parents' room and the veranda.
I descended the stairs carefully, pausing for a moment to appreciate the view once more.
Finally, I descended the last stairs and returned to the garden. I was ready to start the day, with my boots firmly on and a strange feeling as I saw Evelyn waiting for me, already dressed and wearing her green boots.
"Shall we? It is imperative that you, dear sister, usurper of our parents' attention, blindly obey my orders due to the authority conferred upon me by Mom." I responded seriously, pointing my finger up, making her laugh and causing me to lose my serious posture and relent.
"Why do you use so many difficult words? Speak in Fleulo so I can understand! Ahaha." She replied, laughing.
I smiled and shook my head. "Fleulo? You mean simply, right?" I lowered my hand and held hers, looking into her eyes before letting go and said, "Let's climb the mountain and see the spring. It's a beautiful place, and I want to show it to you, follow me if you can."
Evelyn nodded excitedly as I began to run toward the village limits. Together, we started walking through the short grass, following the stone path that led to the base of the canyon. The gentle sound of the distant river accompanied us, creating a soothing melody that harmonized with our steps in comfortable sound waves.
As we advanced, the trail began to change. The stone path turned into more varied terrain, covered by a thin layer of soil, rocks, grasses, and small wildflowers. The trees around us provided shade, and the sunlight filtering through the leaves created oscillating patterns on the ground.
"Look, Evelyn, these flowers are called sun lilies." I pointed to a small cluster of white flowers growing by the path. "They're quite common around here."
She bent down to smell one of the flowers, closing her eyes for a moment. "They're so beautiful and smell so good!" She exclaimed, smiling.
Every time she smiled, a piece of my emotional coldness melted away.
...
We continued walking, and the trail began to ascend again, but more gradually. The terrain became rockier, and we had to choose our steps carefully to avoid slipping. The trees around us were more spaced out now, and we could see the river winding below us, shimmering in the sunlight.
"Did you know the river starts up there, between those two mountains?" I asked, pointing to the twin mountains ahead of us.
"I didn't know, it seems so far." She replied, looking with admiration and fatigue.
"Yes, it's a long walk, but it's worth it. The view from up there is amazing." I said, trying to motivate her not to stop climbing with me.
...
The trail started to get steeper, and the terrain more rugged.
We stopped to rest in a small clearing when she gave in and sat on the ground, surrounded by tall trees. We then sat on a fallen log and shared some water she had brought.
"Kiel, do you think we'll encounter any wild animals?" Evelyn asked, her eyes showing a bit of fear.
"Maybe we'll see some birds or squirrels, but nothing dangerous. We're safe, don't worry." I replied, trying to reassure her.
After a brief rest, we resumed our walk. The trail narrowed, and we started climbing a steeper section where ancient tree roots formed natural steps.
Evelyn held my hand tightly, and I helped her climb carefully.
"Come on, Evelyn, we're almost there!" I said, encouraging her.
We climbed a bit more and reached a point where the trail widened again, leading us to an area covered by a dense forest. The trees here were so tall they almost completely blocked the sunlight, creating a cool, shaded environment. The sound of rustling leaves and birds singing enveloped us, creating a sense of peace and tranquility.
"This place is so different from the rest of the trail." Evelyn commented, apparently exhausted and out of breath.
"Yes, it's like a small oasis in the middle of the climb." I responded. "Let's take advantage and rest a bit more, the air is thin here, and that's why you get tired so easily."
We sat on a moss-covered log and listened to the sounds of the forest around us. Evelyn started playing with a large leaf, making it flutter in the air like a butterfly.
"Brother, do you think one day we'll come here with all four of us?" She asked, looking at me with her big curious eyes.
"Maybe. The world must be big and full of incredible places, even better than here. Who knows, one day we'll explore them?" I replied, smiling, but this time it sounded very sincere to me, making me reflective.
"Are you sad?" she questioned, looking up at me with her hair a mix of white, lavender, and beige.
"Don't worry," I replied.
After a while, we got up and continued our journey. The trail began to climb again, this time with a steeper incline. The rocky terrain required us to pay close attention to our steps, and we helped each other on the more challenging sections.
"Look, Evelyn, we're almost there!" I pointed to the top of the hill, where the sunlight shone more brightly.
With one last effort, we climbed the final stretch and reached the top. The view was breathtaking. We could see the river's source gushing between the rocks, forming small waterfalls that gently descended the mountain. The sound of the water was relaxing, and the fresh air, though thin, made us gasp.
"Wow, it's beautiful!" Evelyn exclaimed, her eyes shining with admiration.
"I don't think it's worth the effort," I stated. "Let's rest here a bit before heading back."
We sat on a large, flat rock, watching the flowing water. I picked up a large leaf and placed it in the water, watching it float downstream. Evelyn laughed and did the same, following our makeshift 'boats' with attentive eyes.
"Why did you want to come here so much?" I asked, wanting to know why she insisted on coming.
"When you said you would show me this place in exchange for me staying quiet when you were rummaging through Mom's bag, I didn't understand," she said without finishing.
"It's nothing, I just didn't want to cause any trouble, that's all." I explained, as we looked at the beautiful spring.
The spring before us was a true work of nature's art. The crystal-clear water gushed between moss-covered rocks, creating small waterfalls that gently descended the rock face. The sound of the flowing water was like a calm and constant melody.
The trees around the spring were imposing, their canopies forming a dark green cover, a mix of several araucarias and pines filtering the sunlight, creating patterns of shadow and light on the ground. The leaves rustled softly in the wind, matching the rhythm of the flowing water. The air was fresh, almost thin, making us breathe deeply, appreciating the purity of that moment.
I moved towards the crystal-clear water and filled our bottle, feeling the cold water passing through my fingers and hands.
"Let's head back, it took several hours to get here, it's important to return before nightfall to see the path well." I said, standing up and looking at the colossal canyon nearby.
I suddenly moved towards it, feeling a strong attraction to it, walking around hearing my 'sister's' footsteps until I reached the other side. I looked at the landscape of a beautiful and spectacular planet, a world so beautiful, I thought, so mysterious... whose cosmos are not bathed by stars, where there are places with large structures reminiscent of a forgotten past.
I felt a small hand pulling mine from behind.
"I feel like you hate me, Kiel," her words hit me weakly.
I continued to face the cliff, feeling the cold: not just the physical cold of the environment, but the emotional cold.
I questioned myself.
Jumping from here could finally mean no more pain, no more feeling anything. Completing the cycle in a way that fear couldn't prevent, nor could the survival instinct. The ultimate end, the completeness of non-existence ahead.
Would that be right?
A step forward, into extreme risk. Any misstep or further move would mean death.
In the distance, the black structure rested; 'parents' probably there.
In the distance, the village lay calm and monotonous.
In the distance, the river continued its course.
In the distance, the mountains encircled the valley.
Contemplated the act.
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