Chapter 3
Chapter 3 (part1)
The man went unnoticed by the rest of the villagers, but Forest who had watched the people grow, though without remembering them individually knew that his eyes had never seen this person before. He wore the bag of a traveller, but his hair was cut in a round bob different to the other styles Forest had seen on passers by. He wore glasses, that were perfectly round and had on black and white canvas shoes. It was a style of shoe Forest had only seen on one other person. “You’re lost” Forest said as he tied acorns into his hair. The man smiled. “A little, but it doesn’t matter. I’m looking for a few old friends of mine. Do I stick out that much?” “You have a few tells old one.” The man nodded “I need to buy some clothing from around here then. They say you’re a spirit and not a human, is this true?” “Do I look human to you?” Forest asked. “I come from a time where any human could have looked like you. I came looking for you specifically, well a spirit that wouldn’t be afraid to show themselves, and from your bounty poster I took it you would be one search person.” “Firstly, I don’t know what a bounty poster is, secondly I’m not here to have a gab, I was here to threaten and then maybe kill you.” “I’m looking for other humans like me.” The man said, and Forest pointed to the villagers. “Ahh, homo oblitus” he said and laughed to himself “no I am homo sapien.” Forest sighed and shook his head “at least one a century. I’m not banging you, and no, I’m not making my plants bang you either. I’m glad you’ve found the courage to come out the closet, however I think you’ll be better of finding more people like yourself in the city.” “I was looking for you specifically, I know my friends at one point must have passed through here at least once, and an older person would be more likely to remember them. I have a good idea they lived somewhere around here, I’m just not sure when. You said you knew I was older, how did you know?” “You smell like… an old memory of someone I used to know.” “When? Last year? Ten years ago?” He asked excitedly “do you know their name? Robert? Sam?” “At least a thousand years ago” Forest said, “I do not remember the names of humans, as they usually perish.” The mans gaze faltered “so I take it they are long gone.” “Yes, but they left, they didn’t die. They appeared often for a time longer than any of these humans.” Forest said and gestured to the villagers “if you are ageless too you will find them eventually.” “It’s a little more complicated than that.” “Forest? Are you ready to go?” Eduardo asked walking slowly up to him looking suspiciously at the man, as he clung to the bag on his back. “Yes” Forest said and picked up a small tree in a pot. “That seems like over kill but okay.” Eduardo said. “Bye” Forest said looking up to the man. “Oh, may I pass through your forest, spirit?” The man asked and bowed his head. “I was going to kill you as soon as you had walked out of sight of the village, but since you ask so nicely I guess I could make one exception, do not hurt my trees.” “Thank you.” “What is your name? So if I see another of your family, I will be able to pass it along, since that is all your type ever seems to ask?” “Thank you. My name is Ben, maybe we will meet again Forest.” “I can’t die, so perhaps.” The man smiled sadly “be careful, I have seen a thousand others perish with the same words. Even homo oblitus would readily make the same mistakes as their ancestors if for a while they could pretend to be better than another.” “I mean, I always thought straight people were like that anyway” Forest said and shrugged. Ben squinted, but nodded politely. Forest turned to walk beside Eduardo, who stuck close to his side. Eduardo walked far too closely to Forest to be happy with until they had walked out of the village, and past the scattered trees, up the road that led to the sea, and inland. “If you’re going to keep walking that close to me I may as well absorb you” Forest said. “No!” Eduardo said taking a good few steps back and then looking back towards his village. “You know that guy wasn’t human right?” Eduardo asked “are you sure he’s safe?” Forest blinked and tilted his head “he wasn’t human?”
Chapter 2
Chapter 1
Prologue
