The Runaway

Chapter 35

It took seven armies to get the grass out of my hair, off the bed and floor but after long, strenuous, painful, exhausting decades. This wasn't fun.

"Why'd you do that?"

"You died, I had to."

He takes all the grass that we got and brings it back outside. We forgot water again. How amazing. I get my emotional support honey and hop back on the bed, continuing the amazing show called ceiling. Who doesn't love looking at a white ceiling? It's so entertaining.

He comes back.

"We forgot water."

"We're dumb."

He nods, walking over and sitting on the bed. He grabs the bag from the store, setting it between us. The stupid marshmallows came from there. He takes the honey that rests on my leg and pours it all over the raspberries. This is art. He holds the container in front of me. I take a few.

"You weren't serious about moving kingdoms and stuff?"

"Not at all."

Honey raspberries are amazing. Anything with honey is good... except dirt or wood, nothing can make those taste better.

"You lie a lot."

"You too."

"I only lied a few times, and it was survival."

"How so?"

"I wasn't going to tell the guy that kept bringing me to the king that I hated it there. I had to seem happy and not raise suspicion. Had to make it seem like I wanted him to steal my kingdom."

"It was obvious you weren't happy."

"No, I'm a great actor."

"I watched the light fade from your eyes every day. It was easy to tell you weren't going to stay away for long. You didn't plan your escape well."

"I had nothing to work with."

He nods. "Me."

"Well sorry, but I didn't know any of this was going to happen."

"Me neither. You weren't part of the plan."

"What was the plan?"

"I go unicorn hunting for a while and bring some back to the kingdom."

"There ya' go, lying again."

"No."

"Your voice changes when you lie."

"Yours too."

I roll over and stare out the window. Across the street are buildings with opened windows that lead to offices. They don't look cool or anything, no color. Sad and stressed humans sit in the plain, black chairs, messing with white papers. They wear basic shirts and pants. How miserable.

"Do you think they're being held against their will?"

"Who?"

I point across the street. "The humans."

He leans over me, inspecting the poor humans.

"Possibly."

He sits back down, eating more fruit. I take a few more.

"Tell me something."

"Something."

"Not that, tell me something I don't know."

"Like?"

"Why you tricked everyone you were mute. I need to know your lure."

"Not if I don't know yours."

I turn back over to him. All of me is sore, waiting to see my parents, everyone. I can't wait to see all the animals again, my bed, the colorful windows of the palace, and all the lovely citizens. I can't wait to see the multi-color roses, soft grass, the little ants and bees. I miss so many things. These cities don't have color, personality, or anything unique about them.

"We look nothing alike."

He nods.

"Our homes are the exact opposite."

He nods again.

"Yet somehow, we're friends."

He looks at me. "How?"

"Well, we're together all the time, share food, rooms and everything friends do. Don't you have friends?"

"I did."

"What happened?"

"She's with the gods."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

His eyebrows furrow. "You aren't the reason for her dying. Don't apologize."

"Okay."

He offers me more fruit, but I reject. I'm too sad to keep eating. Too sad for me, for him. I couldn't imagine one of my friends dying. He puts the stuff away before laying on his stomach, burying his face in the pillow.

"Tell me your life." His voice is muffled.

"Um... I was born, then raised, then taught stuff, then got kidnapped and now I'm here."

He turns toward me, frowning.

"That's all?"

"No, once ma told me that I would turn into a strawberry if I didn't shower, and someone would eat me. I was so scared that I didn't eat strawberries for the longest time, not wanting to eat someone."

His frown lessons. "That's wonderful."

"No, it's not. I missed out on strawberries for five years."

"Makes it even better."

I poke his shoulder. He flicks my nose.

"Tell me about you."

"I have a brother and breathe a lot."

"Something I don't know about you. I told you something you didn't know."

"I already knew that."

"How?"

"I'm your uncle, I know everything."

"What's my birthday?"

"The day you were born."

"Wow, you do know everything."

He nods before burying his face back in the pillow. I mindlessly stare at the ceiling. This is boring. What does a gal have to do to get home? If only I knew how to summon unicorns. Could summon one to take us to my home. I should have paid more attention to everything or read other books besides the ones that are about humans. It's all their fault I'm here...

It's my fault. My dumb self-letting myself get kidnapped. Who gets kidnapped anyways? I've never heard of it happening outside of books or plays. This is crazy.

There's tapping noise. It's slow at first but rapidly becomes faster. There's no movement? I look around the room- oh, stupid rain. The window becomes blurry as water slides down the smooth surface. How great. Just got away from the rain, only for more to come back. The rain has separation anxiety.

I lay back down on my back. My skin is sore, all of me is sore. I'm miserable. This is all miserable.

"We should go somewhere."

He hums. I mess with the ends of his hair, the longer section anyways.

"Who cuts your hair?"

"Me."

"It's nice. Good job."

He mumbles something. Very good at talking he is.

"You still never told me anything."

A/N: How are y'all?