The Akira Files

The First Meeting

Akira's  POV

It was about mid to late morning, when I finally moved again. I had stayed up all night and I knew I wouldn't be resting anytime soon. I shook my head quickly to try and wake myself up. This helped very little as my head started to pound harder. I gently raised my hand, gently rubbing where a bump had now formed. I pulled my hand away sharply when I didn't feel the familiar length of hair. I reassured myself that this was going to be my normal from now on and that it was necessary to keep myself alive.

I stood uneasily, stamping my foot that had fallen asleep some time after I had sat down. I walked over to where my clothes were laid out to dry. I had put them on one of the warm rocks facing the rising sun, hoping to dry them quicker. I picked them up and felt the fabric for any moisture. Still damp, but not bad, they should dry out quick enough and I really can't spend too much time here.

I took off my cloak and put on the damp clothes, crinkling my nose as the dampness stole some of my body heat. I glanced at myself in the water to see how bad my hair looked and it was still a disaster. I tried my best to stop it from sticking multiple ways but it was hopeless.

I sighed before giving up. How do short haired people deal with this? Oh well, who will see me out here anyway. I don't think there are any towns for miles around.

I picked up my cloak and hooked the chain to the other side. After taking a few gulps of water from the stream just ahead of the spring, I began the walk back into the forest. I crossed the stream by jumping from rock to slippery rock. My foot slipped on a patch of slime moss but luckily I caught myself but not before earning a nice scratch on my hand.

Great, like I didn't have enough to deal with and now this. I just have to bandage it and hope it doesn't get infected. I looked through the many pockets in my cloak before pulling out an old piece of fabric that I had probably stuck in there almost a year ago. I glared at it.

"Why couldn't you have been an actual bandage? Why don't I have anything useful? I should have thought this running away thing better." Though, I hadn't had much time to plan anything out with all that went on that night. I hung my head, jumping to the bank of the stream, before turning to my hurt hand. Of course I don't exactly have much time... Time was never on my side.

 I looked at it and winced, it hadn't stopped bleeding. I looked at it more closely and realized I had sliced the palm right through the middle with smaller scrapes surrounding it. This was just getting better and better. I used my left hand to tie, or try to tie, the cloth into place. It would just slip off or spin when I tried to wrap it. I finally decided that I would have to walk and continue trying or risk being caught by them. Dumb rock, dumb people, dumb country, stupid me.

A few hours later and the fabric was roughly tied around my hand. By now the sun was high in the sky meaning it was a bit after lunch. My stomach let out a low growl, yep it was definitely lunch time. I tried not to think about my hunger as I kept walking through the forest but it was just so darn hard. I mean, I hadn't eaten since I left and that was what, 3 days ago now?

"Ugh..." I slumped over a bit, my hand on my stomach. I have to find some food and soon. I need to keep my strength up.

I leaned against the tree waiting for the pain to stop, then I pushed myself off the tree and straightened back up trying to ignore the gnawing hunger twisting my stomach.

Wait...What's that smell. It smells like...food. But there isn't a village for miles. I'm going crazy... but I want food... Follow the food scent anyway, just follow the food. I convinced myself.

I kept walking, and stumbled upon a worn down road. I looked up and down before turning to the right and once again following the scent of food. It wasn't an hour later when I happened upon a set of giant gates looming over the forest. I looked up at them and brushed the back of my head. 'Well... this was unexpected. Looks like I was wrong. Go figure.