ODE TO THE END: A BALLAD OF BROTHERS

CHAPTER 17

Because of the cultural restriction, the dark boy could not search the city with impunity. To remedy the issue, Naomi was tasked with scouring the area proper. Achim had hoped to keep her within sight and earshot, but he was rarely in a place where he could watch the sun-kissed girl work. It was only after hours of bouncing about the city, that they arrived at a park plaza where a special-citizen bakery was allowed to exist on the line. It was a nice little nook, complete with a pruned garden and clean, if rusted, table sets. Perhaps the visual appeal was required for the bakery to sit in full view. Though Achim was positive that the fresh aroma of sweets floating from the shop did not hurt. As he waited and watched amid a small group of patrons matching his dark aesthetic, Achim was finally able to watch Naomi from afar. Unbeknownst to him, those sitting with Achim followed his attentive gaze and took interest in Naomi as well.

The sun-kissed girl darted about the plaza, another place where only residents were allowed to roam. No sign said as much, but the cultural codex was clear. Naomi was the only one able to search the area without being accosted, and she was as diligent as the day was hot.

She dashed between her fair featured kin as they traversed the open space, but she was easy for Achim to follow. In truth, he was not privy to what Naomi did when the two separated in their search, so he appraised from afar with a thoughtful hand on his chin.

Her style of search was a simple one. Ask the people of the city if they had seen a young boy with Adlai's description. Achim scoffed the first time he saw it, and some of the people she asked did the same, but she seemed undaunted by every blow-off. Some of the citizens would simply be confused by the question, others would actually seem helpful, but none of her efforts would come to fruition. Achim could not be upset though, for he anticipated the futility. Though his assessment of her lack of intelligence seemed all but confirmed.

Achim dragged both his hands across his face. The dark boy groaned, "Why did I even agree to this?" He looked up at Naomi after every dead end, but back at it she went.

Alas, Naomi may have been going nowhere, but at least she was being more discreet about their connection after a day of him nagging her. Good thing too, because given how close they were to the collective attention of the people –

"Achim~," Naomi shouted.

The sun-kissed girl hurried from the center of the plaza to the alley bakery. Giving no heed to the attention she garnered, Naomi put tender hands on Achim before pulling him into the light.

"I have a good feeling about one of the guys I just asked," she happily asserted. "I think you should talk to them this time. Come on. Come on!"

As Achim was yanked from his post and into the eyes of the crowds, he began to immediately feel a tension in the air. "What are you doing," Achim angrily whispered.

The people of the city gave the couple a long, hard look. Achim saw the stranger as well, and he seemed content enough to wait for the pair, but the dark boy was all too aware of the greater discourse. He pulled Naomi back into the alleys beyond the bakery until they could no longer be seen. Now, deep into narrow corridors, out of sight but certainly not out of mind, Achim turned to scold the sun-kissed girl.

"Are you stupid? You're drawing a crowd to us, Again," said Achim. "What if they call one of those gray-guys?"

"Oh, come on, Achim. Warden has not been patrolling as much today. Remember how few of them we've seen?" Naomi grabbed Achim again, her smile contending with his furled brow. "Relax and let's come out of this dirty alley. Come talk to people with me."

Achim ripped himself from Naomi's grasp. "Relax?! What do you think this is? Where do you think we are? This isn't some field trip, Naomi. The way those people look at us - look at me"--