Dead Dreams

Thirty-one

I hadn't managed to win one round of musical chairs. That was probably due to our different physical abilities, which he did not handicap in the slightest. I think that might be because I pissed him off, but it was worth it.

For some reason, I found that his talk about being a god earlier didn't bother me as much as using his voice for it did. No matter how much power he has, it's really only important how he uses it. So far, he doesn't really seem terrible. He's just annoying, so if anything I would say he was like a trickster god. Always laughing at others inconveniences. Such a god isn't something I would really consider evil.

Especially since said god is carrying me back to my camp. He seems to have an understanding that if I just returned to camp in the morning everyone would throw a huge fuss. I need to have a natural return, which means making it look like I walked back myself.

I ride on his back, my hands clutching the back of his shirt. He has his hands on my ankles, bending up my legs in a way that makes it impossible for me to kick or move my legs properly. He had assumed the position after a few minutes of me struggling to get down. I've stopped that now, just letting him go. My feet hurt anyway so I might as well use this time to rest. My eyes struggle to stay open, and I let them drift closed sometimes. I only open them again when it seems like I'll fall asleep. He hasn't helped me stay awake either. For once other than when we are concentrating on playing games, he's being entirely silent. His presence makes me sleepy too. I must be used to being put to sleep by him.

I'm tempted to start up a conversation just to make me more alert, but my brain is so foggy with sleep I can't think of anything. Instead, I take to flicking the pieces of his hair that stick up oddly, like they've been cut a different length from the rest. Eventually, a topic comes to mind.

"What's your name?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" He seems confused by the question, but doesn't turn to look at me. Probably because I'd end up flicking him in the face.

"I thought you wouldn't want me referring to you as a freak all the time."

"Don't worry, I like it best when you call me that. You shouldn't bother with my real name. It's not like I use yours."

For a minute I narrow my eyes on him, ready to leave it at that. Then I think for a minute about what he said.

"You know my name?"

I notice that he takes a little longer to respond than he normally does.

"It would be hard not to know, really."

Yeah, I don't believe that. "Sure."

I take to resting my eyes again. It feels like only a short time has passed when he stops, and finally puts me down, pointing in the direction he was walking in.

"Your camp is about two minutes that way. I'd walk you there myself, but you have a pest with sharp senses hanging around. Even you should be able to get back safely at this distance though." he turns and walks back in the direction he came in, putting one hand in his pocket and lazily waving his other. He doesn't bother to look back. "See you in a few hours, sunshine."

I watch as he walks through the woods, eventually disappearing out of sight. What a gentleman. I roll my eyes and mentally prepare myself for the next few minutes. I'm probably going to be yelled at for getting lost again.

He wasn't lying when he said the walk was only about two minutes. Before I know it, I can see the light from a fire. A tent blocks my view, so I can't actually see the fire, but it doesn't sound like anyone is near it. They might be sleeping instead. Just as I make a move to get through the last stretch of trees, my eyes draw off to the right and I stop short.