A Viking, Willa, Josiah And His Lamb In A Truck | ✔

In Which She Meets The Boy And His Lamb

"Why are you stopping now? Aren't we in a hurry to reach the motel before it gets too dark?" I asked tartly, seeing a dark figure among white blobs at a distance on the vacant road. The Viking made no comment, slowing the rattling truck till we reached the dark figure and the white blobs which turned out to be a young boy holding a white, scrawny lamb smothered between fluffy sheep. "This looks like they're straight out of a typical, rural painting. Kinda beautiful."

The Viking raised his eyebrows at hearing a rare compliment instead of a sour complaint from me. The teenage boy who I found particularly more beautiful than his fluffy companions appeared close to the Viking's window who gestured him to hop in the back. I unfastened my seatbelt, swiftly flung the door open and jumped down.

"What are you doing?"

"I found a better company so I'll join him in the back." I shut the door before he could oppose.

The nice-looking boy was holding the tailgate, clicking his tongue repeatedly as a way of commanding his companions inside. I sheepishly followed the herd, hoping to catch his eye but he didn't spare a glance at me. Once he had settled opposite to me, the Viking started driving the truck again.

The soft sunlight spilling on his dark caramel skin made him look golden in a sea of three white sheep. His deep-set eyes with his furrowed black eyebrows were concentrated somewhere far in the passing meadows. He occasionally rubbed the nearby sheep's skin while his other hand was protectively wrapped around the snug looking lamb.

I stared at the lamb with a tinge of hatred and envy.

"Hey, do I know you?" I began with the first pick-up line that I could vaguely recall having read online. The boy briefly looked at me. "Because you look like my next boyfriend." 

That sentence came out in such a nervous, croaky voice that before I had the chance of seeing his reaction, I hung my head down in frustration and embarrassment.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, Willa! This is why you're going to die alone.

When I looked up, he was still viewing the lush meadows which were luminous under the setting sun and I thought of giving another shot.

"Hello, again." Spotting a new gap between him and the lamb, I bravely got up and squeezed myself in between. He shifted and from up close, I could see the faint reflection of the sunlight swirling in his brown eyes, now a candescent, amber colour. I said another pick-up line, "Can I follow where you're going?"

This time, he confusingly blinked at me.

"Because my parents always tell me to follow my dreams," I finished in the same croaky voice and his nose upturned. "What?"

"Are you smelling?" he finally said in a hushed voice and I not-so-discreetly sniffed my armpits.

"Please tell me that's a pick-up line. Like you smell like my future or something like that."

He shook his head and I could smell the filthiness on me, from when I had hidden under the truck to scare the Viking.

"For fuck's sake!" I swore and just then I could feel my hair getting pulled. I whipped my head to the other side only to find the lamb chewing my fine hair. I battled with the annoying creature until my poor hair was freed from its vicious clutches.

Without another pick-up line, I got up and sat as far as I could from the boy and the lamb.