Stephen, Bacon and I came across small town two weeks later. We had been together for about a month, and Stephen still hadn't figured out I was a girl. I just figured he was stupid. But, he had learned a lot of things quickly. He could now hunt, kill, skin and cook an animal without my help. He still came to me to make sure the berries and mushrooms he found weren't poisonous. We had a problem with some berries about a week and a half ago, when he picked some poisonous ones and almost ate them. I had luckily been there and had tackled him, then had thoroughly berated him on his carelessness.
I was surprised by the town and stopped suddenly. Stephen wasn't paying attention and ran into me, knocking me over. I landed on my stomach and Stephen landed on top of me. All of my breath left my lungs and I struggled to breathe. Stephen's hands were on my waist, his body pressed against mine. I pressed my forehead into the ground and gritted my teeth, struggling not to yell at him to get his body off of mine. Stephen rolled off of me, and turned me over, concern filled in his eyes.
"Are you all right?" he asked, making me sit up. I coughed and inhaled a shaky breath. I gave a thumbs up as I continued to cough air back into my lungs. I fell back onto the ground, staring at the sky. "You're heavy."
Stephen chuckled, "I guess, much heavier than you. You're tiny, like a girl!"
I gasped, the gasp turned into a semi-cough choke. Stephen pounded on my back, which didn't help. I pushed him away while I worked on breathing normally, but was then knocked over by a sheep. "What the . . . " I started, looking around. A young man leaned over me, since I was still on the ground. He held out his hand and pulled me up off the ground.
"Sorry about that, Miss. . .?" he asked expectantly, trying to gain control of his sheep while still looking at me. Now that I looked at them from a better angle, they looked a bit more like goats. My eyes widened when I realized what he had said.
Stephen came up and started laughing. "Miss? This is a boy!"
The young man looked uncertainly at him, then looked back at me, his gaze traveling up and down my body. I pleaded with my eyes to him to be quiet. Apparently he got the message since he said, "Well, okay. Sorry about the mistake."
I sighed in relief, picking up Bacon's rope and my bag. The young man studied me, "So, where you guys from?"
"Nowhere in particular," I answered, staring up at him and raising an eyebrow.
He chuckled and held up his hands in a sign of surrender, "Okay, no personal questions. I have another, if you don't mind me asking. Are you guys hungry?"
Stephen looked over at me, realizing I was in charge in this situation. But, I could tell he was hungry. I was hungry also, but I couldn't just trust this new person. I kind of trusted Stephen now, but not enough to tell him where I was from or that I was a girl. He didn't trust me enough to tell me his past, either, so, the feeling was mutual. But, Stephen was stupid. This guy had automatically seen that I was a girl, which was dangerous.
I pursed my lips and kept gazing at the young man. "What state are we in?"
"New Mexico," he stated proudly, looking down at his sheep-goats to make sure they were behaving.
"Ah, I've been here before. Nice state," Stephen said.
"Thanks," the young man said, but he kept looking at me.
I glanced at Stephen, who just looked at the guy in confusion. I guess he wasn't used to being ignored.
"Where would we be eating?" I asked, folding my arms across my chest.
"At my house. I live with my mother, five sisters and uncle," he said, putting an emphasis that he lived with so many girls. I guess that's how he knew I was one. "They won't mind you guys joining us, we have visitors all the time. This depression is pretty bad, so we share with people who pass by and are hungry. And by the looks of it, you guys are hungry."
Well, he had me there. "Okay. . ." I said slowly. "We'll be leaving right after though."
"Nonsense, you can rest for a while. I also bet you would like to sleep in a building instead of the woods. You can sleep in our barn. The animals will be in there, but they won't bother you. We can also feed your pig," he said brightly.
"Just dinner," I said flatly, narrowing my eyes.
"Okay, just dinner," he said. He started walking into the small town, leading the way. "This way."
I followed him, Stephen trailing behind, looking dejected. I shook my head at his need for attention. I turned around and yelled, "Hurry up!"
His face looked slightly happier when he noticed he was being spoken to, even if I was yelling at him. He caught up quickly and walked beside me, taking my bag. He leaned close to me, whispering, "That guy's pretty weird. I can't believe he thought you were a girl!"
"Ha ha, yeah," I said drily. We turned a corner and saw the young man leading the sheep-goats into a barn. There was a nice log-house beside it. The smell coming out of it was intoxicating. Stephen's stomach rumbled. I looked up at him and chuckled. He chuckled too, lifting his shoulders in a sign of defeat.
I made sure Bacon was taken care of before I even though of eating. After Bacon was eating happily, the young man held out his hand, "My name's Mark."
I took his hand and shook it quickly. He looked down at me. I sighed and rolled my eyes, "Danny."
"Short for Danielle?" he asked playfully.
I glared at him, then looked around for Stephen. He was still outside, chasing chickens. He still hadn't snuck up on an animal. He had always used a trap or the bow and arrows I had made. I had taught him to shoot it somewhat proficiently. I usually had it to shoot birds. "No, Diana."
Mark smiled, "That's a nice name. Pretty, like you."
"How could you tell I was a girl? Because you live with six girls?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said, running his hand through his sandy blonde hair. "You walk like a girl and talk like a girl. I figured you were a girl when I first saw you far away. When I was closer, I was positive."
He reached up and took my hat off, letting my white-blonde hair cascade down my back. He ran his hands through it. "You're very beautiful, Diana."
"Danny?" I heard Stephen's voice from outside. I snatched my hat back and shoved my hair back in it. The hat was safely back on my head when Stephen popped his head in. "Are we going in soon?"
I looked at Mark, who nodded. Stephen went back to stalking a chicken as he waited for us to exit the barn. Mark studied me as we walked. "Why haven't you told him?"
"He just assumed I was a boy, so I didn't correct him. I thought it was better that way, anyway," I shrugged.
"It's a shame to hide all of that beauty," he said, shaking his head. I didn't answer as we headed towards the house. Stephen joined us, totally oblivious of what just happenend. Mark opened the door and held it open for me, letting it slam in Stephen's face. Stephen opened it and gave me a questioning glance. I shrugged.
When Mark went off to find his mother, Stephen leaned in. "Why do I think that that guy doesn't like me? He certainly had taken a liking to you."
"I guess Mark doesn't like being overshadowed by a taller guy," I said.
"Mark? That's his name?" he said. "Also, I agree with the tall thing. He's totally jealous that I'm more attractive than him."
"Yeah, his sisters better watch out," I grinned.
"Yep, they better," he smiled. I rolled my eyes again and chuckled. Mark came back with his mother. I could tell that he had told her I was a girl because she came over to me immediately and hugged me.
"You poor thing! Of course you and your friend can eat here! I also must demand that you stay the night here! You need a night of good rest!" She held me at arm's length and looked at me. "You sure are a pretty one! I heard my boy found you in the woods! What was a poor, little thing like you doing out there?"
"Stephen and I are heading to California," was all I said.
"Yes, everyone's heading out there," she said. She let me go and turned to Stephen. She held out her hand politely. "Nice to meet you."
Stephen opened his mouth to speak when she and Mark took my arms and led me into another room. I glanced back at Stephen, who snapped his mouth shut and silently followed us. I felt kind of bad for him. They were ignoring him.
Mark's mother and Mark led me into a sitting room and sat me down on a couch. Mark's mother made sure I was comfortable and assured me dinner would be ready soon. Mark sat on my left and Stephen came to sit on my right. I bit the inside of my cheek, totally uncomfortable.
"So, will you tell me where you're from now?" Mark asked. I shook my head and he sighed. A little girl of about five ran into the room and stopped when she saw us. Mark held out his hand and beckoned for her to come over. She stuck her thumb in her mouth and walked over, taking Mark's hand. He pulled her up in his lap, having her facing us. "Leah, this is Danny and Stephen. Our guests. Danny and Stephen, this is my little sister, Leah."
"How old are you, Leah?" I asked. Leah held up five fingers. "Five! Wow! Your such a big girl! And very pretty."
Leah smiled and whispered something in Mark's ear. He grinned and glanced at me. Then, he put Leah on the floor and she ran out of the room. She waved before she left. I waved back and called, "Bye, Leah!"
"Leah thinks you're very nice and very pretty," Mark chuckled.
"Apparently everyone thinks you're pretty," Stephen mumbled. I turned towards him and gave him a look. I patted his hand, "Don't worry, Stephen. You're pretty, too."
Mark's mother came back in and announced that dinner was ready. Stephen and I followed Mark into the dining room, which consisted of a wooden table and a bunch of mismatched chairs. Mark pulled one out for me, then he sat on my right. Stephen sat on my right, studying Mark. I took a sip of water just as Stephen leaned over and whispered, "I think Mark is gay." I spewed water everywhere and started choking.
"Whoa! You okay?" Mark asked, rubbing my back, a bit too familiarly. I leaned away and nodded.
"I'm fine," I said, standing up to clean up the mess. Mark's mother rushed in to clean it and told me to sit down and that I was a guest. I slowly sat back down. A few minutes later, the table was completely set and five girls ran in, stopping when they saw us. All of them had sandy blonde hair. They looked about 24, 18, 16, 12 and 5. The two teens were glancing at Stephen and giggling. Leah tugged on the eldest's hand and whispered loud enough for me to hear. "I told you she was pretty."
The oldest girl hushed Leah, "Shh, yes she is." She walked over and held out her hand. "Hello, I'm Mark's older sister, Lila. And that's Mary, Martha, Rose, and, of course, you already met Leah."
"Hello," they all called out.
"Hello," Stephen and I said, taking her hand and shaking it. "I'm Danny and this is Stephen."
Mary and Martha giggled again and sat at the table, the elder by Stephen and the younger one across from him. Leah sat across from me and stared and me and her brother. I knew she was getting ideas in her head that five year olds should not be getting. The two other sisters sat down just when Mark's uncle stormed in, obviously drunk. He staggered in and fell in his chair at the head of the table. Mark's mother sat down at the other end of the table. There was an awkward silence until Stephen asked, "Should we say grace?"
I looked at him, surprised. We never said grace when we ate. Of course, we were alway starving and it was just us. It had been a long time since I had said grace.
"Of course," Mark's mother smiled for the first time at Stephen. She was probably noticing how her two teenage daughters were gawking at him. I felt like she was setting us up with her children. "Everybody hold hands."
I could hear Martha groan in dispair because Mary got to hold Stephen's hand and she didn't. Stephen looked at me and held out his hand. The candle light caught in his eyes and turned them gold and I was momentarily distracted. I gazed at him, realizing just how attractive he was, then shook my head. I could not become attracted to Stephen. It would be awkward, especially since he thought I was a boy. I took his hand and looked away, also taking Mark's. I bowed my head, feeling Stephen's and Mark's hands in mine. Stephen's were rough from new calluses and comfortable in mine. Mark's were rough from old calluses and was and his thumb was making circles over the back of my hand.
After grace and we were all served, Mark's uncle bellowed, "So, who's the broad?"
Everyone gasped, even Stephen, who was probably getting annoyed of people saying I was a girl.
Mark's mother cleared her throat nervously, "This is Danny and Stephen, and there both boys."
"That small one sure looks like a girl. Mark sure is staring at her like she's a girl. I can't really tell, though. Her face is all blurry," he slurred. I saw Mark blush when his uncle said he was staring at me. "Sorry, young chap."
"That's okay," I said. After a moment, everyone started to eat slowly. The tension was high in the room. After dinner, Mark's mother had Mark show us where we would be sleeping.
Mark led us out to the barn and climbed a ladder into the hay loft. He held a lattern up high so we could see our surroundings. It was small, but more comfortable looking than anywhere else we had slept. We thanked him and he left, going back inside the house.
It was so dark without the lattern that I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. I nestled down in the hay, ready to go to sleep. I heard Stephen crawling towards me. He reached out and touched my arm.
"Danny?" he asked, sitting beside me.
"Yeah?"
"I think we should leave here early in the morning. These people are crazy! They all think you're a girl! And those two girls were feeling me up during dinner! It was quite improper!"
"I'm sure," I mumbled, rolling over.
"Danny?" he said uncertainly.
"What?" I asked, growing impatient. I was exhausted and just wanted to go to sleep.
"Can I sleep next to you?"
I sat up, "Are you afraid of the dark?"
"Well, only when it's pitch black. Then I'm afraid that something that I can't see will attack me or that I'll fall and won't be able to save myself," he explained, sounding embarassed. I realized that he had trusted me enough to tell me a secret and I felt guilty that he thought I was a guy and I hadn't told him that I was a girl.
"Sure, Stephen. You can sleep next to me," I said, laying back down.
"Really?" he said, sounding surprised. I didn't answer. I scooted closer to me so that our arms were touching. "Thanks, Danny."
"Stephen?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm. . . I'm from Oklahoma," I said, bitting my lip after I had said it.
There was complete silence after I said it, enhanced by the utter darkness.
Then, "Thanks for telling me, Danny. Good night."
"Good night, Stephen."