The bench was nothing more than a plank, resting on two tree stumps. One wrong move would have made the whole construction fall apart. Someone could have gotten hurt. Not that they cared.
Coden sat facing the forest. He wouldn't talk much about the incident a couple days ago, or at all. United with Remy, they also made Layne and Troy promise not to tell anyone about it. Although Layne couldn't find a good reason for that, he also didn't know one for telling just about anyone – the only person he would have told already knew, anyway. So, that wasn't a problem.
The only thing wrong was how little information did they have. Coden only told them that they saw someone that appeared to be a woman by the well. As soon as they saw each other, she ran off to direction away from the village. They didn't even have a good look. Remy, of course, froze. Coden couldn't go after her with his ankle still hurting. Layne, however, was pretty sure that even if it didn't, Coden just wouldn't have been brave enough. Couldn't blame him for that, too. He was the youngest Reject around, pretty much still a kid.
Layne watched him sit for a while before deciding to join. He was aware that Coden didn't like him all that much, but then again, not that many people did. Coden glanced at him but didn't say a word.
"Don't tell me that seeing some woman shook you so much," said Layne. "Of all that could have happened, this seems like one of the least traumatizing events in the world."
Coden frowned. "It didn't 'shake' me. I'm just wondering, maybe I should tell Victor. What if this is important?"
"I'm sure he knows, Cody."
"Coden. You enjoy doing this to me, don't you?"
"Yeah, maybe." Layne grinned. Coden's frown got deeper and he turned away. "Anyway, remember when we first got here, Victor told us about people who don't play by the rules here?"
"He said they have to leave."
"Ten points to Cody."
"Layne... Just shut up."
"I don't do shutting up, Coden. Now, you think she could be one of those people?"
"Maybe... But they have to live somewhere, right? Wouldn't have survived otherwise."
"Finally you're starting to think like me."
Coden jolted his head to look through his shoulder and slowly brought it back to the previous position. He didn't say anything. From his cold, even scared expression, Layne could tell whose footsteps were nearing them from behind.
"What do you want?" he grumbled.
"Just checking in on you two," Victor responded with the same proud voice as always. One didn't have to look to know he was smiling. "Everything's alright? You look down."
"All's fine." Layne forced out a smile and threw his legs to the other side of the bench to face the elder. "You can go back to your own business now."
"Are you sure? Because I thought I heard you two talk."
"Well, don't you hear everything? Can't two people have a private conversation?"
Coden turned around as well. His lips were twitching. Layne gave him a warning look, hoping he wouldn't tell Victor anything – for everyone's safety, as he thought. That man was not to be trusted.
To Layne's disappointment, Coden began talking. "I was out by the well to bring water. There was someone there."
"Someone there?" Victor raised his eyebrows. "You mean one of us?"
"No. A stranger."
Victor stayed silent for a minute. Layne hoped that he'd turn around and go leave but that, of course, would have been too good for him. "Well, that is possible, of course. Try not to think about it and if you see someone like that again, don't get close. Those people might be almost as dangerous as the animals."
Coden nodded, his face turned pale. Layne squeezed his lips together and locked his eyes with those of the old man. He just wouldn't stop smiling.
"I'm saying that to you," Victor said. "And I'm serious. Unless you'd like to join them."
"Is that a threat or an offer? Either way, I might just think about it."
"Sure hope you're not that stupid."
He left. Finally. Layne took a relieved breath of air and looked at Coden. He was shaking, now.
"Don't tell Remy," he said, his blue eyes wandering around the place as if looking for anyone else listening. "He'd freak out."
"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Victor confirmed it, tho. We need to learn more about those people."
"Do you must? Every time?"
"I'm more surprised of how can you not. Anyway, once your leg fully heals, we should go to the well. You, Troy and me. You'd show us where she went."
"No way. The safe path ends there, you know?"
"Would you rather live the rest of your life in this small village, never knowing what's happening ten meters around you?"
Coden stood. "Curiosity killed the cat, Layne."
"But satisfaction brought it back."
* * *
No light was coming through the gap below the door when Layne woke up, drenched in sweat. The nightmares have been tormenting him for a while now, different each night and similar at the same time. Each featuring his mother, father and Levi. Sometimes, Rissa would be there too.
He stared at the darkness where the ceiling was supposed to be. If he was to fall asleep before waking up completely, there was a chance the dream would come back – that he knew from experience. Only once fully aware of his surroundings, Layne closed his eyes and counted his breaths to help him relax.
It was silent outside. At least that. The noises of the animals would always make it difficult to fall asleep again. They were howling the night before and kept him up for hours just so his lack of sleep would lash out on others. He almost made Remy cry – or maybe he did, who knows what the guy did once he ran away and wouldn't show himself until dinner. Coden's stares hinted that way, too.
Worst part? He couldn't even explain it to anyone. In the Land, it didn't seem like a smart step to go ranting about his dead parents haunting him in his sleep after he killed them. Even during daytime, he'd always think about them. Of course, Layne was aware that his attempts to hide that from everyone made him look overly aggressive at times.
He just didn't care enough.
Seemingly as soon as he fell asleep again, someone shaking him in a harsh manner awaken him.
"Layne, not the day for your usual sleeping-in ritual," Troy reminded. "Malia left to help out with the cooking already."
Layne pushed his hand away and rubbed his eyes. It took a while for the words to sink in, yet as soon as that happened, the man jumped fully awake. He's been waiting for this day for some time now. They had to leave right after breakfast.
"Great," he said. "Let's go."
They stumbled out of the cabin. It's been a while since Layne saw the sky glowing with pink and orange during sunrise. The air appeared to be just as wet as the grass under his feet and morning chill still landed on his face. He used to love waking up early. Of course, back then he wouldn't spend half of the night staring into nothing.
Just like every other morning, they steered towards the lake. Other occupants of the Village would bring themselves some water before going to sleep so that they could get it warmed up over a bonfire in the morning. Troy, however, insisted that washing up with one that's cold would pay off in time, strengthening their immune system. As much as Layne protested the idea at first, he started doing so purely out of convenience. Then, he got used to it.
Besides, mornings by the lake were always nice. There wouldn't be any people there to judge him. That time in particular, the surface of the water was still surrounded by floating fog. He acknowledged that if he was an artist, that view would have inspired him to create something. He wasn't, tho.
"Did you talk to Coden?" Troy knelt on the shore and dipped his hands into the water. The process didn't even make him shiver anymore.
"Yeah, he's still not on board."
"Think we should go alone?"
"I bet I can at least talk him into going to the well with us. We need the direction."
Troy nodded. Layne splashed some ice cold water onto his face. It stung, at first, just like it would every single time. After a couple times, however, his skin got used to the temperature change. The hardest part, of course, was still awaiting.
Troy left to clean his teeth while Layne got to the part he hated the most. Upon throwing down some clothes, he washed off the most needed areas. The cold was harder to bear and he really thought that one of those days, the process would kill him. Perhaps it would have been easier if he'd do that every day, yet personal hygiene was far from the most important of his worries.
When everyone stinks anyway, it stops mattering. Only thing left was the fear of various diseases, drilled into their minds ever since they were perfect Eumain children.
After he was done, he snapped off a little stick from a nearby tree and chewed onto its bark until the tip became bristled. Layne never would have thought he'd miss real toothbrushes and minty flavoured paste.
And that was the routine of living in the Land. He pulled the band out of his hair and combed through the sticky strands with his fingers before putting it back in. If he'd be lucky, sometime through the next week he'd get some homemade soap to not only wash his hair, but do a better scrub of his body. They had to ration it, though.
"All done?" Troy found him standing, staring at the fog.
"Yeah. Breakfast, then we go?"
Once again, Troy just nodded.
* * *
Coden wouldn't go. At least, not willingly. They had a plan, though. Even if it wasn't a good one.
Layne walked with his arms crossed over chest, smiling. The reason for that was right in front of him. Troy dragging Coden by the hand like a stubborn kid after he learns that school isn't just for one day. For once, Layne was glad not to be the one receiving the baby-ing.
"I really hate you both," Coden fussed.
Layne responded with an overly dramatized yawn. Troy glanced at him over his shoulder and chuckled.
The walk to the well was uneventful. Even too much so. Layne would have hoped to have at least Victor to deal with. Otherwise it was just too boring. Once they were there, again, uneventful. Coden frowned and pointed at the direction without a fight. Thinking of which, Layne didn't know why did he even expect one.
Troy released the guy's hand. "You can turn back now."
"You're seriously doing this?"
"Yeah, seems like it."
"And what if you find them?"
"Then, we can find out who they are," Layne answered.
Coden looked back at the path to the Village. Then – at the two men. He sighed. "If Victor finds out, I'm gonna be the first one he interrogates."
"Yeah, that's true." Layne smiled. "Coming with us?"
Coden thought for a little. Finally, he nodded, although the sour expression showed how much he didn't want to.
The three of them made their way through prickly bushes deeper into the forest, way beyond the safe path.