Chapter 6: Same

Chapter 6: SAME

Unconsciously, Dustine find himself smiling because of what Dawn said. His smile full of sincerity. 

When Dawn vanished his sight, and he assume that she is already safe ahead, he turns and went back to the territory as fast as he can so that no one can see him. He went straight to his place, drinking his favorite.

Dawn keep herself running on the forest because even though she is outside of the territory, she’s still in the forest and no one knows what awaits you there, especially that she still feels sick. 

Her breathing became uneven when she heard a rustles nearing in her side, then an audible footstep. She forced herself to come down so that she can focus and make up a plan for her escape. Since, she can’t run fast because her head is throbbing and her body feels so heavy. 

“E-Excuse me,” she gasped when she heard a husky voice. It’s obviously from a guy.

Dawn double think if she will face the owner of the voice. However, because she is afraid that it might be a guard or someone from the territory she just run away. 

“Miss?” there it goes again. 

So, Dawn face it so that she can run away and go back to the house, where her best friend is, but funny how she didn’t know that Xio is inside the dungeon cell also in the Dustine’s territory. 

“Yes? Do you need anything, Mister?” she asked the stranger. 

The man looks back and forth before saying; “Yeah. I’m James, James Nikcolaii. And I think I lost my track here. I’ll be going to Canagan, but I found myself here in the forest… I think I am lost. No. I’m lost,” He stated.

Dawn stared at him. “And then?” the man taken a back of what she said. “What do you want me to do?” she maybe sounded rude but she means it. 

The conversation made her sick even more. She wants to get out of the forest and go back to the house where she belongs. She doesn’t want to stay there any longer but how can she goes back when her feet and body didn’t feel good?

“Do you know at least where the way to get out of here?” the man asked frankly. 

Dawn nodded. She memorized the forest a long time.

“Yeah. But if you’re in hurry I think I can’t help you faster… My body feels sick.”

She tells honestly, and she is hopeful that the man in front of her will help her at least. So far, it’s a win-win situation for them. Dawn will guide the man’s way out and the man will help her to get out fast, just like what she wants.

“Miss, I’m in hurry. Can you tell me at least the exact and right directions that will guide me?” 

No.

The first word comes in Dawns’ mind.

“I want you to help me stand or walk. Then I’ll help you way out. I’ll guide you out.” Dawn’s mind is made up so, she said it with finality. 

James blinked twice.  Because of Dawn bluntness.

“S-Sure.” He just said because either him has no choice but to grab Dawn’s offer. 

“That’s nice. Come here and allow me to hold on you so that I can walk a little bit faster.” 

He obliged for what Dawn asked for.

They are walking in the forest, Dawn’s one arm encircling on James shoulder. Dawn leading the way out just like what she said. 

When they are about to reach the road to Canagan they saw a battalion of people protesting, it’s more like they are making noise, they are making a violent disturbance. 

“What’s going on?” James asked, curiously.

Even Dawn, didn’t know what’s exactly going on. She just left for a night and this happened. But she knows some of the rally people are not from Canagan. They are outsiders, an immigrant. The people are holding baggage’s in their hand as they were fighting to the villager of Canagan. Both the immigrant and the villagers are furious. 

“I don’t know.” She answered in whisper.

She was taken aback when a woman, carrying a child thrown away to her feet. The woman is in the ground, sitting because some of the people pushed her away. Both the woman and the child are crying and the people of Canagan, including Mrs. Oreio, shouting at the woman. While some of the other people pushing outsiders out. 

‘Oh my god! What a welcome scene. I guess I don’t want to leave this place for the whole night if this is what will happen if I come back.’ Dawn didn’t voice out her thought away. 

She held a gripped tightly on James shirt, it’s a bit crumbled by now, while watching the woman and the people in riot. It’s such a big mess, and it’s causing Dawn a head ache.

“YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED HERE!!!!!! GET OUT!!!!”

One of the people shouted at the woman in Dawn’s feet. 

Dawn feels so helpless and she pitied the woman and child. Even if her feet and body feel good she forced herself to sit on her knees to help the woman. 

“What are you doing? You’ll cause too much damage for what are you doing. That’s too risky, get up!”

James begged Dawn not to include herself in the riot but Dawn never listened to him, she just want to help the woman and the child. 

So, James just help them also. He made the woman stand and simply walk her on side while the people provoke her busy arguing with each other. Luckily, no one saw them while walking away. In her Dawn’s mind, she wanted the woman and the child to be safe and that’s all that matter for her, right at the moment. 

Dawn face James and say; “Let’s go to my house.” 

Even though James have different agenda why he is in the Canagan, nodded and obliged of what’s Dawn’s said. 

Dawn again lead the way to her house. 

She sighed in relief that no one sees them sneaking out of the riot. The riot that eventually lay down, when the people went at peace. 

James staring at Dawn for so long, as she opened the door house for them to enter, because Dawn seems familiar in his eyes. He shakes his head and divert his attention into something when Dawn notice that he is staring at her.

The house is made out of woods but the window and the wraparound porch help to enhances its beauty. There are also plantation of flowers and fabricated grass in front, that the dazzling color of them glow together with the sun rays. 

“Are you his husband?” the woman asked him because she notice his stare at Dawn too. 

Because of shock, James nearly choked by his own saliva. He didn’t saw it coming. When he already got back to senses and the woman sink in.

He answers; “No. Just like you, she just me help me out.” 

The woman seems contented by his answer but she also sheepishly smiles because she knows that if ever they were creating a great couple and relationship together.

“Come on in. I think my best friend left for a reason but I know she will come up for a moment later.” Dawn open the door widely so that they can enter fully including, James.

Dawn at first get shock when there’s no Xio showed up to greet her or at least welcome her home and urge her to tell her, -Xio- of what happened to her but there’s none and she just think that Xio is out for work, which is definitely not because Xio is inside of the dungeon cell in the Dustine’s territory.

“Please let me out. I’m begging you.” Xio once again cried for help.

When the guards approach together with the master Dustine, Xio made a scene so that they can notice her and what Xio did was successful because Dustine notice her and her cries. 

“Master, why did you stop?” one of the guards asked him when he suddenly stop mid-way out of the dungeon. 

It’s been hours passed since he made Dawn out of the dungeon and from their territory. There is no time that he felt guilty of what he did. He just makes sure that no one would notice that one of the rouge are out of there place.

“Is it one of the rouge?” he asked the guard instead answering the question. 

All of the guard, nodded to answer his question. 

“Yes. We caught her but she keeps on insisting that she is one of the rouge and she needed to get back for her best friend.” 

Something inside of Dustine’s mind snapped when he remembered that he encountered the same story with Dawn. 

“Were they are talking to each other?” Dustine asked in himself in his mind.