Book of Aurelio - Chapter Two
I lost track of time. I knew I would. A memory stirred. I had gotten lost on a hiking trail once after taking the wrong switch back. What was supposed to be a four-hour hike turned into twelve. I wasn't in the best physical shape and I was exhausted. My feet were swollen and I had used up my water long ago.
I was beyond tired but I refused to rest. I thought if I rested then that would just add more time. I didn't want to be stuck after dark and the sun was already making its descent. During that tenth or eleventh hour my world shrunk down to the few feet in front of me. Keep going, Leo. I might be stupid; but I am tenacious. Keep going...
The next thing I remembered is stumbling into something that wouldn't yield. Brush and plants I more or less just trampled or got bounced to the side of. Trees and boulders I followed the shape of until I finally went past. I couldn't do that with... this. It creaked. I made myself look at this asshole of a thing that would bar my path. A fence. I smirked. Yes, it was a-fence-ive. And if there was a fence, there was a gate. I reached out and put a hand on the closest post and lifted my head to look up and down the fence line. I could not find it. Or it wasn't anywhere near me.
Wearily I looked up and the darkhouse loomed over me, foreboding. It was maybe a hundred yards away? The architecture of it seemed odd. It looked nothing like any dar- I mean, lighthouses I've seen. I managed to lift a hand and middle finger at the darkhouse. I'm getting in there somehow. I didn't care how dangerous it looked.
I looked at the fence again and figured I could just crawl underneath. Right, I thought. Let's get cracking. I got down on all fours in the mud and the cold and immediately blacked out.
---
I smelled something... good. Food? It smelled nice and spicy. I smelled something else. Meat. Who cooked it? I almost decided to open my eyes. If opened my eyes and someone was here they'd know I was awake and they'd want to talk. It might turn out okay. It might not. I didn't have enough strength for a fight. For the mean time, I'm alive. But I'm also very, very tired. Am I hungry? Yes but more tired than hungry. I noticed that there was a weight upon me like heavy blankets. Whoever it was was trying to save my life at least. So maybe that meant I was safe. I let myself relax and let the void take me again. At least this time it was consentual.
---
I woke up again in a coughing fit. It felt like my lungs were full of fluid and I forced myself to sit up so I could breathe. A voice called out, stern and warning. I did not understand a single word. I coughed and coughed into my hands for a good moment, greenish yellow phlegm collected in my palms. Fucking hell. I glanced up at the voice. A woman covered head to toe in furs. At least I'm sure it was a woman under all that. Brilliant jade green eyes glared out at me. A foot away from my face she brandished a... machete? It looked nice and sharp too. My people were all about machetes. She shouted something again and I frowned. The words did not sound familiar at all. Did I hit my head? Did I lose the ability to comprehend language?
The machete got closer to my face but I was breathing too heavily to say anyting. I was barely getting enough oxygen. I just extended my arms and showed her the phlegm. I'm sick you fool! She glanced at it and frowned as well, lowering the machete a fraction and seemed deep in thought. I kept my hands in my lap careful not to spill it. I suppose she saw that because she sighed and stomped away and came back with a rag and threw it at me. It landed on my covers and I glanced up at her. She just nodded impatiently so I took the rag and wiped my hands and carefully put it aside.
My breathing eventualled evened out but I was still sure that I wasn't getting enough oxygen. My lungs were probably full of fluid. I felt like shit. The woman said something again, something short and stern. I just looked at her and shook my head. My mind compared her intonations against any languages I was familiar with; Tagalog, Samoan, Hawaiian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Russian. Nothing rang. "I don't think I speak anything you speak," I muttered hoarsely just barely able to get it out. I felt almost winded. Fuck. That's not a good sign.
The woman paused looking confused and spoke again. It sounded different. Harsher. Felt harder than the words spoken before. Kind of like Klingon I guess. I shook my head. That made me dizzy and I just noticed I had a migraine. Fucking great. She spoke again and it sounded a little melodious. There was a rhythm to it; low, high, low, high. It sounded nice but I shook my head. She did this several more times. Several more times I shook my head and several more times none of her words matched anything even remotely close to any languages I knew. She looked even more confounded. I smiled. I was confounded as well.
But some things don't require language. I was quite hungry and stared at the pot over the fire. She came out of her thoughts and turned to see what I was looking at and she made surprised and apologetic noises. I just smiled and nodded and watched her. She removed her head cover and gloves when she got to the fire revealing brown-red hair tied into a bun. Her cheekbones and jaw were sharp but not gaunt. She was quite beautiful.
I couldn't place her age. The firelight might have been playing tricks with my eyes. One moment she seemed inappropriately young and the next she seemed matronly. She began to sweat and tucked some stray hairs behind her ears- her pointed ears. Okay... I must have made a sound because she glanced sharply at me as she stirred the pot, bowl and utensil in the other hand. I made my face as neutral as I could make it and kept my eyes on the pot of whatever deliciousness was in it and she returned to her task. Jeez, Leo. Can we make this MORE awkward?
After a minute she returned bowl in hand, the other hand resting on the machete at her waist. I decided to ignore that and graciously accepted what looked like a stew. It was delicious. But maybe anything would be delicious to a starved and near-dead person. It was creamy with something like potatoes in it and big chunks of meat, maybe beef? The textures were slightly off but it was very edible. I set into my meal ferociously which made the woman laugh a little. She caught herself and went on guard again.
I solemnly nodded at that. I was a man alone with a woman. I was a stranger. I was a strange stranger who did not speak a common language with her. Where did I come from? What was I doing out in that storm? I glanced at the windows. It was still raining but less so. Good questions all. Or maybe a better question she could be wondering was What was I? As far as I knew, this place, this world may be full of... Elves? I was the minority. Maybe a minority of one at that.
The woman made to take the bowl from me but I moved it a little out of her reach and she stopped. I looked into her pretty green eyes and gestured to myself and said, "Aurelio Wu." And I gestured at her. She paused for a moment and I thought she maybe misunderstood until she spoke. I didn't get it. I made her repeat herself a few more times and I tried it out, "Lusserinia Mornorin." So many R's. She nodded and smiled. I could call her Luz; I had an aunt Luz. Or Nia? She gestured at me and said my name perfectly, "Aurelio Wu." Jeez, Ms. Perfect over here. I nodded. "Call me Leo. Leo." "Leo," she repeated and I smiled. I'd only ever heard Aurelio when I was a kid getting scolded. I gestured at her, "Luz?" She shook her head, "Lusserinia." I shrugged. Alright, she's formal then.
"Lusserinia," I bowed my head in deference. "Thank you so much," I sobbed. The events of the past 24 or so hours finally crashing upon me. Being thrust into this place. Struggling in an unknown world. Almost dying. Still maybe about to die. I hurt so much, mentally and physically. Now I'm in a place where I knew no one and could barely communicate. Am I ever going to see my family again? My cat, Buu? My body wracked with sobs. I didn't realize how absolutely distraught I felt until then.
Oh my. What am I doing? Keep it together, Leo. You're guest in this house. Luz doesn't need any of that. I brought my head back up and looked at her lifting a free hand. "Sorry, sorry. I'm sorry." I took deep breaths to control my breathing and wiped my face on my arms. "I didn't mean to." I looked away.
I didn't notice Luz had gotten next to me and put a hand on my shoulder and looked worriedly at me. I smiled. "It's fine. I'm fine." I lifted the bowl towards her. "Please?" Luz said something and nodded before taking the bowl away from me. Before she came back I fell back asleep.
I was beyond tired but I refused to rest. I thought if I rested then that would just add more time. I didn't want to be stuck after dark and the sun was already making its descent. During that tenth or eleventh hour my world shrunk down to the few feet in front of me. Keep going, Leo. I might be stupid; but I am tenacious. Keep going...
The next thing I remembered is stumbling into something that wouldn't yield. Brush and plants I more or less just trampled or got bounced to the side of. Trees and boulders I followed the shape of until I finally went past. I couldn't do that with... this. It creaked. I made myself look at this asshole of a thing that would bar my path. A fence. I smirked. Yes, it was a-fence-ive. And if there was a fence, there was a gate. I reached out and put a hand on the closest post and lifted my head to look up and down the fence line. I could not find it. Or it wasn't anywhere near me.
Wearily I looked up and the darkhouse loomed over me, foreboding. It was maybe a hundred yards away? The architecture of it seemed odd. It looked nothing like any dar- I mean, lighthouses I've seen. I managed to lift a hand and middle finger at the darkhouse. I'm getting in there somehow. I didn't care how dangerous it looked.
I looked at the fence again and figured I could just crawl underneath. Right, I thought. Let's get cracking. I got down on all fours in the mud and the cold and immediately blacked out.
---
I smelled something... good. Food? It smelled nice and spicy. I smelled something else. Meat. Who cooked it? I almost decided to open my eyes. If opened my eyes and someone was here they'd know I was awake and they'd want to talk. It might turn out okay. It might not. I didn't have enough strength for a fight. For the mean time, I'm alive. But I'm also very, very tired. Am I hungry? Yes but more tired than hungry. I noticed that there was a weight upon me like heavy blankets. Whoever it was was trying to save my life at least. So maybe that meant I was safe. I let myself relax and let the void take me again. At least this time it was consentual.
---
I woke up again in a coughing fit. It felt like my lungs were full of fluid and I forced myself to sit up so I could breathe. A voice called out, stern and warning. I did not understand a single word. I coughed and coughed into my hands for a good moment, greenish yellow phlegm collected in my palms. Fucking hell. I glanced up at the voice. A woman covered head to toe in furs. At least I'm sure it was a woman under all that. Brilliant jade green eyes glared out at me. A foot away from my face she brandished a... machete? It looked nice and sharp too. My people were all about machetes. She shouted something again and I frowned. The words did not sound familiar at all. Did I hit my head? Did I lose the ability to comprehend language?
The machete got closer to my face but I was breathing too heavily to say anyting. I was barely getting enough oxygen. I just extended my arms and showed her the phlegm. I'm sick you fool! She glanced at it and frowned as well, lowering the machete a fraction and seemed deep in thought. I kept my hands in my lap careful not to spill it. I suppose she saw that because she sighed and stomped away and came back with a rag and threw it at me. It landed on my covers and I glanced up at her. She just nodded impatiently so I took the rag and wiped my hands and carefully put it aside.
My breathing eventualled evened out but I was still sure that I wasn't getting enough oxygen. My lungs were probably full of fluid. I felt like shit. The woman said something again, something short and stern. I just looked at her and shook my head. My mind compared her intonations against any languages I was familiar with; Tagalog, Samoan, Hawaiian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Russian. Nothing rang. "I don't think I speak anything you speak," I muttered hoarsely just barely able to get it out. I felt almost winded. Fuck. That's not a good sign.
The woman paused looking confused and spoke again. It sounded different. Harsher. Felt harder than the words spoken before. Kind of like Klingon I guess. I shook my head. That made me dizzy and I just noticed I had a migraine. Fucking great. She spoke again and it sounded a little melodious. There was a rhythm to it; low, high, low, high. It sounded nice but I shook my head. She did this several more times. Several more times I shook my head and several more times none of her words matched anything even remotely close to any languages I knew. She looked even more confounded. I smiled. I was confounded as well.
But some things don't require language. I was quite hungry and stared at the pot over the fire. She came out of her thoughts and turned to see what I was looking at and she made surprised and apologetic noises. I just smiled and nodded and watched her. She removed her head cover and gloves when she got to the fire revealing brown-red hair tied into a bun. Her cheekbones and jaw were sharp but not gaunt. She was quite beautiful.
I couldn't place her age. The firelight might have been playing tricks with my eyes. One moment she seemed inappropriately young and the next she seemed matronly. She began to sweat and tucked some stray hairs behind her ears- her pointed ears. Okay... I must have made a sound because she glanced sharply at me as she stirred the pot, bowl and utensil in the other hand. I made my face as neutral as I could make it and kept my eyes on the pot of whatever deliciousness was in it and she returned to her task. Jeez, Leo. Can we make this MORE awkward?
After a minute she returned bowl in hand, the other hand resting on the machete at her waist. I decided to ignore that and graciously accepted what looked like a stew. It was delicious. But maybe anything would be delicious to a starved and near-dead person. It was creamy with something like potatoes in it and big chunks of meat, maybe beef? The textures were slightly off but it was very edible. I set into my meal ferociously which made the woman laugh a little. She caught herself and went on guard again.
I solemnly nodded at that. I was a man alone with a woman. I was a stranger. I was a strange stranger who did not speak a common language with her. Where did I come from? What was I doing out in that storm? I glanced at the windows. It was still raining but less so. Good questions all. Or maybe a better question she could be wondering was What was I? As far as I knew, this place, this world may be full of... Elves? I was the minority. Maybe a minority of one at that.
The woman made to take the bowl from me but I moved it a little out of her reach and she stopped. I looked into her pretty green eyes and gestured to myself and said, "Aurelio Wu." And I gestured at her. She paused for a moment and I thought she maybe misunderstood until she spoke. I didn't get it. I made her repeat herself a few more times and I tried it out, "Lusserinia Mornorin." So many R's. She nodded and smiled. I could call her Luz; I had an aunt Luz. Or Nia? She gestured at me and said my name perfectly, "Aurelio Wu." Jeez, Ms. Perfect over here. I nodded. "Call me Leo. Leo." "Leo," she repeated and I smiled. I'd only ever heard Aurelio when I was a kid getting scolded. I gestured at her, "Luz?" She shook her head, "Lusserinia." I shrugged. Alright, she's formal then.
"Lusserinia," I bowed my head in deference. "Thank you so much," I sobbed. The events of the past 24 or so hours finally crashing upon me. Being thrust into this place. Struggling in an unknown world. Almost dying. Still maybe about to die. I hurt so much, mentally and physically. Now I'm in a place where I knew no one and could barely communicate. Am I ever going to see my family again? My cat, Buu? My body wracked with sobs. I didn't realize how absolutely distraught I felt until then.
Oh my. What am I doing? Keep it together, Leo. You're guest in this house. Luz doesn't need any of that. I brought my head back up and looked at her lifting a free hand. "Sorry, sorry. I'm sorry." I took deep breaths to control my breathing and wiped my face on my arms. "I didn't mean to." I looked away.
I didn't notice Luz had gotten next to me and put a hand on my shoulder and looked worriedly at me. I smiled. "It's fine. I'm fine." I lifted the bowl towards her. "Please?" Luz said something and nodded before taking the bowl away from me. Before she came back I fell back asleep.
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