Chapter Text
It was breezy — Brianna was sat down by a tree’s shade. Sent by her mother; she had already finished what she came to do, but still didn’t feel like finally leaving.
Another breeze hit the tree, enough to brush the leaves away and show a fruit that it gave. She tilted her head up — That looks good. Wonder if she reach it?
[…]
Brianna was starting to get pissed off. Pissed off and ready to walk away.
She was ready to turn on her heel and walk back home until she heard footsteps behind her; Brianna sighed:
— “look man, whatever you’re trying to sell me im not—“
Said while turning back, she saw a boy wearing a black robe with white ends. It looked way too big for him but still felt like it fit perfectly:
— “Oh God.”
— “Can I help you with that?” — He said.
[…]
Brianna had heard from some people that in the deep end of the forest there were a small village where a not-so-big amount of people lived in, who somehow looked exactly like the boy who was now trying to reach out for the fruit for her did — at least from what she could make up from overhearing conversations.
— “Aaannnd… There!” — She was cut by her train of thoughts as the boy finally managed to reach for it, grabbing and harvesting it from the tree.
— “Uh- Thanks.” — Grabbing the fruit from his hand.
— “Alsho um- shorry for earlier. I wash rude.” — Said while chewing the bite she had taken. How polite.
— “Yeah hah- uh, It’s.. It’s okay.” — He answered with an awkward laugh, She smiled.
[…]
— “Well um… what did you say was your name again?” — Brianna said, finishing the last bite to her fruit.
— “Huh? Oh- oh yeah, I’m Zip… Zip Price. You can call me just Zip though.”
— “Hm…” — She hummed in approval — “Where did you come from and is it from that freak filled cult from inside here—?”
— “Not from so far inside this forest—“
. . . ?
— “Did you just call them freaks?”
— “No.”
An awkward silence filled in between them.
— “You really are from that cult aren’t you?” — She nagged. He sighed.
— “I wouldn’t say it’s a cult…? We’re just… really… devoted- um… followers. Yeah…”
— “Okay then.” — She sat down by the shade of the tree again, patting on her side motioning for him to sit together.
— “If it’s okay to ask… Your name is?”
— “Since I asked yours…” — She exhaled, before stopping.
— “I’m um…” — a pause. — “B-Brianna. Yeah. Brianna wingo.”
— “Oh, Okay! Alright! Nice to meet you Brianna!” She smiled again, which made him smile back.
[…]
She took a good look at Zip realizing he was in-fact pretty skinny, like if he hadn’t eaten in a week — or hell maybe even longer.
— “Hey are you like.. okay? You look really skinny..” — she said with some concern in her voice.
— “Oh.. uhm a while ago my mom told me not to eat because er- i don’t know how to explain it but our god told us not to eat..” — Zip said as he looked away from Brianna with what she assumed was shame or embarrassment.
— “Excuse me what?! You aren’t allowed to eat for how long?” — she replied as she grabbed his shoulders tightly which startled him slightly — she realizes that she did and lets go.
— “i-i didn’t think it was that bad! And i don’t know maybe a week..?” — Zip said nervously which shocked Brianna even more, only a week? He looks like he’d been starving for at least a month.
— “are you actually dead fucking ass right now.” — She asked being genuinely concerned for Zip. Brianna sighs, before opening her mouth to talk again, quickly closing it shortly after. Maybe try to approach it slowly.
— “Are you sure it’s been only a week since you’re on that regimen? You look… kind of. malnourished.” — She said that last part in a low tone. Empathetic; Like she didn’t want him to actually hear it.
— “…” — a pause. a concerning one… — “Yes.” — … and a lie. A dirty one.
And there the subject was over. No questions, no “but”, no “why”. It rests silently now. Awkward.
Brianna would push it, but something told her that she had already said more than enough. Better to let it die, eh?
[…]