User blog:AngryLance/A brave new world, a scared young heart - Part 1

It was a bright morning, visible from the window across the room, to the right of my bed. I could hear the chirping of birds and the commotion of people outside. The room looks like a simple rural style, small, with pristine white walls and not many furnitures save for the bed and a nighstand, on it sitting a candle holder, a pitcher of water, a wodden cup, a bowl of food (some kind of rice paste with milk, maybe porridge) and a rag towel.Very notable though were various paintings hanged on the walls, of beatiful landscapes with fields of flowers, mountains, villages and so on. On closer inspection though, they weren’t paintings, they were tapestry, strings of colors woven with outmost accuracy you could swear it was paint, making the images very life like.

I try to get up, only to find out that i can barely move and that i’m extremely sore all over my body, although i’m not so much in pain as before. Yeah, i remember... almost being torn to shreds... the madness... the terror... the carnage... the destruction... Where am i ? How am i still alive ? Who... saved me ? How long has it been since... everything ? I try to call out... „Help. Anybody here ?”. It doesn’t go unanswered. „Yes, i’m coming right now !”. I was actually startled to hear a feminine voice, gentle and cheery.



In the next moment she comes through the door. A very tall girl with an... impressive physique. I probably would’ve been scared if it weren’t for her bright smile and soothing voice, despite her looking like a satyr. Her general appereance was weird: her skin was kinda pale with black spots on places, she has... a pair of tiny horns on her head, as well as cow ears and even cow legs ? She also has blue eyes and her hair is all dark save for the front hair which is white. From her height i bet she was almost two meters tall, not to mention she was... well, very well endowed. It... SHE made me nervous, yet for some reason i didn’t felt fear or danger near her. She wore some kind of overalls and gloves, so i guess she was a farmer. And wearing a bell around her neck ? She leans on to me.

„Huh, wha ?! Who are you ?! What are you ?! Hooves and horns ?! What is this ?!”

„Hello ! Don’t be scared, you’re safe now, I won’t hurt you. I’m just a Holstaur.”

„A Hols... what ?”

„A Holstaur. I’m a demihuman, half human, half animal... as far as i know. Are you feeling better ?”

„I... i’m not sure, i’m... very sore, but it doesn’t hurt so much. Where am i ? And how did i got here ?”

„You’re in my house, in the city of Mirefield. Many days ago I found you just outside the town, all so... hurt and beaten up so I took you to my home as fast as i could. A friend of mine also helped. For some time, i was afraid you... would not survive, with the injuries you had. I’ve never seen anyone hurt so badly. But you slowly got better and better, truly a miracle of the Goddess.”

„What ?! Mirefield ? {Did i somehow left the city ?} I never heard of it. How long was i out cold ?”

„I believe, thirty or so days.”

„Jesus, thirty days ?! I need to get out, i can’t stay here, i have to leavOW !” - I try to get up in a panic, but i’m swiftly reminded of my hurting body and promptly fall back on the bed.

„Don’t try to get up, you’re still hurt !” - She imediately aids me and tucks me better in the bed and sits besides me.

„I can’t stay, i have to go back home ! I... i...”

I stop for a moment to take in all this, to remember what happened to me, to consider my actions. I have no idea what’s going on here so i have to be carefull; i can’t talk about the things i know, i can’t show... what i became, or else more bad things will happen. I have to be silent about myself, i have to pay attention around me. Whatever is going on, i have to go through to the end. I can’t reveal much about myself, but i can’t lie all time, i’m bad at it and it will get suspicious. Lance... just act calm... and be prepared for anything...

„Please, try calm down and relax, you have to gather your strength. My name is Meri, what’s yours ?”

„...I’m Lance. Thompson. And yours is just Meri ?”

„Well, It's... a little bit embarasing for me but...”

She gets flustered for some reason. Is it something shameful ? Was it something i said ?

„My other name is... Bell. I’m Meri Bell. I know, it’s silly. The other kids used to make fun of me because of it, saying i ring bells all the time.” - The big girl before me cringes as if she’s still in pre-school, even though she barely met me. And she was so cheerful moments ago. It made me feel bad for asking, so I try to make her feel better.

„Well, could have been worse. You could have been me and be called Lance Vance Dance. Everyone made fun of my name and that i have a stupid dance.”

An awkward moment of silence. {Good job moron, you made things worse} - my own mind lashing out at me. And then... she just bursts into a hearty laughter.

„Ahahahaha ! Wow, that-that was so funny ! I... oh, i’m sorry, i just laughed at you didn’t ? After whatever you went through, i’m so sorry !”

„No, no, it’s okay, I-i’m glad i could cheer you up again. If you could be so nice, could you please tell me what time it is ?”

„What time ? It is noon.”

„Noon ? You mean twelve’o clock ?”

„Clock ? I don’t know what that is, i do know that the sun is now highest in the sky, which means it is noon.”

„You don’t know what a clock is ? {Are you for real ?} What day it is today ? Do you have a calendar ?”

„What... day it is ? I’m sorry but i don’t understand, it is just a simple day. And what’s a calendar ?”

She looked pretty confused by my questions.

„{...You can’t be for real} Uhm... never mind. Sorry if i confused you. I’m... really shaken up myself.”

„I understand, you must have so many questions, being in a place you don’t recognise. I promise you that i will do my best to make your stay as confortable as possible.” She tells me this with a bright, warm smile, as if we were the best of friends. I’m... not so sure about that, but for some reason i feel it to be true, somehow. Maybe it’s just me who’s been paranoid all this time. I don’t know. Guess i’l have to see for myself...

„If i’m not too curious, can i ask you something, Lance ?”

„S-sure, i think.”

„Where are you from ?”

„I-I’m from the city of Bucharest.”

„Bucharest ? Never heard of that town. From what country ?”

„Country ?! {Did i left the godamn country ?! When ?! HOW ?!} I’m from Romania, you know, the country of „vampires” ? In the continent of Europe.”

„Europe ? I’m sorry to say, i never heard of it either. It must be dangerous though, being inhabited by Vampires, i know they are quite the scary women. And it must be very far from here. From what direction is it ? How did you arrived here ? And... what happened to you ?”

This... can’t be happening. Am i still delusional ? How did i... the geode thing. I remember now. Gramps said it was a portal, right ? After it smashed on top of him and shattered, it glowed and hit me, right ? Did it really transport me somewhere else ? That means i’m not on Earth anymore... I can’t go home ! But how ? It was connected to a freakin’ ‚realm of Cthulhu’ or something, where else did those bloodthirsty monsters came from ? This is nothing like that... unless i’m dreaming and i’m actually... inside a ‚giant maw’, dying horrybly-NO ! That wouldn’t make any sense. Then maybe... oh my God. I really am in different dimension, but similar to ours ? Good thing i was already lying down, the shock of the realization almost made pass out again. Where will i live ? I have no home, no family, no money, nothing. What am i going to do ? What’s going to happen to me now ?

„It’s from the west. I arrived... by ship, over the sea. And i can’t remember what attacked me. Sorry.”

„Oh, so you’re a westerner, we don’t receive many visitors from outside our small continent, let alone here in our town... well, except for soldiers of the Order. It must have been a long and grueling journey for you, ending up like this. Thank the Goddess i found you in time.” - She puts her hand on my shoulder as if to confort me. Normaly i’d twitch and recoil from being approached by strangers like this, but for some reason it’s... really soothing.

„Yeah, it’s all such a big mess for me, whatever little i can remember. And.. thank you for helping me. I owe you.” - I muster whatever willpower i had for a smile, i wanted to show gratitude to her for saving my life. Although i feel it’s not enough.

„Y-you don’t have to worry about it, i-i’m happy that you are feeling better already.” - She blushed as i said those words, putting up smile to hide it.

She’s just as nervous as i am about this. Makes me feel... not so lonely anymore-NO. Even if she’s a ‚demihuman’, she could never be with a freak like you. Come on Lance, first girl you meet that helped you out and you already fantasize about dates ? Just stop it. It’s guilible. And rude towards her. Remember that you’re stranded God knows where, focus !

„Well, i will let you rest some more now, i feel i pestered you enough”, she giggles, „I have left some food and water on the table for you. It’s not much but i hope you will enjoy it. Please, eat and recover your strength. I have some more chores to take care of, my little garden-farm hasn’t grown much lately so i kinda have to pull double-duty. Huff ! It’s busy work. Please get well.”

„Thank you. Thank you for everything again”

„Don’t worry, Lance. And wellcome to our continent of Aerith. I hope you will find it beatiful here.”

She then leaves. Aerith ? Yep, i’m really not in Kansas anymore. Christ, this is freaking insane. And i forgot to ask her more about the town and other things. And why... she has hooves and horns. No, forget it, i think that’s just rude. Anyway, i help myself with the rice porridge she left me, thinking what i’m going to do next, maybe try to figure out things. This porridge tastes very good and sweet, better than any sweet-shop confectionary i ever tried. I savor it as i try to make myself more confortable in the bed and sink even more into my muddled thoughts.

Wait, did she said „vampires are scary women” ? What was that about ?

=
Part 2: Here