Notes

“Designates Speech

‘Designates Thoughts

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When the two reached the group they ducked into the shadows of the forest. They couldn’t help but hear the raised voices coming from the group.

“I say we head north!” shouted the short and slightly overweight man in the group.

There were thirteen people were standing in a circle in a forest clearing. They all looked desperate and lost. Milo surmised that they had just woken up here in the forest like he had that night he met Otis.

“We don’t even know where we are mate. We need to figure that out first.” Responded a young woman who was bent over starting a fire. “Let’s set up camp for now we will figure out where to go when the suns up.”

“What do you know little girl?” The short man snorted.

“Oi! You taking a piss?!” Another woman stepped forward tired of hearing him talk. Otis thought she was late twenties, her body was lean and muscular, which he considered to be very pretty. Her eyes were firm and sharp she was definitely not someone you should easily dismiss.

“She’s working harder than you, what have you done besides open your cake hole?”

Another woman in the group spoke out in defense. “Sorry, don’t mind my husband he is just little nervous. Frank, you need to apologize that girl is working hard for us. She is the only one who knows how to start the fire.” The woman that spoke was very pale like her skin and the sun were grave enemies that must avoid each other or else they would have a fight to the death. The woman was also desperately thin if she was any thinner Otis would be able to see straight through her. Otis and Milo immediately felt sorry for this woman as taking care of her husband must really take a lot out of her.

Frank glanced at his wife and back at the girl working on the fire. “Sorry...but I still think we should head north.”

The lean woman’s eyes blazed with fire as she took a step forward.

“OK OK lets calm down everyone.” A man interrupted his arms raised up in an appeasing position. “I am sure we are all bit scared and tired. Let’s do as Michelle suggested and rest for the night.” This man’s clothing was a bit dusty but a smile adorned his face as he spoke.

Michelle, who had been working on the fire stood and walked over to Frank. “Apology accepted, Slim!” roughly slapping him on the arm before walking to an open spot to lay in the grass.

The rest of the group did not get involve with the dispute they were quietly awaiting the fire and trying to figure out why they had woken up here.

...

Everyone had eventually calmed down and sat around the fire in silence only the sound of soft crying could be heard from an older woman in the group.

After observing the group for a while, Milo decided it was safe and gestured Otis forward. Before Otis walked out into the group he also handed Otis five rabbits to offer to the group. Again Otis had no idea of how or when Milo acquired these rabbits.

Otis silently walked up to the group, he was a few feet away but no one had noticed him. Otis cleared his throat to draw their attention. “Ahem. Hello.”

Shocked! Several of the adults leaped from their seated position. “What the hell!?” yelped the thin greasy man with an arched nose.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to scare y’all.” At that moment Otis realized how he must looked. He hadn’t washed since this morning so he was covered in dirt, he wasn’t wearing a shirt, his shorts that used to be pants were half eaten and his shoes were now worn through. Oh and he had a rope of dead rabbits over his shoulder while carrying a knife in his left hand.

Putting his knife away he introduced himself again. “Hello my name is Otis. I was making my way through here when I came upon your group.” He looked down on himself. “Sorry I am a bit dirty I was about to go to the river and wash before making camp. Oh and here I brought you some rabbits.”

Michelle stood up, cutting Otis’s ramblings short. “You know where a river is?”

Otis hadn’t noticed how beautiful Michelle was earlier probably because his vision had been obstructed by the fire. Her green eyes looked at him hopeful in his response. Otis throat dried as he tried to speak, he coughed, “Yes it is that way.” Otis lifted his hand pointing off to the left.

Otis’s mind was blank but forced himself to continue. “If you are thirsty I have some water here. Oh and I got these for you!” He pulled his gourd from the bag on his back and held out his rope of rabbits.

Otis watched her as she sauntered across the camp towards him, her hips swayed to and fro, the fire light danced in her light brown hair. As she was about to reach Otis, he heard from his periphery, “Ahh, Thanks kid, I needed that.”

Reality came crashing back to Otis, in his stupor the short fat man, Frank, had at some point taken Otis’s water and chugged it all leaving Otis carrying nothing but a line of dead rabbits.

The girl took the dead animals, looking at them with confusion written on her face, “Ta?” Even though she meant it to be a statement it certainly sounded like a question.

An image flooded Otis’s mind, it showed Milo with a wide smile on his face like he had just ate the most delicious meal he had ever tasted. Otis looked around, all the adults around the fire either had a grin on their face or looked very uncomfortable with what they just witnessed except for Frank, he had already thrown the gourd into the grass and was leisurely walking back to his seat at the fire.

Otis’s face instantly turned red. He swiped the rabbits from the girl’s hand, “I...I will go get some more water. “ Otis turned to the river and dashed away before anyone could speak.

If he had ran slower he would have heard Frank’s wife slapping Frank in the back of the head but instead he had escaped at top speed.

A little bit later Otis returned to the group with several leaf containers full of water. Without a word he set some small stones around the fire and begun to dismantle the rabbits. He heard someone ask, "Need some help?"

"No, I am OK. Don't drink the water until it has been boiled." He answered while keeping his head down.

The thin woman approached him with the short fat man. “You said your name was Otis? I am Maggie and this is Frank. We are sorry about earlier. Frank is a bit of an oaf." Frank was looking the other direction, he obviously didn't agree with Maggie's assessment.

"Did you catch these?" Maggie pointed towards the rabbits while trying to not actually look at them.

"Yea, as I ran through the forest." A bush on the side of the camp shook with derision but no one noticed.

The others in the looked towards the boy interested in the conversation. Frank spoke up, "do you know where we are? We should head north, right?"

Otis looked up at frank and repeated Michelle's argument. "Do you know which direction is north?"

"Of course, we just have to follow the star."

"What stars?" Otis questioned.

"The North Star." Frank crossed his arms and looked at Otis with an air of superiority.

"No. What stars?" Otis pointed a finger to the sky.

An audible gasp was let out by the group as they looked up into the night sky. 'How is this possible?' they all thought.

"Where are we?" A blonde haired woman in a lab coat asked Otis. Otis shrugged his shoulders and finished cleaning the last rabbit.

"Wait, you are not from here?" Maggie asked and everyone wanted to know the answer.

Otis shook his head and pointed the direction he came. "No. I came out of cave on the side of a mountain, from that way. We have been traveling for the last few days to get here." Otis cooked his rabbits in the fire and put the hot rocks in the water containers. He also took some berries out for everyone to eat. Once the rabbit finished cooking he passed it out to everyone at camp.

"Wait a minute.” The young man in the dusty clothing spoke. "Earlier you said ‘We’. Are you traveling with someone else?"

"Oh yes. He's like you, he too woke up in the middle of the forest."

"Oh really, can we meet your little friend?" Maggie asked thinking there is another small child lost in the woods.

Otis looked back in the direction he had come from. "Brother you can come out now."

The group collectively thought it was Otis's little brother that was hidden.

"Hello." A deep bassy greeting came from the opposite side of camp then they had expected. They all turned to see a giant lion with a malicious grin displaying his very sharp teeth.

The shock was too great, every one of them fainted at the same time. Otis dashed to catch Maggie before she fell to the ground but left Frank to fall, everyone else had been sitting already. Milo leaped into action snatching all the meat skewers and smoothly tossing them into his mouth before anyone's head hit the ground.

…

…

The next morning the smell of grilled fish woke everyone up from their sleep. Most of them looked around blankly hoping it had all been a bad dream but all at once their vision settled on the Shadow Lion that was anxiously awaiting the fish and the little boy who was reprimanding the lion for trying to steal a fish before it was ready.

“Brother I told you it’s not ready yet!” Otis shooed Milo’s hand away.

Maggie quickly ran behind Otis pulling him back to the group. “Maggie, what are you doing?

“It’s not safe. That thing's a monster.” She pulled Otis to her and held him tight.

“Everyone make a run for it. I will hold it off as long as I can!” A man stepped in front of the group. This was the first time he spoke since he had woke up last night and introduced himself to the group. He was a skinny man of average height but his eyes were fierce, this was not the first time he had fought for his life.

Milo had already snatched several of the fish from the fire since Otis’s absence. He had not even registered the commotion and was completely relaxed. He finally got to have his long awaited fish!

Otis struggled out of Maggie’s grasp and ran to cut the man off.

“Stop...Brother is the only reason that you are alive! If he wasn’t nearby whatever is in this forest would have killed you by now! He will not harm you!” Otis looked back at Milo

“Right Brooo...YOU ATE ALL THE FISH! That was for everyone!”

Milo finally looked up from his contentment. “Hmm...What fish? There was no fish. When did you catch fish? But that is a good idea you should go catch some fish.” The lion looked up for the first time to notice the people. “Oh you are all finally awake. Hurry little Brother catch some fish for them to eat.” Milo pushed Otis in the direction of the forest and licked his lips as he thought of fish he was going to eat.

“I will go get some more fish but you can’t have any!” Otis grabbed his spear and dashed into the forest.

“What? Why?” Shouted the lion as he ran after the boy.

The group stood in the forest dumbfounded with their mouths hanging open.

…

…

“Hey little Brother get the big one.” Milo said while pointing at the river. He was crouched over staring intently at the water spotting fish for Otis, his tail flicked back and forth with excitement.

“I know I know” Otis had his spear in hand cocked and ready to launch at the fish. Otis had already caught dozen fish in the last half hour but with Milo around he knew it was not enough. He had found out this morning that catching fish with his spear had been really easy for him.

Three people emerged from the tree line as the spear left Otis’s hand and flashed into the water spearing the large fish.

“Hello, we came to check how you are doing.” The man in the dusty clothes stated.

“Oi mate! What’s with all this fish?” Michelle shouted in surprise.

Otis was in the water bringing his latest catch and his spear back. “I just want to catch enough for us all to eat.”

“You feeding an army? Well in any case thanks for doing all this. I am sorry about earlier I didn’t mean to anger your friend here.” Milo looked up at the man who was planning to fight him earlier. He was very confused, he had no idea what the man was talking about. Otis had already reached the shore with his fish, he put them down and prepared to throw his spear again.

“Well in any case I never introduced myself. My name is James. You said your name was Otis right?”

“Little Brother there is two…no three fish line up right there get them all.” Before Milo’s sentence had finished Otis’s spear had already left his hand. It flew true skewering all three fish at once.

“Amazing” all three witnesses whispered in shock.

“Good job little Brother.”

“Yes this should be enough” Otis said when he returned to the shore once again with more fish.

“Oh and hello James. Yes my name is Otis and this is Milo but don’t call him that.”

All three had been watching Milo from the corner of their eyes but they were all too afraid to go near or speak to him.

“Yes, yes I won’t bite.” Milo said with his flashiest grin.

The other man in the dusty clothes stepped forward. “Nice to meet you again Otis my name Dan.” Dan turned towards Milo. “What should we call you if not Milo?”

Milo waved his hand dismissively. “Call me Brother or anything you like, Farmer.”

“How did you know I am a farmer?” Dan asked in surprise.

“You smell of fresh dirt, herbs and vegetables. Your skin is also quite tanned.”

“And what about me?” James asked.

“You are a warrior. I can tell from your eyes.” James nodded in confirmation.

All at once they looked at Michelle. “Oh” she hopped a little in surprise. “My name is Michelle. I am studyin’ to be a vet.” She looked around. “Or at least I was.”

Otis wrapped the fish in a rope so he could easily carry them. “Any of you know how to clean a fish?”

They are all nodded in response. “Good, we should get back and prepare these so we can eat and get moving.”

…

The five of them arrived back at camp and prepared fish while the others waited. Outside of Maggie the others wanted nothing to do with their little group it was mainly in fear of being eaten by the large lion who was drooling at the sight of fish.

“Otis, can I help with something?” Maggie had been hovering over Otis’s shoulder from the moment he arrived. Everyone could tell she was quite drawn to the lost child, her mother’s instinct had taken ahold and she wanted nothing more than to protect him and keep him safe.

Otis on the other hand was annoyed with this fly buzzing around him. “Yes, we need some sticks to skewer the fish over the fire. Can you go gather some?”

“Of course!” with a hop in her step she ran off to go get them.

At that moment Dan looked up at Otis and shook his head. Otis had already gathered everything needed for the fish but sent Maggie away anyway.

The fish were cooked in no time at all and everyone was eating.

“So we heading north?” Frank spoke to the group.

“Why is it always north with you?” James was not a man of many words, Otis had noted, but even he grew tired of Frank's complaints and orders. When they had arrived back at camp earlier their morning fire was dead. Apparently Frank had ordered people to add more wood to the fire because "bigger is better, it will cook faster" he said but instead of a bigger fire it was smothered and killed. He also thought it was a good idea to use Milo's new rabbit skins to fan the flames, burning the skins effectively making them useless.

“Well which way do you think we should go? If you want to lead you should speak up.”

Otis and Milo had grown impatient and wanted to get moving with or without the others so Otis interrupted them. “If you go that way it will take you deeper into the forest, that way takes you to the Mountains and this way takes you to a river that is too wide to swim across.” Otis had lazily lifted his hand pointing out the different directions.

“Brother and I are following the river that way until we exit the forest.”

“And is that way north?”

Otis tried to ignore the question but Milo answered. “No slim, it is west. You are all welcomed to follow us.” Everyone cringed as Milo spoke they had been trying to avoid him the entire morning.

Michelle was the first to recover. “Why west?”

“Little Brother saw smoke in that direction.”

“Really? That means there might be people!” Michelle bounced to her feet excitedly.

“Or a forest fire.” Someone mumbled in the group.

Milo stood. “Little Brother it is time we moved on.” He then looked around the group. “Like I said you are welcomed to follow but we will not slow down for you.”

...

...

"We need to stop we can't walk any further." It had been three hours since they started their slow walk through the forest. Frank had been complaining for the last two hours to get a rest. Otis looked over the group they were a haggard bunch indeed in need of some water and a rest.

"I second that." The woman in the spoke for the first time and the rest shook their heads in agreement.

Frank plopped down on the ground in defiance at the two leading the pack.

Otis looked over the group and sighed he knew they were not going to be able to go any further now.

An image flashed into Otis's mind. It was Frank with an apple in his mouth tied to a spit hung over a fire while Milo turns the spit slowly. Milo's malicious grin grew wider and wider as he rotated the spit.

"Fine we take rest here." Milo announced then turned to Otis. "Little Brother, we will scout ahead." They both dashed away before any complaint could be heard.

...

“Little Brother it is an odd group we have become attached to.”

“Yea, I overheard them talking. They definitely don’t know each other.”

“Oh I tried to ignore them. What did you learn?”

“There is an old man, Howard, he is in his seventies he was an insurance salesman now he is a door greeted at a store. There is an Asian woman, Lang, she said she is Vietnamese and runs a bar. The tall man’s named Greg, he is a preacher, the woman with blonde hair and large uhhh you know, her name is Leslie she said she was a chemist at a Pharmaceutical company. The angry lady said she was British but I never got her name and…”

“OK OK I asked but I do not care. I should never have said they could come with us. Should we just leave them there?"

"No we said they could come with us and besides we are almost there. I can see the edge of the forest on my map so it must be close."

"Map?"

"Yea, do you have a box in the lower right of your vision?"

"Is that what it is? I had not paid much attention to it."

"Brother, images have been appearing in my mind, like earlier I saw you roasting Frank and before I saw you push Maggie into the mud when she held my hand."

"That annoying woman she is ruining your training and that fat man would have shut his mouth if he had telepathy."

"So then I have telepathy and you are sending me things? Can I send you images too?"

"You can and you have but I have blocked since we first met. Your thoughts and emotions are unorganized and unfiltered. I will teach you how to do it correctly in the future."

They continued running for a few more miles. Milo had been anxious to get away and was running at a pace that Otis could barely keep up with him. In total they had spent an hour running before they reached the end of forest.

What greeted Milo and Otis when they crossed the tree line was sea of tall waving grass. In the green sea were splashes of deep purple, reds and brilliant gold from the different wild flowers interspersed in the grasslands. Otis with his increased vision could see butterflies and bumblebees at play within the flowers as well as the deer drinking from the blue ponds in the distance.

The land gently sloped up towards a small town that was surrounded by a wooden fence, smoke slowly rose from the chimneys of many of the houses that were within the fence.

Milo frowned as he looked at Otis. “The town is empty.”