Chapter 10

I don't quite remember how we spent the next three or four days. The days were somewhat strange, short towards the warm hours of the morning and ending with long and silent evenings. Most likely we got some sustenance, Sam and Francis planned another refuge, very simple, consisting of only three rooms, the walls of which partially involved the tree on which they were placed. Once they were completed, Gaia proposed to change the location and composition, because, in her opinion, the modest building was too visible and in poor materials.

I took advantage of the situation to advise Samuele to cover the roof beams with pebbles.

Once the work was finished, we spent the remaining time telling each other about when we first met, on the 10th of September, in the main hall of our high school. None of us would have ever thought of knowing people so similar to himself, in an almost absurd way.

After all, life always upsets you when you least expect it.

So, we were four strangers. Two boys and two girls. Four ordinary people, now united by values ​​such as loyalty, respect, friendship. Analyzing my friends, I can say that Francesco is a methodical but simple person, a bit like Samuele, but with an extra bit of prudence that distinguishes him. Gaia, on the other hand, is slightly more sensitive than me, but she tends to hide it, showing herself as a strong and independent person. Samuele, although he is detestable at times, is a good friend: very present, joking, he also supports you in the most insignificant of things. Instead, I am always the person who walks on a thread placed between balance and madness, sometimes forgetting the subtle limit that divides them.

I love being alone. Despite this, I don't mind their company: on the contrary, it distracts me from the long silences that, in their absence, I would usually keep ...

"What are you writing, Jas?" someone asked, looking out from the other side of the window. To define a "window" as a gap between the wooden beams of the house seemed even excessive to me since even the glass was missing.

"Nothing important, just some notes"

"Could you give me a hand?"

"Sure."

"We need to prepare dinner."

"I'll go fishing."

"Fantastic. We'll see you later, then, "Gaia said, turning her full attention to building a small furnace, which would later be placed under the window, to the right of the workbench.

I got off the sturdy branch on which I was comfortably lying, folding the sheets with my writings to put them in a pocket, and then I walked towards the ladders that led to the ground.

Before sunset, I was already back, with a fairly large booty.

"Ladies and gentlemen," I announced after clearing my throat as I slowly closed the door as if to increase the anticipation of an important revelation.

"Dinner is" almost "served."

I took the cod to my friend, who, without delaying too much, took them and inserted them directly into the newly lit furnace, aware that she did not necessarily have to remove the entrails and scales from the fish before cooking them.

After dinner, we gathered for the last time on the branches of the huge oak, mostly to get together after another busy day.

Tomorrow we would leave for the exploration of the forest.

«Guys, wait! I forgot to tell you something! - Sam said - not far from here, I thought I saw a village! "

"A village !?" Fra shouted.

"Yup! Even inhabited! "

"Have you seen the inhabitants?" asked vallefra1058.

"Yes, I have seen them! Men, women, children. Of all ages! "

"Describe them then!"

"So, they look like very simple people. Some wear straw hats, others have no headgear. They are all dressed in colorful tunics, embellished with ornaments, I think the color changes according to the role they play. But the details that make them so unique are their dark green eyes, their huge nose, and their strange way of communicating, "Sam replied.

"Have you tried to make any contact with them? Maybe trying to talk to us »asked Fra, intrigued.

«Yes, I tried, they understand gestures and a few words. And I would also have tried to know more about them if it weren't for ... how can I say? An attack "

"An attack? What kind of attack? "

"Other people set fire to part of the village, they were armed, with greenish skin and persecuted the inhabitants, forcing them to abandon their houses and fields, hand over everything to them.

At one point I found myself in a fight: an inhabitant had decided to rebel, he was unarmed and defenseless. So I tried to save him, attracting the attention of the enemies. They caught me and I lost all the food I had with me, "Sam replied.

"What a horrible crime. I find it unfair that innocent people are treated in this way. I'm sorry for you, man, "I commented.

"It does not matter. I would just like to know if that inhabitant was saved though "

"Tomorrow we will go and see," said Gaia, who until then had limited herself to listening to Samuel's experience in silence.

"As long as there is a stable situation in the village, otherwise we will wait. But now let's go to sleep and let no one go away this time, please, "she continued.

About 00:30.

Dear Diary",

unfortunately, I'm still awake.

It has been raining for a few hours.

I love the rain, but tonight is different.

There's a storm tonight.

Something is wrong tonight.

"Guys!! Get up! " I yelled, trying to get my companions out of bed.

"The house is on fire !!"

Lightning had struck the tree.

"Jas, I swear to you that if it's a joke you will pay dearly," said Fra, turning over in bed.

Samuel and Gaia immediately got up and, after seeing the burning ceiling, managed to wake Francis up. Within minutes we were down, helplessly watching the day's work as it slowly wore off.

"Sam"

"Tell me."

"Did you cover the roof with cobblestones, as I suggested?"

"I forgot about it. It was a mistake."

"Good. We are now back to square one. We all make mistakes ... »I said, and then took out of my pocket the enchanted book I had found in the library, accompanied by some papers to which I attributed a particular honor. I used them to write my impressions on them, calling them "diary".

Seeing the enchanted book, Francis was about to blow up for the second time. Contrary to what I would have expected of him, he thanked heaven that I had brought him with me, disobeying him, instead of leaving him in the cave with the other objects.

"It does not matter. Of what we have been through, now we are left with the experience. That's how it went, let's get started. Samu, you will lead the expedition, since you know the way. " said GaiaTae04.

We went into the forest in the middle of the night. Many times, the consequences of our mistakes also punish those who, for the actions taken by us in the past, are not at fault. Therefore, as a consequence of the mistake of one, we were forced to proceed: we do not stop in these situations. It was dark, it was cold and the progress became more and more difficult. In some areas, care had to be taken not to slip, where the ground was muddy, or where there was quicksand. A few hours passed. Samuele proceeded straight along the path indicated to him by his instinct, exhorting the rest of us to follow him, without stopping. He did not know if the path he created led to our goal. He didn't care. He had fallen in love with the process, with the concentration he felt at that moment. He walked with a steady, steady step. He slowed down when we couldn't get over an obstacle, helping us as much as possible. For the first time in my life, I was grateful that he was also present among the people traveling with me.