I run into the God-maker.

I woke up the next day, the pain in my leg slightly numb. Alaura seemed to be awake, much to my surprise. The girl was lazy, and she got others to do what she was supposed to do.

She was staring into the sky, most of it covered by flaking leaves and the regular, fresh ones as well. I didn't (and still don't) know what the tree was. I wasn't a tree expert, I used to despise trees because of all the bugs in them and birds making unearthly noises and pooping all over. I was never signed up to hide on trees, what am I? Tarzan 2.0?

"Morning," Alaura grumbled, noticing now that I was awake.

"couldn't sleep?" I questioned her, knowing very well that she couldn't do anything when she was in the slightest discomfort. "Classic Alaura..."

"Hey!" She protested, I... didn't even insult her. What's her deal? I thought that she was kind of pissed that I'm the only one who doesn't do what she ordered me to. "A girl needs her beauty sleep!"

"I'm a girl too," I began, not afraid to oppose what she had said. "I don't need beauty sleep, I'm too beautiful for the eyebags to affect me."

She rolled her eyes. SHE STOLE THE THING I DO! You heard me right, I still roll my eyes, I'm probably rolling my eyes right now too. Now I needed revenge for her copying me... so I gave her the same death glare she gave/gives me. People avoided me because the way I looked at them was scary like they didn't know whether I'd punch them in the face or drag them to the nearest fast-food place. I can't be blamed for how 'intimidating' I looked/look; did I use the right word? I don't know. Alaura was always told she had a good aura surrounding her (like that's the answer to everything). My aura was more... terrifying if that's how you word it. I don't understand what auras have to do with personalities, though... maybe it's just an excuse to not hang out or something, I guess.

Anyways, back to the topic... She tried to avoid eye contact. I turned her head towards my face so that we were face to face. I held my glare for a few seconds before I broke out into a chuckle.

"Okay... wanna go loot oranges?" I asked, trying to change the topic. You see, girl talk isn't my thing. I prefer getting straight to the point. "I love oranges!"

"But we ate those yesterday." she sighed. 'I guess that'll take a while' I thought.

"What? Do you expect me to go find another tree with a three-course meal or something?"

"I-I wasn't gonna ask for that... but okay."

I scrunched my nose and said, "You're helping me."

"What? No way! You like all sports and other crap. Go do it yourself!"

"Um... get your lazy butt up and help me, I won't return today with the food with this stupid injury."

I don't understand why she doesn't cuss. She didn't have anything to put up with anymore so why do what you don't want to do?

I slowly got down the tree and jumped down the lowest branch; which was like 3 feet off the ground, don't worry. I winced, finally realizing the wound hadn't healed completely.

Alaura was right behind me so I helped her down. I saw the blood marks etched on the ground and noticed that we were like Hansel and Gretel, but this time the bread crumbs weren't eaten and were replaced by drops of my precious blood. Who knows where the gingerbread house is and who the witch is?

She allowed me to use her shoulder as support till we make a makeshift crutch. We walked, I mean, I limped and Alaura walked for about thirty whole minutes to find breakfast which was -unsurprisingly- oranges. Following microscopic drops of blood is hard.

I tried pulling out a few but they wouldn't come out, I would've asked Alaura for help but she was already fast asleep, under a tree. I mentally facepalmed- who wouldn't?

I noticed that a few other trees had oranges on them so I walked over and pulled one out...

I heard a rumbling from the ground near Alaura and my immediate thought was 'Gah! An earthquake!' I quickly ran over to Alaura and smacked her upside the head to wake her up. She didn't wake up though, so I dragged her body away from the place.

The tree started to slowly rise and soon the roots did too. Revealing a strange, very tall man who wore what looked like a very much soiled nightie. But I shouldn't be the one to judge though. I found Alaura's head resting on a rock; I started to panic that she hit her head hard and got injured. I smacked her head again and she suddenly opened her eyes and yelled "I'm awake!"

"Sure, you are." I smiled sarcastically. Not realizing that the man existed till he cleared his throat. I didn't bother looking at him, he didn't concern me as much as my sister's non-existent injuries and mine to add as well.

"WHO DARES TO STEAL FROM MY ORCHARD." He yelled, raising his hand as if he were protecting his hairline. Slowly, he balled his fist and thumped it on his forehead. I rolled my eyes and helped Alaura and myself up. He again said, slowly this time. As if I didn't hear him the first. "Who dares to loot me?" "We heard you the first time." Alaura and I said in unison. For the first time, we were thinking the same... for the first time. "Sheesh."

"Okay." He sighed before he added, "Now tell me why you wanted my oranges?"

"First of all." I began, not fazed by how he went from screamo to calm fast. "We WANT those oranges. Scratch out the 'E' and the 'D' and yeah, learn your English?"

"Go on, I'm listening." He said with a face that kept shifting between being bored and being eager.

"We kinda escaped from a death sentence for gods know what's the reason- and we're in hiding. We found no food so I went searching for some and found your tree... or you, after seeing your head is the tree."

"Oh well." The man shrugged it off.

"To think about it... WERE WE EATING YOUR HAIR THE WHOLE TIME?!" Alaura butted in.

"Crap, Alaura!" I hissed. "You're being cursed."

"Yeah, that is disgusting." She said back. "Disgusting is an understatement though-"

"Yeah, yeah," The man interrupted, rubbing his temples with his thumb and index as though he was done with our bullshit. "How did you find this place, though?... I thought no-one could enter this orchard."

"What, you expect me to know?" I questioned him back, he has the AUDACITY to ask us without even putting up a fence to warn us or something. "It is your orchard after all. I was just in it for the food, but now I realized it's your hair... I lost my appetite."

"Do you know who I am?" He asked, calmer than my dead friends were when I set my math teacher on fire. But that's something you won't need to know. Not relevant.

"Umm... I don't know. Tree man?" I guessed. "Pissed orchard keeper, who lives underground?"

Alaura stayed silent like she usually does when collecting the spicy tea.

"No, that's not what I me-" He tried to say something, but I was too quick to work out what I wanted to say.

"What about... Pissed bipolar orchard keeper, who lives under a tree and got annoyed by a couple of kids' struggles of survival?"

"You got me." He raised his arms in pity. "You don't have to call me out like that, y'know?"

"But calling out people is fun!" Alaura finally protested/interrupted.

"Why don't you- Ehreyna Terashayde- be more like Alaura?"

"Nah, dude. She's too lazy." I retorted. "Also, how do you know our names?!"

"I" Tree Man paused for an unnecessary dramatic effect. "Am the Godmaker." "And I have superpowers the gods blessed me with!" I said sarcastically while rolling my eyes. (Now, I honestly didn't know what I was talking about, and surprisingly, I guessed.) I scratched my forehead and processed the man's hair being a tree. Only the first gods and godmaker had the power to do that, according to the priests and my teachers. "hol' up. You're a god?"

"No, godmaker." He corrected me.

"Your still Tree Man," I said. Godmaker was boring, no fun in calling him that. Regardless of whether he was the 'all powerful' or not, it was too formal for my informal mouth to speak. "...in my eyes, at least."

"Tree Man is a good name." Alaura pointed out, nodding. I nodded back as thanks.

"Have you no respect?" He tried insulting me. (It was a lame insult, not gonna lie)

"What's that?"

"Oh, never mind, I'm going to train you starting tomorrow." He stated. Training? What for? Alaura was doing her excited face while I stood there, questioning what the hell happened.

"Umm... train me for whatever but fix this wound first." I took advantage of his power and I didn't regret it at all.

He nodded and chanted something that sounded like gibberish.

"Done," he told me.

I slowly sat down on the grassy soil and slowly pulled apart Alaura's and my jacket pieces, which were now drenched in blood. I look at the wound and found a long scar instead. The scar looked nice on my olivelike-tanned complexion.

"Thanks."

"Training begins tomorrow. At the same time as now. Don't be late." He was blunt, and I found that annoying.

"Yeah, but why'd you choose us to train?"

"All will be answered, child..."

Tree Man went back underground, leaving Alaura and me in confusion.