The Lunatic

He dug out the whole thing and stored it in his bag. It smelled and there was nothing he could do about it. Then he repositioned his bag to the front and hauled the boar's body onto his back and started his trek to the town again.

It was afternoon when he finally spotted it. His first stop was at the butchery, where he dumped the boar and got some cash for it. None of the people complained or cared about it. Boar meat was still a delicacy if one knows how to cook it properly or where to sell it. He left with a decent amount of money as the corps was intact.

His next stop was at the local inn. He asked for a room where he dumped his bag and went out to the store where he got himself some new clothes. After that, he went back to the inn and took a long steamy bath in his room. Scrubbing every part until he felt like he had pealed a layer of his own skin.

By that time the whole town knew that the lunatic was back.

The legend of The Lunatic started two years ago, just when he had arrived. He wasn't dressed like all the other mountaineers, who visit this place to restock their supplies. This was the last human civilization before the mountaineers left to conquer a certain cliff or a mountain top they had set their eyes on.

He was only casually dressed, a backpack slung over one shoulder, his round glasses holding back his dark curly hair. He was smiling brightly and many people were attracted by his looks. He went to the store and only bought one thing, a sleeping bag. After that, he just walked out of the village.

People forgot about him after some time, but he returned a month later. He went to the store and bought two weeks' worth of rations. The store clerk at the time looked at him admiringly. She had to admit that the boy was handsome. Even like this, half dirty. She admired those shining blue eyes that were full of life.

After that, he comes back every month to just buy this amount of food. After four months like this, the clerk collected her courage to ask the boy a question.

"Why do you only buy this amount when you stay up on the mountain way longer?"

"Because it wouldn't be fun otherwise," he answered nonchalantly.

"...fun?" the confusion could be clearly seen from her facial expression.

"Yeah, what else would I do up on that mountain if I already have all the necessary food?"

"Then, why go up the mountain at all?"

"To practice," he said smiling at the clerk, then he left waving his hand. The time seemed to slow down and she noticed all the calluses, scars, and scrapes on his hands.

Two other people heard the conversation and spread it around the town. The town was small after all and they had nothing to gossip about. Nothing unusual ever happened here. People just passed by usually and cops investigating the missing people was pretty normal for them.

The people thought that the boy was crazy. They liked modern civilization and all that was attached to it. They liked the comforts this brought them. Why would they ever go back in time to seek fun? In their opinion the boy was nuts and thus the legend that was in its infancy was born.

The town had a strange post office. No one could leave the town without visiting this place. Every person wanting to leave and explore the valley or climb the mountain had to stop by it but the boy somehow bypassed this place every time. The townspeople even thought that the boy was living somewhere in it but, he was never found.

Some months later another rumor of the lunatic started to make its rounds. The boy was stoping by the butchery every time he came back to the village. After inquiring in there, they found that the boy brings back quality meat. The butchery was very happy and paid the boy even more. Some people who were interested in the boy saw him put all the money he got into the donation box and went up the mountain again. None could ever see how the boy left the town. And as they didn't know when he would be returning, they never saw how he entered the place.

The strange thing about it is that the legend of the lunatic isn't the first or even the second, it's just that the people here have a very short memory. The curse of the people born in the valley was just too strong.

After he had scrubbed himself clean, he went to bed and slept for the first time in over two years on a softer bed than the one in the hut. He slept like a baby for twenty hours.

The trip up and down the mountain was always exhausting but this time, he had been insured by the Avatars. And carrying the boar had strained him to a breaking point.

The next day. He woke up and went down to ask for some food. The lady managing the desk was flustered to see a strange boy suddenly appear. She didn't remember any guest that was so young.

"You gave me a room yesterday," the boy explained. A realization appeared on the lady's face.

"I'm very sorry sir," she come out behind the desk and guided the boy to a table, ensuring that someone would bring him food soon. She was shocked at the transformation. Yesterday, a man with long hair tied to a ponytail and a light beard had come. Today the man had transformed into a young boy. The hair was still tied to the back but the beard was missing and he looked quite young. He was also cleanly dressed. After a while, she remembered who the boy was. She also remembered that the boy always managed to have money.

A few minutes had barely passed when a girl come with food and drinks. She placed them in front of the boy and quietly left. Her thought could be read on her face as the blush on it reached her ears.