Chapter 17 : Misunderstanding

There were many days he slept outside his imaginary safe houses (caves), he wandered aimlessly but cautiously. The direction of walking might be aimless, but what he done while walking was not aimless, he increased the core count, he didn't absorb the core, which left by lion yet.

Weeks passed from that fateful day, the day when he dared and was humbled. Time didn't wait for him or anyone or may be it did stop for someone, who knows but not for him.

He didn't move out of the range of the mountain ranges, he walked along with it, sky was darkening, he ran towards the mountain, his lower body was healed, when he was reached a mountain base, it started drizzling.

He saw two familiar faces, they also looked at him cautiously with weapons on hands, he simply rised his both hands like I mean no harm, this caused some panic attack on the female.

" Put down your hand, don't speak, if you want a shelter, you can stay tonight in the we are staying but keep 10 feet distance.", said the male.

"Okay, thank you.", they didn't talk after the small exchange.

They moved forward, he trailed behind them keeping his distance.

They stopped infront of small entrance, where it can allow one person at a time.

" You go in first, go deep in, we are staying in middle, you are in deep, if it's not okay with you, you may leave.", Ted said with serious expression.

Bolt nodded and entered, following him they also entered, closed the entrance with stone.

Both Bolt and Ted started small fire seperately.

Except the wood burning and occasional jerky munched by bolt, silent prevailed inside the cave.(Sounds from outside of cave omitted.)

Bolt remembered that incident, he couldn't able to look face to face at Jina. The world before expulsion was male centric, patriarchal, even though he believed women didn't need men to depend on, the society had done some subconscious level teaching.

He looked at the interior of the cave and munched the jerky hardly, in order to divert that thoughts. His gaze landed on the group, immediately they also watched without averting the gaze. The silent starring contest continued few minutes.

"Well, nice to meet you, I am...", before he completed the sentence he was interupted by Ted.

"There is no need for introductions, we are strangers, we shall be strangers."

"You are correct, thank you for allowing in."

"Well, if you are thankful, can you answer our questions truthfully?"

"If it is a difficult question, I will leave a blank as answer."

"You are him, right?"

"Him!, who ? Ask properly."

"The one dropped rocks on a person, who was chased by lion."

"Are you the others?"

"Yeah, the lion looked at us and you, do you know that person?"

"Is him that person? I don't know him, I have been hiding in the cave since a few days before you both came."

"....", Ted didn't speak anything.

"I was injured, I couldn't move much, that's why I climbed the mountain when you left, I was afraid of death. I am sorry, that I didn't help you."

"I didn't ask for help though.", Jina spoke for first after meeting him.

"Yeah, I forgot, I am sorry ....", Bolt didn't know what to say, " I didn't kill him, the lion is the one did that.", he placed the core infront of them.

Jina said, "Look!, you are not related to us or that incident, you were and are just a bystander. We don't want it, do whatever want with it."

Bolt was totally flustered, he moved to entrance, he tried to move the small rock infront him at the entrance, he couldn't move it easily, he simply used his skill and left.

Truth to be told, he ran away.