Chapter 9: A Fool’s Journey

The next morning, reality hit the trio like a slap to the face. The merchant was nowhere to be found, and they were still very much lost in the middle of nowhere. With their brief moment of triumph over the beast behind them, Erica, Sydney, and Sid packed their things and prepared to, hopefully, find their way back home.

Erica, in a rare display of proactive decision-making, used her remaining pocket change to buy a map and a compass—though whether she actually knew how to use either was up for debate. She held the compass in one hand, the map in the other, squinting at them like they were written in a foreign language.

"…So," Sydney drawled, peering over her shoulder, "any idea where we're going?"

Erica exhaled sharply through her nose. "Give me a minute."

Sid, ever the optimist, glanced between the two of them and then at the map. "Maybe we should ask someone for—"

"Oh, for the love of—" Erica groaned as a familiar voice cut in.

"Fancy seeing you three here again."

Lee Baker. Or whatever his name really was. Like a pest that refused to go away, he materialized as if summoned by their collective misfortune.

Sydney and Sid turned on him instantly, prodding him with questions.

"Do you know how to read a map?"

"Can you give us directions?"

"Are you secretly a cartographer?"

Erica pinched the bridge of her nose. "No."

Sydney pouted, then turned to Lee expectantly. "Well?"

Lee tilted his head, feigning deep thought. "Well," he echoed, "I could help."

Before Erica could shoot him down again, Sydney and Sid both launched into their best pleading performances. This time, however, Lee had the audacity to join in.

"Please, Erica?" Sydney clasped her hands together dramatically.

"Yeah, Erica, please?" Lee mimicked, his voice dripping with amusement.

Then came the worst one. Sid, who had mastered the art of quiet, sincere desperation, simply made eye contact and softly asked, "Please, Erica?"

Erica stared at the three of them, each looking more pathetic than the last. She let out a long, suffering sigh before turning her back to them and muttering, "Do what you want."

The three fools cheered behind her.

Lee took the lead, guiding them along the supposed "best route home." Hours passed. The scenery changed. And soon, the group found themselves in yet another village—this one far more lively than the last.

Colorful banners stretched across the streets. The air buzzed with laughter and lively music. Stalls lined the roads, selling everything from food to hand crafted trinkets. A festival was in full swing, and it was impossible to ignore.

Sydney gasped, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, we have to stop!"

"No," Erica stated immediately.

"Yes," Lee countered, grinning. "It's the perfect place to rest. We should celebrate your survival."

"We're still lost," Erica pointed out.

"Details."

Before she could argue further, Sydney grabbed her by the wrist and practically dragged her into the crowd. Sid followed with a small, amused smile, and Lee, looking entirely too smug, sauntered after them.

Sydney was the first to engage in a festival game, her competitive nature igniting instantly. She pulled Sid into a ring toss competition, declaring war on a group of unsuspecting children. Erica and Lee stood back, watching the chaos unfold.

"She's going to traumatize those kids," Erica muttered.

Lee smirked. "It's character building."

Meanwhile, Sid found himself the target of a giggling village girl who had taken an interest in him. She leaned in, twirling a strand of her hair. "You're pretty tall," she remarked. "Must be strong, huh?"

Sid turned an alarming shade of red. "Uh—I—uh—"

Erica and Lee both turned to watch in quiet amusement.

"This is painful," Erica said.

"Deeply," Lee agreed.

Eventually, Sydney won her game—barely—earning herself a small stuffed creature she immediately named after Erica just to be annoying. Sid escaped his flirtatious predicament, though his face remained flushed for an embarrassingly long time. And Erica, despite herself, found the festival oddly… nice.

Lee walked beside her as they navigated the food stalls, the teasing back and forth between them flowing easier than before. A strange kind of ease settled between them, something unspoken but present. Neither acknowledged it. Not yet.