by William Cali
Everything he had lamented only days before about his life rushed through his mind. Bagging other people’s groceries. Night after night at the bar with Greg, drinking away his days. Dinner at his mom’s house, watching her suck down cigarettes like they were going out of style. Safety. Security. Boredom. Was it a worthwhile sacrifice, to pay your dignity for safety and security?
“I guess I’m just gonna have to find out.”
“Ooooh, eh?” Lemen wobbled. “Find out what now?”
“Nothing, buddy. Let me get out of your hair.”
* * *
Pent mulled over what Lemen had said for the next few days. The prospect of some crook coming and stealing away the hard-made goods of Somerville’s people left a sour taste in his mouth. Who was this thief, and what right did he have to all that liquor?
But it was also hard to argue with what Lemen said, and with what Lyle had implied. There was comfort in safety.
He found himself falling into the rhythm of life in Somerville. The well of information on how to get home dried up quickly and traveling out of the city limits without assistance was off the table, so he stayed and helped out where he could.
* * *
He found some simple work with one of the farmers, Janeen. She was pleasant enough to talk to but stayed focused on her work. She seemed content enough to listen to Pent ramble about his past life as they plucked corn cobs from their stalks.
“Man, some things really don’t change,” Pent said, holding a husk of corn in his hand. “Whether it’s bagging groceries or yanking crops from the field, all I ever do is shovel the crap.”
“It’s not such a bad life,” Janeen said. She seemed more interested in the matter at hand than at being offended by Pent’s comparison. “Just a matter of finding something to live for. Like Marall and that boy of his. He could pluck corn all day, happy as a pig in slop, as long as his son has a smile on his face.”
“I guess,” Pent said. “I just figure, new world, new life, right? I don’t know anymore, maybe this is all that’s really there for me. No kind of big fancy future, just me, toeing the line.” Janeen shrugged and turned away to her own line of corn.
The work continued for hours, and Pent continued to muse aloud about the challenges of this new world. “Some things, you just don’t realize how much you use them until they’re gone. Like toothpaste. And a damn toilet inside your house.” Janeen nodded absentmindedly. He missed being able to drive to the grocery store and just pick up anything he could think of. He reached in his pocket for his phone every so often, only to remember it wasn’t there. But it was next to impossible to complain about these issues with the villagers. This was their normal life.
Pent considered venturing out to get more answers, but the longer he stayed in Somerville, the harder it felt to leave. Bathtubs, television, the internet. He missed all those things, but he kept asking himself what was really different about his life in either world. I left everyone behind, but did they really need me for anything? All those amenities were window dressing. People in this world lived a day at a time, just like the people in Pent’s. What am I really missing out at home?
* * *
He still hoped to find answers, but to pass the time he stayed busy. In one instance, Pent came to his and Hanar’s shared home. He entered through the threshold unannounced and was startled to see Hanar sitting on the bed.
“Oh, my apologies friend,” Hanar said as he started to stand. “I thought you were out, busying yourself with other tasks.”
“You don’t need to apologize to me, man. Don’t forget, this is actually your house,” Pent said, waving his friend back down into his seat. The thought reminded him of his earlier conversation with Daley. “I’m happy I ran into you. I’ve been meaning to ask for a while, what’s the deal with Faldo and Daley? I asked him about clothes, he sent me to her no problem. And then she asked me about an expansion on her house?”
Hanar laughed. “This is why I said I would talk to her for your needs! You would best be served by not coming between them. When the time comes, grab your clothes from her and try not to become trapped in conversation.” He shrugged his shoulders, the laughter fading. “Some siblings fight and attempt to drag everyone into the quarrel with them. But pride runs deep in that family.”
“I hear you. Not trying to get swept up in any drama during my stay.” Hanar shuffled in place, his arms pressed behind his back. “Uh, you need a minute?”
“No, no, I suppose not.” Hanar sighed. “I suppose I should keep my private matters to the forest.” He looked at Pent with resignation on his face. He brought forth a small wooden carving.
“What’s that, some kind of funnel?”
Hanar laughed again. “That’s a testament to my craft! I’m much better suited out in the woods with a bow. There my labors bear a clear fruit.”
“I’m sorry, man, not really following you.”
“It’s a horn,” he said, cradling the chunk of wood like a new pet. “This end is a bit too wide, and this a bit too narrow.” He brought it to his lips and blew into it, but nothing happened. “See? Not a sound.”
“So, what’s the problem?” Pent sat down next to Hanar. “Why are you trying to hide this behind your back, or out in the woods?” He held out his hand to the woodsman, who, after a moment’s hesitation, handed him the horn. “Looks pretty damn good to me. I know I couldn’t make anything like this.”
“You’re too kind. But this one is a failure.”
“Then make another one.” He handed the horn back to Pent. “You only fail when you give up, right?”
Hanar smiled. He pocketed the horn and nodded. “Very true. And here I thought I needed to visit Gordenthorpe for sage advice. You are wise beyond your years, Pent. I will double my efforts, and they shall not be in vain.”
“Sounds good, man. This is all really cool, and I mean that sincerely. But why the horn? Why the woodworking?”
“Have you had the pleasure of hearing Ellie’s music yet?” Hanar asked. Pent shook his head. “I’ve lived long enough to know what I’m skilled at. I’m skilled with a bow, and with a knife. I can help destroy, to take a life and bring us food. But what can I create? What an amazing gift to bring something new to the world.” He stroked at his beard. “I envy the women in that. I don’t envy their pain, of course. Childbirth seems like an agony. But it is beautiful, none the less.”
“I get what that’s like. Not giving birth to a kid, obviously. To want something more for your life. It’s tough… You can search your whole life and never find it.” Pent frowned. “Have you ever heard the expression, ‘practice what you preach?’ I should probably spend some time searching for myself.”
Hanar patted Pent on the back and rose up off the bed.
“Then let us both do better. Thank you for the advice, Pent. But let me leave you to your own space. We’ll speak again soon, and perhaps I’ll be able to hum a tune for you when we do.” With that, he left the hut. Pent watched him go and smiled.
* * *
Pent met up with Hanar regularly to experience the thrill of the hunt. It turned out that he was not good at it. He kept scaring away the creatures Hanar was trying to catch. Hanar would tell him to lie very still, and he would. Until the end of a branch or a stray leaf found its way to his nose and made him sneeze, or he had an itch he really had to scratch on his neck. Just a little scratch couldn’t harm anything, and he would go to scratch that itch and tumble into a thorny patch, rising up stuck full of spines and cursing violently.
“Oh, damn.” Pent would look around to see if he could save face by being quiet after the fact, and Hanar would laugh.
“It escaped us, but that’s all right!” Pent was no help, but Hanar never told him to leave. They went home with empty stomachs more often than not, but Hanar never cared. He clearly wanted a companion more than an able assistant.
* * *
Countless animals and plants made their home in the forests on the outskirts of Somerville
. Pent observed that many of them were the same as those from his own world. I’m not a plant scientist, though. He couldn’t say whether a thorn bush was exactly the same here or there. But a deer looked like a deer, even if its legs seemed a bit too thick. And a squirrel looked like a squirrel, even if its neck seemed a bit too long. Everything looks just a little bit off. Things are a bit too vibrant. It’s like a kid was trying to describe the forest, but he screwed up some details here and there.
In addition to the hunting, Hanar also attempted to domesticate some of the forest’s creatures. Pent reluctantly tagged along.
“Approach with care, my friend, and follow my lead,” Hanar said, finger to his lips in the universal sign of “Be quiet.” The woodsman stepped through the brush in silence, Pent followed close behind. A wild branch caught his toe and he stumbled, landing face down in the dirt with a crash.
“Sorry, man, still working on this stealth thing,” he said, pulling himself slowly out of the entangling undergrowth.
Hanar stared after the animals that had scattered into the depths of the forest. “It cannot be helped. Perhaps we should change our approach.”
The pair found a clearing and made their preparations, Pent following Hanar’s instruction the best he could. Pent hid behind a tree, trying his best to stay still, and Hanar found a spot in the brush where he lay on his palms, looking like a cat ready to pounce. They stayed there for nearly an hour before Pent noticed movement in the bushes across from them.
A short, hairless, pig-like animal wandered into the clearing. Its short ears twitched this way and that, and its long snout snuffled just above the dirt. Pent watched nervously as it inched closer and closer to Hanar’s position. Just as it approached within arm’s reach, Hanar leaped after it. A piercing squeal wheezed out of the beast as he locked his thin arms around its fat neck, and four more piggish beasts trundled out of the brush. These new arrivals were much larger than the one Hanar had a hold of.
“Uh, Hanar?” Pent pointed at the group of animals. There was no need, as Hanar had already released his grip on the one and was backing away slowly.
“I seem to have been a bit overeager,” he said, glancing from one creature to the next. “These are not much to handle when you single them out. But a group like this? It could be trouble.”
“Yeah, I figured that much,” Pent said. Suddenly, Hanar turned and sprinted towards him wordlessly, and the pig-like creatures followed hotly after. Pent followed his lead, tearing through the brush. He ran until he felt his lungs would burst from his chest.
He stopped when he felt a tugging at his shoulder.
“They’re gone, Pent. They don’t usually pursue through the heavily wooded areas,” Hanar said, smiling sheepishly under his beard.
“That’s great news to hear, after the fact.” Pent brushed at his pants, wiping dirt off his legs. “What were those things anyway?”
“Minches. Quite tasty creatures. I thought it was such good fortune catching one alone.” He shook his head, the smile fading. “I should have waited a bit longer.”
“Tasty? I thought you were trying to tame the thing. Why not just shoot it with an arrow if all you wanted was the meat?”
Hanar stared at him and scratched at his beard. “Yes, well. I may have overstated my experience with taming animals. It seemed like the best course of action.”
Pent laughed. “You’re crazy, man.” Pent found a large, moss-covered rock and sat, panting. “Just hold up for a second, I gotta catch my breath.”
Hanar did as he asked, and they sat there for a moment, recovering from their escape. After several long moments to breathe, Pent burst out laughing.
Hanar raised an eyebrow. “What is so funny?”
“You, man. I’ve known some crazy people in life, but I don’t know anyone who has balls like you.”
“Balls!” Hanar grinned. “I’ll take that as high praise. But if I’m so crazy, what of the man who accompanied me out here?”
“Hey, man, I’m just a witness. You won’t catch me rolling around with some kind of giant pig monster. We don’t party like that with wildlife back home.”
They laughed together for some time, and when the laughter had died down, Hanar began to speak. “Back home… Pent, I hope I don’t upset you, but I have to ask. What of the people you’ve left behind? What of your family?”
Pent stared at the ground for a while before answering.
“Yeah, man. My moms is at the top of that list. I wish I could say something to her, to let her know I didn’t just leave her to fend for herself.”
“I’m sure she understands, my friend. Look at it like this, you’ve gone on an adventure. She can’t fault you for that.”
Pent shook his head. “There’s more to it than that, man. My mom was always there for me when no one else was. When I was little, when I was real young, my dad… He just up and left. No note, no sign, just out of nowhere, he’s gone. He wasn’t interested in me or her. He didn’t want to be a part of this family. I don’t even know where he is now. It’s been years. He could have gone anywhere.” He sighed. “I don’t want her to think the same of me. I don’t want her sitting alone in that house thinking I abandoned her like my dad.”
Hanar stared in silence for some time.
“I’m not sure what to say. I’m sorry for all that’s happened. I can offer you little solace in all of this.” He walked over to Pent and placed his hand on his shoulder. “All I have to give is my friendship.”
Pent nodded. “Thanks, man, I appreciate that.”
“When the time is right, we will search for answers together. There are many things in this world I don’t understand. But I believe whatever force brought you here will somehow find its way to send you back.”
Pent shrugged and pushed himself up from his rock. “Looks like all I can do at this point is stick around and see if you’re right.”
Chapter Fourteen
Their rush through the forest had left little time to address their own wounds. They hadn’t looked back after escaping the minches, and by the time they had reached Somerville, they were feeling the aftereffects of their recklessness.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a little worn down,” Pent said.
“I have to agree. In fact,” Hanar rubbed on the back of his shoulder and his fingers came back wet with blood, “it seems that I fell on something when I tumbled with that minch.”
“Jesus, man.” Pent wheeled around, examining the wound. “There’s a huge hole here. You didn’t notice that you’re bleeding out?”
Hanar shrugged. “It didn’t seem pressing. I’ve suffered worse.”
“Well, let’s try to minimize the suffering here.”
“You’re right. I’ll have to talk to Daley for the hole in my clothes. But I suppose we should visit Riven first.”
“Let’s go then.” Pent followed Hanar through the village. When they arrived at Riven’s house, though, they were surprised to find him out. His assistant, Ellie, was sitting alone in his stead.
“Hanar, please come in. And this is the newcomer then? Pleased to finally meet you!” She smiled at him. Her black hair was tied in a ponytail. She was small and thin, and when she rose to greet them, she had to crane her neck back to get a good look at Pent. She’s almost Cenk’s height, but damn if she isn’t a sight for sore eyes.
He reached for her hand out of habit. She glanced at it quizzically for a moment, and then grasped it as delicately as a flower. Pent felt butterflies in his stomach as he gave her hand a quick shake.
“My name’s Pent. Nice to meet you. You and the good doctor always seem to be busy. I’ve been here for at least a week and some change, surprised I haven’t actually met you yet.”
“This greeting… Where could you be from? Riven told me a little, but he hadn’t mentioned that a stranger from the north had joined us.” She regarded Pent, a look of curiosity on her face.
“It’s, uh, it’s a long story,” Pent stammered. “One I’
d love to tell you, whenever you get some free time.” Smooth, Pent, real smooth.
Her gaze lingered for a moment before she turned away, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
“You said that we always seem busy? Well, busy is the least of it! You would be surprised how much trouble everyone here falls into,” she said, glancing pointedly at Hanar. “Speaking of that, you have something to show me?”
The injured woodsman laughed despite the pain.
“You’re much more to the point than Riven! He always eases into things with some small talk about the future of Somerville or the chief. I’ve made a mess of things, starting with my back.”
Ellie grimaced at the wound. She beckoned Hanar into a chair and wiped the blood away.
Pent wandered to a table at the far corner of the room. A variety of containers were laid out, several in metal tins, with substances he couldn’t identify. He raised one up and sloshed the contents around.
Ellie had walked up next to him. She glanced at him with a startled expression before yelling, “Don’t touch those!” She swatted his hand and picked up one of the tins.
“Sorry! Just wondering what all this stuff is.”
“You came to a doctor’s home, and you’re wondering what these are?” She lifted the container up to Pent’s eye level. “It’s medicine. Local herbs and plants from the forest that we grind into this paste. And I don’t know them by smell yet, so I have them arranged how I remember.”
“Right, right. Sorry about that.” She walked back to Hanar and began cleaning the wound with the medicine in the container. Pent felt his cheeks go red and turned away from the two of them. Nice one, idiot.
After cleaning the wound the best she could, Ellie began dressing the puncture. When she had finished, Hanar stood up smiling. Ellie shook her head.
“I’m sorry, it’s patchwork at best.” She sighed. “I’m nowhere near Riven’s level. I still have so much to learn from him.”
