Carnival

With Rose's help, Xavier managed to obtain an illegal ticket for the West-South train. He wanted to see Deixtre, but there was not enough time because there were no other train tickets. With a heavy heart, Xavier made the difficult decision to go south. Xavier leaned against the cool glass of the window and focused his gaze outside. His mind was empty and numb, his thoughts drifting in a sea of indifference. Meanwhile, Rose sat next to him, her eyes closed, lost in a song playing through her headphones. She swayed gently to the beat, a serene expression on her face as she savored the moment. As Xavier looked at Rose, struggling to find any emotion in himself, he couldn't help envying her ability to find solace in music. The coldness in his heart grew deeper with each passing moment, making him feel disconnected and alone.

The Southlands was a vast, desolate wasteland. The soil was cracked and dry, devoid of any sign of life. Shades of earthy brown, gray, and dusty green dominated the landscape, with only intermittent patches of dead grass and shriveled plants breaking the monotonous landscape. The air was stagnant and heavy, reeking of decay and emptiness. It was a wasteland, uninhabitable for most living things.

They had a long four-hour drive ahead of them. Rose nudged Xavier and smiled warmly.

"Xavier, I wanted to thank you for letting me go on this journey with you, it means a lot to me."

Xavier's appearance was noticeably disheveled, his orderly demeanor replaced by an air of disheveled inner turmoil. He turned his head towards Rose and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"No, Rose, thank you for being here with me. Amid everything that's going on, your company is a comfort to me."

With Xavier's words, a pink color spread across Rose's cheeks, turning them the color of a newly bloomed rose petal. Her eyes shifted to the side, avoiding direct eye contact as if she were trying to hide behind her eyelashes. A slight blush crept up her neck, adding to the delicate bloom on her face. The way she played with the hem of her dress betrayed her nervousness, like a fragile flower swaying in the breeze.

Xavier's pale blue eyes immediately recognized Rose's shy demeanor. A warm smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he took in her silent presence. His gaze seemed to shine on her.

Xavier and Rose chatted animatedly for an hour as the train sped along the tracks. The rhythmic sound of the wheels against the metal was a constant backdrop to their conversation, punctuated by the occasional whistle of passing towns. With each passing minute, the distance between them diminished and they felt as if they had known each other for a lifetime. When the conversation stalled, Rose began to tell a story about a poor man. Rose's words painted a vivid picture of a poor man who faced insurmountable odds but triumphed in the end. Rose impressed Xavier with her combination of fantastical elements and heartbreaking emotions.

"But he never gave up, even when the odds seemed insurmountable."

Rose's excitement surged as the sun slowly began to dip below the horizon and she grabbed Xavier's hand and started tugging. "Come on, come on! Let's go to the carnival!" She pulled him towards the entrance of the carnival. Her energy was infectious and Xavier found himself drifting with her, unable to resist her enthusiasm.

In the lively carnival, Xavier and Rose wandered among the vibrant crowds. They couldn't resist stopping at the food stalls, lured by the enticing aromas of sizzling meats, freshly made funnel cakes, and sweet cotton candy. Each bite was an explosion of flavor that filled their mouths with warmth and joy. As they made their way through the colorful chaos of the carnival, the second activity on their list was to test their skills at shooting games. They passed booths with prizes of all shapes and sizes, tempting them with promises of cute stuffed animals or shiny trinkets. Sounds of laughter filled the air, mixed with the smell of popcorn and fried dough. Screams of joy could be heard as children successfully popped balloons or knocked over targets, while adults whispered strategies to each other in the hope of winning a coveted prize. Amidst this bustling atmosphere, the two friends eagerly joined in the games, determined to have fun and possibly win something special to remember their day at the carnival.

Rose's eyes sparkled with determination as she pointed to a row of colorful ducks spinning on a mechanical pond. "Let's start there, Xavier! I've always been pretty good at aiming," she suggested, her voice brimming with confidence.

Xavier grinned mischievously, a playful twinkle dancing in his green eyes. "Ah Rose, don't underestimate my abilities just yet! Let's make this interesting. How about a little wager?"

Rose tilted her head curiously and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "What kind of bet are we talking about here?"

Xavier leaned closer, his voice low and confidential. "If I win, you buy me a funnel cake and if you win, I buy you one."

Rose raised an eyebrow in amusement. "That seems fair enough to me."

With determined expressions on their faces, they both aimed the ducks and started shooting. Rose managed to hit three ducks in a row, while Xavier only hit one.

"Looks like I'm buying the funnel cake," Xavier admitted with a grin.

But before they could move to claim their prizes, a loud announcement over the loudspeakers signaled the start of a game that had caught their attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, come forward for our newest game, the ring toss!"

Without hesitation, Xavier took Rose by the hand and led her toward the ring toss booth. They paid for their rings and started to throw them on bottles placed on a shelf.

At first, neither of them seemed to be able to get their rings onto the bottles, but then Xavier managed to get one ring onto the neck of a bottle.

"Ha! I beat Rose!" he exclaimed triumphantly, arms outstretched.

"Looks like we're even now," she teased with a grin.

Xavier chuckled and handed her another ring. "Another round?" he suggested with a sly grin.

When nightfall came, they made their way to a modest hotel room. The walls were painted a warm shade of orange. A large television stood opposite the double bed, the only other piece of furniture in the room apart from a small bedside table. Despite its small size, the room was spacious and inviting. Rose let out a contented sigh as she threw herself onto the newly made bed, her body sinking into the fluffy pillows and soft duvet. Her tiredness had finally caught up with her and she fell asleep almost instantly.

Xavier carefully took the crumpled photograph from his pocket and looked at its faded image with a mixture of pain and determination. A small, bittersweet smile appeared at the corners of his lips and he whispered to the faces in the frame: "Mom, Dad. I will fight with all the strength in me until my last breath." He put the photo in his pocket and threw himself on the bed on his back, shaking off these thoughts and preparing himself for a peaceful sleep. Although he fell asleep, Xavier didn't even get a chance to rest.

Little Xavier was having a picnic with his mom and dad, warm smiles on their faces, fun conversations swirling, warm words mingling in the air. But this peaceful, happy moment did not last long. The dream turned into a nightmare when his parents were suddenly taken away from him. The lush green grass turned blood red and the chilling wind was strong. His parents' happy conversation turned into a cry for help. Little Xavier could only watch with tears streaming down his face.

In terror, Xavier opened his eyes at 4 a.m., sat up with a sudden movement, and tried to face the impact of the dream on him. As he breathed in and out rapidly, he realized that his body was drenched in sweat. His heart was pounding, and even though it was just a dream, the memory of watching helplessly as he watched his family die haunted him. She bit her lower lip hard and squinted her eyes slightly, not letting the tears flow. He was not going to be like Little Xavier, who had only responded to his parents' screams by crying. Even though it had been a nightmare, nothing had changed when he woke up.