17

Thalia saw it inch by inch. She saw how his face slowly morphed into a darkened cloud. One could easily tell that he was offended. Her mind says no, she does not want the drama he is about to launch at her thus she stepped out of the dugout shelter.

"Where are you going?" He stepped out after her. Again, her chest made this uncomfortable thudding inside her rib cage. She doesn't like it at all. It is something that only happens when she is in danger or something is going to happen that is out of her control.

"I am going to wash my face. You stay here." That is the only excuse she could think of with her chest beating like a mad woodpecker.

"Let me help you wash. I can even bathe you if you'd like." He looked down at himself and grimaced. "I could also use one myself," he added.

"No." she said.

"No?" he incredulously asked. His eyes were looking at her like she got some screws loose somewhere in her head. She should be the one looking at him like that. Hence, she gave him another pointed look.

"I'm a grown man, I can bathe myself. Now, get back inside and tend to the fire. Dispose of the fishbones in a nearby bush." After giving him instruction, she proceeded to step away from him. However, the man grabbed a part of her tunic, pulling her back.

"What are you doing?!" she hissed while smacking his sneaky hand. He had the audacity to look hurt.

"I've never gone without a shower for days in my entire life, now I am here smelling like sewage with days' worth of grime. Take me with you."

She bit her lip in annoyance. There it goes again, the determined face he makes whenever he wants something to go his way. His eyebrows would scrunch the tiniest bit, his lips pursed and his eyes would turn into slits ever so slightly. It was annoying. And what is more annoying to know is she is starting to notice the subtle changes he makes.

"Fine you are going with me, but make sure to be quick about it. The river is a little far from here and I don't want you to worsen those feet of yours again. I've had enough of your clumsiness to last me a lifetime." she stated and started turning her back from him.

"Lifetime? You mean you'll keep me around for that long? I don't mind." he happily limped in her direction, trying to match her strides. It was not difficult since he has longer legs than her, and she deliberately shortened her pace in case his klutziness would strike again. That way she could assist him.

"I said keep your mouth shut." she told him impatiently. Her thoughts were now focused on the path they're walking on. They would reach the river in a few minutes, and she would rather spend it in silence.

"How can you find yourself around here? They look the same to me." He asked after a few minutes, while he pushed at the low branches hindering their way. Weighing her thoughts, she decided to answer him. After all, she is to teach him about the basics of surviving the island.

"I'll give you a map when we are back to my dwelling. For now, markers would be your friend," she pointed a huge white poplar tree on their right. It was the biggest tree out of the rest. Though the marsh cypress trees were taller, these poplar trees had wide trunks and are easily noticeable out of the other trees.

"What about it?" he asked, looking at the tree she pointed at. He seemed uninterested.

"Pay attention." she growled at him. She glanced at him and saw his eyebrows raised in amusement. The way he looks right now was totally different from the terrified prostitute she saved the first day.

"I am listening," he responded.

"You better be. You can only stay a few weeks, if you aren't ready by then that's on you." she shrugged. "If you want to find yourself around here make sure to leave markers or find landmarks," She started explaining. Remembering the markers, she did not tell him that she changed the markers he left two days ago.

"That tree was noticeable, don't you think?" she continued, she stopped by the tree, and he followed suit. The trip to the river might take time but teaching him early would mean she can wash him off her hands the soonest.

"The shape of the leaves are different from the other trees, yes." he indulged her, his eyes focused on the tree.

"Watch the trunk, the silver-gray color is easy to see. Always find a marker that you could easily see and remember. If that is not enough, you can mark the tree, but I rather you don't. I would prefer you make a small pile of stones on the base of the tree. Always set the markers where you can only find them,"

The trip towards the river was filled with snippets of things involving survival inside a forest. She was stealing glances and she found him listening intently this time. It was good that he was paying attention. He also made sure to ask questions about the plants they see and the kind of trees he must consider as a good shelter if he can't find one. Staying elevated during the night is a much better notion than laying on the forest floor. Tons of insects and animals would happen upon you if you were not careful.

The sound of the rushing water slowly reaches their ears. This part of the river was upstream. A good place to gather potable water. The water system of the islands, including the islands occupied by the districts, were a great source of drinking water. From the books she read, the water was polluted to the point that organisms ceased to survive. However, after the disaster, she could not see any evidence of that said pollution. All those improper garbage disposals mentioned was nonexistent. Maybe it was buried deep in the land, but one thing is for sure, the earth was revived and appeared new, and still adjusting.

They would have to go downstream if they would take a refreshing bath.

"I can't bathe without soap." she heard Langdon say when they reached the riverbank downstream with waist deep water. The current in this part of the river isn't that strong. It is a good area to take a quick dip and get rid of the grime sitting on their skin for days now.

"Just get in the water, clean yourself. We need to get back." she said indifferently. Soap is a luxury she can't find on the island, but she does purchase a bundle of it whenever she visits the districts for some trade.

She looked at the man, waiting for him to get in the water. Her eyes widened when she saw him remove his tattered tunic without a care at all. The man wasn't even wearing anything underneath the cloth.

"For fuck's sake, is he an exhibitionist?" she murmured to herself and chose to find a spot away from the man.

"Where are you going? How am I going to wash your back if you're going that way?"

Jolted by the sudden contact on her shoulder, she stiffened. Glancing at her shoulder, she saw his soft hand stopping her from moving away. There's this weird electricity traveling through her body, like a tingle. She did not like it at all.

She shrugged his hand off of her shoulder.

"Keep your hands to yourself." she said in a bite. There is no way in hell that he would help wash her. She is not going to watch him bathe either.

"Alright, but where are you going?" he asked, voice filled with curiosity.

"None of your business. Just be quick with your bath." She reminds him without giving him a glance.

A lengthy, intense pause.

"Are you a celibate, Talon?" His words caused a shiver running through her veins. She turned around and glowered at the man.

"How about minding your own business?" she said gritting her teeth in annoyance. If he keeps this up, blowing her fuse won't be far. Throwing hands is an option she doesn't want to use.

It was unusual but she saw how his mouth made an 'O' shape. Wonderment sparkled in his eyes as if he discovered something lethal. That mouth slowly morphed into a smirk. She glared at him, keeping her eyes above his shoulders. He is a lanky man, like that of a woman, still, she avoided looking at his nakedness.

"You are celibate." he stated, and a mysterious nod follows.

In a blink of an eye, the man was already standing up close, leaving her breathless. She was glaring at his eyes and now she was face to face with the man's throat. He might convincingly look like a woman, but his Adam's apple would refute everything. Eyes flickering in panic, she tried to move back but something was stopping her from doing so. Something soft yet strong.

It's the first time in a long time that she felt trapped, and unsure. She hated the proximity but something deep in her, somewhere was a little intrigue.