Criminal

It still seems too surreal, with no idea where I really am, what has happened to me, why I am even walking with this bird man to wherever he is taking me, or even if I have a chance to escape the madness that is unfolding in my mind at the situation.

We continue to walk in almost complete silence, save for the sounds of the night around us, which is almost too foreign for words to explain.

Chirps and whistles, unearthly croaking, even what at first seemed like a cicada's call came from a tiny, rodent-like beast that could be considered a 'hairless squirrel'.

Once we get through the mess of trees, which he did mention at one point during our trek are called Zeshwood, with a thick trunk and strong bark, he said they are used for several crafts or utilities alike, with large boughs sporting thin, tiny leaves among the branches.

Then, finally escaping from the towers of nature, we arrive into a clearing where a small building stands, modestly designed for comfort, made of wood (probably the same kind of wood from the description of how it looks), with a vaulted roof on a low angle to one side, a few windows dotting the sides of the little abode, a covered porch and even a small work shed out back, it felt more like a cozy little cottage for two, rather than a station for the equivalent of a park ranger.

"Once we get inside you can rest as I make my contacts."

Saying this while leading me towards the front door, opening it to show the inside is just as homely as the outside, if not moreso, decorated in trinkets of several colors and shapes, photographs of people and creatures that all look incredibly bizarre, tools I have no clue about their use, and a small cell towards the other end of the building, away from the desk that he sits down at, motioning me to sit along with him in the chair nearby, I thankfully do while taking in as much of the warmth inside this place as I possibly can.

"I'm sorry for being such a hassle..." Saying the phrase as I ponder through the current situation, still trying to make sense of it as best as I can.

"There isn't any need to feel like a burden miss, it's not uncommon that we have lost hikers out here, but this predicament is, in honesty, a fairly odd one."

He speaks, opening a drawer in the desk and pulling out a tiny book, bound by green leather, with silver characters on the front that could only lead to believe it's some kind of writing, a language I have never seen before consisting of sharp, striking lines, some ending with a delicate curve.

He opens it, not before grabbing a vial of blue ink near the middle of the desk, along with a stick that has been carved into the shape of a pencil, then, dipping the til into the ink, he writes inside the book, as I watch, fixated on the practice, the words begin to shimmer like a gemstone in sunlight, almost as if the symbols he scribbles down are coming to life and not too soon after he finishes, more words appear, this time they are gold and forming on their own! Feeling as if I am truly experiencing something magical before he catches my attention.

"We need to properly identify you, so I do need more information." He gives me a quick glance before turning back to the book.

"What is your race?"

I stare at him, taken off guard by the question before finding the courage to speak up.

"I-I...am a human."

His face looks annoyed at my response.

"What kind of race is that?"

I am again, perplexed at what he is asking and almost seeming to play dumb (feeling pretty dumb at this point) I reply to him in confusion.

"A human is...like me, two arms, two legs, skin, hair, eyes...I am not sure how to explain it better."

So assessment time in my mind, a man who is in a position like his has no clue what a human is, meaning either he has just never met one, or they don't exist at all here...please let it be the former...

"In that case, do you have a clan or family name to identify you by?"

So this is what it's like to be in an interrogation...

"It's Winters....sir...."

"Quinn...Winters..."

He writes in the book every piece of information I give to him, repeating it as he does between each question.

Once his questions stop coming he closes the book and looks at me, almost as if he is tired.

"The identification bureau will be getting back to me in the morning so we can take care of this matter, until then, if you need to,. you can sleep inside the holding chamber until then, I also asked for them to send some garments for you more suited to the climate."

All I can do now is nod, or try to at the least.

My head feels heavy on my shoulders, and for the first time in forever, I want to sleep, so badly do I want to.

I rise up from the chair to head over to the cell, he follows me over to it, unlocking it for me and leaving the door open.

"There is a spare blanket in the break room I can get for you, the relief facility is next to it. If you need anything special, just tell me and I will see what can be done."

Bobbing my head now is as if I am balancing a water balloon on a needle, all that I could do was climb onto the cot in this cell and soundly doze off thinking *what would my family say...the one person not even willing to take a candy bar...sleeping in a cell.*

By the last word I am out like a light and sleeping soundly, something I haven't done in a long time.

Waking up felt like more of a relief than anything, even though when I woke up, I was still inside the cell, and as I yawn and stretch out, needing my body to respond as my head lifts up to inspect the surroundings, an urge pushes through my stomach..."Potty...."

Getting up in a hurry, my feet start to rush me off towards where the birdy cop said the toilet was, and once I found it my shorts were down.

"Sweet relief..." Saying this to myself while halfway through my business, it was then that I noticed there was a shower in here....and it was running, with a shadow behind a curtain that produces the voice from last night.

"Good morning Ms. Winters, did you rest well enough?"

Blush, blush, blush, blush, embarrassed!!!!

I hold my face in my hands, seething from the rushing blood boiling my cheeks alive, always being so careful and now here I am, using the bathroom with a naked guy barely even a few steps away from me!

I wanted to die right then and there so badly, I could taste the 'come hither' touch only dying could grant, while trying to finish up and get my shorts back up, the shower turns off...he sticks a hand out from the thin veil between us.

"can you please hand me a towel from the drying rack please?"

in my nervousness, eyeing the room I finally find the rack and remove a towel off of it's rung, placing it in his hand before exiting the bathroom, still red as red could get, I end up making my way back into the cell and covering my head with the pillow I had used the night before, begging to myself to let this already be over for a bit before i hear him making his way over towards me...He is at the cell door and I am too freaked to even look at him while he clears his throat to speak.

"I do apologize for that display, I should have taken care to lock the door and save the trouble of that scene."

He sounds so straight and proper in his apology that it is somewhat reassuring, but also upsetting me in an oddly, royal way causing me to slowly peek out from the pillow to find he is now dressed in the pants I had seen him in before, but with a red t-shirt on instead of the military coat from the night before.

"No...I should have checked if anyone was in there before I came in, I am so used to living alone that I paid no mind to it...."

He gives me a brief nod. "As long as there is an understanding, I have some food prepared for you waiting in the cooling box if you would like to eat, I was unsure what your species consumes so I made a few different things."

Foooood, my stomach churns and abuses me at the sound of it, making a loud rumble, audible enough for him to hear it when I get to my feet.

"I am omnivorous...so I can eat pretty much anything as long as it has been cooked throughly."

He betrays himself a slight smile when I speak.

"Then go ahead and get something inside you, once you have had your fill I wish to discuss what the bureau sent me this morning."

Without paying much thought to it, I make my way into the kitchen, to my surprise I still have no clue how this place, with no machines or appliances could still have such a modern feel to it, but right now, that didn't matter.

My stomach pressing me onwards to what seemed to be the cooling box, I open it wide showing a few containers filled with different foods, I remove them and place each one onto the table, inspecting every dish before indulging in the tastes, scrambled eggs, meat almost like bacon but sweet and chewy, a bowl of what appeared at first as oatmeal, kind of bland but I had no care about it, it was food so it was good, there was also some kind of salad with purple and yellow vegetables tossed in with leafy greens and a delicately tart dressing.

I scarfed it all down, each bite being more gracious than the last until every morsel in the dishes had passed between my lips before leaning back in my chair, rubbing my tummy with the feeling of satisfaction one can only get from a great breakfast.

Almost as soon as I am to relax, feeling good and full from my meal, Allona sits down at the table across from me holding that strange little book he wrote in last night.

"I trust that you feel better now?"

I nod to him in gratitude.

"Yes, it was delicious...thank you for sharing it with me."

He pats the book a few times before speaking again.

"Now that you are fed I must speak about your case. The bureau has no record of your name or race in the national archives, and unfortunately without a registration you are considered a risk."

My eyes go wide in a fear at what he means.

"So for a better assessment, I am to escort you today to the branch in the nearest town so they can evaluate and pass judgement on this according to law."

First the woods, then the body swap from hell, then I am arrested and have to sleep in a cell, and now, pretty much the pure definition of a trial is put in front of me, the food I just ate might as well be considered my last meal for all I know.

"Your new clothes will be here in a few hours, once you are dressed properly, we will head back with the courier and take it from there, but until then, I suggest you get some rest as it is a decently long journey on foot."

At this point, there is nearly nothing left I can say, my entire being is completely foreign to this world and I am lost in it, without a single way to prove whatever I can to subvert this into something more favorable, so I just go back to lay down in my cell...heh, my cell, it's a laughable thing to think about, and whenever this courier arrives, what in the ever-loving hell am I in for?