Chapitre 31: My friend is a tree, but i came in his hole without his permission.

White hands with neatly trimmed nails take the lantern who before then never left Suspicious's side.

Putting it on the moss his long fingers dislodges one of the glass panel protecting the candle in it.

The little flame is pressed against the wet wood twisting fiercely as if repelled.

a bit of candle wax fall on his hand.

Somehow after a few tries the twigs are consummated by fire.

The two around keep bringing it new wood to burn until the water start to boil.

To prevent their water supply to evaporate completely another plate taken from the bag of Suspicious block the top of the bowl.

Dust just hope that their clay bowl can endure the extreme change of temperature .

When the fire get too weak, Suspicious as mindful as a mother before her children blow on it softly.

If Dust judges him by his careful action he would say that the red haired man is hungry too.

After a few minute of observing the flames in a daze the tallest of the two say :

-Now it should be ready.

Without waiting more he take off the plate covering the bowl.

A puff of white vapor come out and hit his face while he retrieve the pot from the fire.

Just like this two eggs still fairly hot are placed on Dust's palm.

And two other are in the hand of Suspicious.

The eggs is peeled

and without wasting one more second Dust put it whole in his mouth.

His teeth bite on it ready to savour.

Unfortunately the horrible taste come suddenly on his tongue and destroy his expectations.

A mixture of cooked yolk, blood, and something a bit crunchy and bitter push his face to form a grimace .

The boy spit it out and spit a few times more.

His food now no more than a white and yellow paste is at his feet.

In the middle of the yolk, with should be an eye if it was fully formed is a small black bag encircled by a splatter of blood and pink flesh.

On his tongue it wasn't some hair but tiny bone.

Dust contemplate the little bird who was in his egg with horror.

-Oh.

Slowly the brown haired young man turn his head in the direction of the sound.

Suspicious who ate the whole egg like Dust look at the mess he made.

After a second of staying still he puts his long fingers in his mouth.

His mouth open wide he take the bird corpse out of it and throw the fetus on the ground but swallow the rest without a care, yolk and blood.

On the sight Dust vomit, bending his back in a tremor, bile rosing from his stomach like a tide.

The red haired man contemplate his pitiful state then pick his second egg.

Peeling it again but this time he extract the bird corpse before chewing the rest.

The boy still with his back bent watch the whole course of action from the corner of his eyes.

He ask himself" What is the fuck is wrong with Suspicious??".

The tallest of the two is still chewing his food while the smallest succeed in calming his nausea after a few seconds.

He straightens up under the icy blue eyes.

Dust can help himself he just avoid the stare.

But for once it isn't because he is socially awkward. The reason is quite simple: He fear that his stomach won't bear to recall the previous scene of the man taking out from his teeths a baby bird.

Nonetheless after one minute of the man staring the boy without moving he has to ask.

His voice is a bit strained by the acidity still in his his trachea.

-What?

Suspicious smile a bit, his lips raised but somehow managing to stay linear. His voice clear and unperturbed.

-For your second egg...(he let his voice drawls a bit) Do you eat it?

Dust can help himself he repeat

-What?( this time he raise his brown eyes and met those of his Companion, his crazy companion who can apparently eat anything, stammering in his words) -N-no of course not .

This time the man smile a bit more his lips forming a slight curve showing part of his teeths. Some of them stained red.

A ray of light succeeding in piercing the soliage illuminate his sharp features.

-So then can i eat it?

Speechless, Dust hand him the last eggs.

After eating they start to walk again.

The red haired man by the way choose a tree who seem easier than other to climb and start his ascension.

The other boy sniff again sitting on a big root rising from the ground like some tentacles for an enormous squid.

In a low mood he look dazedly at the moss near his feet.

He really want to eat.

He coughs a bit and just wait.

He is cold, what he would give to be an warm and safe place.

And to please stop walking endlessly.

This time he actually notice that the sound come from above him.

So the boy at first doesn't worry when Suspicious jump from one of the lowest branch to the ground.

-Dust.

However the tone of voice his companion use after does alert him.

He has no time to answer. His arm is taken by force and without waiting the red haired man lead him taking in passing his lantern.

His habitual big strides become hurried.

Dust nearly trip, his foot sinking in a puddle of mud, splashing his pants.

Everything is quiet, the boy can't even hear the crows.

Dust whisper:

-What did you see?

The other man put more strenght in his grip, enough to give the other bruises on his white skin.

-The lake...

The answer can only offer some brief seconds of relief to Dust because after scanning the area Suspicious gives another information.

One that the boy didn't want to hear.

-And a bunch of freaks heading straight at it.

Sucking a big breath of cold air the smallest of the two taste the acid that his bile left.

Opening and closing his mouth like a fish ashore he struggle to ask:

-How many?

The man is silent for a bit then he shake his head stopping on his track.

-It won't work, like this.

Dust really want to shake the man like a dice

to know just HOW MANY people are behind their back.

And he also want him to elaborate on the "It won't work" however after another deep breath taken he swallows his panic.

-Suspicious, did they saw you?

Giving him a glance his blue eyes reflect Dust pale face.

The guy seems to be interlocked for a moment spitting a brief and cold "No" while advancing

The fast walk become a trot. Dragged forward Dust can only follow suit.

In the silence their breath seems especially loud, miggling together some branch hit them on the faces, the grey sky above is unmoving.

Then Dust is jolted to the side by his companion like a rag doll and before he can say anything more pushed in the hole of a big tree.

The tall frame of Suspicious come next, pushing the boy until he is pressed against the wet bark.

The smell of rotting wood fills his nostrils he stiffles another cough.

The body of Suspicious nearly block all the light that pour in the trunk but a small opening allow him to see his companion raising his arm.

Gritting his teeths the boy let his irritation be heard.

- What are you doing?

The tallest of the two wave his arm while scoffing.

-You have so many questions.

Dust want to retort: Could i not ask questions when my litteral live is at play?

but Suspicious after waving for a bit in the dark add:

-We are lucky the hole is big enough to go up.

The man shifts a little allowing Dust to better see the opening of the tree.

A large ray of light reapppears.

His back now pressed against the wood, the red haired man presses Dust a little more forcing him to curl up on himself.

Then he push his body higher before putting his longs leg up too, his shoes covered in mud laying flat against the wood constricting them.

Slowly he rise.

His back going up, his feets on the other side of the hollowed trunk following suit.

Dust look at his form in the dark who rise up in the inside of the tree then at the opening

showing the moody forest outside.

Now he hear numerous footsteps.

The brown haired one do the same than Suspicious.

It is a bit more difficult because his legs are shorter but lucky for him he still can reach the other side of the interior of the tree

Stabilising his body he goes up too.

Until no one can be seen in the hole if you look from oustide.