Interlude: The Village of Idiots

We'd been away from home for about two weeks. We'd walked miles I could not count and my steps became heavier with the distance. I needed to rest. It however became a task to convince Missy to let me do so. She had so much energy, so much zeal... I couldn't understand.

We were coming to a fork in the road and I was crawling on the grass, gasping for breath. She'd trailed a little further down and for a minute I thought I'd lost her. Well, that's done then, I thought. Good riddance!

But wait. Had she really gone? Was I that unbearable that she'd dumped me for the adventure she so longed for, never to turn back? I began to long for her return. It was strange, it hadn't even been that long. I finally collapsed on the grainy dirt path when my hands couldn't support my weight anymore. I lifted my head up to see if she would come back, and to my shocking heart's content, I could see her small frame hurrying back to me. Missy... I still need you, I thought. You can't leave me. Not just yet, not just yet.

"I've seen another village," she said, gasping. "We should hurry on and take rest there."

Ah, she'd taken pity on me. Good. I grinned. My dramatic ruse had paid off. Finally she spoke some sense. Reinvigorated, I quickly rose to my feet.

"Let's go!" I said, taking very large strides. She ran after me, trying to keep up.

..... .....

We walked past a few old houses and came to a stop in front of a tall storey building. It was a boarding house. It looked decent enough, so we decided to go in.

We were received by two very dainty women who wore very extravagant head pieces that for a moment seemed to elevate their height. This illusion faded however when I could see myself significantly straining to bend low and talk to them. It felt like a nightmare. Missy on the other hand, seemed to find this extremely cute and this agitated me even more.

"We need two rooms," I said.

"We apologize, sir. Only one is available," one of the women spoke.

I looked around. I wished I had options. It wasn't the best of places. There probably were options, but I wasn't up to walking around and getting them.

"Okay. Do you have anything else, it doesn't have to be a room... she'll take it," I said, pointing to Missy. She looked at me and laughed.

"We can share a room, Time. It's okay, I don't mind," she shrugged.

"It's not about you!" I dismissed her brashly. My patience was going fast. I held my head. I felt it was too harsh almost instantly. My guilt set in as Missy walked away. I tried to ignore it; I turned back to the ladies.

"So?"

They looked disturbed. Of course they were, I wasn't putting on the best face. My temperamental nature was getting the better of me.

"There's a stable. But for a young lady, it won't do," they said, shaking their heads with disapproval.

Great. Now I had to deal with their criticism, on top of my foul mood. Was I ever going to rest?

"Alright. We'll take it, we'll take it!" I said, as I tried to amplify my sense of urgency with gestures for them to hurry it along. Missy stayed ahead of me the whole time, never looking back until we were shown to the room. I knew I had upset her. I went to bed shortly after that and figured I would apologize to her in the morning. I was exhausted. Luckily, she did the same.

..... .....

The next morning, I woke up to a wholly transformed mood. I recounted the events of the previous evening and saw how my bent up emotions had come to a climax. Missy had paid dearly for that. I needed to put it right with her immediately and probably make up for it. I sat up and turned to look at where she had slept for the night. I expected to find her still sleeping soundly. I was going to wake her and express my deepest regret in a never before done apology. To my surprise, she was gone.

My heart skipped a beat. At least I thought it did. What was I going to tell Nan? She'd kill me! I began to think. She couldn't have gone far. Why had she gone in any case? Had it been my temper? Well, damn it! I thought. Now the quest was going to have to wait; I needed to go find Missy first.

I ran out into the street like a mad man. My panic could be seen a mile away. As I staggered through the streets, towering high above everyone, I began to notice something. All the short townsfolk had began moving in streams towards a common point down the road. Why were they so short though? I thought to myself... or was I much taller than I had given myself credit for? But then, it couldn't be. Missy too was far beyond their stature. Together we stood in what looked like a sea of dwarfs.

I could hear heightening commotion, then there was an announcement. I turned around. Through the gaps between the crowd I saw a familiar face. She seemed to be the cause of the crowd gathering. Missy, oh my dear Missy, what have you gotten yourself into?

I walked over to see what was happening. There had been a scuffle. Missy had got caught in it. Two short men at each hand now restrained her. I was very confused at this point but it seemed like I was the only one. Just then, someone called for silence.

"We have captured our salvation!" he shouted. The man stood a little over three feet tall in a small tight-fitting armoured suit.

The crowd roared and cheered on to this. What was this, a village of idiots? I shook my head as I pushed my way to the front. Missy saw me and beamed with joy. She appeared relieved to see me but scared at the same time. She knew what she had done — we had unfinished business.

"This girl is with me," I said, "Please, let her go."

"But she is our salvation. It was prophesied, who are we to reject what we are owed?" the armoured man argued.

"Owed?" I scoffed. "I assure you Missy does not come from any prophecy... she does not come to save you."

"Look around you, brother! Do you see us as your equals? Have we the same feats?"

Feats? What feats?

"I do not know of your achievements, only of my own," I said smugly.

"Ah, but there you are wrong my friend. Anyone here can see you possess a far greater advantage than we."

I looked around as he said. I couldn't see much, or rather, what I saw I had seen before. I stared down at the crowd behind me.

"My height?" I asked, uncertain.

"That is it," said the man, "But today, we will be delivered from this plight with this girl."

I shook my head again in objection.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken. Missy's not special in any way that can rescue you as you say," I insisted.

"Then you have not understood me my friend. You see, our inability to grow to the average human height is not a defect. Our village has been cursed for years. We have been waiting for the saviour, our forefathers waited before us... Now that we have her in our grasp, why would we let her go just because you say so?"

I paused in thought. If everyone did believe she was this so-called saviour, then this was going to be a very big problem.

"Why her though?" I asked.

"She's been the only tall female who's come through our village in a long time. We do not take this lightly; it is a sign."

"Okay, then how do you suppose she is going to up your height game?"

"The only way possible: by carrying a child with one of our own," he said.

Oh damn! This was one for the books— I flinched.

"But she's a child herself..."

"Who can carry still."

I held my head in distress. What was I ever going to do?

"Fine. I'm sure we can come to an agreement. You can take it up with the chief," he said, "But be sure he will be on our side." They started walking.

I glanced at Missy, she looked tired. I bet she'd wished she hadn't run away. As they carried her off to the chief with me reluctantly lagging behind, I thought of the worst. What was to be the outcome of this appeal? Only the universe knew now.