A Blind Boy's Guide [Solo]

[Ivan]

“It hurts…” Ivan trembled as he curled up in the alleyway, his body quivering and hurting as his stomach rumbled. The pain that he was feeling was not the strain in his arms, his legs, or even the void in his stomach. No it was his head. Ivan’s head stung and throbbed. He had tried once more, as he always did after a span of time, to look out into the world around him. It was getting a bit easier each time that was a fact but even so; it still hurt. The flooding of sensory information into his skull made him uncomfortable and it threw off his mind. Then after that, he felt a throbbing pain just behind his eyes themselves. He didn’t understand why it hurt, but it did and the pain lasted longer than other pains did.

And so, after trying to be courageous for the ninety-seventh time, Ivan now curled up just inside of an alley he had been able to reach. The alley gave him shelter from the streets full of people and gave him space. Unable to see and move around on his own, Ivan required assistance through the world. Though, he had none. Without a nurse to hold his hand or Sister Anna to guide him with her voice, Ivan was essentially crippled. He could walk a few paces by himself maybe and was able to hold onto the walls, but if he bumped into someone or walked into a stall then he would be stuck. It was the downside to his blindness, but something he no longer cried over. But he did not sit there and do nothing.

Ivan remained in the alleyway for hours, listening. He listened to the sounds of the crowd beyond the edges of the building and pictured the street in his mind. He gave himself estimated distances between where he was, where the closest stalls were, and where some other entrances to buildings were all through listening to conversation and timing. If someone walked by the alley, it took them six steps before the buildings distorted their voice. Six steps was about two to three meters of distance depending on the person and their build; shorter people took longer, taller people took shorter. There was a fisherman set up across the street who was about sixteen meters from the edge of the buildings to the left. An armorer was on the same side of the street and the same distance from the alley but was instead to the right. Directly beside the entrance to the alley was the entrance to the store Ivan sat against. Based on the smell, it was an alchemy seller. The scents of strange fumes burned Ivan’s nose a little. The building across from him was a bakery, and the smell of sweets were making his stomach hurt. The man inside was mean though. Ivan had already tried to buy some bread and was thrown out for knocking over a table with some cakes. Of course, he had to pay for them but the baker did not let Ivan take them.

On the other side of the alley was a set of two restaurants side by side with an inn and a small general store across from them. The restaurant on the left was a busy pub, while the one on the right was for breakfast only; it was the afternoon now so Ivan had missed his chance. The innkeeper across the street was out so no one mended the front except for a pair of guard dogs, and the general store did not have any food. It was a place that sold basic combat items, potions, and survival supplies. There was some food that the man sold, but it all required cooking. Something Ivan could never do.

“I should try the pub…” Ivan considered getting up and trying to go into the rowdy bar, even with the risk of being hit or laughed at, but he remained still. It was not the people he feared. No it was the waitress. If he was placed with a woman who did not care to help him, he would be stuck in a corner and forgotten about. Then if he tried to leave, he knew he would find himself in an awkward situation. There would not be enough time for him to memorize his escape route either, which would make things worse. Such places made him feel like a sitting duck.

Ivan ended up sitting in that alley for quite a bit of time before the pain in his stomach compelled him to move. He argued with himself over entering the pub but as the day went on and the clock ticked on his display, time was not going to wait for him. Ivan frowned and squeezed his knees into his chest. He wanted to go home. Ivan knew that only another set of pills waited for him, but that cold room was better than this place. At least there he had Sergei…

Click… Clack… Click… Clack… A faint sound entered the other end of the alley. Ivan froze and his hands tensed up on his pants. Someone was coming. Ivan knew he was probably visible, but was he out of the way? They wouldn’t kick him would they? He started to shake at the thought of him taking up the entire alleyway and slowly, Ivan tried to ease himself back against the building behind him as best he could. The footsteps steadily were becoming louder and louder and Ivan’s shaking became worse. The alley was a long stretch and the person was coming slowly. Their feet were a rhythm though. Evenly spaced, heel to toe, and balance perfect. There were no scuffings of heels or stubbings of toes and there was no change in their breathing. Always steady, always practiced… always on edge. Ivan could feel their presence. It was heavy and scary. It was nothing like Sergei’s and reminded him of Dr. Jenner.

But there was no way Dr. Jenner was here, and those footsteps were not his. Dr. Jenner walked too heavily and his heels dug into the floor too stiffly. These were light and the feet glided from one to the other. This person was not a doctor. This person was someone much worse. Ivan trembled at the thought and hoped that they kept walking passed him. Though as the feet approached, there was a very slight delay; he had been noticed. Ivan swallowed a knot in his neck and pulled his knees and feet in as close as he could to himself. His arms trembled and his muscles ached as he tried to curl up into himself. The footsteps kept coming until… they stopped. They stopped right in front of him and Ivan could feel the person looming over him.

The person didn’t move after that. They just stood there and Ivan could feel their eyes. They were watching him, staring at him. Ivan didn’t dare look back and kept his forehead dug into his knees. His hands started to sweat and Ivan felt his mouth become dry. What did they want? Were they even looking at him? He wanted them to leave, to just keep walking. Ivan wanted to become invisible, he wanted to just disappear and fade into the alleyway again. Why… don’t you… JUST LEA--?!

“Oi.” The voice was ragged, but soft. Alluring. Ivan jumped a little as he knew he was being talked to by whoever this was. Ivan squeezed his pants and his lips pressed together. He wanted to cry.

“Sitting here won’t save you.” The man spoke in a raw, unforgiving tone but it was a tone that hid nothing. The man addressed Ivan with no emotion and had not even touched him, but Ivan felt as if he was being suffocated. The man was right; this would not save Ivan but what choice did he have? His eyes hurt whenever he tried to see and he was not comfortable with the world. Ivan didn’t know how long he had been here in this world, but all he knew was that this place was not the place for him.

Though, after his few words the man was silent. For a time, Ivan simply felt the two looming eyes dig into the back of his head. They were heavy, judgmental eyes. The man was probably wondering why Ivan even existed or why the kid had even tried this “game” if he wasn’t going to play. Ivan had not joined this “game” to play it. He had joined it to get his eyes back. That was all he wanted! So why was it so difficult? Why, now that he could see, was he unable to use them?! WHY?! Ivan argued with himself and created excuses for quite some time, and in that time he lost the presence of the man. Ivan had not heard him leave, but he was not there anymore. It was as if he had just faded away.

“Not going to talk?” The voice made Ivan jump again and suddenly, the overwhelming figure in front of him returned. There was some rustling followed by a heavy thud. Ivan felt the body move from in front of him to his right and the sounds of the street became slightly blocked. He had sat down?

“What is your name, kid?” Name? Why did that matter? Why did he care who Ivan was…? He was a stranger and Ivan could tell he had better things to do. This man had strength and power, a strength to carry the world and a power to hold it without complaining. But, there was a gentleness to the words. The tone was still rough but Ivan knew he wasn’t there to do harm.

“I… I am Ivan.” Ivan’s lips parted almost without his own permission and the man beside him shuffled a little. Ivan clenched his jaw and squeezed his mouth shut. He never wanted to talk again now. Why had he spoken up anyways? The man didn’t even respond to it!

“You don’t like this world, Ivan?” The man spoke in a softer tone now and Ivan could hear him moving. A blade was unsheathed and something materialized. Then, Ivan heard the steady rhythm of something being cut.

“I do not like it… but I do not hate it.” Ivan spoke without noticing again, but this time he didn’t bother stopping himself. This man was not here to hurt him, so he did not play the victim. Instead he spoke what he felt. Ivan did not like this world, no he did not. This world had taken him from Sergei and away from Sister Anna. It had taken him from the place he called home and had left him alone. But, he did not hate it. This world had also given him a gift that no doctor could ever give him; his eyes. He may not have been able to use them properly, but this world had given him something the other world never did.

“Because of your eyes?” The words made Ivan jump again. He sat up and turned his head to face the man he assumed was sitting beside him. Based on the direction of his voice, Ivan also tilted his head back. This man, he was perceptive.

“I have seen you around here a few times, Ivan. I watched you earlier too. I have seen you hug these walls and sit in dark spaces away from others. I have seen you try to open your eyes a few times, only to cover them back up and hide away again.” Something moist and cold bumped into Ivan’s left hand. The man nudged it into Ivan’s fingers and told him that it was food and to eat it. Ivan did so immediately and stuff the object into his mouth; it was a chunk of an apple. The soft texture of the fruit, the moistness of its juices, and its sweet taste caused his stomach to groan. It reminded Ivan that he was starving.

“Is there something you want from me?” Ivan whispered the question without thinking, again, and he noticed that the man stopped. The presence vanished again and Ivan frowned. He regretted his question and turned his head back towards his knees. Though before his forehead touched them and before Ivan could wheel himself back into his own little box, the man placed a hand on his head.

“No, but there is something I want you to do for me.” The hand lingered on Ivan’s head and the child remained still. There was a soft rustling at the other end of the alleyway and the sound of fire approached. The new being breathing deeply and steadily, just like the man but its footsteps were much different. There were four, and they were light taps rather than clicks or clacks. The new being approached just as silently as the man and once it was close, Ivan could feel a heat to his left. There was a noise and then the heat faded, but the tapping continued until something soft brushed against Ivan’s hands. Fur?

“My little friend here is going to take you somewhere and when you get there, you’re going to ask for someone. Okay? Her name is Veronica and you tell her that an old friend sent you. She’ll understand.” After he finished, the man lifted his hand. There was some scuffling and Ivan turned his head towards the noise. His right hand instinctively reached out; he knew the man was leaving but he was the first one who had stopped, the first one who had said anything to Ivan. Ivan wanted him to stay… just a little longer. That was when his hand was touched by something warm and soft; a paw. Ivan frowned and followed the paw back to something warm and fluffy. There was a low growl and Ivan sighed. He began to pet the little creature; a puppy based on the shape of it.

The puppy trotted up to Ivan’s side and placed his paws on the boy’s side, climbing up onto his shoulder. Ivan smiled a little as the pup made himself comfortable and tickled the creature beneath its chin. It was so warm, this puppy. He wondered why the other man had such a little creature. The man was hard and seemed to be quite cold, yet this warm and furry ball of heat was happily trotting behind him. How odd.

“Looks like you’re my guide then, aren’t you?” Ivan said softly. The pup yelped lightly in response and licked his cheek a few times, its moist tongue lapping at him. Ivan smiled and wiped off his cheek as he stood up. The puppy adjusted itself on his shoulder, its little paws kicking a little as it moved on him. Then, Ivan began to follow the building out towards the alley. Though Ivan did have one problem he needed to smooth out; directions.

“Um… how will I know where to go?” Ivan’s voice trembled a little and he turned his head to look at the pup. The creature huffed and tapped his paws lightly on Ivan’s chest.

“Right means right, left means left?” The pup barked and Ivan nodded. He asked a few more questions of the pup, all where answered in the form of paw taps until they had a comfortable way of communication. It seemed to Ivan like the creature was comfortable with the language, and then he remembered the creature was a friend of the other man. The man had probably taught the pup to at least understand some words, key words, but that wasn’t any of Ivan’s business.

“Here we go…” Ivan took in a deep breath and squeezed his hands into fists. The pup on his shoulders breathed steadily and Ivan felt it place its tail against his neck. The warm fur coaxed Ivan forward until finally, he felt the warmth of the sun strike his face.

Word Count: 2,672

[Ivan]

Ivan walked quietly off to the side of the street, his right hand extended out to his side as he stayed close enough to the buildings to keep him in a straight line. Doing so also left him out of the way of people who were in the middle of the street. Even with a guide on his shoulder Ivan knew that the pup wouldn’t be able to guide him perfectly, especially since Ivan was still a bit hesitant about all of this. He didn’t exactly like being led by someone he didn’t know and he especially didn’t like not knowing where he was going, but what Ivan had was something else. Something that drowned out the feelings of fear and his soul’s cries to just curl up and wither away. Ivan, had faith.

Ivan had faith that the man who sat down beside him was not out to take advantage of his weakness and had faith that the creature sitting on his shoulder was going to keep him safe. Ivan trusted the ideal that in a world with so much pain, so much hatred, and so much lonliness that there were people out there with their hands extended, reaching into the darkness to pull out those who cannot swim in it. There was those who live in the shadows to save those who get lost in it, and there are those like Ivan who can do nothing but sit by and watch through closed eyes. Ivan may be young, but he understands that concept. Sister Anna taught him to trust and reminded him every day that though the world had given him a pair of useless eyes, it had given him a heart even she was jealous of. One that was not clouded, and one that was pure. Ivan had seen it a few times, his lack of fear when grabbing a hold of someone’s hand and his full trust in strangers. Though it wasn’t because he chose to; it was because he had to.

The little paws of the puppy tapped on Ivan’s shoulder, directing him right. Just after they pattered against his chest, the building his fingers traced against ended. Ivan nodded and made the turn. The heat of the sun vanished and Ivan felt a chill brush against his face. He was in another alley. The pup guided Ivan down that alley and then directed him to the left. Ivan’s extended his left hand as he turned and caught it on the side of another building. A little further and then he felt the warmth of the sun again, and it pounded right into his face. Ivan grimaced at the sudden warmth but kept walking. The road inclined steadily and the sound of water told Ivan that he was now crossing a bridge. He could smell the freshness of the liquid in the air and the clear air filled his lungs. Ivan smiled at the cooling effect it had and let out a satisfied sigh.

The bridge Ivan crossed was short and its incline was gentle so the blind boy had no troubles crossing it, but he did have to stop once he reached the other side. The sound of a carriage was close and it was coming a bit too quickly. It was being pulled by two horses, one was slightly more tired than the other as it breathed heavier. The carriage wheels weren’t fit for the terrain either as the ride on the object of transportation sounded as if it was quite rough. It took twenty seconds for the carriage to reach Ivan’s left ear’s close-range and only three more before it crossed in front of him. The horses huffed and the man cracked the reigns, coaxing the animals ahead. Four more seconds and the wheels passed, and then Ivan knew he was clear. He stepped away from the edge of the bridge and crossed into the street. Slowly, Ivan angled himself to the right until his hand brushed up against stone; buildings. He let out a comfortable breath and followed them smoothly. The puppy let Ivan walk for almost ten minutes before his directions became more precise. Turn right, two streets, turn left, one street, turn right, straight for four more streets, turn left, pass through a small marketplace, turn left. Then the signal to stop.

Ivan did so quickly and his old boots dug into the stone. The pup barked and hopped off Ivan’s shoulder. It yelped again and then wrapped its tail around Ivan’s calf, tugging lightly in order to tell the boy to let him lead directly now. Ivan nodded and started to walk, carefully. The pup led Ivan up the street for about thirty steps before turning right. That’s when the pup started to scratch; the faint sound of nails on wood made Ivan know that they had reached their destination. Though, there was something odd about it. It was faint but he could heard the sounds of animals in the distance. None of them were crying out of despair exactly. They sounded more as if they were playing than anything else. Ivan let it pass as just something he was hearing in a nearby park and reached out carefully. His hand bumped into a solid object; a door. He knocked three times and then took a step back to hopefully get out of the way. The pup followed him and leaned against his leg. Ivan appreciated the gesture.

There was an answer on the other side from a woman followed by faint sounds of chaos. She must have been busy and Ivan frowned at the idea of disturbing someone like that. He lowered his head and crossed his hands in front of him. The sounds of a ruckus grew louder and there was some shouting from the same female voice as she handed out orders to names Ivan did not recognize. Then, the door cracked.

"Sweet lord, it’s like y’all can’t live on yer own!” The woman barked loudly and sighed.
“Sorry about that, can I help yo--?” The woman must have been looking away when she opened the door. Her voice cut off, like she had made a discovery of some sort.

“H-hi. A…Are you V-V-Ver… Veronica?” Ivan lifted his head up as straight as he could and tilted it back a bit, but he had a feeling he still wasn’t facing the right way. The woman didn’t answer for a few seconds, until the puppy against Ivan’s leg let out a soft bark.
“I… I was sent by—“

“…An old friend….” Veronica cut Ivan off and the boy heard the door open wider. She sighed again and stepped out. Heels clicked on the stone as she approached him. She sounded small and the warm hand which took Ivan’s was just as small as he imagined it would be. Veronica grabbed his hand softly and tugged on it lightly.
“Come, young man. I have a feeling I know why you’re here.” Ivan nodded and followed the hand. The puppy left his side and as Ivan crossed into the building, he lost the pattering of the paws on the floor. Feeling alone again, Ivan began to tremble as he was walked through the wooden room.

There were sounds of hisses, barks, and even birds chirping all around the room. It was as if Ivan was in some kind of pet store. Though the room was comfortably warm and wasn’t stuffy, nor did it smell of filth like Ivan assumed a pet store would. No it smelled clean and his nose picked up the faint scent of apples. He heard the sound of a snapping fireplace along the wall, which was most likely the source of the steady warmth. The woman guided Ivan to a stool and placed his hand on the seat before telling him to sit. Once he was seated, she released him and walked away, telling him to wait. Ivan sat there in silence, listening to the animals communicate around him in their tongues. Ivan was alone for quite some time before finally, the woman returned.

“Okay, so. What’s your name, little one?” Veronica appeared to Ivan’s right but he didn’t jump. He had heard her heels click a bit before she announced herself. He wanted to keep his name private, but he doubted that would help. This woman was probably going to question him a little. Then again, he should have expected it. Ivan was an unknown face to her whom had shown up with a dog by his leg and with words from a man he didn’t know.

“I…I… Ivan.” It didn’t make him any more comfortable though. At least she didn’t pry.

“Ivan, huh? Russian. Cute.” Veronica walked across in front of Ivan and then to his rear left. Her words made his cheeks a little warm, but not for long. A compliment on his name was nice though.
“Does the blindfold come off, Ivan?” The question was blunt and straight forward, and Ivan felt even less obligated to answer it. He bit his lip and squeezed his hands together, unsure of what to say. Veronica walked back in front of him and placed both of her hands on top of his. She leaned forward, close enough so that he could smell her perfume; the apple smell was hers.

“Are you blind, Ivan…?” The voice was tender, soft, and lacked any sound of being judgmental. She was asking in earnest, not to tease him. Ivan nodded. Veronica placed a hand on the top of his head and then walked away again, her heels clicking off to his rear left again.

“Do you have difficulties walking in these streets?” Ivan answered curtly with a yes. Veronica walked around to a few different locations of the shop afterwards, and then returned in front of him.

“Well, Ivan, I know why my old friend sent you and I am going to help you. But, you have to let me. It won’t be easy in the beginning but I’m going to teach you how to see.” Ivan’s hands squeezed together and he lifted his head. He was beginning to understand why he was sent here, but it sounded difficult. There was a lot of doubt in Ivan’s mind that he was going to be capable enough. If he made a mistake, he would probably get into trouble too. After coming to this world and being sent her by Dr. Jenner, Ivan had learned nothing but how to find an alleyway and curl up until nighttime before going anywhere. While others were off having fun and enjoying their lives, Ivan collapsed. Yet even as he fell into his own darkness, he kept trying. Ivan occasionally lifted his blindfold to try and see the world but each time, it just stung and forced him back into the darkness.

As if reading his mind and listening to his doubts, Veronica placed her hands on top of Ivan’s again. She held them firmly and gently brushed her thumbs against the back of his hands. She leaned in close and placed her forehead against his. Ivan felt his face get hot and he froze, his mind going blank as he imagined the situation.

“It’s cold in there, isn’t it, Ivan?” Veronica whispered. Ivan frowned, instantly knowing what she meant. He nodded.
“Do you want to stay there?” He shook his head.
“Will you trust me?” He nodded and Veronica lifted her head away. Then, he felt something moist and soft against his forehead. Ivan remembered the feeling. Sister Anna had done it every night before he went to sleep back in the orphanage. It put him at ease and made him feel safe…. And now, he felt that same feeling again. Ivan squeezed Veronica’s hands softly and trembled. He was afraid, afraid to step away from where he had fallen into and afraid to test himself. But, he didn’t want to be scared anymore. Ivan wanted to be able to stand again.

“My name is Veronica, Ivan, and I am the owner of Angel’s Den.” Veronica’s voice dropped down towards Ivan’s feet. She must have knelt down.
“Angel’s Den is a safe haven for stray and wounded animals that may have been left behind by their owners, and I am also an Animal Tamer. If you are willing, I can teach you how to make animals your friends and teach you how to make them your eyes.” Ivan sat in silence as he listened to the woman speak. She explained that Ivan would essentially be working to bond with an animal and that he would have to dedicate himself to earn that creature’s trust. Then, he was going to have to work to understand its language and understand its personality. Only then would he truly be able to connect with the animal and could they work together as a team. How well of a team would be up to Ivan and his partner, but first they would have to find one for him.

“How does that sound, Ivan? Will you take the path of an Animal Tamer?”

Ivan bit his lip again and looked down towards his feet. He thought about it, about the struggles he may face and how difficult it would be for him, but then he remembered how much he struggled now. He reminded himself of how difficult it was to find food and how cold the nights were outside, all because he couldn’t find his way around the world. If he had a partner, or maybe two, he might be able to do better then. Veronica said it wouldn’t be easy and Ivan did not doubt that it wouldn’t be, but he had to try.

“I…” Ivan opened his mouth for a moment, and then he felt a familiar presence. It was distant, but it was there. It lingered for several seconds and Ivan looked up to try and trace it, but once he did that it slipped away. Like a very thin and nearly invisible thread, it slipped through Ivan’s fingers. He smiled.

“I’ll do it.”

Word Count: 2,349

[Ivan]

“First test. Let’s find you a buddy.” Veronica spoke proud and loud, the sound of fists bumping making Ivan grimace. He wasn’t exactly comfortable with where they were right now and he couldn’t help but hug himself out of fear. He trembled all over and his knees barely supported his weight as the wind whistled through the open field. Within an hour of meeting Veronica for the first time, she had dragged the young boy outside of the city’s walls on the back of one of her Crystal Reindeer and once they were free from the city, she had taken him straight into the wilderness. Now, they were effectively beyond the safety of the city and Ivan had no idea how far they actually were away from the city. He tried to count in his mind to have some sort of distance, but he instead just hugged Veronica’s back and prayed that the ride would end. Well, it had. And now he was lost.

“Don’t be scared, Ivan. I’ll take good care of you.” The soft, gentle hand from the woman beside him fell on top of his head and she ruffled his hair. It didn’t make him feel any better. Though, what did help was when he was notified of a friend request. His display lit up and he jumped a little at the noise. When he was reminded what it was, Ivan raised his hand and tapped at the air.

He had taken some time to memorize the hand motions and how to reach certain buttons, but it still didn’t make getting through the menu easy. It took Ivan about four tries before he had the right menu open in his eyes and even longer to actually tap at the right space to accept the request. He was surprised to see Veronica’s information; she was a level fifty-three Cleric with a level seventy Animal Trainer subclass. She was even a Chef! But that class was only twenty-two, which really showed her priorities. Ivan sighed and dropped his head. People like Veronica depressed him. They were always so active and so fast at leveling, while he was stuck in the city. It made him wonder; how powerful was the man from before?

“Ivan~?” Veronica patted Ivan on the head, making him jump again. Right, he was lost in thought again and Veronica had sent him another request. Quickly, Ivan fumbled with his menu and added himself to Veronica’s party through her invite. Just as he joined, someone else slipped out. It was quick and before he could catch the name, the display dematerialized. Ivan frowned a little and looked to his left and up where Veronica was. She patted him on the head again.

“Good boy. Now then, what kind of animal do you want as a buddy? We have a whooooole forest to look through so don’t be shy.” The opportunity was a golden one but at the choice and option to pick what he wanted, Ivan drew a blank. He had never thought about what kind of animal he would want to come with him on his travels and he had never even thought about a buddy in the first place. He dropped his head again and considered his options. Ivan didn’t have a lot of experience with animal, but Sister Anna had read him stories about some; dogs, cats, wolves, bears, birds… Even goats and farm animals, but they wouldn’t be in a forest. Bears and wolves would be in the mountains while dogs and cats would be back in the city. Goats and farm animals, well, those would be on a farm.

“A w-weasel?” Ivan looked up in Veronica’s direction, but when she spoke she appeared to his right; opposite of where he turned. It made him jump again. She giggled at him and ruffled his hair.

“A weasel? Now that’s interesting. Let’s see what we can find.” Veronica took Ivan’s hand and began to guide him through the clearing. Ivan breathed steadily, opening up his senses to try and keep a basic grasp on his surroundings. He listened for Veronica’s footsteps to try and match her pace, listened to the wind to hear for trees nearby, and listened for the sounds of animals and monsters around them just to make sure he wasn’t caught off guard. With each step he took, Ivan felt the ground around him and let his shoes tell him about the terrain. He felt its soft and hardness, the thickness of the grass, the looseness of the dirt, felt for stones or unstable ground, and even tried to see if he could detect the change in the ground’s angle just to make sure he didn’t trip up or down a hill. He kept himself aware of the essential subtle things that would keep him out of trouble.

While Ivan focused on maintaining his stride and on his surroundings, he let Veronica guide him through the meadow and ultimately into a portion of the forest. The change in the firmness of the ground and twigs snapping under his feet alerted Ivan that he needed to be even more careful than before. A misstep would send him tripping over an exposed root or even into a bush. Though, Veronica seemed to be striding right along beside him so he didn’t worry too much. The wind still blew through without any trouble and was blocked only occasionally by what Ivan assumed were trees the two of them were passing. Ivan was just about to try to expand his senses further, and try to narrow in on certain noises when he started to hear something faint and quiet; humming.

As Ivan listened to the world around him, he began to pick up on a sound that was soft and carefully covered up. Veronica, the woman who was marching right along beside him like a hunter, was softly humming a sweet melody. From her breathing, Ivan could tell that she had been doing it for a while. He was a bit surprised to note that he had not picked up on the sound earlier but now that he heard it, he didn’t let it slip away. Soon, her humming was all he could hear. The sweet and relaxing tone of her singing put Ivan at ease and it made him feel safe. She was similar to Sister Anna in a lot of ways and her kindness made Ivan warm inside. But she was a bit bubblier, and more sporadic.

Like now.

Veronica stopped in her tracks and quickly herded Ivan over to the right, causing him to squeal for a moment out of surprise. She placed a palm over his mouth and hushed him, pinning the boy back against the tree. Ivan squirmed against her hand and her arm, along with something soft he felt brushing against his chin. She didn’t do it on purpose, but he was actually suffocating. The young boy huffed and tried to breathe through his nose, but it wasn’t helping; Veronica’s hand was too high and a bit big for his face. Thankfully she removed it but warned him not to make a sound. Ivan took in a deep breath and nodded, squatting down to a knee and lowering his breathing once he was comfortable again. Veronica placed a hand on his shoulder as she waited but from how she was holding him, she was looking elsewhere. She remained still, keeping Ivan still as well, and waited.

“Stay here. Don’t move.” After those words, Veronica vanished. Her hand left Ivan’s shoulder and her presence slipped away from beside him. Ivan bit his lip at the sensation of being alone again and curled up, pushing his back up against a tree. Ivan pressed his forehead into his knees and trembled, waiting for Veronica to return.

Though, that didn’t happen. Ivan waited for quite some time before he finally looked up at the clock on his display. It had been almost an hour since Veronica had left him and over the course of that hour, Ivan was starting to feel hungry. He was also starting to feel the chill of night start to tug at him. It wasn’t too late in the day, only mid-afternoon, but the wind was dropping in temperature. In the forest the sun was blocked as well which lowered the temperature further. Ivan pulled on the clothes he wore and tried to pull his body in as tight as he could but the feeling of warmth slipping away from him wasn’t slowing down.

“hisss…” Ivan’s ear twitched at the sound and he froze immediately. Just off to his left by about ten to fifteen meters, he heard a faint hissing noise. The hissing was followed by the sound of a heavy body being dragged. Ivan’s nose wiggled and he lifted his head up a bit, trying to expand his hearing. The body was heavy and thick, which meant that the culprit had a large frame. The sound of dragging and not feet meant that it wasn’t a bipod, so it was probably just sliding across the forest floor. There was also a faint gurgling; liquid. It was a thick liquid too. Ivan frowned at the sound and placed his hands on the forest floor. He needed to leave. He couldn’t wait for Veronica if there was a monster nearby.

Using his hearing, Ivan zeroed in on the exact location of the creature. It was to his right and around the tree he was sitting behind. From there, it was a short distance ahead. Based on its movement and its noises, there were trees between Ivan and it. He frowned at the thought that he might run into a tree when he ran, but he would have no choice. Ivan waited for an extra few seconds to determine which direction the monster was going and then began to ease himself backwards. Ivan placed the tree he stood beside between himself and the monster as best as he could before he started to back straight up. His boots dug into the ground lightly and several twigs snapped beneath his heels as he moved, but for the most party he seemed to be doing well. Until he smacked into another tree.

He slammed into the object with a heavy thud and let out a gasp, the air in his lungs being forced out from the shock. The monster that was in the distance snapped and hissed even louder than before. Ivan heard it belch and then heard a loud splotching noise to his left, followed by sizzling. The realization of what that liquid was paralyzed Ivan; it was acid. The monster spit acid! He needed to leave, and he needed to leave now. Without another though, Ivan put his hand on the tree behind him and spun around its base. A glob of acid splattered on the tree as he went around the otherside and some of it got on his clothes, but thankfully none of it touched his skin. Ivan whimpered as he heard the liquid burn through the tree bark and started to run. Without his eyes, Ivan extended his hands ahead of him and moved quickly from one tree to the next.

Rather than just run straight and hope for the best, Ivan aimed for the trees from the start. The monster behind him hissed and spit its acidic spray at Ivan’s trail but it was always behind him. Ivan heard the impacts and listened to the sizzling, though the noise was simply a warning to not stop more than anything. Yet it was relentless. Ivan bounced from one tree to the next as quickly as he could but the acid spit never stopped peppering the ground around and behind him. The monster kept coming, its body moving rapidly across the ground after him and it continued to hiss in between spits. Ivan frowned and he could feel his eyes start to water a little. He wanted to shout for Veronica, or for anyone that would help but he knew where he was; nowhere. Ivan was in the middle of nowhere with no one to help him. The only person who could help him was gone, and she had left him behind to fend for himself!

“I wanna go home!” Ivan started to break as he kept running, his body growing tired and his muscles burning with the sudden burst of activity. His lungs were small and weren’t developed for this kind of pressure, leaving Ivan gasping for air after just two minutes of running. He felt as if he was going to collapse if he kept going, but he had to. The monster was behind him still and he could hear it gaining on him. Ivan was fatigued by this thing was just too strong, it was too fast!

“Ivan!” The faint outcry came from Ivan’s rear right, but it was too far off. He recognized the source, but the source was just too far. Ivan squeezed his eyes shut and kept running away from it and the monster. Tears started to stream down his face as the acid closed in on him. The monster was getting closer and closer, even as Ivan ran with everything he had. He gasped for air and begged for it to stop, but it never did.

“IVAN!!” Veronica’s voice was getting closer and he heard the sound of a howl; one of her animals cried out to the trees in an attempt to most likely frighten the monster behind Ivan, but it didn’t work. Ivan could heard the heavy creature behind him over his labored breathing, he could hear its acid gargling in its mouth and he could feel the spray of the liquid on his legs. Its aim was getting better. Just when he thought he was going to be struck, Ivan’s legs got caught on a collection of brush.

The objects snagged on Ivan’s legs and caused him to tumble forward and through them. His pants shredded, his skin was sliced in several places, and he slammed down onto his elbows. The impact sent him sprawling and Ivan slid on his face for a few inches before his body came to a halt. Pain surged all through his body and Ivan let out an empty, voiceless howl of agony as tears streamed down his face. He hated this world, he hated everything in it! Why was he sent here?! Was this just another one of Dr. Jenner’s games?! Why him? WHY COULDN’T HE JUST BE LEFT ALONE?!

Ivan pulled in his knees and held himself there for a moment, but then he heard a loud impact; the acid! Ivan rolled over onto his back and started to inch away from the bush as the monster from before powered through the greenery with ease. It snarled and rumbled as it towered over the young boy and Ivan could hear it readying another mouthful. Just before it fired though, Ivan heard a loud pair of barks and a heavy impact. The monster let out a garbled roar and Ivan felt something heavy crash into him. It was viney and moist, slick and stiff almost like a stem of a plant. The object pushed him back and Ivan found himself locked in with some sort of ground fight between the plant and something made out of thick fur. Ivan was pushed back a few more feet with the plant object and the furball but then, his eyes opened beneath his blindfold.

“NO! STOP!”

The ground vanished.

Word Count: 2,594