Many children meet death, but most don't know it until they're older. Gunter met death when he was five.

It was a warm summer morning. The sun shone down on the grass, electrifying it with virant sreaks of greens and yellows. A few clouds loomed above, thick enough to leave narrow shadows across the plains below. Sunlight reflected off the distant walls and lit them in a blinding white.

Excitement bubbled in his chest as he scampered from room to room, shoving a worn pair of socks and shoes onto his feet. He almost threw himself over the kitchen chair as he sprang into it; it teetered on its legs. He managed to balance himself. Mama cast him a brief glance from the stove, his baby sister, Nadette, bouncing in her arms.

Mama is a tall woman, almost as tall as Papa. Her skin is a tone darker, the color of copper, and her hair, her eyes, the cool hue of wet earth. She wears her hair in a long braid, bundled into a loose knot at the back of her head. Her bangs hang in a messy way around her face, framing her rounded features nicely. She smiles at him as she approaches the kitchen table, leaning to pour him a glass of water. "You look excited."

"Nazar an' I are gonna look for lizards!" He exclaimed, draping his upper half across the table. Mama smiled and chuckled under her breath, bouncing Nadette in her arm. She cooed, tilting her head.

"I'm sure you'll find a lot," she said.

After a quick breakfast of bread and a few small helpings of an apple, Gunter shoved from the table and shot out the door. He leapt down the three house steps and bounded on. His legs flailed under him, awkward and lanky. He'd never been a fast runner; his strides were something akin to a newborn foal. But he was too young to notice, too young to care, and sprinted on with a sense of excitement and determination.

He ran all the way through the summer grass. Onto the narrow dirt path that that wound through the farms scattered throughout southern Wall Maria. A small ways down the road, the path forked beside an old tree stump. Gunter slid to a stop, walking an extra circle around the stump before seating himself on the edge.

Nazar was almost always late. For good reason. His papa had begun to teach him how to do work on their farm, tending to what few cattle and goats they had. Gunter knew it wouldn't be long until his own Papa started to teach him how to work on their farm. Mama had already shown him how to feed the chickens, and he helped her every couple of days. Maybe sometime soon Papa would teach him more about the garden. Or he could help Mama look for eggs every morning and afternoon. Anything he could do to help.

The scruff of shoes caught his ears and he looked up. Nazar shot down the road, whooping as he reached the stump. A shorter boy than Gunter, Nazar is towhead blond, built sturdy but not thick. His features are wide and soft, brimming with excitement. Energy buzzes in the air around him as he approaches. Gunter bounces to his feet and the two dart for the stream.

It wasn't far from the two houses. That's why they were allowed to go alone. The little stream ran almost perfectly between the their homes and curled in gentle sways all the way down into the forest. Gunter sometimes would stare out to its end, wondering how long it was. He'd look from the stream to the glowing white wall beyond and wonder if the river went beyond the wall, or if it stopped like everything else in the world did.

They reached the stream in minutes, hopping over patches of grass until their shoes touched the muddy bank.

"Do y'think we'll catch a lizard?" Nazar asked, flopping down in the mud and tugging at his shoes. Gunter dropped down beside him, ignoring the pebble that poked his behind.

"We'll catch a lot," he said, determined. Nazar liked this answer.

"We'll catch all the lizards in the world!"

Gunter grinned. "Yeah!"

They shoved to their feet, leaping into the shallow stream. The water was ice cold, burning his feet and toes on contact. His sensitive skin scraped against the gravel and stones beneath the surface, but after the shiver had passed through his spine Gunter forgot about the discomforts. He and Nazar split up, Gunter wandering up the current and Nazar wandering down.

He turned a few stones and nudged over others with the tips of his toes. There wasn't much beneath any of them. The only sign of life so far were the few flashes of light glittering beneath the water's surface. Fish. He knew because Papa told him last week. The smaller fish like to live in the streams. Sometimes you can see them when their scales catch sun-rays in their pockets.

He wondered if people could learn to do that, too. It'd be pretty neat to catch a sun-ray in your pocket and let it out to shine when it got dark at night.

He continued to wander upstream, poking at rocks and watching the water ripple around his ankles. One of the glittering fish zipped past him and he looked up, eyes following it as it darted through the water. And that's when he saw it.

It could have been mistaken for a stray blade of grass. A small green body, thin and bright, perched on one of the stream rocks. Gunter's eyes widened and he ducked as though this would somehow hide him from the tiny creature. It seemed to have already spotted him. Its black eyes fixed on him and not the tiniest bit of it moved.

In a few years, Gunter would know this meant it was scared. But right now the lizard had no personality, had no mind. It just was.

He crept closer, steps small and careful. The lizard still hadn't moved, save for the slow rise and fall of a little pouch just under its throat. Breathing. It was relaxed, so maybe the lizard hadn't seen him after all. He'll be able to catch it and show it to Nazar as their first prize.

Filled with a new sense of determination, Gunter sprang forward. The lizard was faster, and in a green blur it zipped to the other side of the stone. Gunter's hands fumbled after it, missing each time. His knuckles scraped against the rough surface of the river rock. He huffed, ignoring the small flashes of pain flaring in his skin. He's used to the scrapes and cuts. These sorts of things always happened in the stream bed. It was the nature of this part of their world.

The few times he'd gone into town with Mama, he'd seen some of the older kids comparing their scars and telling stories. The bigger, the more daring and dangerous you were, of course. Gunter had never had a scar larger than a cut from a stone, and he didn't mind. Nazar would sometimes mention he wanted a cut on his arm so he could say he fought a bear, or even a wild boar. Gunter would give him a skeptical look. He was pretty sure a bear would do more damage than any branch could. So would a boar. But he never said so; it'd just upset his friend. Besides, he liked the goofy smirk Nazar would get when he'd make such statements.

Mama had warned him about both animals and he knew to stay away, not to get close. Neither of the two would venture far from the wooods, he thought. They were safe as long as they kepy away from the thick treeline. Still, he'd pass wary glances to the north. Some days he feared that he'd look up and see one of the beasties looming at the edge, watching them and waiting for the chance to get close enough and drag them into the shadows, never to be seen again.

Gunter shivered, and he wandered back downstream to where Nazar stalked around some debris.

"Didja find one?" Nazar asked as he approached, turning over a rock by some plants.

"Yeah," Gunter said.

Nazar put the rock down and looked up at him, squinting his eyes and wrinkling his nose. "Y'didn't catch it?"

"No."

"Awh."

Nazar pursed his lips. This was a disappointing development for them both. They were supposed to catch all the lizards in the world this morning. So far, things didn't seem off to a good start. Their first lizard had escaped.

But Nazar seemed to forget Gunter's mishap, and he turned to wade another couple feet away. The two were silent for a minute or so, treading aimlessly through the water, before Nazar turned to face Gunter. He grinned, hands clasped into small fists. "Let's look together!"

Gunter brightened. This was a brilliant idea. Instead of splitting up to cover more ground they could work together. Four hands instead of two! Maybe they could even corner a lizard and catch it just like Papa and Mama had to do with some of their chickens. This was a good idea. "Yeah!"

So they took off. This time, downstream ( since the lizard that got away would warn its upstream friends, of course ). Sure enough, the plan worked now that four eyes were searching instead of two. Nazar spotted a lizard, another one relaxing on a large stone, and pointed.

Both boys ducked low, letting their hands graze the trickling stream. They crept through the water. Gunter felt a sharp stone beneath the surface scrape his foot, but he paid it no mind. His focus remained on the lizard.

Was this lizard like them? Had its parents told it not to venture towards the stream or two beasties would attempt to catch it? He felt bad, just for a moment. His steps slowed as Nazar continued forward. Then also he slowed. Stopped. Waited.

Neither moved for what seemed like a brief eternity.

Then, Nazar sprang forward. He missed the lizard by mere centimeters, crying out in frustration as the little creature zipped away. Gunter, forgetting his concerns, dove after it. He splashed around the stone and caught sight of the lizard just as it slipped through the water and darted for shore. It was attempting to run back into the safety of the grass, where its coloring would protect it.

"Get it!" Nazar cried. Gunter tore forward.

The lizard shot across the ground, a bright green flash against the dark earth, and Gunter followed. Nazar stumbled along behind, catching up just as Gunter tripped and fell into the grass. He let out a faint 'umph!' and pushed back to his feet as Nazar shot past him.

"Where did it go?!" He demanded. Gunter ran up beside him, huffing. He looked around, eyes searching for any sort of movement.

"I dunno!"

It had to have gone somewhere. Things don't just disappear, they don't vanish in the blink of an eye. Yet, this lizard was gone. Just like that. Not a blade of grass moved.

Nazar stomped his foot. "Where is it!?"

Gunter sighed. "Let's go back to the water."

"No," Nazar said, determination flashing in his bright blue eyes. "I wanna find it."

"There's too much grass."

"So?"

Gunter frowned, but he did agree. They were the best lizard catchers they knew ( the only lizard catchers they knew ). This little lizard couldn't fool them. Gunter nodded, joining Nazar as they traveled forward, scouring the grass for any movement.

Neither spoke for a long time. They had to be quiet or they might scare the lizard away before they even saw it. So they remained silent, until he heard Nazar hiss.

"Gunter!"

He turned his head and saw Nazar pointing towards a pile of rocks, sitting high in the sunlight. Surrounded by a flourish of flowers, the stones looked almost heavenly, graced with the gentle sound of beehum. And right smack on top, right in their view as though the little thing was taunting them, was a bright green lizard. Its beady black eyes fixed on them and its throat pulsed in and out in slow, concentrated breathes. Gunter and Nazar cast each other excited looks, crouching low in the grass.

They crept forward. Slow. Patient. Like predators all their own. Like the mousers that dodged beneath sheds and barns, hunting for rats and sparrows.

Then, Nazar let out a loud "HA!" and pounced. The lizard was faster, and it shot across the stone just as Nazar's hands smacked the surface. Nazar let out an angry little cry and kicked the flowers, stomping on them and folding his arms. The lizard disappeared into the grass again and was nowhere to be seen.

"I almost had it!" Nazar grumbled. Gunter walked up and nodded his head.

"That was close."

"I hate that lizard," Nazar declared, puffing out his cheeks. "Let's go-OOOOWWW!"

Gunter jumped as Nazar screamed out, his eyes wide. Nazar sprang away from the flowers and slapped at his shoulder. He crumbled to his knees and clawed a little at his neck. Gunter ran to his side, throwing a glance back at the crushed flowers. A buzzing dot zipped away, disappearing into the sky as soon as he'd seen it.

"Nazar?!" Gunter asked, reaching his side and crouching beside him. Nazar sniffed, large tears rolling down his cheeks as he looked up. Gunter peeked over his shoulder at the large welt beginning to rise just at the base of his neck. At the sight of it, his eyes widened, and he tried to pull Nazar to his feet. "C'mon!"

He knew exactly what to do. Nazar's mama would know how to patch him up and make him all better. She'd helped them with little injuries and wounds many times when they'd played down at the stream and cut themselves on river rocks. This was nothing she wouldn't be able to handle.

Gunter coaxed Nazar to his feet, keeping his hand in his, and the two ran from the small stream towards the old stump. From there, they'd run the short distance to Nate's house.

They'd made it almost half-way to the stump when Nazar's pace began to slow. He stumbled and tripped, gasping as Gunter dragged him along. Gunter tried to slow his pace as well, casting worried glances over his shoulder as they neared the stump. Nazar was getting paler. His lips had begun to turn blue. He was gagging on his breathes. And by the time they reached the stump, Nazar stumbled and collapsed. Gunter's eyes widened and he cried out, dropping to Nazar's side and trying to drag him back onto his feet. But Nazar wouldn't stand. He choked and gasped, vomiting on the path before he fell onto his side and twitched violently. His throat seemed bigger than it had been before.

Gunter shoved to his feet and sprinted through the remaining distance to Nazar's house. He pounded on the door until his mother answered, and he nearly dragged her down the steps, shouting and pointing. He released her hand and ran in a blur back to where he'd left Nazar. By the time they reached him, Nazar had stopped gagging. But he was still twitching and wheezing. Nazar's mother let out a cry and dropped to his side, pulling him into her arms and wrapping them tightly around him.

She sobbed, teetered to her feet and told Gunter to go home. So he did.

His mother seemed surprised when he got home so soon, but even more surprised to see that he was crying. Gunter explained what had happened the best he could. They'd been chasing lizards. A bee stung Nazar. He started acting weird and after they'd found him, his mama had sent Gunter home.

He didn't know what to think of this or how to feel. He knew he was scared. He knew something was wrong. A sense that worsened as his mother planted a palm over her mouth, her eyes swollen and glassy. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Gunter, pulling him against her in the same loving and protective way Nazar's mother had held him. She cupped a hand against the back of his head, and he felt her shoulders quake. Her chest gave a small heave.

As Papa came to check on them, she told him to go to Nazar's house. He did.

That evening when Papa got back, things were quiet. Mama hovered around Gunter, checking on him and asking if he was doing okay throughout the night.

"Yeah," he'd reply, "but is Nazar?"

She'd give him a look of concern and, again, cup her fingers against her mouth. And when it was time for bed, she held his hand and sang his favorite lullaby twice. Then she kissed his nose and left.

He lay in bed that night with worried thoughts and hardly slept. He could hear Mama sobbing in the next room over, just above Nadette's soft breathing. Gunter listened until he could hear his Mama's cries and his Papa's comforts no more, and he rolled over. He stared at the moon until his eyelids sank and the world around him went silent.


The next morning, Gunter bounded from bed. Again, the sun filled the sky and its golden light spread across the landscape. There were no clouds.

He launched from his room, skipping up to Mama as she made breakfast. Nadette bounced in the crook of her arm. He ate in a rush, shoveling food into his mouth piece after piece, and shoved out of his chair. But this time, Mama stopped him.

"Gunter," she called, a shake in her voice, "if you're going to play outside today, please play around the house."

The request confused him, knowing that Nazar would spend several minutes waiting for him at the stump, but he obeyed. It made sense. Nazar had gotten hurt. He was going to need a day or two to heal up, and he'd be fine. Until then, Mama wouldn't want him to go playing by the stream alone. So he spent the day playing with the chickens, sitting in their coop and letting them perch on his lap and shoulders.


The next morning, he wanted to leave immediately after breakfast. He'd had to beg Mama to at least let him wait by the stump to see if Nazar was okay. After a long while, she dressed Nadette and announced she was going to go and wait with him. So they walked, hand-in-hand, down to the little stump. And he waited.

Minutes passed. There was no sign of Nazar.

Nadette cooed and squeaked, babbling questions and pointing in random directions. Mama bounced her and gave half-hearted answers. Gunter realized that she was more focused on watching him.

After what seemed like they'd been waiting at the little stump forever, he turned to Mama and frowned.

"Is Nazar sick?" He asked. Mama pressed her lips together.

"Yes."

"When is he gonna get better?"

Her lips quivered. He saw a glassiness come back into her eyes and she shook her head. "He's not, baby."

His heart sank. He felt confused. He didn't understand. People got hurt all the time and they got better. If Nazar never got better then did that mean they wouldn't be able to look for lizards anymore? Or play by the stream? Or... do anything?

"Will I see him again?"

"... No, baby," she whispered.

He wanted to cry. He wanted to ask questions. But he wouldn't. Instead, he took his mother's offered hand and squeezed it, allowing her to lead him away from the stump. As they walked, he cast a glance down the path to where he could see the dot that was Nazar's small house. The shutters were closed.

He'd never go back there again, he realized. There was no reason to if he couldn't see Nazar.

Nazar had disappeared. Things, people, weren't supposed to just disappear. But one minute he'd been there, laughing and chasing lizards at his side. And, just like that, he'd vanished. Without warning. Without any trace.

He was gone.