I had slipped into unconsciousness after everything that happened. I remember waking up, still facing the remnants of my house, in the cold, dark night, I could see the moon shining just above where my house used to be. I had to have been unconscious for at least twelve to fifteen hours, and even after all that time everything still hurt, inside and out. Despite the pain I could not bare to lay in the ashy burnt down field that was around me, with what little strength I had left, I forced myself to get up and I began walking, I only had one location in mind, and that was away.
It wasn't long before I was in the center of the town, once I got there I just walked over to a building and slumped down against the wall. I couldn't stand anymore and I was in more pain than when I left the farm, but it didn't matter, I was happy to not be near there, to not see what had happened, what I had caused. It was so late that all the shops were closed and no one was to be seen anywhere, I remember thinking everyone must be in their houses with their family, the two things that I desperately wanted and needed at the very moment, but subsequently couldn't have.
I was so tired from the walking that I, yet again, fell asleep in the very place I laid, of course this time it was against the wall of that building in the town. However this time I didn't sleep as long as before, because once morning came the town got busy, and the commotion woke me up. Once I woke up I stood up and began to look around at everyone, I didn't know why, but most everyone there was looking back at me. Why would they be looking at me instead of the many other things that were going on the town center? The answer is quite simply the very same reason that I wear this mask, but I didn't know it at the time.
After a few minutes of standing against the wall, just to actually be fully awake, I left the wall and began walking, I didn't have anywhere to go, and I didn't know where to go. I thought maybe the reason people were staring at me was because I was standing still against that wall, maybe they thought I was a delinquent. I quickly realized this was not the reason, because even when I was walking with the crowd I was getting many more looks than I normally would, and it was very clear that people were looking at me more than anyone, or anything else.
After cluelessly walking around the town for some time I was stopped by some women I had never met. I was walking on the right side and she was standing outside of what I later learned was her home, when she grabbed me by the arm and I remember her saying "Oh my Avatar boy, are you okay?"
When she grabbed me I stopped walking, I didn't know why she was asking me this. How could she possibly have known what happened to me the day before? I asked her "What do you mean?" She looked at me and I could tell she quickly realized I had no idea what was going on "Please, come inside," she said to me. I knew I was going to need someone if I was going to survive, and I didn't have family, so without even thinking about the cons of the situation I nodded in agreement and the woman led me inside of her house.
Once inside the house the woman led me to her living area and invited me to sit on her couch, I accepted the offer, then she sat down in her chair "Has something bad happened to you recently?" She asked. I didn't know how she knew, but I desperately needed someone, so I nodded "What is it?" She asked me, she actually seemed like she was genuinely concerned "Well, um, my family's farm..." I paused, as much as I wanted someone to be there, I couldn't stand living that moment again "Are you lost?" She asked me, I shook my head, but did not speak. The woman looked at me confused "What's the matter than?" She asked me.
I felt like I wanted to cry, but for some reason, no tears would come out. I decided that I needed to tell this woman that I was alone, but I couldn't tell her what happened, that would've raised more questions anyway, so I told her "My parents left me yesterday." She looked at me with what appeared to be actual concern "Where did they go?" She asked me. I thought about it for a second and decided I didn't want to lie to her, but I couldn't tell her what happened so I told her "I don't know where they went, but I know they're far away."