Chapter 86: The boy in the forest
Kilik, Maxi and Xianghua continued with their journey after visiting the Nepalese village. They had to stop more than usual, due to Maxi's convalescence, so they travelled even more slowly than before.
They were still near the village.
The day after Maxi was wounded, while they were about to have lunch, something happened.
As usual, Kilik was picking up fruit from the trees (Maxi did the same when he was healthy) and Xianghua was preparing the pieces her boyfriend gave to her.
- I'm not disabled, I can climb a tree. – complained Maxi. – The doctor said I would be fine in a few hours.
- Anyway, your wound still hurts. You are not moving from there. – ordered Xianghua.
- Huh! What I told you was true. I was stabbed in my leg and I was about to die. However, two days later I was fighting again.
Xianghua looked at him both surprised and suspiciously, not knowing if he was exaggerating.
- How are you getting on with that, Kilik? – asked the Japanese pirate.
- I don't understand it... – answered the other man from the top of a tree.
- What is it? – inquired Maxi.
- These trees are almost fruitless. At this time of the year, they should be full of it.
- Maybe there's someone else picking it up. – said Xianghua.
- Who could possibly be doing that? – asked Maxi.
They didn't think any more about it and they had to content themselves with two pieces of fruit for the three of them.
- I'm still hungry. – complained Xianghua when they finished eating.
- Really? – replied Maxi mockingly, although he looked at her with pity.
- Okay, I'll go into the forest. There I'll probably find something else. – proposed Kilik.
- Fine, but be careful. – said his girlfriend.
- I will be.
He stood up and got among the trees which he had climbed before.
Walking inside the forest was difficult, because the vegetation hindered the progress and the vision.
Kilik had walked about half a kilometer when he could see something moving at the top of a tree.
He thought it would possibly be an animal. However, he decided to yell in case it was a person.
- Is there anybody there?
A young boy jumped from the tree, surprising Kilik.
The youngster seemed to be sad, maybe frightened. He had removed his shirt and was using it as a bag, where he was carrying some apples.
However, the most disturbing thing about him was that he had his hands covered in blood
- Who are you? – asked Kilik.
- And you? – replied the other man, insolently.
- Well, I asked before, but I have no problem with introducing myself. I'm Kilik.
- Do you come from the village?
- Yes. I'm not from there, but I was there yesterday.
- Did you see a girl there? Beautiful, brown-haired, wearing a plait…
Kilik thought about it and a person came to his mind:
- Yes, yes. I even talked to her. She said her name was Mi-na.
The boy's face lit up.
- Why? Do you know her?
- She's waiting for me. – he said in relief, although he seemed to be talking more to himself than to Kilik. – She's waiting for me.
- Well, I was there yesterday, maybe…
- Listen, you have to take me back there.
- Don't you know how to go back?
- Well, I just am…misguided.
- You'll see, I don't have much time…
- Please.
Kilik thought about it.
- Ok, I'll take you. But you have to tell me what you are doing here…and why your hands are covered in blood.
- Em…I guess that's fair.
- Oh, and your name too.
- Yunsung. – he answered. – I'm Yunsung.
- Fine, Yunsung. I'm not travelling alone. I'll take you with my friends, we will all eat together… - when he said that, he pointed at the apples Yunsung was carrying. - …and then we'll take you back to the village.
Yunsung nodded and the two boys started walking.