They both tasted the bitter pain.
"Awww…" GIRL whimpered and cried out in pain, tears streaming down her face as she clutched her head.
"Eeeiii..." echoed the creature in front of her, clearly feeling the impact too.
The sound of their collision reverberated throughout the miniature-like forest, causing the surrounding bushes to tremble.
Have you ever been running so fast that you didn't see what was in front of you, and then suddenly slammed your head into a branch or some other obstacle? That's what it felt like for them. The pain was intense, like a never-ending twitch in their foreheads. GIRL rolled over, still holding her head, while the creature did the same on the opposite side.
But after a minute or so, the pain started to subside, and they both slowly sat up.
There they were, staring directly into each other's eyes, and a sense of surprise washed over them. It was as if time had stopped running…
If you were to describe the creature, it would resemble a level 1 monster from an RPG game: a cute little round thingy that is not really cute but tries to be cute, so it soon gets cute, or so.
At first glance, it may appear ugly, but once you get to spend more time with it will reveal its undeniable charm.
However, not in GIRL's case, her first impression of the creature was that it was so cuddly. You know that feeling when a young girl saw a huggable teddy bear that even a teenager would love?
The creature's gender is indiscernible, but it behaves like a child. It's not a monster or an animal, but a living being with spirit and soul.
One would say that its form is like that thing you see after you flush the toilet but in a cute sense. Some may compare it to a meat bun or pandesal that you buy every early morning at your favorite bread and pastry store.
Mind you, the creature is as big as a piglet and just as chubby. I'll leave it to your imagination to picture this little round creature, but one thing is for sure: it's somewhat cute and pinkish.
The curve of its lips resembles those of a kitty cat as if it's always smiling. But the most noticeable feature for GIRL is its round, pink eyes, which are as alluring as a kitty's eyes, innocent and curious-looking like a baby's.
As soon as GIRL saw the creature's eyes, she was entranced by them, like a teenager staring at her crush. It was as if you had suddenly made eye contact with someone you liked. You wanted to quickly divert your gaze out of shyness, but you also wanted to keep looking, hoping to convey a message and be noticed. It was as if she was melting from the creature's warm gaze. Those pretty eyes that watch you sympathize.
The creature curiously stared back at her, peering into Girl's teary, dark brown pupils for a time. But then, they heard some rustling and bustling noises from a nearby bush, and they both snapped out of their trance, bringing them back to their senses…
The creature's expression seemed to have drastically changed from a curious look to one of panic and horror at the turn of events.
"Eeeeee!!!..." cried the creature as it started running fast again, disappearing into the opposite bush.
"Wait! Wait, come back! Please, wait for meee..." the young girl shouted, quickly following the creature across the bush, running once again…
They ran through the small bushes together, and this time, it didn't hurt anymore. The fear she felt before was gone, and it wasn't the grass or bushes that scared her the previous night, but the feeling of being alone.
And now, she is still running in those cramped bushes that were higher than her by about three inches, saying goodbye to those forest of bonsai-like trees. She felt relieved that she wasn't alone anymore. The chased had become the chaser...
"Wait! Wait up! Wha- Why are you running away?!" GIRL shouted at that cute round pinkish creature, who had bumped into her earlier, as she ran to catch up with it.
It was sort of her lamb after a sacrifice, like in that place known as Jireh, written in the Ancient Texts, where a certain father would have sacrificed his son but was stopped for his faith.
It was her dim light. It was her hope. A hope that there was someone or something out there that could ease her loneliness.
And, of course, she was also in love with its cuteness.
Remember that time when you were chasing the taho vendor after you heard that ′Tahooo! Tahooo!'? Or that time when you ran for that ice cream padyak after you heard that brand's melody? That's how she ran wildly in that wilderness.
"Eeeei!" the cute creature shrieked while hopping forward. For it didn't walk like us, but hopped like a bunny, bobbing up and down with each jump.
"Please wait!" GIRL shouted back, determined to catch up.
That hop was her hope. But...
That hope that had been reignited was quickly extinguished once again. It was gone the moment she entered an opening where bushes abound.
You see, her eyes were hit by the soft leaves of those bushes, which made her lose her sight for a bit. She rubbed her eyes and suddenly realized that she lost that most important second of that moment.
The creature was out of her sight.
She stopped running on that opening, desperately and frantically looking around the bushes that surrounds her. She can't feel the soft little bed-like grasses on her feet at that time. Lost in that woods of bushes, she does not know in what direction it went. She was yet all alone.
Have you ever had that feeling when you are at a crossroads of unknown places? Panic started to set in. Fear came back knocking her insides. But then...
Suddenly, she heard that familiar steps dashing towards her, in front... Nope, it was not the sounds of the Feet that chased her last night.
It was the sound of the creature's steps. It was getting closer and closer until we can see it hopping towards her again.
The girl's heart leaped with joy!
"You came back!" she exclaimed, reaching out to hug it.
Did you have that time when you saw a pet and you just want it to come closer to you? Well, it's sort of not like that time. For that cute creature was running, rapidly hopping rather, springing towards and closer to her.
She was taken aback so her feet gave in. And there she is, on her knees, while the creature was yet again, about to crash into her.
But instead, it jumps over her and continued to hop away from behind her.
"Wait! Wait for meee. I will not hurt you!" GIRL stood on her feet, followed, and chased it again.
"Eeeeiii!!!" the creature just shouted in fear.
Again, they're in the midst of those thick bushes. She can still see it in front. The bushes were getting denser and denser, making it harder for her to keep up. But then...
Suddenly, it was gone again. In a blink, the creature disappeared from her sight as if it fell.
Then she was gravely shocked to realize that she was just a foot away from the edge of a cliff.
Despite her best efforts to stop, her running momentum was too strong to overcome. She was not able to fight off the laws of Newton. She hurtled over the edge and began to fall.
They both fell.
"AAAAHHH!!!"
The drop was immense, akin to falling from a thirty-story building! Have you ever experienced a fall like that? I certainly hope not. Trust me, you don't want to try it. Never ever try it. The inevitable outcome would be your eternal doom!
If you were afraid of heights, then surely, your sparkling death cometh. For the fangs of that experience will take its toll on you, as you know already that there's no escape.
"EEEIII!!!"
GIRL was petrified as they plummeted. And she had good reason to be, for the fall was incredibly deep. She has the time to be so afraid, for it was a deep fall indeed.
It felt like the longest time of her life. As she tumbled through the air, she could see the creature falling beside her. It had the same expression of horror on its face as it looked into her eyes. Tears started to fall down her face, started to fly rather, defying gravity and flying upward.. falling up… Then…
Suddenly, the creature's body stretched out like elastic and enveloped GIRL, forming a protective ball around her. And before she knew it, she was inside that ball, completely enveloped by darkness.
She couldn't see anything in the pitch-black interior, but she felt the ball bouncing and shaking as they landed.
And then, everything went black. Our camera fades out, leaving us wondering what will happen next... No need to wonder further, for this is what happened...
---~~~o~~~---
"Awesome! That was so cool!" GIRL exclaimed, still applauding the grand feat they had just experienced. It felt like she had gone to Misibis to try the free fall or the zip line in Lignon Hill.
The creature in front of her had returned to its original round form, curiously staring at her with its curvy smile.
"Who are you, bi?" the creature asked. (bi, sounds like bee)
"Wow! You can talk?!" GIRL was again shocked at the sudden revelation.
"I dunno, bi?" the creature tilted its round head, wearing a curious expression.
The creature's voice was as adorable as a baby's, but it talked fast and in short, concise sentences.
"What's 'bi'?" GIRL asked.
"I dunno, bi," the creature replied.
"Are those the only words you know?" she asked.
"I dunno, bi," the creature said, tilting its head again.
"How did you do that stretchy thing a while ago, might I ask?" GIRL inquired.
"I dunno, bi."
"Well, no matter. What I do know is that I have to thank you for that. And so, I thank you!" GIRL was about to give the creature a handshake but remembered it didn't have hands, or so she thought. So, she just gave an awkward wave and smiled.
"Wenkz! Who are you, bi?" the creature asked.
"Wenkz? Was that welcome or thanks?" asked GIRL.
"I dunno, bi."
"Oh, I'm sorry, I was caught up in the moment, so I forgot to introduce myself," she said apologetically, closing her face with her hands and bowing her head.
But the creature just stared at her, wearing that curvy smile and curious look. When she jumped to her feet and smiled, she said, "Hi there Bi, I am GIRL."
"Nyaw 'Bi'! CREATURE," it said excitedly and hopped once.
"Oh! You have a name? CREATURE, was it?" GIRL realized.
"Wenkz! Ahihi!" CREATURE hopped cheerfully.
"You're so cute!" GIRL tried to hug CREATURE with so much excitement.
She would have wanted to name the creature Bi, Pinkish, or Pinky, but since it already gave its name, it was fine.
"Anyway, why were you in a rush?" she asked.
"I dunno, bi," CREATURE replied.
"Is someone following you? Besides me, or before me, that is, of course," GIRL asked curiously.
"I dunno, bi."
"What's the purpose of all of this then, do you know?" she asked again.
"EEEEIIIiii!" the creature suddenly shrieked after hearing the word 'purpose,' as if it tried to remember something.
"Eeeiaah!... aaahm... hmmm... I dunno, bi," its expression suddenly came back from shrieking to having that cute-smiley-curious-face again.
"Well, no matter. From now on, we will be friends, right?" GIRL said.
"Wenkz! Ahihi!" CREATURE jumped happily again.
Then, GIRL suddenly had that tingling sensation in her nose... "Aaah-chooo!"
"Bless you, bi-ahh... aah-chew!" it also suddenly sneezed.
"And you too, CREATURE," she chuckled at the sudden transition.
"AAA-CHEOOW!" both of them sneezed.
They stared at each other for a minute or so, then burst into laughter.
"Ahaha!"
"Ahihihi!"
"Let's find somewhere to tidy up, my friend, shall we? Before we catch a cold," GIRL suggested, realizing she was all untidy all over her body.
"Wenkz! Ahihi!" CREATURE jumps at her like a pet joyously playing with its friend...
---~~~o~~~--- ---~~~o~~~--- ---~~~o~~~---
THE PSALMST began singing their song,
~~~
"Wake,
There was yet none again
Amidst that li'l hill's crease
~~~
Reminisced,
Ask and the hand'll reach
Amidst that seclusion
~~~
Prithee,
Gave her a gist of hope
Amidst that confusion
~~~
Renewed,
Girl sang with tweeting birds
Amidst that scenery
~~~
Bump!
A creature crashed with her
Amidst, they fell face down
~~~
Mesmerized,
Girl was entranced by it
Amidst those curious eyes
~~~
Chase,
Creature was startled
Amidst that grand pursuit
~~~
Fell,
They plunged after that chase
Amidst that high cliff's edge
~~~
Friends,
Jubilantly chatted
Amidst that new safe ground
~~~
A lamb provided..."