Aaron quickly covered his eyes to protect them from the blinding light.
Aaron: "What the...?"
Aaron was confused, naturally. Just a few moments ago, he'd been walking home from his school, on his usual, nature-rich path, before the flash came up.
Aaron: "What, did the sun explode...?"
He took his hands away from his eyes and began to adjust them. He looked all around, not seeing his usual, paved path; but a dense forest surrounding him on all sides. He looked to the ground to see no plants stepped on, and no clear path out.
Aaron: "What...? Why the hell am I here?"
Aaron frantically looked around even more, looking for anything. Was it all a dream? Did he get knocked out or something? What was that bright light? What was happening?
The boy felt his stomach drop, and clutched it. His eyes were wide with stress, scanning everything around him for any sign of danger. He looked up to see the sun still high in the sky, and breathed a sigh of relief while dropping his head.
Aaron: "Alright, I've still got some time left." Aaron raised his head. "Now, to find a way out."
Aaron said that with such confidence that he'd almost tricked himself into thinking everything was fine, but the path in front of him --- well, there was no path.
He stared for a moment, and then decided a direction, and walked. As he brushed away the dense foliage, his thoughts took control of him.
Aaron: [So, let's recap: I was walking home, got sent to some weird forest, and now I'm brushing through whatever crap's here.]
Aaron: "That's just great!"
Aaron yelled to no one, but his frustration could be heard. Surprisingly, he was less concerned about returning to his family and friends and home, and was more upset about the fact that he was transported to a place with seemingly no civilization nearby.
Aaron shook his head, and kept walking forwards --- not that he could tell the difference between any direction at all.
As he walked and walked, the sun sank in the sky more and more. Eventually, it was dusk, and Aaron hadn't made any progress yet.
Aaron punched a tree, and exclaimed from the pain. He quickly clenched his fist, and then shouted again.
Aaron: "Come on! How're ya gonna do me like this!"
Aaron shouted, but no one answered.
Aaron: "Send me away to the middle of nowhere, no gear, no anything!"
Aaron kicked the tree, which caused him considerably less pain.
Aaron: "That's just so dumb, huh?! What're you gonna say for yourself, huh? God?!"
But no one answered.
Aaron was completely exhausted from all of the yelling, yet he knew that he couldn't give up yet; who knew what lurked in the forest at night? Just the thought of getting mauled by a pack of wolves got Aaron's determination back up.
Out of the corner of his eye, Aaron noticed; a small patch in the tree line. It was the top of a cliff, or at least a protruding part of it. On this protrusion was a leafless tree that looked like it was blackened, but he couldn't tell. He had nowhere else to go, so he decided to walk towards it.
Once he reached it, he walked up to the tree and put his hand on the bark.
Aaron: "This thing don't feel charred."
He then noticed what laid beyond the cliff; a beautiful mass of trees and rivers all merging together to form a stunning image. He saw birds flying, and felt the wind brush against him.
Aaron got on all fours and peered his head over the cliff, seeing another, similar protrusion a ways' below him, that instead came out of a cave.
Aaron: "Who-ho-hoa!"
Amidst his admiration, Aaron forgot just how high up he was; and also that he was afraid of heights. He stepped back, his arms in a position to grab a ledge that didn't exist.
He stopped after a few steps, and put his hands in his pockets; but, night began to fall.
Aaron: "I may have wasted too much time here,"
Aaron took one hand out of his pocket and scratched the back of his head while turning around, closing his eyes in the process.
Aaron: "But, if it was for that gorgeous view,"
Aaron stopped scratching his head and put his hand back in his pocket.
Aaron: "I think I'd do it agai --- aack!"
When Aaron opened his eyes, he came face-to-face with the tip of a spear. He recoiled back, taking his hands out of his pockets to cover his fall, but he still landed on his ass anyways.
Aaron: "Uh, I'm sorry!"
He waved his hands around frantically.
Aaron: "I don't have any money!"
The person holding the spear to him appeared to be a girl, most likely just a year older than he is, with long, straight black hair that stretches to her middle back. This girl had multicolored eyes, specifically amber and emerald green, and fair skin. Despite their age similarity, she was around half a foot (~15cm) taller than him. This was normal, however, as he was short for his age.
The girl had a mature and commanding voice, but when she spoke, Aaron could tell that her backstory didn't match her appearance.
???: "Speak. Who are you?"
Aaron: "Uh, hi. My name's Aaron, I'm 14 years old... again, please don't rob me!"
???: "I'm not after your money, but it's a little unusual for someone to be wandering the forest with just whatever you're wearing.... and no weapon."
Aaron was offended, especially after how she'd looked at what he was wearing. He got up from the ground, and dusted off his clothes, all while speaking.
Aaron: "Yeah, then, what're you doing out here, missy?"
???: "Hunting."
The girl gestured to her bow, making Aaron feel like an idiot.
Aaron sneered at the girl.
???: "I still have a bow."
Aaron: "Yeah, yeah, that's why I didn't try anything. You know, something about you reminds me of this one girl from this show, something about an elitist classroom. What was her name...? Oh, yeah, Hori ---"
???: "Let's go."
Aaron was understandably confused.
Aaron: "'Go'? 'Go' where? I'm not getting human trafficked!"
His voice rose in pitch in the last part of his sentence, however he was quickly assured by the girl that she'd do no harm.
???: "You're very clearly lost. Come with me, and I'll give you some lodging."
Aaron: "Oh, well, how do you know that!"
Aaron leaned forwards and pointed at her, however, she was quick to respond.
???: "Because I've been watching you for the past half hour."
Aaron: [Well, can't argue with that.]
Aaron: "Well, maybe I'd trust ya a little more if you gave me your name. You know, it's common courtesy, and all."
The girl had a look of indecisiveness on her face for a few moments, and then responded.
Charlotte: "My name is Charlotte. A pleasure to meet you."
Aaron: "What, no last name?"
Charlotte: "I don't recall you giving yours."
Aaron: [Fair point again!]
Charlotte: "Will you follow me, or get eaten by the wolves?"
Aaron scoffed again, and walked to stand besides her.
Aaron: "Well, when ya put it like that, it's rather hard to refuse, yeah?"
The girl took out a lantern, and lit it, and began to walk.
The two began to walk throughout the forest together, Aaron making sure to stay close to her. She didn't speak all that much, contrary to Aaron's desperate attempt at small talk.
Aaron: [Okay, I know this is a little bit of a predicament, but use your context clues. She speaks English, so we must be in an English speaking country!]
Aaron: "So, what country is this?"
Charlotte: "Alaine."
Aaron: "That isn't a real country. Where on the globe is it? I mean, you speak English, so it's gotta be somewhere..."
Charlotte: "What are you talking about?"
Charlotte looked confused at Aaron, who was hunched over with his hand on his chin. He looked up, still in the same hunched position.
Aaron: "The language you're speaking. It's called English."
Charlotte: "This is Vis'ya. I've never heard of English."
Aaron: [You've... You've gotta be joking.]
Aaron: "Seriously?"
Charlotte: "As serious as I can be."
Aaron thought Charlotte may have been a little uneducated, but decided to not speak up.
Eventually, he and Charlotte made their way towards civilization, if you could even call it that. It was a modest cottage, still in the middle of the woods. Charlotte entered and turned the lights on, before inviting Aaron in.
When he stepped inside, he noted the pristine nature of it.
Charlotte: "Come, you must be hungry."
She was already rummaging through what Aaron thought was a pantry. Aaron held out his hand in response.
Aaron: "Nah, not really."
Charlotte looked him over.
Charlotte: "Are you sure?"
Aaron: "Really. I don't exactly get hungry at this hour, anyways."
Charlotte closed the pseudo-pantry and sat down at the table, gesturing for Aaron to sit with her. In the middle of the table was a flickering candle.
Charlotte: "So, you're Aaron. You're 14, am I correct?"
Aaron: "Correct-a-mundo!"
Aaron pulled out a chair and sat down.
Charlotte: "Where are you from?"
Aaron: "It's a country --- far to the west. It's called America, or the United States. You heard of it?"
Charlotte: "I can't say I have."
Aaron: "What?! It's the strongest, most powerful country in the world! How could you not've?"
Charlotte pulled out a piece of parchment from a knapsack she carried on her and strew it across the table.
Charlotte: "This is a map of the world. Nowhere on this does it say anything about any United States."
Aaron's eyes glazed over it, and then took a deep breath.
Aaron: "You must be a serious roleplayer, huh?"
Charlotte: "What do you mean?"
Aaron: "Ah, it's nothing."
Aaron: [Well, I'd say it's something. After I got flashbang'd into a forest, and now you show me a map I don't know...]
Charlotte continued to question Aaron, and Aaron continued to deflect and inquire. After one particular question, Charlotte stared at Aaron.
Aaron fidgeted for a little as Charlotte was trying to ascertain just what exactly he was thinking, but eventually she let out a long sigh as well, and Aaron perked up.
Charlotte: "It's too late for this, right?"
Aaron: "Y-yeah!"
Aaron moved his body in very clearly unnatural ways, which Charlotte just assumed to be some sort of colloquialism of his.
Charlotte: "You can sleep in the guest room. It's down the hall."
Charlotte put her hand by her nose and put them together, and closed her eyes. Meanwhile, Aaron opened the door to his room, and admired it while closing the door.
Aaron: "I gotta say, for someone living out in the woods,"
Aaron sat on the bed.
Aaron: "This place is pretty nice."
He pulled the covers over himself, his eyes staring at a ceiling.
Aaron: "And this fabric... it's so nice. I didn't expect something like this in the forest."
He felt himself getting drowsy, so he turned to the candle that was already illuminating the room and blew, causing the flame to go out.
Aaron: [I'm so damn tired...]
That was all he thought before he drifted to sleep.
Charlotte, still at the table, contemplated.
Charlotte: [There's something off about that boy. The way he talks, references, everything --- it's just not right.]
She peered over at the dark room he was sleeping in, with the door open. She pushed herself out of her chair and walked over, staring inside.
Charlotte: [It'd go against everything they taught me if I just left him to die. Tomorrow, I'll show him around town, maybe get him some gear, and have him leave me alone.]
Charlotte closed the door slowly before heading back to the table and putting the flickering candle out.