ASRAN SERIES- ACROSS THE BORDER

Chapter - 8

“I may not be brave like our Great Maple and I am aware of that. He had helped unite our nations but right now we are fighting against unity as it was formed without any base. The unity already collapsed and it’s a war out there. Also, the place we are going to search for my sister is more dangerous as it is under a severe war zone. Do you understand what that means?” Peter asked Robert while hoping that he would agree to go back to the campsite.

Robert already understood that Peter was almost issuing a warning to him. But he was not yet ready to back out or covet away in fear. He knew that they would get caught the minute they set foot in that city especially him because of the connection he had with his father. But right now, saving Elly seemed more important to him rather than worrying about anything else.

When Peter saw the stubborn look on Robert’s eyes, all he could do was let out a sigh. ‘He really made up his mind to come along with me, didn't he?’ He thought and let out another loud sigh.

“So, are you really not going back and would follow me at any cost?” Peter asked him and held his head with both hands to cool himself.

Robert nodded his head vigorously up and down and then said, “If you already know my answer then what is the use of asking me these unnecessary questions? You are not changing my mind, so let's get going...” 

Robert closed and opened all five of his eyes and pushed Peter. He then used the mapping device in one of his hands to calculate the distance they need to travel before they could reach the main city. He then calculated something seriously in his mind and then said,

“So, if I am going to have one attack every halfway, then it means that I will experience one more attack when we reach our destination. If we are lucky and could find Elly before I get another attack then we return here... I am sure we could definitely reach the campsite before my fifth attack. See, you are just worrying for nothing as we would still be left with two more attacks... And that’s more than enough for me to become one with Nameless,” He informed Peter after calculating the distance between the campsite and the main city.

Peter held Robert’s shoulders and patiently said, “Do you really think the attacks you are going to experience in the future…" He took a deep breath and then said,

"... will you be able to survive them all? Yes, the first attack came when we were halfway on our journey. But how are you so confident that the pain would come only when we reach our next destination and not before that? What if you get unbearable torment even at that time? How are you going to cope up with that?” Peter asked him.

Robert ignored him and continued to do some more research on the mapping device. When Peter did not get any response from Robert, he continued to say, 

“Until now, we have only checked for a few hours, after you got separated from Nameless. I think it is highly risky for you to come along with me on this long journey. Moreover, I do not want to lose my best friend… Please… Please go back… please… please… please...” Peter begged him again and again.

Robert took a deep breath and stated, “You are not going to lose anyone, Peter. Neither me nor my brother Nameless… We both will be fine… Trust me... As per my calculations, we are already halfway towards our destination… Let us not waste any more time here in the desert, if you want us to go back soon to Nameless.”

“But…” Peter did not want to argue with him but at the same time, he was worried about Robert’s health.

“Shh… Listen… Something is approaching us…” Robert mumbled while continuously checking the mapping device in his hands.

The device still showed the distance they had to cover before they could reach the main city. He moved his hands on the device a little where it showed a red dot approaching them with great speed. 

When they tried to move faster, they noticed that the dot also moved even faster than them. Peter saw the dot on the device and asked Robert, “Should we take cover? What if it’s militants? We better not get caught before we even reached the main city.”

He ran as fast as he could but he was still slow compared to Robert. He started to feel suffocation just after running for less than a hundred feet.

“I don’t think it’s the militants… This device has been configured with signals that would not show their movements or even track them. It would only track any foreign objects or someone other than militants,” Robert said in a hushed voice.

"Also, you should consider doing more exercise and improving your physical health. You are too weak and with you being like this, you expect me to let you go alone on this impossible adventure?" Robert questioned him.

"If I am not going to run then I would be fine. I can walk faster..." Peter said in between his deep breaths and stopped running while holding his chest.

At that moment, some weird-looking plant hopped towards them and jumped right in front of them, hiding their path. They both were frightened and screamed at the top of their lungs. And then they both started to run as fast as they could while the plant chased after them. 

In seconds, the plant hastily leaped on and held them both together with its tentacles. Peter and Robert screamed at the top of their lungs and kicked their hands and legs. But the plant's grip only tightened and they almost struggled to breathe.

“Peter, stop moving…” Robert shouted and then he too became still.

Then he caressed the tentacles that surrounded his body and said, “Easy boy, easy… It’s ok… We are not here to harm you...” 

Robert patted the plant while he saw Peter almost on the verge of kissing the plant’s mouth. So he couldn’t control himself and started to laugh out loud. 

The plant loosened the grip around them and also expressed its happiness by bouncing on the ground while holding them both in its tentacles. Peter glared at Robert and shouted,

“Ask the plant to stop shaking us… I feel like puking…”

“Stop! Stop! Stop!” Robert also shouted as all his five eyes started to show several images of the same place in front of him.

The plant then stopped jumping around and placed them on the muddy ground. It brushed them with tentacles and then started running in circles around the boys.

“Do you know what plant this is? I have heard about such walking plants before but never seen one…” Peter asked Robert while looking at the plant with wary eyes.

Before Robert could answer, the plant suddenly shrunk and jumped into Peter’s bag. When Peter was about to dust the plant away, Robert held his hands and stopped him.

“I think the plant wants to come with us on this journey,” Robert said.

They both then looked at that plant and found it shaking all of its head. 

“Smart plant,” Robert praised it.

The miracle Hygelnewl plant gave a smug look and cooed at them. Robert couldn’t help but pat the plant’s tentacles and fed the snack that he brought along with him. 

At that moment, he saw young saplings attached to the big plant and exclaimed, “This plant is actually a... a... a... she... It's a girl and not a boy…”

He even fed the saplings attached to it while Peter rolled his eyes at him. He then mouthed to Robert, “Do not waste food, we will need it for our return journey as well.”

At that moment, one of the saplings produced a purple flower on top of its head. Its tiny little tentacles plucked the flower and gave it to Robert. When Robert got the flower, he skipped in joy while giving more food for that sapling alone.

“I got a flower! I got a flower… It’s a treasure… My treasure…” He carefully placed the flower inside a small box.