The Veiled Crown

Chapter 5

Should you take his hand? Or rather try to walk on your own, but where would you go? Maybe go sit on the sofa? “Oh, it’s okay! I can walk on my own!” you exclaim while smiling friendly.

Shiro chuckles as Taro takes his hand back and watches you carefully. His gaze does feel like it got cold after you didn’t want his help walking. You try to ignore it and look towards the Sofa. Come on, you can do it! It’s not that far, even if you aren’t feeling 100% secure on your legs you should be able to walk the few steps towards the sofa and sit down. One step at a time. Oh! You feel a sharp pain in your left foot originating from your little toe jolting all the way up your leg before stopping at your chest area. You try to hide the pain on your face and keep walking with your mind only focused on the pain you just experienced. You let out a sigh of relief, you reached the sofa and sat down. 

As soon as you’re sitting down on the sofa you look up to try to read Shiro’s and Taro’s faces. What are they thinking? Who are they? And how did you even get to their house, the woods even?!

Though, do you just want to run back out into the woods, or if not run. Would you just go out there after what happened before you got to the house?

“Excuse me, but who are you?” You carefully ask with a low voice, while you look up towards Shiro and Taro with a seeking look on your face.

Taro gets a sly smile on his face; “Would the better question not be, who are you?” he answers with a question while leaning towards you. “You’re the one that ended up barging into our home face first.”

He’s all up in your face, staring deep into your eyes. 

You’re uneasy and don’t dare move, you just stare back into his eyes. His eyes, you initially thought they were just really dark black eyes, but now you see they’re dark red. Red eyes?! You blink twice and move your head backwards while turning your gaze away from Taro in a defiant matter. Who does he think he is to get up and close like that? You don’t even know each other!

Shiro bursts out with laughter the moment you turn your face away from Taro, what’s so funny about this?

“Can’t handle the human, huh Taro?” Shiro barely manages to say while laughing hard. Taro turns toward Shiro with eyes that could kill.

Human? What does he mean by human? You’re confused. Are they not human? No, that’s not possible, you can see they’re not animals. They have to be human, are they insane? You look at them with a puzzled, inquisitive look. You need to get out of here! They could be serial killers in the middle of the woods. All kinds of horrible scenarios pop up into your mind. You lose yourself in thought of what could happen if you stay here.

What if they really are serial killers? Or cannibals even? …

You hear someone snapping their fingers, but you’re still lost in thought imagining things.      Shiro snaps his fingers in front of your face; “Hey, are you okay?” You snap out of it. 

“Yeah, i’m okay. I was just thinking where I should go. I mean, outside there’s a vast forest where I would just get lost. And here, you’re strangers.” Your voice has a sad, lost tone. And the look you’re giving Shiro at that very moment screams uncertainty and fear.

Shiro gives you a warm smile back; “You’re welcome to stay here till we figure things out.” The gentle and warm tone to his voice makes you feel a little at ease and you agree to stay for the time being.