strength.

He didn’t notice what had caused it or why – in fact Jae In only noticed something was out of the ordinary when he heard a thud from somewhere behind, accompanied by a plenitude of grunts, and just in time he turned to behold a rather impressive tumble across the pavement. Fortunately the shopping areas weren’t too crowded this early in the morning, the only ones out and about off to school and work, himself included. Other than supermarkets and convenience stores, nothing would be open for another few hours.

For the time being he simply stood still and observed. She – a woman he had identified her as, and although small in stature, her features did not appear childish – seemed pretty alright despite her fall, but the obvious confusion in her face and movements was kind of concerning. Jae In couldn’t claim to know much about medicine and health conditions, he couldn’t claim to know anything at all actually, but better safe than sorry.

“Hey,” he finally said, carefully approaching with a wave. “Are you alright? That fall seem like it hurt a lot… Did you hurt yourself or break anything or something? Or did you hit your head? I think head injuries can be pretty serious if you don’t have them looked at—” Realising he was bombarding her with questions, Jae In put a hand over his mouth to retain the words. He then started over from the beginning. “Sorry, that was too much at once wasn’t it? Are you okay?”

     Everything would be okay. Parona gathered her breath and deflated steadily with a soundless whistle. She focused on the quivering of her body, the motion a byproduct of her rattling heart. She could calm herself; she was in the process of calming herself when a voice called out to her. Parona tensed but her body shifted forward onto her toes, onto the palm of her hand. She was ready to run. 

     But the one who had spoken was a boy, far taller than she but moving with a careful concern. Parona rose, eyeing him warily but making no move to run yet. He looked nothing like the Yanome guards. His clothes looked nothing like the Ninanna or the Yanome. That would mean he was either a traveler or she was in neither land. It would explain the buildings, the strange posts on the walkways, the vibrantly colored clothes (colors she could not imagine were easy to create or cheap to). It would mean, too, that she was much further than she could even begin to comprehend. 

     Parona arrived in a violent tumble. Her world spun and she felt the stone thud hard against her back. Each impact, a burst of breath. She came to a shaking stop, kneeling. Her arms and legs, wrapped in cloth, had not been scraped but they ached. A memory teased her but she could not unearth it. It felt damp and heavy in her thoughts, in her chest. It was an important thought, an important memory, but she could only grasp the outline of it, a fearful shape. She raised her head.

     “Where?” Around her, colossal structures. They stood together, limiting her vision and caging her in. Their lines continued further down before her and behind her, some made pleasant by flowers or soft-colored flags and others bereft of gentle character. She knew them to be homes. She knew some to be shops. But it was like being led back into Yanome, her head swimming with the sudden increase of others. How big was this area? How many people were there? How would she get home? Was it safe?