A Strange Encounter on the Road
Wanderer has seen generations of humans come and go, but now he’s merely another traveler on the road. What fateful meeting have the stars arranged today?
#[ a lonely road ✦ independent writing ᯓ ⋆✴︎ ̊.⋆ ]
Dusk settled over the land, stealing over the crawling caravans and curling round the campfires sparked by many a traveler on the road. The nameless Wanderer perched on a fallen trunk, poking halfheartedly at his own fire with a stick. He heard footsteps approaching long before their owner identified him, yet his posture never changed. There was a long pause. Finally, his voice came from beneath his wide-brimmed hat: “…If you’re looking to camp for the night, forget it.”
He could tell the intruder wasn’t budging an inch; they didn’t lift a finger, let alone deign to reply. “I’m serious. I don’t have food or shelter. I’m not looking for company. You’re better off finding another camp.” He let the silence hang for a moment, maybe even two: best to prolong the cold shoulder until they gave up.
That was what he thought, at least, but the stranger remained unmoving. Seriously, what kind of joke was this? Did they suddenly turn into a statue or what?! His head snapped up, finally revealing his face: delicate features like a porcelain doll, albeit fixed in a snarl at the moment. “Hey! I said…” The youth trailed off, his expression rapidly transforming from irritation to confusion to guarded disgust. “…Why are you looking at me like that…?”
“……”
“‘Hat Guy,’ huh? …So you’re another one of those Akademiya jokers, are you. Seriously, what possessed you to look for me now?” He gestured to the lightless sky. “You could’ve gotten mauled by tigers… or… …ugh, whatever.” The Wanderer’s gaze dropped as he crossed his arms, his hat once again eclipsing his expression.
“……”
“You didn’t mean to find me? …Just my luck,” the youth muttered to himself. “—What? I’m meaner than you expected? Hah. Whatever notions you held of me before… You should forget them. I’m not the celebrity you think I am.”
Seeming to give up on the topic at hand, the stranger gestured to “Hat Guy’s” barren campsite instead.
His mouth twisted in somewhat of a smirk. “Of course I don’t have a tent. I sleep in trees. Didn’t I warn you? —'I don’t have food or shelter.’ You didn’t think I was lying, did you?”
In response, the stranger took off the heavy pack on their back, cheekily brandishing their bedroll as if threatening to stay the night.
“You’re seriously planning on staying…? There are a dozen other, safer places to sleep. I mean… … Fine! Suit yourself. Not my business if you want to sleep on a rock.” The nameless Wanderer suddenly stood, grabbing his own rucksack - a meager token of travel compared to his guest’s - as he turned his back. “I’m going to sleep. Don’t blame me if a bear comes and eats you.”
Adjusting his hat, he leapt into one of the nearby trees with a small gust of wind. True to his word, he spread his cloak and settled into a fork in the branches with all the ease of a bird returning to its nest. From within his rucksack, he produced a few berries and a small onigiri folded in a banana leaf. It wasn’t much - his classmates often teased that he ate like a bird - but it wasn’t like he needed the same sustenance as humans, anyways. Feeling eyes on him, the youth cast a sidelong glance at his new companion. “…What? Don’t tell me you’re hungry.”
“……”
“…You’re a weird one. Of course I’m fine. Look, the fire’s all yours. I just lit it because… …it was dark. Things like warmth and comfort are unnecessary for me. Just focus on yourself down there.”
Finishing his tiny dinner, the Wanderer nestled deeper into his perch, slipping his hat from his head. Resting it over his body, the youth idly traced his fingers along the golden trim as he stilled his thoughts. His eyes fell to his strange visitor as they unrolled their bedding and tended to the fire. You’re seriously staying here? You don’t even know me…
As if on cue, the stranger met his gaze, smiling and waving in blissful ignorance.
“…Tch. Make sure you put out the fire before you sleep, or the Vanara will make us do community service for a week.” With that, the nameless Wanderer turned, letting his eyes close. He hadn’t expected to meet another traveler on this road, let alone one crazy enough to invite themselves into a stranger’s camp. A tiny smile quirked his lips. Humans truly are bizarre.










