Chapter 1: The Market Encounter

Chapter 1: The Market Encounter

Peaceful, calm and silent. There's a tranquility. That's how rural populace describe the forest people, some of them called it forest creature for a hundred of decades past. They never seen any of the forest people or even a glimpse of them. They believe that they are some sort of monstrous creature, so that they hid themselves in a forest. Despise of that, there were two woman who doesn't believe in them. 

They want to know and see with their bare-naked eyes those creatures that live in the forest even people in Canagan warned them. 

"Hey! Dawn! I have good news for you!" The girl with long jet-black hair excitedly run towards Dawn.  Dawn have short brown haired with a pretty face. Both of them were pretty, actually.

 The woman hugged her tight as soon as she reached Dawn, doing a house chore. Dawn can't help but grimace, she's dirty and yet this girl hugged her.

"What now, Xio?" she asked with her bored tone. She really doesn't like talking while working on something.

Excitement was evident on Xio's face. Her name pronounces as Shy-yo. Short for Xiomerrah.

"We can go to the forest this weekend! We can see a forest people! Exciting, right?" she giggled while clapping her hands and even jumping up and down just to express her excitement but it all faded when she saw the blank expression on Dawn's face. 

"Aren't you excited? This is our dream, right? To see a forest people," she said her face become lonely, when Dawn saw it, she says; "Yes, I know that's our dream but you have work. We have work. You know penny is important for us to live."

"You don't have to worry about it I already talked to our boss. I made an excuse You know, I told them that I'm going to have a fever. I'm not working on weekend and so do you. Because you'll catch my fever and if we going to work."

"Alright! Alright! That's enough, you talked too much. Too much, Xiomerrah." Dawn cut her off because she knows it will lead to a long story. 

"So? We can go to the forest this coming weekend? I can conclude base on your words, your saying yes already," Xio asked again with her puppy eyes. 

"Yeah, whatever." Dawn's hand waving in the air while she answered her question and went back doing house stuff, while Xio entered her room and change clothes. She just got home from work in one of the houses in their area.

Dawn and Xio were best friends and they live in the same house since both of them were living by themselves.  They live in countryside called Canagan. Canagan has a prohibited forest that were believed to have monstrous creatures.

Xiomerrah is just a typical rural girl who's always wants to try something risky, especially adventure.  She loves adventures and she's so carefree for everything that's why Dawn loves her so much despite of her loud mouth. While Dawn Pauline was the opposite of her best friend and she has a creepy secret that only her knows. The two of them were like sisters that supports each other no matter what.

Dinner came and the two of them ate. And as usual, even Dawn wants to have a peaceful dinner, she cant because Xio kept telling random stories. Dawn ignore Xios stories not until her best friend said something that caught her interest and attention. She put down her utensils and stared at Xio.

"Can you repeat what you just said?" Dawn asked and Xio immediately stopped talking. 

Xio raised a brow. "Which one?" she asked with a questioning look. 

‘Oh, God! I forgot she talks a lot and that made her didn't notice each and every word she said, Dawn uttered mentally. 

"The white man."

Xio looked up at the ceiling, one arm folded and the other one is on her chinthinking something. Well, she really does because she already forgot what she just said. 

She snapped when she remembered and says, "Ah! Him? What about him?"

"Do you know him?" Dawn asked her again after finished drinking a cup of water. 

"No," she immediately replied. But in her mind, shes thinking of something and giggling. 

“Okay." Dawn shyly looked down. She doesn't get the answer she wants.

"I just said, I saw him at the market near where I'm working, near at Mrs. Oreio shop. He bought a basket of apples. I think it's three or four baskets of red and green apples. He was really handsome with his odd skin color. He was pale, or white. His skin toned was like us. Xiomerrah pursue her lips. Ugh! You know what I mean, youre white but now white as him, she continued and chew her food frustratingly.

"He's pale and have a very natural red lip."

After that, there was a silence between them. They continue chewing their food but tno one dared to speak, both of them were thinking something.

"Are you interested with him?"

"Are his eyes blue?"

They asked each other in unison. They stared at each other for a while and forehead creased.

Xio rubbed the back of her neck. Then, she thinks once again then answered Dawn's question. "Uhm. Yeah," she answered while nodding. "I think so.

Dawn concluded something in her mind based on Xios story. She that she knew the person, a blue eye. Dawns mouth slightly opened, she couldnt believe it. 

"Hey, what happened to you? Are you amazed? I'm sure you'll more amaze if you see him in person," Xio said when she noticed her partly opened mouth. She stands up from her seat and made a way to tickle Dawn's waist. But Dawn got up from her seat and run towards her room. Shes thinking too much about that man. 

Xio on the other hand just let out a chuckled and simply rub the back of the back of her neck again. She really loves to tickle Dawn, she won't stop not until Dawn got pissed at her. 

Xio cleaned up the dishes before she went to her room. She needs to rest for another day tomorrow is waiting for them. She was about to lay down in her bed when she suddenly heard Dawn's voice outside her room.

"Xio? Are you still up?" she asked, knocking.

Xio open the door to see her. "Yes, what is it? Do you have a problem or you want me to tell you a story again about that man?" She's obviously teasing Dawn. 

Dawn grimace and cleared her throat like there's lump in there. She's very hesitant to tell Xio what she wants, but in the endshe asked her. 

"Can we go to the market tomorrow morning? I want to see the white man, if ever he will be there. I'm curious about him." 

Xio was confused but she managed to answer her. She already thought that her best friend had already interest on that man.

"Okay," she just simply replied that put a small smile on Dawn's lip. Before she closes her room door, she gave Dawn a peck on her cheeks.

As much as Xio wanted to talk and tease Dawn, she’s too tried and sleepy. Her eyelids were already closing. While Dawn on her room, she was still thinking about the man the Xio mentioned. Ut was like the faceless man occupy all of her mind. As a result, she can't sleep that night. Her eyes were shut while she waits the sun to rise up. She fixed herself to start her day. Today, she was hoping to see that mysterious man that was occupying her mind.

Xio was already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast while waiting for Dawn to come out from her room. She woke up early than usual.

‘Dawn got overslept again' she silently thought.  

It was funny because the truth was her best friend doesnt have sleep from last night. When Dawn finally came out from her room, Xiomerrah doesn't wait any minute for Dawn to take a sip of coffee or even sitting down on a chair to have some breakfast. She excitedly pulled her out of the house, seriously Dawn was totally shocked. It seems that Xio was more excited than her even Dawn was the one who invited her.

She doesn't get a sleep and yet she doesn't give a chance to drink a coffee or even sitting down, such a pitiful thing. 

They waited for the train to arrive. After a minute of waiting, the train finally arrived. The train was a free ride for each and every rural people for them to get in the market fast because it closes before the noon starts. After a few minutes the train unloaded the passengers. 

Dawn and Xio got out and they walk to search for something. Well, it was just Dawn whos do the searching because Xio was busy pulling her around and keeps greeting people. 

"Good Morning, Pepazz!" Xio greeted everyone. 

She uses the word ‘Pepazz’ was her own created word to use instead of saying everyone. It was such an amazing word for her but strange for them. But the people of Cangan are not so mean and snob. They greeted back Xio with all smiles. 

"Dawn, it's just hours past after the sunrise. I'll go and see what I can help and do in Mrs. Oreio shop today. It's a plus penny for us," she jokingly said, though it's true. They saving a penny for their goals.

She guides Dawn to sit down in the large oak tree root. She even fixed Dawn slightly messy hair.

"O-Okay." Dawn stared at her and she just smile. 

Xio left and Dawn just silently sitting while looking in every person who pass in front of her. She sighed when she realized that shes waiting for nothing. She cant go back tomorrow because she has work. With that thought, she stands up from her seat and decided to buy an apple. 

She picks one in the basket and place it on her nose to smell. This one doesn't pick today. It's not fresh, she said at the back of her mind. She returns the apple on its place and about to pick one again. But another hand also picks up the apple that she wants. She instantly removes her hand and raise her head to see who it was. 

A gasped escaped from Dawns lips when she saw who it was. They both stared at each other for a moment, wondering each others presence. It last Dawn gasped in shock when she saw the face. They both stared at each other, wondering on each other's presence. It last for a while before they speak.

"Who are you?"

"Who are you?"

Both of them asked in unison.