Joan

Chapter XXVIII

We spend the rest of the day following the invisible footprints until they disappear from sight, abruptly putting an end to our day's travel.

Again, unfortunately, we'll have to make due with what we have since there isn't a town or anything around, nor do we have any blankets or anything comfy to lay on. If this was any other time, I might not have been able to fall asleep as easily, but after a day like today I could sleep peacefully on a bed of nails- I'll just worry about the chiropractor bill later.

Getting comfortable on the ground, I'm ready to doze off when I remember that I haven't asked Chasan a question yet.

God, how I'm not in the mood to pull teeth.

But I really don't feel like waking up to him dead and having to worry about burying a body, so I force my heavy eyes open and peer around the other side of the tree where he's getting situated.

"Chasan," I whisper. "Psst, Chasan."

Glancing back at me, he gives me a suspicious look before scooting closer so I don't have to whisper so loudly.

"What?" He doesn't sound as annoyed at me as much as simply tired, which is understandable.

Since he's kind of a hostile guy to questions, I decide to make this seem as natural as ever.

"I was just thinking," I begin, taking it slow. "I never really got around to asking you what I wanted to earlier today."

He side-eyes me again. "What's that?"

"How'd you get into that kidnapping business with those other dicks?"

I didn't really have that on my mind, but now that it's out in the open I want an answer. He's only eighteen. What eighteen year old gets into a business like that?

Straightening up initially, he slumps back down again with fatigue as he rubs his face.

"You want to know the truth?"

"No, I want a sugar-coated lie."

He narrows his eyes at me, but really? Seriously? That needed to be asked?

"Look," He growls. "Do you want the answer or not?"

"Yes, I want the truth."

After a second of silence, he clears his throat and rests his head against the tree, staring out into the dark unknown that encases us on every side.

"Ever since I was a young boy, I've always wanted adventure on the great, open sea. I wanted to be the captain of my own vessel, I wanted the thrill of exploration, I wanted to belong somewhere..." He lets that trail off for a moment before starting back up as if nothing happened. "And I found all that with my crew. You probably didn't care for them, not that I expected you to, but I cared a lot for them- they taught me everything I know, everything I know is due to them."

He seems pretty genuine about this so my mission is complete. I'm pretty much ready to turn in for the night with a clean conscious.

"Okay, cool, yeah, thanks for sharing- sharing is caring- glad you told me-"

"They were my family in a way that my real family never could be to me. If I'm to be honest with you, a majority of the reason why I didn't like you was because you hurt my family. But I'm learning to get past that, albeit you make that quite the task."

Great, now he's going to try and tell me his life story, which no one has the time for or a shit to give. But I keep tuning in any way because I'm a fairly decent human being.

"In fact, it's been so easy to get past what's happened before mostly because I've been reflecting about things. I did a lot of foolish acts with those guys, I can't really explain why I did them but I did so there's no denying it."