Chapter 3: Best of Friends

Calix and Zoe meet for the first time. Wonder how long it'll take for them to get used to each other?

“…Calix…” “What?” “Calix! My name is Calix you stupid girl!” “Well aren’t you a little ray of sunshine. Nice to meet you Calix, my names Zoe. I’m your new roommate.” Zoe said smiling as she sat next to Calix in the snow. “What?” “We have to share a house together.. Not my idea, but there is no changing the rules. So you’re stuck with me.” “Then I’m not staying here….” Tears streamed down Calix’s face. ‘He didn’t seem like the type that cries.’  Zoe thought to herself. Letting his appearance get to her, Zoe took pity on the boy beside her. She calmly rubbed his back and looked at him. “….No one does….” The two looked around the small, and childless village. It was glum and boring. Not a good place for any child to grow up. A few tears escaped Zoe’s eyes as she tried her hardest to keep them in. “W-Who’d they take you away from?” Zoe said trying her hardest to keep from crying. “”M-my mother.” “You have a mother..?” “Yeah.” Calix gave a small smile. “My dad hasn’t come home yet, but I hope he comes to find me soon.” Calix looked over to Zoe who was looking at him with a tear stained face. “Hm? What’s wrong, um.. Zoe? Are you okay?” “Yeah, I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?” “Zoe you’re crying.” Zoe quickly wiped her face. “Who’d they take you away from?” “….M-my big brother….” There was an awkward silence then she spoke again. “T-these men, they um, killed my mother and grandma…. I watched them die!” The flood gates had been opened and Zoe couldn’t stop them this time. It was the first time anyone had asked her if she was okay, and she couldn’t hold it in anymore. It was the very first time Zoe had ever cried since the day she was born. “They raped my mother as she died! She saw me through the boards in the ceiling and she smiled! ….She smiled….” At this Calix felt kind of bad that he had carelessly talked about his parents. He should’ve kept his mouth shut. Zoe screamed out of no where and Calix had to quickly cover his ears. The others started to come out of their houses to see what was going on. Calix got a bit nervous and tried to get Zoe to stop. “Come on Zoe. Let’s go in the house. You’re causing a scene.” “I don’t care! Everyone here hates me anyways!” As everyone began to circle around the two the guards came. Calix was getting more nervous and scared by the second. The only thing he could think of to do was to scoop up Zoe and go into their house, but which one was it? “Zoe come on! Everyone is staring. Which house is ours?” Zoe just stood up and grabbed his hand. She pulled him towards their home and ran inside. Once inside she let go of his hand and ran down the hall to her room. Calix stood in the arch way of the living room and stared at nothing. He didn’t know what to do, or if he should try and comfort this girl. This was going to be difficult.

Zoe came out of her room a few hours later. Calix was lying on the floor staring at the ceiling. He turned his head and watched her walk down the hall then stared back at the ceiling again. Zoe quietly sat down next to him and watched him. “What are you doing?” “Nothing.” Zoe rubbed her puffy red eyes and laid back and watched him more. “Are you just going to watch me stare at the ceiling?” Calix said not looking at her. She didn’t reply. Again the silence came back and neither of them knew what to say. “Um, Zoey ar �" ” “Zoe.” “Sorry…. Zoe, are you better now?” Zoe nodded her head then sat up. “I’m hungry.” Zoe said staring in the direction of the kitchen. “Who’s supposed to bring us dinner?” Calix said sitting up as well. “No one. We have to make it ourselves.” Zoe got up from the floor and headed to the pantry. Calix followed her. “Why?” “I don’t know. It was like that when I got here. The first night I fell asleep hungry because I didn’t know that I was going to be alone in this house.” Zoe searched through the pantry for something that looked easy to cook. Calix wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t know what any of this stuff was, nor if he should eat it. “What looks good to you Calix? I can only make easy stuff like stew and meat pies, but meat pies take longer than stew.” Zoe thought seriously about this, but Calix was dumb founded. There were only a few things he recognized in the pantry. Small stuff like breads, potatoes, vegetables, and some berries. “What?” “Would you like meat pies or vegetable stew for dinner?” “How come you don’t have Mac & Cheese? Or stuff like cereal and chips?” “What are you talking about? You sound like your a ‘Normal’ or something…. Wait a minute. Did you come from Tomorrow City!?” “Well a small town a long ways outside of the city, but yeah. Isn’t that where this is?” Zoe shook her head and stared at the boy in front of her, a new form of curiosity growing. “Where am I then?” Calix began to fear for the worst now that he knew his hunch was right. He could be miles away from home, or worse he could be across the sea! “Where on the island of Thoredon, but i’m originally from Aalis.” The tears began to weld up in Calix’s eyes. He was across the sea. How is he ever going to get back home now? “Don’t worry Calix. We’ll get off this island in no time, but we just have to wait. I promise that one way or another I will get you back to your family, and I’ll find mine.” Zoe smiled and held out her pinky. Calix pinky promised with her and he felt a bit better. He was still a bit scared, but having a friend who shares a bit of the pain helps.

Over the next 4 years Calix has tried to escape over 234 times, but all failed. Every time he gets brought back and told the same stupid line, “Now don’t do it again Calix.” Even after awhile the guards stopped telling him. They just bring him back to Zoe and tell her where he was this time. Zoe brought Calix inside for the final time and smacked him upside the head. “Ow! What was that for stupid!?” “Who are you calling stupid!? I already told you �"” Calix checked out the window. “They’re gone.” Zoe let out a sigh. “Get anything today?” “There were a few apples in a tree not to far from here. I also brought back some of those tea leaves you wanted. Oh and I found that tree, you know the ones with the purple leaves.” Calix pulled the leaves from his bag and Zoe quickly grabbed them. “Hey calm down.” Zoe quietly studied the leaves and left to her room. She came back a bit later after Calix finished unpacking. “Did you get any info on the next delivery truck?” “The next one isn’t for a few months.” “Uugh!” Zoe exclaimed. She walked into the kitchen then finished cooking. “Hey Zoe when’s your birthday?” Zoe peeked from the kitchen and glared at the boy. “Come on you never told me. You know mine already.” “Yeah November 6th.” “Then can I know yours?” “No.” Zoe continued cooking and tried her best to ignore Calix’s constant pestering. “Please!! Zoe come on. I barely know anything about you. You never tell me anything! How am I supposed to trust you if I don’t even know you?” “You really don’t know when to quit do you?” Zoe glared at the boy, obviously irritated. “I won’t stop until you tell me at least a bit about you.” Calix said folding his arms. Zoe stood up and walked over to Calix. She grabbed a fist full of his shirt and looked at him. This was the second time he had ever seen her cry. “My birthday is December 25 you idiot! The day I had to watch my mother and grandmother die in front of me, and the very same day me father was murdered right beside me! Are you happy now Calix?! Are you satisfied that you know my birthday now?” Zoe let go of his shirt and ran to her room. Calix was again left in the living room arch way contemplating on what he should do now.