Because Thalia had nothing to do inside the house, she walked around the forest, remembering the times she got lost and hid from those she was escaping from. She couldn't fully comprehend that her feet would lead her back to the enemy's forest.
She was deep in thought back then, not noticing where she was walking, moving further and further away from home, and she wasn't carrying the map her cousin had given her. She was admiring the beautiful scenery back then and traversing the long road where its gorse was flourishing, making it difficult to see the path.
"Miss!" She was startled when someone called her, so she immediately stopped; a moment later, the person pulled her right away.
So, she fell onto the grass along with the person who pulled and called her. She quickly stood up and looked to see who had pulled her. Thalia was surprised to see that it was a young man, and she just frowned at what she saw.
Thalia shook her head and looked at him. She estimated that she was about the same age as the young man who pulled her.
"That was close." The man even said that to her.
So, she furrowed her brow and stared at the man in front of her.
"What almost happened?" she asked.
"Are you a visitor here?" He didn't answer the question and looked her up and down.
"Why, if I'm just a visitor here?" Thalia asked back.
He sighed and shook his head while watching her.
"Be careful here; there are many traps here for catching wild animals." He spoke more seriously and issued a warning to her.
Thalia looked at where she was headed, and she saw a large hole where she could fall and never climb out of its depths.
"Thank you very much." She expressed her gratitude by bowing to the individual in front of her.
The young man just smiled at her and nodded; the man who was with her earlier immediately walked away.
I almost got into trouble. Thalia thought to herself. She followed the man who saved her small life.
He turned to look at her. "Where are you from, Miss?" he asked her.
"Ah, I live in the city; I just stayed here for a vacation because it's our semestral break." She replied while walking the road back home.
The man just nodded. "I also have a friend from the city. But the city where you live is vast." He said.
She only nodded in response, having already spotted the road that was familiar to her.
"Gerald," he introduced himself to her.
"Thalia." She introduced herself to Gerald.
He smiled at her then. "Nice to meet you, Thalia," he said.
"Me too, nice to meet you. I greatly appreciate your help." She thanked the man she had met again.
"I'm here now; don't just carelessly enter that place. You don't know what you're stepping on." She received another reminder.
Thereafter, she walked away; she would go back home first because she needed to get the map given to her.
Thalia hurriedly went up to the house where she lived. She saw Vince smoking a cigarette outside the veranda, and it seemed like he was deep in thought.
Vince turned to her.
"Why do you look like that?" he asked her.
Vince probably noticed her messy hair and the branches sticking to her hair and clothes when they both fell after the man saved her.
"None, brother." All Thalia could do was respond, hoping to divert the scrutinizing gaze from her.
Thalia managed to convince Vince, who just nodded along with her excuse.
"Alright." She bid farewell to Vince.
Thalia hurriedly climbed the stairs and headed to the room where she was staying and would rest. She immediately looked for the map given to her. She sat down and unfolded the map. She looked at it closely.
Her eyebrows met as she searched for something.
Ah, here. She shouted in her mind when she noticed the marks on her map. I was here earlier. I don't understand why there is a check here. I didn't see any hut there, did I? She started to wonder in her mind.
Traps. She suddenly gasped at what she might have been thinking back then. If that's the case, that place has a safe spot, so it must have traps set up. She is talking to herself again.
But it's still uncertain if my assumption is correct. Thalia immediately marked where she came from. She hasn't located the other safe places on the map she is holding now.
It means these places are not easy to find either. She just said it.
Thalia let out a sigh as she looked at the map. After a moment, she came out carrying it. Her cousin was no longer on the veranda. She stayed on the stairs and just sat down.
She looked at the expanse of the forest visible to her eyes. Thalia felt the texture of the map and examined it closely. She scratched her head in confusion while examining the possible angles on the map.
Am I doing the right thing? Thalia could only ask herself in her mind.
She went down and looked at the forest in front of their house.
Her eyebrows met again, and her forehead furrowed. She looked at the marked safe place, as well as where she almost fell into the traps.
North, she traced the marks she saw heading north. Huh? Impossible. Thalia muttered as she shifted her map to another direction.
Thalia observed the condition of the house and the location of the warehouse. She immediately marked the safe places as well as the danger zone.
Thalia notices that the danger zone is located very close to the warehouse.
If that's the case... she quickly looked at her marked spot. Her intuition tells her that she needs to familiarize herself with those locations.
If my cousin, Vince, gave the information to me, it means he is keeping me away from danger, and I can use it. She spoke in her mind about her new discovery. She hid the map.
I'm not sure if my intuition is correct, but... it's said that the map will help in the convergence of our three paths.
Brother, I don't know what you're planning, but you really think differently. I'm worried about every move your mind makes, Brother Felix. She is anxious about every thought she has right now.