Page 34 of Ravaged From Fate

“Tell me, where are you from exactly?” I dare to ask him. “You didn’t want to say the first time we met, so I’ve been wondering.”

Caspian sighs. He’s reluctant to answer any question I give him, even one as inconspicuous as that one.

He really wants to hide away, doesn’t he?

“You want to know?”

“Yeah, I do,” I say.

“Why? Who wants to find out things about me?”

“Why not? I’m interested. You’re an interesting guy, Caspian.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Just answer the damn question.”

“I’m from a small town like this,” he finally replies. “But on the other side of the country.”

“Really? I guess that’s why you’ve ended up here if it reminds you of home.”

“Well, back home’s a bit bigger than this place. We have our own little university.”

“That’s certainly bigger,” I say. “What’s it called?”

Caspian is quiet for a moment. This conversation is like drawing water from a stone. “There’s no way you would’ve heard about it, just like no one would have heard of East Springs. Like I said, small town. Even with the university.”

“That wasn’t too hard to answer, wasn’t it?”

He shrugs. “I guess not.”

We continue up the road. It’s all uphill from here. Behind us, East Springs disappears. We’re totally alone on this road now. Just us two and the dim sounds of nature around us.

Maybe this might be the environment to prod the man for some background.

“Okay, here’s coming a slighter harder question, if you’re ready,” I say.

“Do I have a choice?”

“You allowed me to walk with you on the condition I find out about you,” I explain. “Let me do some digging. Please.”

Caspian eyes me warily. “Elsa, you’re a very direct person, you know that?”

“That’s what you have to be in a small town,” I reply. “No one likes to waste time around here; they’d rather you just get straight to the point. I’m sure coming from another small town, you’d appreciate that.”

“I do.”

“So, sure, I’m direct, and I ain’t going to apologize for that.”

“Okay. Fine. Shoot your shot.”

I bite my lower lip. He’s finally opening up. A little.

“Get ready for this real toughie… What do you do for a living?”

Caspian raises his eyebrow. “That’s what you want to ask me?”

“I’m so curious,” I reply. “You don’t seem to work at all. You seem to simply go on these super long walks and beat up gang members in bars.”