Casual Progess

I walk aimlessly through the forest, my mind still buzzing from the old man’s cryptic words. None of it makes sense, and I can’t seem to form anything solid out of the mess of information he’s dumped on me. The more I try to connect the dots, the more frustrating it gets. I curse under my breath, muttering to myself as I kick at the dirt beneath my boots.

“You could’ve just told me what I needed to know, old man,” I grumble, trying to make sense of it all. But it’s like piecing together fragments of a broken mirror.

I’m so lost in thought that I don’t realize how far I’ve wandered. Eventually, I stop in my tracks, looking around. The forest has grown quiet, the kind of stillness that feels eerie.

I make my way deeper into the woods, my eyes scanning the ground. The spot isn’t far, but when I get there, I can’t find anything more. Just footprint of a jumping elephant,trees, leaves, and the underbrush.

I stand there for a moment, feeling like an idiot. Was this really worth it? I huff in frustration. “Why do I even bother…”

Then, my stomach growls—loudly.

I freeze.

Not a distant rumble. No. A full-on roar.

I glance around nervously, half-expecting something from the forest to attack. But no, it’s just my stomach. My eyes widen in realization. “I’m starving.”

With a defeated sigh, I turn back toward the town. Forget the footprint. Forget the mysteries. I need food.

----Hungry Hunter----

I make my way into town, trying to ignore the increasingly insistent pangs of hunger. When I reach the shop, it’s as quiet as usual. Perfect. I sit down at a table and glance over the menu.

“Bring me everything,” I tell the waiter, not bothering to even look at the choices. “Just… all of it. I don’t care what it is—just bring it.”

The waiter hesitates, then looks me up and down. He pauses, and then says, “You… uh, don’t really look like someone who would eat all that.”

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

I flinch, my face flushing. Of course, he’d noticed. I’m not exactly the picture of someone who could devour an entire buffet. But what does he know? “Well,” I mutter, looking down at my lap, “I’m a… bigger eater than I look.”

He shrugs, still unsure, but nods. “Right… I’ll get started.”

The food starts to arrive in a never-ending stream. First, there are crispy appetizers, followed by buttery chicken, spicy curries, and endless rice and naan. I shovel it all into my mouth without thinking. I’m ravenous. There’s no slowing down.

More food keeps coming: pizza, dumplings, and more rice. I barely even taste it—just keep eating. My stomach protests with each bite, but I ignore it. The moment is too good. My hands move mechanically from plate to plate, piling up the empty dishes like it’s a game I’m determined to win.

Eventually, the waiter brings me the bill. I glance at it casually, and my eyes nearly pop out of my head. Two thousand seven hundred and fifty?!

I stare at the number in horror. “What the heck?” I mutter under my breath. “This is enough to feed a small army!”

The waiter, still standing there, watches me with an amused smile. “Well, miss, you did order everything,” he says, as though it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “I didn’t expect you to actually eat all of it.”

I feel the heat rise in my face. Great. Now I’m the girl who eats too much and spends too much. “I… I didn’t mean to,” I say quickly, trying to recover from the embarrassment. “I guess I just lost track of, uh, everything.”

He looks at me like I’m both a mystery and a walking disaster. Then he hands me the wireless payment terminal. I tap my wrist against it, cringing at the sound of the transaction going through.

The beep is final. It’s done. I’ve officially spent a ridiculous amount of money on a food binge.

As I slowly stand and make my way out, I feel a heavy sigh escape my lips. My mom’s going to have a field day with this one. Another reason to add to the ever-growing list of things she can scold me for.

With my stomach bloated and a little pang of regret settling in, I start the slow walk home, trying to ignore the feeling that I might’ve just created a whole new set of problems for myself.

---Review Regret---

By the time I reach the door of my house, the sky is already darkening. It’s 7 pm, and I realize just how much time I've wasted. I left at 9 am, which means ten hours have passed. My slow walks, the endless food, and whatever else I did today have consumed the entire day.

I stand there, staring at the door. I don’t dare to enter. Not like I haven’t been lectured before, but this time? This time, I’m actually worried. Not only did I skip the session , I’ve spent an insane amount of money on—what? Food of course!! What else would I be doing with my time?

“Damn it,” I mutter to myself. “What the hell is wrong with me?”

I can already hear the scolding in my head. The disappointment in my mom’s voice. Ugh, this is bad. “Okay,” I whisper, trying to lighten the mood. “Everyone’s kindly invited to my funeral tomorrow.”

I give myself a moment. Steeling myself for the inevitable confrontation.

With one final deep breath, I muster up all the courage I can find and push the door open.

--------------------------------------------------------------