Novels2Search

24. Why

Trudging down the passageway, I find myself crying endlessly. Why does it hurt, why does it burn? My body is absolutely fine, so why do I keep crying? Humans really do have interesting feelings. Just a few words put me into this mess. Just breathing feels difficult, moving on seems impossible. Why do I keep remembering him? Humans really do function in ways that lead to their own demise. If one partner rejects you, why can’t they just move on and get another? Rubbing my chest, I continue to stumble around in the dark.

Any second now, Regius will find me. Any second now, he will say it was a joke. Tripping in the dark, I plop down into a murky puddle. Wiping my eyes, I slowly prop myself up. Wilbur always said crying is the biggest weakness and strongest strength of humans. No other race has this peculiar mix of emotional nonsense. I guess I can relate to the weakness part at least. Maybe if I cry enough, I’ll be able to summon Regius. Shaking my head, I try to forget. Chanting to myself, I say, “I am not Winowna the human. I am not Winowna the dungeon.”

Unable to stop myself from tearing up, I finally make it to a source of light. Clawing myself out, I find myself in a ditch, just outside of the walls surrounding the upper district. Making my mind up, I head toward the edges of the kingdom. I can definitely survive without anyone! I can definitely do it. Thinking back to Wilbur’s words, I decide not to abandon this body. It doesn’t matter if no one wants me, I am Winowna. No matter what body I use, I will always be Winowna. Pumping myself up, I materialize my bound pillow. It was the one the nice werewolf man had given me. Hugging it tight, I walk past the commoner's district and into the slums.

Just a few more minutes, and I should be out of the capitol walls. I guess I can just turn into a slime and traverse the rest of the kingdom until I leave it. I can definitely settle down in some remote village. Passing a small impoverished girl, I watch as she swipes the coinage from an elderly gentleman. Shaking my head, I focus on the road. I can’t stop until I leave the city behind. Passing yet another child, he waddles up to me and pulls my dirty clothes. “Miss, please give me something to eat,” he pleads.

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Looking away, I say, “Sorry, I don’t have anything.” Not relenting, he says, “Please miss, can you give me anything? I haven’t eaten in days.” Tearing up, I blame human compassion while giving him my pillow, “Sell it, it should give you quite a bit of food. It’s a pillow from the royal castle.” Patting his head, I leave for the outskirts of the capital. Passing a shady looking house, I cover my ears as several pained screams escape the open door. Mumbling to myself, I say, “You don’t owe anyone anything. You don’t need to help anyone else. It’s okay to not do anything. It really is.”

The funny thing is, I couldn’t seem to trick myself. I used to be able to do it, I would say, Wilbur is just tickling his wife. He is just shouting in joy. He is just joking with her.” Ignoring the atrocities, I arrive at the edge of the city. Turning into a slime, I get ready to dig under the walls when my pillow hits me. Turning back into a human, I turn around to see the little boy from around a broken wall. Gesturing for him to come to me, I watch as he starts to float.

Seeing him swaying, I watch as he crashes into the ground in front of me. Coming around the wall behind the boy is the nice werewolf. Laughing he says, “You just love being nice huh? Well, do him one last favor.” Picking him up by the head, the boy starts hysterically crying. “Save him. If you let me kill you, I’ll let the little thing go. Simple right?” Grinning at me, the evil werewolf starts to squeeze on the boy’s head. “Come on Winowna, don’t take too long.” Tearing up, I remember how I went to the world full of superheroes. They don’t exist in this world, do they?

Wiping my tears off, I put on my bravest face. “Fine! Let him go, I’ll cooperate,” I say with all of my courage. Smiling, he says, “I never thought it would be this easy. I planned so much just to get you out here but you just gave up in the end.” tilting my head in confusion, I say, “Why though? I thought you were one of the nicest people I had ever met.” Smirking, he grabs my head while saying, “Maybe you can ask someone on the other side? Goodbye, little dungeon.” With a wet snapping sound, he drops the boy's body on the ground. Feeling my stomach heaving again, I watch in disbelief. He wasn’t supposed to die right? With a snap, the lights went out.

After that day, the dungeon Winowna was never seen again.