Ghosty town

Ryu exited the station, now in the furthest town in the land of the unwanted, the green mountain visible from the road when he left his chin up.

The steam rose from the tea cup, he ate the sandwich on a bench near the station since he is going back again, for one last trip.

The furthest village had one main street, the cracks in the stone ground were familiar enough to be a welcome back hug.

He asked to buy a loaf of bread from a bakery, the man reached automatically to the loaf and a paper bag before taking a double look to realize the boy.

He welcomed and chatted with Ryu, been a long time since he worked here but not much changed, even though old man bought nicer wooden shelf for the shop and a magnetic mixer.

He dropped by the beauty salon next, couple woman hugged him. They changed the wall paper to a hot pink version and the old chairs got new leather coating.

The mountain gets bigger and bigger as he walked to the furthest area of the lively but calm village, what was home is still a trip away.

He hopped on the mine cart lookalike. Rails heading to the mountain. The legacy magnetic transportation system was still alive and kicking, the cart moved on the rails when he swiped his hexagono on the panel.

'The old cart seems happy to move on the rails toward the mountain again, or maybe it's my imagination.'

He hopped off the cart, giving it a pat. The ground was no longer made out of stone. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sound of stepping on the grass.

He opened his eyes to the open, seemingly never ending field. Long grass, berry shrubs and a path for walking here and there.

He sat on a random spot, looked at the forest that was connected to the mountain.

His eyes were a little damp, not on a the verge of crying per say but nostalgia can do that to a boy.

He eventually wondered in the woods, erasing his presence like he used to, Aiming for an old spot.

Some baby foxes ran around upon hearing footsteps, he walked to a sunny spot where an adult fox was enjoying the sun in the loaf pose.

"Foxy!"

The fox ran to him, giving his a smell check before letting his hold her.

"You're so big now, I can barely hold you! You even have cubs now." He patted the fox and walked to the open field holding it. The cubs of course ran after their mother.

He saw a broom in the grass and someone rolling down a hill till she hit a tree. He audibly laughed at the buffoonery and foxy slipped away from his arms.

"You forgot your lunch." Roxy gave him the basket and went to roll down the hill again and some cubs followed her cautiously.

"weeeeee"

The breeze was immaculate so he laid down under the gentle sun till the sound of rolling on grass stopped, Roxy hopped on broomy.

"You're going?"

"Yup, don't wanna interrupt your solitude."

"Actually..."

They walked to a big old building made of stone, Roxy noted the government orphanage/elderly home license taped to the main door.

She looked up, Saturn shaped objects were faint and almost above her head.

'The magnetic field of the land does really end near here huh?'

They pushed the slightly stuck door together, she looked curiously while he looked like he's greeting every wall and every piece of furniture with his eyes.

She observed the long dining table and the rocking chairs above a big Parisian carpet.

The tiles of the vast kitchen were almost too clean, everything was way less dusty for how long it was lonely. It is a reliable sturdy building, always was.

"Should I be here?" Roxy asked as he picked up some pictures on the wall, him and three older ladies. Everything seeped with personal memories one can't help but feel their and outlier.

"Yes, I was too nervous to enter alone. It's like telling this place I'm the last visitor ever. I couldn't do that to this place."

She stood silent with her unreadable face.

"Come on, I'll show you around."

He showed her the kitchen that functioned as a bakery too, the oven where he baked with ant Martha. The big tortilla press he and Abuela Sofia used.

He mentioned many names of many grandmas and aunties, plus uncle roger who taught him to cut wood with an axe.

"It was a mesh between an orphanage and an elderly home but by second year here almost all kids found homes, the grannies also moved out with time. Come on, I'll show you where I got my surgery."

The back of the building had an operation room and a government clinic. He showed her where he met his big bro for the first time.

"What about the president?" Roxy asked at the lack of her mention.

They climbed the stares to the bedrooms. He pointed at the mountain from a long window.

"President found me there, she always goes to the border to save people and bring them here."

She followed him as he opened the curtains, light shining on the wooden floors for the first time in a long time.

"She's always saving others, I actually didn't get to see her much." He opened the window, awesome breeze hugged the room, ruffling both hair.

He ate lunch, she laid under the sun for photosynthesis.

"The country sun is delish!"

He put his empty metal lunch box aside, looking at her.

"You know, if something happen, check on my brother from time to time, his wish turns him into a ghost sometimes."

"Okay."

"Hang out with bobby too."

"Dude you're jinxing yourself."

"No...I know what I should do. Everything can go south. I could lose myself.. So just in case..."

She blinked at the ceiling.

"I could tell some old supervisor, they can use this place for newcomers."

"That would be great." He smiled. The silence of understanding between them was like a cold pillow on a hot night.

They strolled outside after closing the orphanage.

"What's that?" She pointed at a small mansion with her head.

"A rich business man build it as a vocation home, then he fell in love with president and moved to the city."

"...Let's steal rich dude furniture!"

"Nah, I'm saying goodbye to foxy."

The ride home was on broomy, something rebellious about flying above humans even though they can't see them.

"Say... do you know someplace quite? In the wild?" He asked, looking down at the towns.

"...Sure."