Milk
“That’ll be 3 Dimes please” the counterman pushed the loaf of bread back over the counter towards Vaer, who rummaged in their pockets, scraping the bottom of its lining to place whatever was inside on the counter.
“Err,” they stalled, counting the coins. Grimicing, they looked up at the cashier, who replied with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms.
“Look, Vaer, you can’t keep doin’ this-“
“I- I know!” Vaer barked, jumping slightly as they awkwardly pushed the coins away from them. “Look, if you could just give me this with what i have, i’ll make up the other dime with free labor tomorrow?” Vaer smiled shakily, refusing to make eye contact with the man over the counter.
“… don’t be late. And know this,” the man slammed his hands down onto the coins, the sound of clinking metal ringing in the near-empty shop, “you need to get yourself a proper job, not just carin’ for them animals,” Vaer’s eyes met with the cashiers, their steely gaze ripping right through them. Instinctively Vaer gulped, their voice quivering slightly as they spoke, “y-yuh.”
Their eyebrows furrowing, Vaer’s gaze drew towards the exit, as they grabbed the bread, and quickly left the shop.
-
The rain hadn’t stopped since Vaer had entered the building, and as the door shut behind them, they confirmed that it sure did continue. Vaer held a hand out to the rain, watching as it bounced onto their skin, instantly disappearing in a cloud of steam accompanied by a satisfying hiss.
The rain didn’t like Vaer much, as their magical attribute had melded to their skin at a young age, forcing elements that came into contact with their skin to react in some unorthodox way, such as water becoming impenetrable, or rain instantly dissolving at contact.
Vaer didn’t mind it much though, and didn’t think much of it. Stretching out their hand, their skin began to shed black smoke that pooled into the center of their palm, slowly elongating until it had reached the desired shape.
Vaer grasped their new smokey umbrella, and tilted it over their head, repositioning their newly acquired loaf under the other arm, and stepping out onto the wooden pathway.
The bridge clacked with each step as Vaer lightly meandered over each wooden slat, their feet used to the slight sway the bridge provided with every footfall. As Vaer made their way from one tree to another, they slowly climbed up through the wooden complex, only to pause halfway through yet another bridge.
The rope that followed each bridges on either side, to be used as a grip for those who were wary of the bridges’ sway, had been torn off. A gap lay between two connections, seemingly where another bridge may have connected in the past.
Vaer sighed, looking down past the bridge, to the floor of the forest. Not to their suprise, what lay on the ground a mere 100 meters or so down, lay the remains of a wooden bridge, its rope connections shredded. “Why do they continue to do this to me?” Vaer mumbled, slowly passing the bread from one arm to the other, pressing it between the umbrella and their ribcage. Squatting down, vaer held out their now free hand, letting the same smokey black pool into a small platform where the gap in the rope was.
Standing back up, they hastily moved their bread back to the free hand, and placed one foot onto their new platform. As soon as their foot made contact with the platform, it split into two, creating another platform, not too much further out, which Vaer unconsciously followed, treating this new platform like a stair.
Nimbly they made their way up the treeline, one foot infront of the other, the platforms eagerly following Vaer’s movement, appearing just as he began to place his foot down, and dissapearing the moment their foot was picked up.
-
Now pasted the lowest canopy of trees, Vaer came across a small outcrop of trees, their branches holding up a meagre collection of wooden structures. On approach, one of the rooves of the buildings appeared abnormally bent, and as Vaer arrived to the front door, something slowly peaked over the rim of the bamboo edging, looking down at them, eyes following Vaer’s movement.
Opening the door, Vaer stepped inside, depositing the bread onto the nearest counter, the door left ajar. “Come on then, it’s wet out there.” They spoke aloud, yet no one answered their call.
Vaer turned towards the door, the rain still pouring outside. Vaer pouted, squinting at the door frame, eyes tracing the edge of the roof, watching for any sign of movement.
“Look,” Vaer sighed, arms drooping to their side as they slowly lurked back towards the door, “I don’t want you getting my rug wet-“ as they brushed their fingers against the door a loud bang was heard, and with a rush of wind, Vaer was blown backwards, clinging to the door as it slammed open.
A cacophony of feathers and claws barged its way in the door, scraping at the wooden floorboards, indenting new grooves upon old; evidently not the first time this has occurred. The creature swuarked, its high pitched tone making Vaer wince, yet they continued to hold the door open, knowing that there was more to come.
Another blast of wind shook Vaer, yet this time its scent took a pleasant turn, as its sweet aroma blessed Vaer’s presence. No squarking or squabbling from this beast, as it shot into the home, easily landing on the tarnished flooring.
Vaer shook himself dry, pushing the door closed, and placing the wooden latch down into its hold. “Welcome home,” he mumbled under his breath as he turned to face those who had barged into his home, as invited as they were. Two large avian raptors watched Vaer as he approached them, patting both on the snout, each of them letting out a happy mixture of purr and click. “I suspected you would be waiting for me to let you in. Im sorry I didn’t before I left, I got distracted,” Vaer spoke gently, letting them press their heads into his hands, asking for more pets.
“Listen,” they said, slowly pushing past the birds to the other side of the room, “I have to check in on the others first, ok?” The raptors turned, clicking, as they tilted their heads in response. “Just stay,” as Vaer gestured downwards, one of the birds sat, the other turning at the sound of the noise.
Vaer’s shoulders drooped as they released the tention they didn’t realise they had been carrying, seeing the birds nudge each other, the one sat encouraging the other to join them on the floor. Turning away, Vaer opened the door to the next room, leaving the birds in the living room.
Turning back to face the new room Vaer frowned, eyes rolling. Crouching, Vaer patted their legs loudly, and a figure that was lumped on the bed suddenly bolted up right, turning to face Vaer, tongue lolling out the gap in their teeth. The shark-puppy woofed excitedly, bounding off the bed and knocking Vaer to the ground as they slobbered all over them.
“Whoa!! Easy pups!!” Vaer giggled, pushing the oversized dumpling off them, yet continuing to pet their head, rubbing them left and right as their whole body wiggled with the movement, their tail wagging non-stop. “Hehehe who’s a good sharky??” Vaer goaded happily, as they couldn’t help but smile alongside the puppy’s infectious happiness. Giving the puppy one last pet, Vaer pushed themselves back onto the feet, the Puppy wasting no time as they spun around Vaer’s feet in circles, leaving just enough room for them to move forwards through to the last door, though barging through when Vaer opened it.
“Cai?” Vaer called across the open ‘backyard’ of their home. The wooden platform that jutted out of the tree was decorated with pots and jars full of flowers and greenery.
Barging past, sharky wandered through the greens to the put-you-up staircase around the other side of the tree that the house rested aside. Vaer followed, wondering if they knew where Cai was, if they had picked up a scent or something.
Yet when Vaer rounded the corner, all they found was Sharky with their head stuck in an empty pot, happily wagging their tail and they looked around, obviously confused at why the lights had gone out.
“Oh you silly pup, c’mere” Vaer chuckled, grabbing the pot and pulling as it popped off sharky’s head. The sound echoed through the open canopy, and a replying “mrr?” was heard from above.
Vaer looked up, spotting their last responsibility looking down at them from the bathroom window. “Ah… well I guess at least if I know where you are,” Vaer paused, looking back down at sharky, who was watching them with big eyes and an even bigger smile, their tail chronically wagging. “You,” they continued, looking back up at the strange cat, “you can stay there then, i’ll feed you later”.
A squeaky meow was spoken in reply, which was good enough for Vaer, as they and sharky made their way back inside to the main room, where the birds had snuggled up on Vaer’s single rug. Vaer groaned, knowing full well that come tomorrow, the rug will be sopping wet, and will have to be hung out a window for several days to dry.
Putting that aside, Vaer reached into a cabinet, pulling out a slice of dried meat, and placing it onto the counter. Reaching into a drawer, they pulled out a knife, proceeding to cut the jerky up into small squared before placing them into a small bowl from the side, and placing it infront of sharky, who immediately tucked in.
Moving back over to the bread, Vaer opened the paper packaging, and cut themselves a slice, placing another piece of jerky on top, before taking a bite. Squinting at the texture clash, Vaer forced the food down, trying their best to be thankful that they were eating at all.
-
Finishing their meal, Vaer placed the bread into a cupboard, picking up the now empty bowl from sharky, who had gone to snuggle with the birds, placing themselves under the birds’ wings, using them much like a blanket.
Vaer left the bowl in the sink, leaving it for later them to deal with, before making their way back into their bedroom, and laying uncomfortably ontop of their bed, letting out a long, tired sigh. “No episodes today, right?”
“No, which is ni-“ Vaer stopped, looking across the room to where the voice had come from. “I take that back”
“Why do you have to call me an ‘episode’ as if im some kinda drama?” The vision glitched, their form disappearing for a second, before reappearing, leaning against the wall at the end of the bed.
“You are drama,” Vaer replied, turning onto their side to ignore the vision. The vision groaned, kicking themselves away from the wall, suddenly glitching out.
“Listen-“ Vaer’s heart jumped as the vision suddenly appeared infront of their face “-I don’t like this accommodation as much as you! But at least if I had the fucking control I’d be able to actually DO something about it, rather then sit on my ass and get depressed about it!” Vaer scrunched their nose, turning away from them again, burying their head in their pillow.
“Go away Fin, I really don’t want to hear it today,” they muffled, placing their hands over their head as to block out whatever Fin may reply with.
“Ugh you fuckin’ rotten spoiled milk,” Fin retorted, their voice hollow and grating in Vaer’s head. “piss off then, go cry about it,” their presence faded, and Vaer slowly lowered their hands, hoping now that sleep would come sooner.