Memories of Anamesa

"Damnit. Why am I so stupid," I cried, panting.

I should've known better than to have followed her into the forest. I cursed myself silently within my mind. Well... I guess it was my fault as well.

My panicked mind scrambled back to the events that had happened earlier today...

...

Elder Yurd drunkenly smiled at me, cackling to himself. "Ah its so gwood! Ya relly hav thar good ideeaas. Puah me sum mwuah."

I smiled. Operation Learn-More-By-Taking-Advantage-of-Yurd was a success! I refilled his glass quickly. 

"Woah, you have such a high tolerance! It's incredible that you've drunk that much and are totally fine! Anyways, what were you saying about Havenwood?" My office worker pleasing skills were coming in handy.

Yurd turned to me, giving a large smile, his two remaining teeth sticking out like tusks on a mammoth. Yuck. "Oua village is da best village thar eva waz," he slurred.

"We don get mawny ouwsidas bwat ewery wonce inna wile, sum twaders dwo com an thwey bwing swices awnd giwals." He smiled, lecherously. 

"But yweah, anywaws, wha was I sawing abut my howme? Thar cowld is...."

I quickly snuck off, not wanting to hear him ramble anymore.

I tallied up the information I had so far:

1) My town is called Havenwood, and this planet was named Wardenas. Well... world. They didn't believe in globes here.

2) It's isolated and no one ever leaves.

3) It's uncomfortable and cold here. Even non-Earthlings agree.

4) I want a bed.

5) I really want a bed. 

But yeah, anyways. I want a bed. Sleeping on straw makes me sick. I'm no saint. I would hardly even call it sleeping! On Earth, people always talked about the next best thing after sliced bread. But honestly... it should be the next best thing after sliced bed! Hehe, my humor is improving.

Anyways, I had a strategy. I was going to build a mattress with feathers. Basically, a pillow-mattress. I came up with the idea and the name myself.

It wouldn't be hard - we had birds here. They typically would stay near a pond to the side of the village.

...

Approaching the pond, I saw a bunch of other four year old's playing. A wonderful idea - probably from God himself - struck me. Mwuahaha, free interns, I chuckled to myself. 

All I needed to do was convince them to do work for me. It would be easy. Like stealing candy from a baby. And I knew I could do that.

All I had to do was make it into a game.

I confidently approached my group of interns - er, fellow children. They were running around near the pond, giggling and splashing each other. Tsk. Typical children. No sense of industry. No vision. I bet they'll spend the rest of their lives cutting wood and fishing.

I can fix them.

"Ahem. Hey guys! I have discovered something... incredible." I smiled a wide, harmless smile.

Six pairs of eyes questioningly turned to me. Perfect. They were hooked. Time to pull them in. 

"No one wants us to know about this... I heard about it on accident," I continued, lowering my voice, bending closer to them.

They scooted closer... "the elders. Well, they. They were talking about how if you gather exactly one hundred feathers, the spirits of the... umm.... birds will grant you a wish!"

That did it.

"A wish!?!" one of the boys, Eric, squeaked.

"Anything we want?" another kid, Mica, asked, her eyes shining with excitment.

I nodded solemnly. "Anything."

Hmm... maybe I should go catch fish with dad... I seem to be good at it. Mwuahaha!

....

As the kids scrambled to find feathers, I stepped back and laid down near the pond.

The gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh grass and damp earth, and the sunlight warmed my skin just enough to make me almost forget that I was the don of a (unpaid) child labor syndicate. Birds chirped lazily in the trees, occasionally dipping down to the pond to catch insects, completely unaware that they were currently in high-demand.

I stretched my arms behind my head, grinning. Ah, this is the life. Free labor, a soft(ish) grass bed, and the prospect of finally getting a real mattress. Life was good.

I watched as Eric chased a goose, his tiny arms flailing wildly. Then, I watched as the goose changed direction suddenly. It snapped at him. Soon, he was screaming as the goose nipped his heels, chasing him back into the village. Aww, he was running as quickly as he could. Ah, childhood.

Mira, still soaked from her earlier misadventure, had started an intense feather-collecting competition with another kid, their faces scrunched up with determination. Good going. Competition is the way to go!

They were so dedicated. Almost made me feel bad for tricking them. Almost.

In the distance, a to-be-victim of my age caught my eye. Her dark hair framed a dimpled face that radiated curiosity. She was by herself, engrossed in building a small boat from leaves and twigs, her concentration evident in the small furrow etched upon her brow.

I approached cautiously. Time to interview this future intern. I had not seen this girl before. "What are you making?"

Startled, she looked up, her blue-green eyes widening in surprise. "Oh, hi! I'm making a boat. See? It's going to sail all the way to the other side of the pond!"

I nodded, then paused. "Would you be interested in the unique opportunity to..."

"Your scam? I'm good."

Ack, she got me. "Wait... it's not a scam... How'd you-" Damn, I didn't sound very convincing.

She looked over at me slyly. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Good luck."

As I turned to leave, she flashed a shy, dimpled smile. "Thanks! I'm Lily. What's your name?"

"Alex," I replied with a smile of my own.

"Alex," she muttered to herself. "What a boring name," she exclaimed to me as she reached out and grabbed the grass boat she had just made, which had already begun sinking.

...she was not going to get away with this evil behavior.