Louisa's POV
As we were walking out of the village, a giant girl walked towards us and blocked our way.
"Colt, where are you going? You've promised to help me fix the chimney in our house today," she said.
"Sorry, Ms. Dumbarton. My friend's sick and I'll have to take her to the doctor." Colt pointed to me and said.
I hid my face behind Darren's neck. I had to pretend to be sick.
The giant girl folded her arms and said, "The doctor? We've got a doctor here in our village."
Colt explained patiently, "Ms. Dumbarton, we don't have a doctor in our village. All we've got is a vet. Vets aren't supposed to treat people."
The giant girl thought for a while. I could literally see her brain running at full speed for a while before it jammed.
"OK... So, when are you coming back? We can't cook with a blocked chimney," she said.
Colt said with a sparkling smile, "Why don't you move the stove in the yard and cook in the open air?"
The giant girl looked enlightened and a fatuous smile appeared on her face.
"Aha! Yeah! That's a great idea. Colt, you're so smart. We just can't do without you! Please come to our place and I'll cook pig's feet for you. You can bring your warlock friend with you." Her eyes zigzagged all over Darren before making eyes at him.
Colt waved his hands at that giant girl and said, "All in good time, Ms. Dumbarton, all in good time."
Darren lowered his head and walked away.
It seemed that he didn't have any intention of staying in the village for long.
I knew he must have heard people talk and he obviously didn't like it.
I wish I could say something to comfort him, but I didn't know what to say.
So, I wrapped my arms and legs a bit more tightly around his body.
Darren tilted his head a bit and asked, "Are you OK there, Lisa?"
In a huff, I buried my face in his collar.
"People are so stupid," I said in a muffled voice.
Darren said, "Lisa, don't worry about me. I've already got used to it."
"But that doesn't make it right. They don't know anything about you and they say stupid things to hurt you," I lifted my head and said.
His flawless face was so close to me that my face started burning.
I lowered my head and felt indignant.
Darren turned his head away from me and said, "They don't want to hurt me. That's not their intention. They just want to feel better about themselves. In this world, only your opinion matters to me, Lisa. That's why I don't mind what they say."
His words were heartwarming and my heart was literally melting.
I wrapped myself on his back like a happy sloth clinching a tree trunk.
As soon as we walked out of the village, Colt looked relieved and said, "Phew. That was a close one. Ms. Dumbarton was a very demanding customer. The last time I was in her house fixing some cracked fences, she asked me to repaint the whole wall for her. And the pig's feet she cooked were poisoned. Yuck. I got diarrhea for four days after that. Talking about detoxing."
"Why don't you say no to her?" I asked.
Colt shrugged and said, "I don't know. Maybe because I have an uncontrollable need to please others."
Well, all of his designs did make it very clear about that.
Darren asked, "Isn't there a doctor in the village? So what do people do if they're sick?"
Colt said, "They usually go to the vet, Amir. He's a lousy vet and even worse doctor. I saw him applying a mixture of snake fat and lard to people's bald heads. It looked very medieval."
I said, "I have some potions and I have treated people in my tribe before. So next time if there're patients in the village, you can tell me. I'll come and help them."
"Really? Great. I'll definitely let them know. I'm seriously fed up with Amir and his fat treatment. I don't know if it works, but it smells awful." Colt said and jittered as if he was trying to shake off something disgusting from his shoulders.
When we reached the lake in the forest, raindrops started to fall.
Darren quickly put me under a giant tree's canopy and looked at the umbrella in Colt's hands.
"You've got an umbrella," Darren said.
"Yep, you're right!" Colt waved it proudly in his hands.
"It's starting to rain," Darren said.
"Yes, indeed!" Colt stretched out his hands to get hold of the rain.
Darren said, "Now it's time to use the umbrella."
"Aha! Do you mean this umbrella? Nah. It doesn't have any canopies," Colt shook his head and said, "It's a moisture spray."
"Are you kidding me?" Darren frowned. He couldn't believe what he had heard.
I, on the other hand, didn't feel so surprised when Colt opened the umbrella and a puff of mist was ejected from its end tip.
Darren flapped his hands to gather the mist towards his face.
"Why do you make a moisture spray shaped like an umbrella?" Darren wried.
Colt looked confused, "Well, because it's awkward for a gentleman to walk with a moisture spray in his hands while walking on the street, isn't it?"
Darren had an incredible look on his face and said, "I know I'm going to regret asking this question, but why do you have to carry a moisture spray with you at all times?"
Looking hurt, Colt stared at Darren and said, "Well, because when I'm dehydrated, I can't possibly concentrate on doing anything."
"But I don't understand... I told you to bring an umbrella..." Darren said.
"And here it is. You're welcome." Colt said.
He pulled the runner again and sprayed a puff of mist at Darren's face.
"It's raining and we're wet, Colt." Darren wiped the water from his face and said.
"I know. This umbrella is also a dryer." Colt pressed the handle ring of the umbrella and the ribs started to rotate crazily like a fan in his hands.
The strong wind blew into Darren's face and made his hair like a haystack.
I couldn't stop laughing out loud.
"OK. That's it. I've had it enough." Darren flicked his fingers to get a flame of fire and walked towards Colt.
Colt jumped behind me and used me as a human shield, "Ah! Don't come closer! Lisa, help me! He's going to roast me!"
I laughed so hard that I couldn't even catch my breath, watching Darren pinning Colt on the ground, blowing puffs of mist and wind in his face by using the umbrella.
I was literally laughing and rolling on the ground.
Later that day, Colt climbed up the tree and clipped several giant plantain leaves.
We held them over our heads while sitting side by side under the tree canopy.
The rain was pouring gracefully from the sky like a majestic waterfall.
We were just sitting there, watching the rain silently.
Leaning against Darren and Colt's shoulders, I closed my eyes and smiled.
It was the first time that I was surrounded by friends... Well, human friends.
And I wouldn't trade it for the world.