Eni rose from her knees, casting one last glance at the fresh mound of earth where the remains of the woman whose name the world chose to forget now rested. The hollow numbness that had gripped her since the bunker began to recede, giving way to a dragging, exhausting tiredness. She was just about to turn and continue her trek into the unknown when she felt a sharp, insistent tug from below. Someone had unceremoniously yanked the hem of her violet uniform.
Eni spun around, ready to defend herself, but froze mid-motion. Standing there, barely reaching the edge of her clothes, was that same little furry forest spirit. The creature was balancing comically on its tiptoes, one paw desperately clutching her fabric while the other, trembling from the effort, held out a large, ripe apple.
"Oh... it's you," Eni exhaled, feeling the icy crust around her heart crack. She dropped to one knee to be at eye level with her unexpected guest.
The little forest spirit pushed the fruit forward even more insistently, almost shoving it into her palm. "Is this... for me?" Eni hesitantly touched the smooth skin. "Thank you...?"
The moment she took it, every shred of decorum and her civilized nature simply evaporated. Her stomach twisted in a spasm, and Eni began to greedily devour the fruit. Sweet juice sprayed onto her lips, searing her taste buds after months—or was it centuries?—of the lingering taste of salty silt and rotten water. She ate as if it were her last meal, feeling the life-giving moisture and sugar spark a flicker of life back into her veins.
When nothing but the stem remained, Eni, overwhelmed by a sudden rush of gratitude, snatched up the spirit and hugged it tight. "Thank you, little fluffball!" she mumbled, starting to fiercely squeeze and nuzzle the creature, burying her face in its warm, golden fur. "At least I got to eat a little... you're my savior!"
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"Fluffball" clearly hadn't expected this turn of events. He kicked his tiny legs in the air, trying with all his might to break free from her grip while making indistinct puffing sounds. Feeling his resistance, Eni immediately let go. "Oh, sorry," she sniffled sadly, carefully setting the creature back on the ground. "If you didn't like that... would you have said something? Or can you not talk...?"
She straightened up, smoothing out her rumpled uniform and trying to regain some dignity. "Well... I'm going now. Bye-bye!" Eni waved and took a step away, but she wasn't allowed to leave.
There was a smack, and a tight grip clamped around her ankle. Eni cried out in surprise: "Fuck!" She nearly lost her balance, staring at her leg where the spirit had latched on tightly. Grumbling irritably, she tried to shake him off. "Listen, Fluffy... okay, that's too long. Fluff! Fluff, don't scare me like that! My heart's about to jump out of my chest as it is!"
She sighed, bent down, and picking Fluff up by his tiny horns, lifted him into the air. The creature dangled his paws, looking at her with a completely unbothered expression. Having no better idea, Eni sat him on her shoulders, feeling his fur tickle her neck. "Well..." she began, intending to ask for directions.
But Fluff had no intention of sitting still. He started pushing her head with his paws with all his strength, then unceremoniously grabbed the collar of her uniform and began insistently poking a tiny finger somewhere into the distance, beyond the treetops. "Hey... wha' is it?" Eni mumbled as his paw covered half her face, directing her gaze. "I'm supposed to go there?"
Fluff nodded vigorously and approvingly, nearly falling off her shoulder. Eni obediently moved in the indicated direction. Soon, through the thick veil of fog and tangled branches, gray silhouettes began to appear. It was a village. The houses looked abandoned, roofs had collapsed, and fences sagged under the weight of time.
"I need to go there and..." Eni wanted to finish the sentence, to share her plan with her little companion, but the words got stuck in her throat.
Suddenly, everything blurred before her eyes. The world swayed, turning into a mad kaleidoscope of gray walls and pink sky. Her legs, which had felt strong just moments ago, suddenly became like cotton and gave way, as if cut from under her. The last thing Eni felt before darkness finally consumed her consciousness was the cold of the damp earth touching her cheek and Fluff's frightened squeak right by her ear. She collapsed into a deep faint, never reaching the village gates.
