The landscape was indeed beautiful, the waves kept covering the sandy shores while the hum of the wind blew the leaves crown deeply into the cliff with a gentle rustle.
Kemal's eyes are shut as the sun sets, followed by the glow of the moon shining from behind among the trees. Nothing could ruin this peace.
He was here for a while now, but quite frankly he couldn't even remember how he got here. But that's okay. As long as no one is here with him to bother. A soothing chill followed the warm embrace of the setting sun, the pain on his scalp barely affecting the serenity in his heart.
The rumble of his stomach was easily ignored as the wind blew through his thin layer of scuffed up hair.
"I will grow it out.." a dreamy sigh escapes him as he's in the most comforting of zones.
He knew he couldn't stay long but who could resist such a soothing feeling?
With great reluctance he finally managed to pull himself up, his body shaking in protest as he prepared for a stretch, the light of the sun dimming with each minute that passed.
Kemal has slacked off enough but he could still immediately lie down for hours after getting up!
Begrudgingly, he made his way pushing through the very same bushes he came out of. Slow and steady steps muffled by the grass, along with a silence growing the deeper he went into the forest.
It wasn't particularly scary, yet, this feeling of an unfamiliar environment all alone did not sit right with him.
Feeling the relief of the dim light his strut grows confident yet he didn't feel like he wandered for long before his ears picked up on another set of waves swaying from afar.
"Am I following the coast..?" He turns a few times yet through the trees he can see the stars reflect along the ocean.
Well, it was not a bad thing anyway.
It was quiet and each step he took felt amplified, the sea felt louder and the rustle of his dirty clothes began bothering him, yet before he could really consider stripping it off he saw a large bridge from afar leading towards the ocean fading away in the distance.
After cautiously looking around he approached the bridge making sure not to be seen by anyone before placing his hand on the railing.
"Sturdy.." leaning onto the rail he considers following the bridge as he examines his surroundings one more time.
'Maybe they went this way.' with a deciding thought he finally begins his way across the bridge unaware of how far it truly goes.
His steps were silent and his head hung low. The thought of finding anyone on here is scary, where could he run?
"Hey!!" Kemal jolts up unaware how far his legs carried him; he notices a small wooden island that was built for resting. A man waved at him with a smile glowing brighter than the stars themselves.
''absolutely not.' The man immediately attempts a full on retreat as the other begins to panic immediately.
"Wait wait wait!!" They call out. "I'm alone! I just wanna talk!!"
'no.' Kemal's mind was set but the other man was not deterred. "I HAVE FOOD!!" he yells out in one desperate attempt.
His eyes immediately shoot towards the offering of food. "And water?" He mumbles out unsure if it'll even be heard. "AND WATER!" The response almost managed to seal the deal before Kemal cautiously approached him.
"My name is Azul!! I swear! I'm just lonely! Usually people don't come here alone." He practically glowed as he saw Kemal approach.
His hands were quick as he grabbed some apples, offering them with a wooden water bottle all coming out of his bag.
"So! What's your name!" Azul's smile widens as Kemal hesitantly takes the food and water.
"I don't have one."
Shocked Azul gets lost in thought. "How about pal then!"
Terrible, that name was terrible, but he wasn't gonna complain. After all he'd rather be called that than his real name.
"Alright.. call me pal." His voice was soft spoken barely taking any room while the other was practically echoing through the water.
"Why are you here?" A suspicious question emerges catching the other off guard.
"Well, I had to start walking home. But..." His eyes wander in uncertainty.
The silence was killing, Kemal was staring him down as if ready to pounce.
"I GET LONELY OKAY!" An exhausted yell echoes through the vast empty space while Kemal flinches.
"It's so embarrassing everyone tells me not to rely on others for company!! But it's so BORING!" His rant continues, "don't get me wrong I'd rather be with a stranger than all alone! Seriously, the thought of walking all this is so tiring! Especially when I know I'd be alone!" A thud echoed as Azul fell on his knees, his head pressing against the wood plants.
"PLEASE WALK WITH ME IF WE GO IN THE SAME DIRECTION! I'LL SUPPLY YOU FOOD AND WATER I JUST DONT WANNA TAKE THIS PATH IN SILENCE AGAIN!"
An echo repeated the last words as Kemal clutched onto his pounding heart. His body tilted away and his eyes were barely looking.
"Is it.. that bad?" He hesitantly asked as the silence began to consume both of them.
"It is.." The other man responds in shame, the silence was loud yet his head did not dare to raise.
"Okay," "REALLY!?" "You're loud." "Oh." The exchange was quick and brief before Azul raised his head with a nervous smile, a slight gash covering his forehead from the earlier impact.
"I can be quieter.." the man whispers, sending a chill down Kemal's spine.
"Well not that quiet." "Okay!" Kemal finally takes a bite out of his apple while the other shuffles on his knees.
The moon has finally risen, being the only light to shine their path he finished his meal as the other waited in silence.
After a few minutes passed Kemal finally moves close enough to help the man up.
"I'm going straight ahead! And I saw you did too. So? How about it! You ready?"
While Azul was filled with sunshine and glimmer, Kemal simply let out a nod of approval before the ray of hope packed his stuff and they began their way together.
"So I can talk to you even if you don't answer right?"
"Yeah.."
"Awesome!"