Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,378

Tallis’ annoyingly smug smile greeted me. “Are you headed towards the Clinic? Mind if I join you?”

“No, I'll walk myself, thank you,” I replied while squinting my eyes at him. Now that I wasn’t trying to escape public humiliation, I could see that Tallis looked different. He slicked back his long hair and wore a button-up shirt with grey trousers. The fashionable outfit didn’t look quite right on the uncivilized Scavenger. My eyes traveled down, and I chuckled as I took in his tattered sandals; now, that was more like him.

Tallis bit his lip while rolling up his sleeves, revealing his scarred and tempting forearms. “So we’ll just both walk in the same direction, to the same destination, but not together?” he joked while falling into step with me. I looked around as some of the Dormas elders eyed us with open curiosity.

Tallis’ hand brushed mine as we navigated the small crowd of people around us. I increased the distance between us, but he closed it again. We were playing a toxic game of tug of war. In the thick of the crowd, his hands drifted to my hips, guiding me through the throng people.

“Could you walk ahead of me or something?” I hissed out in a whisper, as one of his hands drifted to my lower back for a fraction of a second. I tensed under his touch while arching my back, a subconscious response to his nearness.

Instead of responding, Tallis observed the crowd around us.

“Did you listen to a word I said? Walk ahead of me!” I ordered much louder.

“Oh! Are you talking to me?” Tallis joked, placing a steady hand on his chest. While flashing me his signature sharp-toothed smile, he moved closer once again.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance and ran a hand through my hair. “Do you see another annoying Scavenger walking uncomfortably close to me?!” I snapped, causing an older woman nearby to gasp.

“Well, I just assumed it wasn’t me. You know— because we aren’t walking together,” Tallis explained with a smirk. As we continued towards the clinic, he threw enthusiastic waves to the curious onlookers. Other dressed-up Scavengers exploring town bowed in respect towards us.

“What in Dasos are you wearing, by the way? And where is Gordon?” I asked finally, while eyeing the crowd and adjusting my dress. We’ll for sure be the talk of Dormas by sundown. Especially if the gossipy Lois Caverly saw us.

Tallis smiled triumphantly at my question before inching even closer.

“Do you like?” he asked, gesturing to his clothes. “Kemper gave them to me. I figured dressing the part would help the assimilation of our people. But I’ll admit. This shirt is a bit too tight.” He readjusted the collar of his shirt, wincing in discomfort, and I muffled a laugh. Too tight indeed. The shirt left little to the imagination, and I found myself tracing each dip in his torso with my eyes.

“I brought Gordon to the Clinic earlier, I was looking for you,” he said, answering my earlier question.

“You shouldn’t have left him alone with Maverick.” Gordon was as bratty as Maverick was moody. If we didn’t get there soon, they’d tear each other to shreds. I picked up the pace.

“No need to worry, Agapimenos. Gordon will be on his best behavior,” Tallis assured me. “Besides, I have another riddle for you.”

Against my will, tears stung my eyes as thoughts of Dad filled me. After all that had already happened today, somehow it was exactly what I needed. I craved his memory. I craved the feeling I got when he praised me. I missed him so much.

“We-well go on. Spit it out,” I choked out, as Tallis looked at me from the corner of his eye. I clasped my hands behind my back and took in a deep breath. His brow dipped in concern, but he kept walking.

“What belongs to you, but others use more?” Tallis hooked his thumbs through his belt loops as we kept walking. His mouth parted slightly as I mumbled over the words again and again. I wanted to prolong solving the problem and surround myself with the memories.

Just as we arrived at the Clinic, the answer came to me. “My name.”

“It still hurts!” Gordon complained for the fifteenth time. Maverick looked up at the tiled ceiling of the Clinic in frustration. Exhaling, he lowered his gaze and forced a smile.

“Gordon, it’s going to be uncomfortable. It’ll be awhile before you get the hang of it, too. I made some overall functionality changes.