"Nothing to be afraid of"
"I guess… but shouldn't we wait till the owner of the house comes out?" Asked Cassey with a tint trembling voice.
"Of course. By the way I don't know where else to go. Is it this way or that way? I have no idea". Skryl said.
"So for how long are we going to stay here?" Allen added.
Skryl let out a mocking chuckle "are you lads serious now?! Haha, c'mon we have to make a move, we haven't got any time to waste."
They started walking through the front yard, it was a very big open space grounded with beautiful low-cut grasses which stretched from across the wooden gate.
The whole area was surrounded by trees and green lands. And the compound was in the middle of a slope.
As they moved further in, they saw that there were different structures, the ones they could see, and the ones behind.
But they were not big structures, only the stable, and the animal house was big, although it was behind a small store.
Cassey again started thinking that after all, the stories about the small man downhill was true.
He thought he shouldn't had ran away. And if something should happen to him, it will be all his fault.
But somewhat, he felt assured, atleast Mama knew about the small man downhill and would come for his dead body.
And the more and more he thought about it all, the whole place became creepier to him. But he wasn't alone, even so, he wasn't having it easy in his mind and heart.
"Looking for someone?!" Came a voice as lean and straight and with a tinted treble tone. It made Allen and Cassey jolt around and maintaining their composure once they saw who it was.
"Is that the small man downhill?" Allen whispered to Cassey.
"Hey we are looking for the small man" Cassey said to the gentleman before them.
"You're looking at him lad" he replied.
"You?" Asked Cassey surprisingly. The gentleman nodded.
"Yes" Cassey whispered back to Allen.
"Now I know why they call him small man" Allen whispered again.
"I know right. I mean, can he even harm a nanny goat"
"I hope we don't have to find out" Allen concluded.
The Small Man Downhill was patiently waiting for them. He was really a small man, lean, and handsome.
"They never said he was a fine gentleman" Cassey added
"He could just be covering up his real self, be on alert. Don't keep your guard down'' Allen advised.
"We are here for the dog fight race" Skryl said to the Small Man downhill.
"I know. Haven't seen those two faces before" Said the small man smiling, but he looked like someone who had never smiled and will never smile. Cassey became nervous and worried.
"Did he just laugh? Oh my I'm finished, this is the type of laugh killers have"
"Knock it off already, will ya?" He smiled, not laughed. Hey get you better get yourself together" Allen said, throwing his arm around Cassey's shoulder so that he wouldn't feel so week and afraid.
"He shouldn't have smiled". Cassey added.
"Please come on, inside" the Small Man Downhill directed, as he turned around to go lead them on
"No! No way!" Cassey yelled out without even knowing it. They all looked at him like he had gone insane, it was a bit embarrassing for him.
"Are you okay?" Asked the Small Man, concerned.
"He is perfectly okay sir, never mind" Allen phased in.
"Please lead the way" Skryl said.
The Small Man looked at them for a while, nodded his head and went on.
"Can someone tell him to stop doing that" said Cassey, forcing himself to follow up.
"Shhh pull yourself together. Be a man" Allen said to him, with an assuring path on his back.
****
Back at home, Mama had been looking for Cassey all around the nearest streets where he might be, but he didn't see him nor any trace of him. She was really troubled and fear had a grip on her old heart and soul.
Mama couldn't continue looking for Cassey anymore so she decided to go home and wait for him, hoping he will be back.
She went to his room again
"My boy where have you gone?!" She walked to the passage and noticed something with the backyard door, it was open.
"Oh my! Did he go out through that door? But why would he run away? Why?! God please keep him safe where ever he is. But who is going to help me get all the loads of vegetables across?"
She was weakened.
****
The Small mall invited them in to his house.
"Welcome to my humble abode lads. Please sit." He motioned them to sit on three of the four visitor's seats which was in a circular position, while he sat on the sit which faced the rest of the seats.
And in the middle was a medium sized round wooden table with three mugs on the table.
They all sat down and the Small Man wouldn't stop looking at them. And Cassey tried as much he could to remove his face, using the opportunity to look around the room and spot any potential escape routes he can take if things got sideways.
"Um why are there no other people here?" Skryl asked
"Oh. The boys and their dogs you mean? They will be here tomorrow"
"What?! Tomorrow? Why ? What's going on?" Cassey asked frightfully
"Of course. Why should they be here anyway… now?"
Cassey's heart started pounding.
"For the dog fight race of course" Skryl added.
"Is not until tomorrow"
"Tomorrow? Tomorrow is Sunday!" Allen came in
"Yes. It was rescheduled a long time ago for sunday instead of saturday."
He just cleared the air. They all calmed down.
"Oh is that so" Allen asked.
"Mmmhmm. Want more beer or water or fruit or pork or bread?" The Small Man offered them food. But for beer, they have had enough.
"No thanks we have had enough" Allen said.
Enough was just one cup which the three of them shared and even didn't finish it.
"I'm sorry Cassey, if it is really tomorrow then this is really bad for you" Allen said to Cassey
"Yes it is. And whu is it bad for him?" The Small Man asked.
"I mean, I ran away, I can't even go back today" Cassey said lost in thoughts.
"Oh now I understand, boys like you come all the time, running away from their Guardians because they wouldn't allow them have fun, is all because of the stories they told about me, wheew I'm a legend hahaha" the Small Man said smiling, as he took a sip from his mug.
"Really?" Cassey asked.
"Mmhmm. You are never the first boy. Why do you think I have all these shelter around?"
The three of them looked at each other in awe.
"Really!?" Cassey softly exclaimed. His heart had stopped beating, his fears and doubts terminated, he became free.
"Yes. You boys can sleep in one of the shelters tonight. This place is always safe.
The security dogs are all around. And you know, everyone says the small man downhill is a really bad bad man" he said with a wink, taking a sip again. He was just happy.
"Ohhhh I see… now I'm liking you" Allen said, and raised the mug of beer before them, cheering with the small man.
"Umm that reminds me. We do not really have a dog to race with" Cassey said, sadly. Allen remembered about it too, it was as if they remembered something crucial.
"I have dogs. But unfortunately, I have only two that's available now for the race. But one is pretty old, the other is strong but inexperienced, so you will have to train the one you like with the remaining time today and tomorrow morning before the race starts. You don't need to do much. Just introduce yourself, and spark up a connection. That's all."
They were all relieved. Cassey relaxed on the chair, since he stepped into his yard, it was his first time to really relax.
"Sir?" Cassey called him, raising his hand. They thought he was going to say something very important, they were eager to know what.
"Yes?"
"I will have that pork and bread. Thank you" Cassey said touching his stomach.
"Ohh I got you haha" they all laughed.
"Me too" Skryl and Allen chorus.
"Of course! There's always enough to go around"
He went inside the kitchen and came back some moments later with three plates of pork and bread on one side of each plate, placing it on a tray. The pork was warm, he had warmed it. And the bread was freshed.
He served them and they started digging in. It was really delicious.
"Oh, that reminds me, I have just the perfect drink for you lads"
"Perfect! Bring it!" Skryl said.
The Small Man came back with a jar with it's opening stuffed with tender palm leaves.
He placed it on the table.
"Oh what's that?" Allen asked
"Is called Palm wine. It's origin is from the early Ethiopia. Is a natural sweetened wine, this is actually my favorite, and it is very fresh. In fact, I was lucky enough to grow the trees, so I plough it myself, and have it go through all the necessary process".
The boys were just nodding with their head while they raised their mugs up for him to pour in the Palm wine.
Skryl tasted it first and exclaimed! Eyes wide open with momentary ecstasy.
"Oh myyyy good name! Please pour more!"
Allen and Cassey tasted it, testified it was great, drank it all and demanded for more.
"You see, like I said, is naturally sweetened, nothing added. Is good for the body" the Small Man said.
"Indeed!!" said Skryl excitedly, he was drinking more, and slowly getting drunk
"However, it also contains alcohol. And it calls for more once you start taking it in, which of course, is obvious" he said laughing at Skryl.
He sat down and poured on his own mug, to have a good time together with the boys.
"Mmhmm. True. Why do people say bad things about you? Perhaps you can tell us a few things about you?" Cassey asked.
"I tell you what? Win the fight race tomorrow and I will tell you boys a story, maybe a little bit. Never told anyone my story and ain't planning on doing so, but you lads are something. Before you go tomorrow, we will talk"
"Sounds like something to look forward to"
The Small Man smiled and raised his mug.
"Cheers".