Momo's Arc

Chapter 2 of 3

Momo returned to the bulletin board the next morning, her heart thumping in her chest. The swamp fog clung to everything, making the wood slick under her fingers. She checked her note—still there, but no replies beneath it. Her stomach twisted. Maybe no one wanted a friend who looked like her. She touched the paper one more time, then turned away. Walking back through the muddy path, she decided waiting wasn't enough. She needed to learn how to talk to creatures first, how to make them comfortable around her. Practice would help. Tomorrow she would visit the market stalls and try speaking to the vendors. Small steps. Real conversations. That was how she would start. The market sprawled across wooden planks that floated on the swamp water. Momo walked slowly between the stalls, watching vendors sell fish and herbs and strange glowing mushrooms. Her hands felt cold. A frog creature sold pickled vegetables from clay jars. Momo stopped in front of his stall and opened her mouth, but no words came out. The vendor looked up at her face. His eyes went wide. He stepped back and knocked over a jar. It cracked on the planks, spilling green liquid everywhere. Momo's chest hurt. She turned and ran, her sandals slapping against the wet boards. This was harder than she thought. By the lake's edge, she found a wooden gazebo with carved patterns in its railings. Small boats tied to posts nearby bobbed in the dark water. The structure stood empty and quiet. Momo climbed the steps and sat down on the bench inside. Her reflection showed in the lake below—her huge eyes, her pointed ears, her strange smile. She wiped her face with her sleeve. The vendor had been scared of her before she even spoke. How could she practice talking when creatures ran away? She pulled her knees to her chest and watched the water ripple. Tomorrow she would try again. She had to keep trying until someone listened.