The Forgotten World 2: Slavery of the Wolves
Ijimicko

Ijimicko the bully sits alone in his house staring at his fireplace. There is no fire in his fireplace because it is warm enough outside. If needed, he has a stack of wood neatly placed next to it. Loneliness creeps in on Ijimicko and a piercing fear grips him.

“Gosh, I can’t stand it being here alone!” Ijimicko cries out in frustration.

Ijimicko doesn’t want anyone else to know, but he has a fear of being all alone. He makes up for this insecurity by bullying others. Spending time bullying others means less time alone and that is satisfying to him. The only other living thing in all the Earth that knows of this secret fear is Eeko Bryony.

Much to Ijimicko’s delight, there is a knock on the door. He gets up, goes to the door, and when he opens it, he replaces Dorothée Fabian there. Dorothée Fabian is a pretty girl with brown braided hair that both Eeko and Ijimicko fell in love with a few years back. Ijimicko’s mouth hangs wide open and all words imaginable are gone from his tongue and brain. His heart pounds and his hands shake.

“D-D-Dorothée!” Ijimicko manages to say.

He blushes so hard his whole face turns red.

“Hey, Ijimicko...just thought I’d stop by," Dorothée says, smiling at him gently.

“Come on in!” Ijimicko says eagerly.

Dorothée enters Ijimicko’s house and he pulls up a polished wooden chair for her. She sits and smoothens out her dress.

“Thank you,” she says.

“S-so...why have you stopped by to see me?” Ijimicko asks.

“I’ve been having nightmares lately. Ever since Eeko left, things haven’t been the same,” Dorothée says.

Ijimicko hangs his head in shame.

“Dorothée...I- I really didn’t mean to get him in that much trouble,” Ijimicko says. "I just wanted the parents to get their revenge!”

“I know you didn’t. No person could ever be that evil,” Dorothée says. “At least, I sure hope not.”

“I kind of wish I could see him again. He and I were nearly friends. He risked his life to save mine,” Ijimicko says. “I hear him howling every night.”

“I want to see him, too. I wonder if he’s doing well," Dorothée says.

“Of course he wouldn’t be doing well. Nobody thrives in slavery,” Ijimicko says.

“Suppose we sneak him a visit, do you think that could bring much harm?” Dorothée asks.

“I see no harm in it. It’s his 16th birthday in a few days. Let’s make our visit his present,” Ijimicko says.

“Good idea! I’ll make him a gift. Hopefully it doesn’t get taken from him!” Dorothée says.

“You’ll make him a gift? That’s nice. Good idea,” Ijimicko says.

“Thank you,” Dorothée says.

“Can we work on it together?” Ijimicko asks.

Ijimicko is eager to spend more time with his beautiful crush and doesn’t want to be all alone again. Dorothée smiles at him.

“Okay,” she replies.

“Yes!” Ijimicko cries out, fist-pumping victoriously.

Dorothée giggles.

“I have to get the supplies, first,” Dorothée says.

“I’ll come with you!” Ijimicko says.

“Thanks,” Dorothée says.

The place Ijimicko and Dorothée live in is called Little Wood Village because it is a little village in the Snyvolon Woods. Other places in the kingdom are Mountain Town, a town at the foot of the eastern Snyvolon Mountain Range, Star Village, a village shaped like a star set between the Snyvolon Woods and Mountain Town, Snyvolon Castle on the northern border of the island, Town of Rules, a dead fish shaped town right outside of the Snyvolon Woods Eeko is currently living there), Tappy City, a boot shaped city on the southern border of the island, and Frayed Wing City, a frayed wing shaped city to the northwest near the western Snyvolon Mountain Range. On a map, they all appear to be just lumps floating in a bowl of soup as hardly any of the places are directly next to each other. The Snyvolon Field surrounds all the cities, towns, and villages and is home to many animals. People rarely see these animals as they fear humans and go into hiding when they sense the presence of them.

“So...what exactly do you have in mind?” Ijimicko asks, wanting to hear Dorothée speak again.

“Well, I had in mind plans to craft a shirt. My mother has a sewing machine and I have the money to buy fabrics and strings. I want the shirt to say ‘hope’ on it,” Dorothée says.

“That makes little sense. He’s a slave. What hope could he possibly have left?” Ijimicko asks.

“Hope for eventual freedom,” Dorothée says.

“I wish, I really do...but I doubt it will ever happen. I hate him, but I hate slavery more. I was so angry when I first found out what they were doing to his kind. He may not be human, but he still has rights,” Ijimicko says.

“He’s human enough to me. He just happens to also be a wolf,” Dorothée says.

“You love him, don’t you?” Ijimicko asks.

“I can’t decide,” Dorothée says.

Ijimicko sighs sadly. Even with Eeko gone, Dorothée still doesn’t love him the best.