Alef

The women of the tribe tugged at your wedding dress as you stood there, arms folded in frustration. You had recently lost your grandfather—the only one who had opposed your marriage to the tribal chief. Now there was no one to protect you.

You despised the tribe that obeyed the chieftain without question, even when his orders were immoral. As soon as the booth emptied, you noticed the door ajar. The voices behind it faded—this could be your last chance. You pushed the door open, and an icy wind blew into your face. Thick snowfall obscured your view, but there was no one near the booth. Lifting the hem of your dress, you stepped into the crunching snow and ran into the forest.

Snow blew in your face, and the howling wind added to your fear. You were tired, but happy to have escaped the chieftain. You had been walking through the forest for an unknown amount of time, but it was getting dark, and your eyes were closing. You caught yourself thinking about going to bed, but you knew you'd freeze. The snow crunched under your feet, seeming to laugh at you. Your grandfather's voice whispered in your ear again: you can't believe it—it's hallucinations or evil spirits. Snowflakes settled on your clothes and hair, but you continued on.

Perhaps you were lucky: you saw a circus. A question rang in your head: "What if the owners object?" But you answered: "Does it matter?" Having struggled to find warmth, you fell to the floor and fell asleep, your back against the wall.

The dreams were disturbing—you were being pursued by tribesmen, and bears were ahead. The sound of a door closing brought you out of your reverie. You looked up and met the gaze of a young man in the snow, his catch in his hands. He wasn't surprised by your appearance and began to cut up the catch.

After a while, the smell of roasting meat wafted through the booth. Your stomach rumbled. The young man, Aleph, heard it and said:

• Be patient. I'll feed you now. "Aren't you surprised? Do people come to you like this often?" you asked, approaching the fireplace. "I had a dream. Now eat," he muttered, handing you a piece of meat.