Stranded - Chapter 3

Billy led the way, with me and Sasha trailing behind. I can feel her glancing at me occasionally.

“Wait… Did you just call this place Shangri-la? Am I dead and this is the afterlife?”

“Huh? Naw, this is just how I call this place. Cuz, would ye look at all the scenery kid, this place ain’t short from a real paradise!”

Billy waved his large arms around as he walked me through the place. Small huts and houses here and there, amid the green pastures. Small figures of the (presumably) locals rushing and walking around with their daily tasks. Some were wearing hats and bent low, apparently harvesting some kind of crop. Others were holding tools resembling hoes, plowing the large plots of land. Kids running around and giggling, holding sticks and some strange toys on their hands. But all of them stopped in their track to look at our entourage, presumably at me.

A large waterfall came crashing down from afar, supplying a river running through Shangri-la. Some women can be seen crouching by the river to wash clothes. And most impressive was a giant, white tree towering above a large portion of this Shangri-la place. Its branches spreaded out and housed leaves that boast the colour of gold and platinum, which occasionally fall and flutter along the wind. Upon following the flying leaves with my eyes, I can see some strange birds up circling and flying around up high as well.

“So… what kind of place is this, Billy?”

“We might be stuck in another world, kid. I mean, just look at all those weird shits flying above us, and that piglin’ I hunted. And Sasha here, too!”

Sasha flinched and raised her eyebrow at Billy. He laughed and looked away. As our entourage walked near the river, I could see there are some people standing by with a big net on their hands. With a loud yell, they pulled the net and caught some fishes. Sasha suddenly sped up and approached Billy, she then tapped his arm and muttered some words. Billy bent down to listen to her, then laughed and bellowed the Shangri-lan’s strange language towards some kids playing near us. The kids dropped their toys and came rushing towards us, laughing and giggling while keep repeating the same words they called me yesterday, something that sounded like A-rush-ka.

“Forgot to tell yer, kid, but you are stinky as fuck. And that’s why these little shits are gonna help yer take a good scrubbin’, down there!”

“Wait, wha-”

The kids rushed at me and pulled me down towards the river before I had a chance to complete what I said. The next thing I knew, my clothes were stripped off me, and the kids tossed me something resembling a bar of soap. They then ran up to the shore next to Billy and Sasha, who was now holding a bundle of cloth on her hands. It was embarrassing to be seen taking a shower but I had to do it anyways. The bundle of cloth from Sasha turned out to be a towel and the jinbei the people here are wearing.