Chapter 14 - - 14.
The man’s face twisted in confusion. "En...gish?"
She blinked. "English," she repeated, slower, enunciating every syllable.
He stared blankly.
A silence passed between them—long enough for the absurdity to sink in. Kaya wasn’t exactly a scholar, but she knew basic words like glue or pen were universal. Hell, even kids used those words without thinking. But this man looked like he was hearing them for the first time.
"Okay, uh... glue," she tried again, this time miming with her fingers. "You know, like... something sticky? You use it to, I don’t know—stick these plastic ears on your head or something? Some kind of liquid?"
The man blinked at her hand movements, then looked up at his own ears. A moment later, as if realizing what she was implying, his face flushed red. He covered his ear self-consciously and gave a firm shake of his head, muttering something under his breath.
"Hah"
Kaya didn’t want to speak anymore. Her head throbbed, and she rubbed her temple in frustration. Just thinking about those so-called "ears" or "eyes" made her feel like she was teetering on the edge of madness. Without saying a word, she sat on the stone in front of the man and took a deep breath, closing her eyes slightly to steady herself.
The man’s gaze shifted to her leg. After a moment of silence, he spoke, his tone hesitant.
"Um... did you maybe sprain your leg?"
Kaya’s eyes opened, slightly surprised. She stared at him. He could tell—just from one glance?