“Yes,” you say with a proud puff of your chest, “I am all alone out here. I don’t need to rely on anybody.” The lamia’s face falls.
“Aw. That’s sad. Everybody should have someone, especially on those long, chilly nights.” The end of her tail slithers over your shoulder. Your chest deflates as you shiver from her cool scales.
“N-No,” you say, “I mean, I don’t need anybody to survive out here.”
“Ah.” The lamia plants her hands in front of you and leans close until you can her eyes in detail. You lean back, but that only gives her space to lean closer. Her sweet scent curls around you, and you can hear her breathing, certain she can hear your quickened breaths.
“So you might be willing to have somebody as a friend, then?”
It seems this lamia is offering her friendship. Do you want to be her friend? Or do you just want to be left to stew in your ill humor alone? Even if you would like to be her friend, do you trust her, approaching you out of the blue like this?
-40a Let’s be friends! (unfinished)
–40b A friend would be nice, but can you trust her? The jungle may not be dangerous, but she still might have ulterior motives. What if she just wants to sell you complicated home security apparatuses?
-40c You don’t feel like having a friend right now. Just tell her to go away so you can sleep through your frustration. (unfinished)
Duth Olec's Cuckoo Cosmos 