For a moment, David stopped and hesitated as he and Diana were now facing the back gates of their village. The tall oaken gates were notable for their sheer prominence; they were among the most massive structures in the entire village, standing at least twenty feet above the dirt foundations. At a width of 5.2 feet, a clear view of the outside could only be provided through a few drilled-in holes that were no wider than the average human fist. Beyond these gates, was an uncharted land―acres of soil that no soul had ever laid a foot upon. It was a foreign land whose scenery struck the two with fear, curiosity, and awe. They could only get a limited glimpse of the surroundings, but even a peak of what lied beyond was more than enough to ignite David's curiosity and eagerness by tenfold. Diana, however, saw little point in breaking one of the village's most important rules for the sake of searching for metal scraps in what appeared to be nothing more than a wasteland of dirt and rocks. The mysterious and eerie atmosphere that the land emanated also gave Diana the uneasy feeling that they wouldn't be safe out there. Although David was momentarily intimidated by the towering gates and the uncertainties it guarded, he proceeded to reach for the handlebar of the gates when another hand suddenly took a hold of his wrist, preventing David from reaching anymore further. He turned to face the possessor of the intercepting hand and to his unexpected surprise, he saw that the hand belonged to his now nervous friend, Diana.

"Are you sure about this?" She asked apprehensively with great concern for the uncertainties lying ahead. "You know that we are prohibited from leaving the village, right? David, I'm not sure if you understand-"

"Diana," David interrupted as he began to respond. "To be honest with you, I am not sure about this ... I mean, how can I be sure? I'm unable to determine the future; I have no idea where my destiny or fate lies. But I have questions. Ceaseless questions that have been haunting me for the past several months. I'm tired of these questions. I'm tired of this place! This place is riddled with questions that everyone keeps avoiding. For once, I want answers. Is it wrong to pursue what a person wants in life?"

"There is nothing wrong with pursuing what you want in life, David. But is lying to yourself worth putting you and your dearest friend in trouble? Your theory of earth is a complete fallacy supported by nothing more than your dreams and some folklore legend!"

David glanced at his friend with a determined look on his face before responding. "You want answers? Then search for them! Who knows what awaits us in those strange distant lands. No one, that's who. We'll never know as long as we're still here. The journey towards truth can only begin with one curious step."

Diana couldn't argue against her friend's straightforward and valid point with which she reluctantly agreed.

"Yeah, you're ... you're right."

David then gave her a subtle smile and offered an open hand.

"Do you trust me, Diana? Will you embark on this journey with me?"

Diana's emerald eyes lit up with excitement as she happily took hold of David's hand―trying her best not to blush.

"I-I do trust you. I would go anywhere with you, David! Our bond is far more important than this village. Wherever you go, I go. And I'm sorry for my skepticism. I know you, and I know you haven't lost your mind. Not yet at least." She giggled.

David's smile grew wider upon hearing Diana's uplifting response. He took a deep breath as he reached for the handlebar of the gates and attempted to push the massive doors apart using all his strength. To his surprise, the gates were lighter than he initially thought and it wasn't before long that he―along with some help from Diana―managed to push the doors apart to make enough space in between for the two to just barely pass through. David felt an immediate surge of freedom as he dashed out the open gates, dragging Diana along, who was laughing as her adrenaline and excitement immediately took effect. Just moments ago, they were both apprehensive, scared, and unsure about what lied ahead, but now they were both laughing, screaming, and running hand in hand towards the unknown. There were several moments when each of the two tripped and tumbled into the soft clay-like dirt, only to get back up and continue running, laughing even more because of those funny moments, not caring about the dirt that stained their clothes. What they were beginning to experience, was the ancient and yet timeless thrill of adventure.