Part 2
Sitting on the chair, Seven looked straight ahead, where his father sat in complete silence.
He had told him everything—how and where he had found it, its appearance, and how he had managed to escape—which had made his heart feel lighter. While he spoke, Father hadn't said a single word until now.
"…It's not natural for a humanoid to go so far from the center. Maybe because it's blind, it could have ended up there, but even so…" He paused and shook his head. "No, even then, this isn't normal."
"Yes…" So that's what I thought. It didn't make sense for the humanoid to be there… Trying to understand or find a reason for encountering it there, he had even considered that he had run far enough to get close to the center, but now he was certain that wasn't the case.
"Does Leon really not know anything?"
"No. After I came back, I acted normally and made up some excuses. Even though he was suspicious, he believed me in the end."
"That's good." Sighing, Father looked toward the bedroom door. "If he knew, we'd have to talk to him to keep it a secret. Even if she's doing better, talking about this could remind her of something."
"I know… but what are we going to do about the humanoid? Even if it wasn't right next to the lake, it was very close."
"There's not much we can do. Starting this year, we won't go back there."
Surprised, Seven stood up abruptly from the chair. "But Father, what about Yuliya's medicine?!"
We searched for those plants practically for her! They're the only ones that relieve her Fathern! Remembering the agonizing nights Yuliya went through, he didn't want that to happen again.
"…I'll have to find another place that has this herb or look for something else with a similar effect before our stock runs out."
"But haven't you already tried several others before!? And in the end, none of them worked!? There's nothing that can be done!? Can't we just keep going there during the day, like we already do?"
Raising his hand, Father signaled for Seven to calm down. Clenching his fists, Seven sat back down on the chair with a bitter look on his face.
"…I understand your concern, Seven, but humanoids are not easy creatures to deal with. Even protected by the sun, they are very dangerous, and you saw it yourself. Even wounded, it was still fast enough to approach you and strong enough to knock down a wall with ease."
"But Father—" Trying to argue, Seven quickly stopped himself, lowering his head in silence before speaking again. "…I don't want her to go through the same thing as in the past… the Fathern all over her body, the high fever… coughing up blood."
Observing Seven, Father spoke in a slightly gentler tone:
"I know. But Yuliya has been improving a lot. Lighter medications may start to take effect, unlike—"
While they were talking, the bedroom door opened.
"Father, wha—" Ísis said as she came out. "Did something happen?"
Noticing something, she stopped right at the door, looking strangely at Seven and Father.
"No, nothing. I was just talking to Seven about what we're going to do in the coming days."
Turning forward, Seven put a lighter expression on his face while his father and sister talked.
"Hmm…"
"What do you need?"
"…Yuliya asked me to check about the tea."
"Ah… I think I lost track of time while talking to Seven. It should be ready in a few minutes. As soon as it is, I'll take it to her."
"Alright…" Receiving the answer, Ísis turned to leave.
"Actually… wait a moment, daughter."
Stopped, she turned back to her father.
"Tomorrow you will lead the group on the daily tasks in Seven's place."
Surprised, Seven turned to his father, opening his mouth to speak, but quickly gave up as his shoulders dropped.
Just as I expected… After abandoning his siblings, these were the consequences. Maybe I'll be grounded at home for a few days…
Ísis, frozen in place, took a moment to process the information.
"…Wait! But this will be my first time! Will Seven be there to help me!? Or you? What am I supposed to do!?"
Desperate, she tried to understand the situation she had been thrown into.
"No. Seven will accompany me to a place I need to go."
Surprised, Ísis and Seven spoke at the same time.
"What!?"
"But we only have one bow! If Seven doesn't go with me, I won't have a weapon to defend myself!"
"It's not a problem. Since he'll be with me, you can take it. You know how to use it."
In the middle of the conversation, Mia and Victor came out of the bedroom, rubbing their eyes and yawning.
"Dad, I'm hungry…"
"Father, is dinner going to take long?"
After looking at the two, Father stood up and turned toward the kitchen. "We'll talk about what each of you will do after dinner. You can go back to the room."
"Wait! Why after we eat? Can't we do it now?"
Picking up the rabbit, Father began to cut it.
"No, because then the food would be ready too late for your younger siblings."
"But, Father!"
"While I prepare dinner, everyone go take a bath. Now."
Wanting to stay there, Ísis tried to approach Father, but Mia started pulling her back. "Come on, sister! We have to take big sister to bathe too!"
Looking at Mia and then at her father, who was already preparing the rabbit, Ísis returned to the room with the two younger ones, visibly reluctant.
Alone there, Seven remained seated in the chair when Father spoke:
"Go get ready too, Seven. We'll talk later."
"Yes…"
Standing up from the chair, he went to the bedroom, leaving Father alone.
***
In the middle of the night, in a silent room, Ísis woke up in bed and sat up. With a heavy gaze, she observed her surroundings for a few moments, seeing all her siblings sleeping deeply, illuminated by a faint light.
Rubbing her eyes, she murmured:
"Thirsty…"
Climbing down from one of the bunk beds, careful not to make any noise that would wake Mia, who slept below her, she left the room. Reaching the kitchen, she passed by the sink and began searching in some cabinets for a glass. When she found one on the table:
Why is it here…? She remembered the night before and believed they had put everything away. No… I must be mistaken…
Too tired to try to understand, she went to where she had sat during the meal, picked up her glass and a full bottle of water, and poured herself some.
Once finished, she brought the glass to her mouth. However, feeling a cold breeze hit her back, she stopped and looked behind her.
Where did that come from?
Setting the glass aside, she began to follow the current of air, which led her to the staircase leading to the exit.
Leaning against a wall, as if hiding, she clenched her fists while looking toward the end of the stairs.
"Is it… open?"
Swallowing dryly, Ísis began to climb the stairs slowly. From a distance, she saw that the door sealing the bunker was half open. Without wasting time, she ran up the rest of the stairs, reached the exit, and immediately began pushing it.
Why is it so heavy? Even exerting all her strength, she couldn't move it even an inch. I have to close it as fast as possible!
That was when, gradually, the door began to move, relieving her. But before she could celebrate, the door jammed again.
"…Is something blocking it?" Slowly stepping out from behind the door, Ísis looked apprehensively outside, trying to find what was preventing her from closing it.
However, she couldn't see anything, as the exterior was in absolute darkness. Forcing her vision, she tried to adjust to it, but after staring for too long, she felt a chill run down her entire spine and retreated back inside.
I'll wake up Father or Seven to help me…
Not wanting to stay there even a second longer, she quickly moved away, heading toward the stairs, when she felt something grab her leg. Startled, she looked down quickly and found a long arm coming from outside the bunker, with a large hand completely wrapping around her calf.
It had pale, cold skin, thin, almost skeletal fingers, and long nails that resembled claws.
Terrified, she tried to scream for help. "Seven! Father! AAAAAAAH!!!" But she was pulled down and dragged outside.
Jumping up in bed, her heart racing, Ísis looked around in fear. Everything was calm. A faint, warm light illuminated the room, accompanied by the soft sound of her siblings' breathing as they slept.
It was just a dream. The wanderer and the open door—none of that happened. It was all a dream! Realizing what had happened, Ísis began repeating it to herself.
However, feeling one of her legs trapped, she lifted the blanket in fright and saw that part of the bedding had wrapped around her calf.
With a quick movement, she easily freed herself. I'm safe inside the bunker, in my room with my siblings, lying in my bed!!
While trying to calm down, her gaze quickly passed over the bedroom entrance and froze there. Unlike in the dream, there was no light at all—just darkness.
It was just a dream, just a dream, just a dream, just a dream! Hugging herself tightly, she breathed heavily and constantly, the sound growing louder as she began breathing through her mouth.
A dream, a dream, a dream!
She still felt something suffocating her. She put her hands on her neck, trying to find what was hindering her breathing, but there was nothing.
Help… Looking at the bedroom entrance again, feeling a terrifying desFatherr, her eyes began to water.
Just as she was about to scream "…A—" someone called her.
"Is everything okay, Ísis?"
Startled, she turned and saw Seven on the bunk bed beside hers, still waking up and rubbing his eyes.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
Seeing him, feeling her heart calm down a little, she remained silent for a few moments before finally speaking.
"…Yes…"
"I see." Sitting up, Seven put his legs out of the bed and asked, "Do you want some water?"
Automatically, remembering the dream, Ísis answered him shouting.
"No!!"
Her younger siblings, still sleeping, stirred uncomfortably in their beds. Seven, a little startled, stayed silent.
"…"
Realizing her mistake, Ísis quickly corrected herself, this time in a lower tone.
"I'm sorry, Seven, it's just that—"
But before she could finish explaining, he interrupted her with a calm voice.
"It's okay. Everything's fine."
Lowering her gaze, she thanked him: "Thank you…" She felt her heartbeat slowly return to normal and the suffocating sensation disappear.
It was just a dream… everything was just a dream…
"I'll get you some water."
"Yes…"
Climbing down from the bunk bed, Seven quickly went to the kitchen.
Watching him leave, Ísis felt a tightness in her chest and gave a melancholic smile. In the end… nothing has really changed…
Without delay, he returned to the room with a glass of water.
"Thank you." After finishing drinking, she handed the glass back to Seven, who placed it on one of the pieces of furniture between the beds.
Seven turned and began to prepare to climb back into his bunk, but stopped when he noticed Ísis still staring at him, as if she wanted something.
"Do you need anything else?"
Avoiding eye contact, she spoke shyly:
"Well… could you… well… sleep wi—" In a low, hesitant voice, she tried to convey something, but stopped before finishing the sentence.
No… I can't bother him… Although she wanted to ask to sleep together like they had done in the past, she didn't want to cause trouble.
"…It's nothing. Good night, Seven."
Turning over, she lay down in bed.
"Good night, Ísis."
Climbing into his bunk, Seven also lay down. The sound of slow, steady breathing once again filled the room, but Ísis still couldn't sleep.
She shifted in bed, constantly changing positions.
Why did it come back… after so long, this nightmare…? Remembering the last time, it had been years since she had one, even though they used to be constant when she first arrived, with almost every night filled with nightmares about the white wanderers.
Just thinking about them sent a shiver through Ísis's entire body.
She used to wake up desperate, screaming in panic, just like she had almost done, and then couldn't go back to sleep. Lonely nights in a bunker she had just gotten to know, in a room with a faint light illuminating it—at least that was what it could have been.
Moving in bed, Ísis silently looked at Seven, who was already asleep.
I wish I could be like you…
In the company of her brother, no matter how tired he was, he would spend the long nights listening to stories that Father had told him—about daily life or a book he had read—without saying a single word.
When… did I start speaking again? When she was rescued, she didn't speak at all, but after some time, with Seven's care, she gradually began to speak again.
From lost and silent words to phrases, from phrases to small dialogues.
— Uaaaaaah! — (yawn)
Little by little, things… got better… Integrating with her new family, her nightmares decreased until they disappeared completely.
I hope… this… is the last one…
Growing sleepier from the day she had, involuntarily, she brought her hand to a locket around her neck and murmured:
"Dad… Mom… Sister…"
Until she finally fell asleep.