"That's good to hear," Sheila simply said and offered her cuff to the man.
"It's on the house, gentle Sheila," he said and handed the box to Sheila. "I rarely see you eat here. "
It's for my squad. She says it's her and still stretched out to the It's for my squad, she says, her hand still stretched out to the man, and I cannot accept that without paying you, you might lose sales.
The shopkeeper simply chuckled and still insisted on handing over the box to her. A box of fries simply won't do harm to my business; consider it is a gift of graduation from me and my daughter. Sheila looked uneasy at the offer.
She looked at the box one last time before looking back at the man. Half the price she offered then I can accept it.
The man sighted the tree and turned to look at me with a smile: "Your gentle really is prideful." Then he looked back to Sheila and gave her a simple nod: "Alright general, you win. Half the price then"
Sheila nodded at the man and took the box from his hands. The shopkeeper was typing on his cuff and showed a holographic screen to Sheila.
"7.5 druils, "it says on the screen. Sheila tapped his cuff with the man's cuff and heard a faint beat. Thank you, general Sheila. I hope you'll visit again.
I hope your business will go well too; she answered and gestured for me to follow her back. Also, the easy, she handed me the prize, here, she says, I saw you, I see it, if you want something to eat, just tell me, you are my responsibility for the day.
But general, before I could talk, she already placed her hand on top of my head. It's fine. It is my duty to help my squad mates. She says she paused as we let a few people carrying levitating cards pass by in front of us. A question was burning inside of me. The longer we waited it wasn't really a question but sometimes that Gita manifested and implanted in my mind.
How old are you, gentle, if I may ask? I suddenly blurted out and felt a little embarrassed for even asking.
"22. "
You're not that old," I said and earned a look from Sheila. "She," I told her, "Was raised in question." Not that I think it was a bad thing. I immediately explained to her. It's just that you seem to be mature for your age. Not that you look that old. I am not saying that you're old. It's just that you get my point, The road was starting to clear for us to pass through, it's fine,
I get that a lot. Though I don't exactly know what you mean by acting mature. She says the word slowly as if trying to make some sense into it. Aren't people your age supposed to act like this? so, I'll stop talking now."
The road was starting to clear for us to pass through. It's fine I get that a lot though I don't exactly know what you mean by acting mature. She sees the word slowly as if trying to make some sense of it. Aren't people our age supposed to act like this?
"Nooo," quiet, I replied while dragging the words out. Really? How do you guys, my age, act like? Like him? I pointed towards Jack. True now, as a strip of mid-skin on the top of her puckered lip from the looks of it. She was imitating someone because the others were pointing and laughing at her. For the very first time since I met the guy, Sheila looked disgusted. That she is an idiot if that is how young female adults act on the surface then I will say that I am lucky that I came to Lenora at an early age and grew up here. Otherwise I might end up being retarded. Her choice of words was too brutal that I had to laugh. Never mind, just now you acted a little bit like your age. Insulting is something that you do. This guy definitely needs help but at the same time there is truth in his words. How did this guy grow up? Something like that I said.
As soon as the road was cleared, Sheila and I headed towards the others who were still dizzy with laughter at Jack as he played with more of the soft skin. When they saw us, Jack already had a teething grin on his face. How gentle are those for me? he asked. Supposed to be for my squad but after seeing you right now I am recognizing your membership. That's not noticed I even kept your food safe, she went. I pushed a plate full of barbecue and mashed potato towards hers. I looked at the plates before looking at them expectantly. You guys like eaters?
I commanded and placed the box of fries on the table. Here we can all share, I said before settling on two sides to sit beside Gita, who scooted away to give me and Sheila a place to sit. Gita handed us some plates and utensils for us to use.
Aren't you guys going to eat more? I asked as I saw them attacking the fries instead of barbecue. I would love to but that is food that General bought for you and him. I looked at the mountain of steaks and meat before looking at William. All of these? I asked. Sheila took a huge number of them and placed them on my plate. A shoulder soldier should eat a lot of protein, considering your earlier exercises, a bit. You're hungry. Thank you, I said uneasily, making Israr and William snicker while Gita was openly laughing at me.
What Sheila must have sensed my uneasiness because she suddenly asked, "Jack, was shaking his head slowly as if he was already expecting this and this is why I was always dragging you to hang out with us. Why did I do something wrong?" he asked and when I felt him looking down at me for answers, I immediately took a bite out of my food to have an excuse not to talk.
"General, not all women have an appetite like Israel here," she says while pointing to his pit-a-pit friend Israel. Israel frowned as he slapped his hand away and your order is enough to feed two men. Even if she is a heavy eater, she can't possibly eat all of that. Really,
Sheila raised an eyebrow as she looked at me. It's good, the meat. Why don't you have some? I said, trying to change the topic by offering her to eat as well. I grabbed some fries as well.
Sorry if it somehow offended you, Mr. Mithun, she suddenly said.
I almost choked on my food at his apology. Is he seriously apologizing buying too much food is fine, General. I am simply surprised. I may still have my surface appetite so I guess I'm not used to seeing much.
Thanks for the meal General. Sheila nodded as a response, and I am glad that the topic has passed.
Jack started to reach out and grab a few fries when Sheila slapped his hand away. "Oh I know you already have a favorite student, but this is really starting to hurt my feelings."
You pig, you're eating too much junk. Eat the barbecue instead. Jack looked stunned but he was happy that he was being offered free food and that he started eating
"what I could not finish." William and Israr whispered don't tell me one escaped again.
Ignore them and keep eating. If one did escape then we have to move out quickly.
"What escaped?" Gita asked her question. They all looked at Sheila, who just finished drinking her cup of water.
A failed experiment by your government. They were trying to replicate our Lemurian gene by combining someone with blood to the sea creature. We call them metahumans because whatever your government did to them, they all become walking humanoid creatures with no sense of control. I just hope none of you will get to see one. The atmosphere started to become heavy, so we chose to pray anymore. Whatever it was, it was pretty obvious that something must have happened that was connected to the metahuman that they were talking about.
Prayer to Sheila's word: We hurriedly finished our food and soon we were heading towards the exit when I heard a voice.
Curse them all. Curse them all.
I stopped in my tracks while the others continued to keep on walking. I looked around me to find where the origin of the voice was.
It hurts. It hurts. Someone saves me.
The voice sounded like they were in pain. I finally pinpointed the location. It was from the narrow space between two large buildings of a vertical store. The entrance to the space was covered by crates of wood that are actually blended in with the walls.
I moved the crate away to reveal the part as I struggled to hear the voice again: "Someone help me! They will me!
Hello!" I called out and though the dark path I saw a large figure flinch: "Are you alright?"
I heard a calling for help: "What's wrong?" I said, still standing under the light since I was afraid to go further than this. "You can hear me?" I saw the figure moving and standing up. Something about its shape started to become a bit alarming to me and I have to take a step back.
Yes, I answered and moved a few steps back to give this person a chance to come into the light so I can see him clearly and make out what made this figure so weird. It was human, but there was something wrong with it, something about the space of his head and hunch of his back. Help me, please! Help me!
He screamed and suddenly jumped out of the darkness and into the light as he tackled and pinned me to the ground. As soon as I saw him, I let out a scream.
It wasn't a human at all.
It was a shark with the body of a human. Its greedy eyes stared at me in the ice as it continued to scream a lot and make animal-like sounds.
I trusted them. The creature's jaws opened wide and closed enough to raise my fear that I was literally losing my head. I struggled and tried to use my strength to break free but the more I struggled the tighter it gripped on me.
I closed my eyes as the creature continued to scream. I trusted them. It continued to yell. There were a crunch and a loud crash sound, and suddenly the weight of the shark was off of me.
"Are you ok Mr. Mithun?" On the sound of Sheila's voice, I finally opened my eye. She helped me up and into a sitting position. I was still shaking but nodded at her as an answer.
Sheila looked back at the creature that was starting to get up a few feet from us. It kicked the chair and tables that were surrounding it and screamed again, "It hurts! It hurts!" Its sharp eyes became red with anger as she looked at Sheila. The creature was about to attack again so Sheila got up on her feet and readied herself for a stance.
There were yells and creature pound at Sheila well.
Attempted but it was stopped by a blob of water holding in mid-air.
"Damn, the sky is heavy!" Brinda grunted. I looked up and saw her standing there beside me. She met my gaze and grinned. "Good to see you again Mith." Lucky that I was sneaking out at the right time, she chuckled.
I couldn't agree more with her last statement. I simply gulped and nodded at her.
Princess Brinda. Sheila looked back at her.
Rare to see you General. Can you give the order to guard and ready while the tranquiliser, while I hold it down?
Sheila nodded at her and barked an order to one of the men carrying a spear. Brinda, with her hands raised in the air, grunted as she slowly lowered her arms. At the same time I saw the water holding the creature lowering as well. "Princess Brinda, help me!" it wailed. I looked at her and I looked at Brinda's face. There was no reaction.
Can't hear the Plea?
Once the creature was down on the ground, Brinda let out a sigh. Damn, he is very heavy. I don't think I was last long. Someone tranq him.
It hurts. No Princess Brinda, please. The creature continued to bleed but either Brinda didn't fear him or he chose not to. Brinda simply gave her a sad look to the guy. He is out of control.
Hey, look at me, it says, and I looked at the creature again to see. A look of defeat in its eyes as one of the men with the transducer gun approached it. You're the only one who can hear me at this point. Beware of traitors, it said and the man finally injected him. I saw the creature finally starting to calm down as its eyes started to drop but just before the trunk took effect on it, it gave me a warning.
Beware of those with burn marks.