CHAPTER 123; HOPE
CHAPTER 123; HOPE
CIERRA
Xander tilts his head to the side and I nod in assurance.
Though it’s just a guess made by Nadine and I, I think this is the right path to go. The last time I recall reading that book, I was so drawn to it, I flipped pages, going on and on without knowing. I do not understand the mechanism of the vault and its treasure but it is sure that there is a mechanism and all I have to do is find the major button to stop it all.
Xander nods in agreement, and I trace my hands down his without letting my eyes off his until I reach his hold on the book which loosens as he lets me have the book.
He gestures for me to walk ahead and I do, Nadine and Cassius trailing behind us as we exit the warehouse through the back. I drop the book to the ground, and Cassius hands over a lighter to me. But just as I am about to light it, Xander speaks up by my side, his eyes roaming around.
“Where’s Damien?”
“He handed himself over to the authorities, seeking to be punished for his deeds”
Nadine is the one to respond and a somber mood clouds above us. With everything that has just happened, there is not one I can actually blame; The Robertsons thought this was the best way to avenge their dead son, and the higher officials and also the Robertsons were driven by greed, Damien had no choice other than to obey the ones that had been manipulating since he was a child, he thought they actually did mean well for him when they were just snakes in the green grass and then Xander’s and I parents, aside Elizabeth, the rest also had their share of greed, including my mother, as much as I admit it, I think my mother did not only want to keep it for me to see, she wanted her legacy to be passed on, she wanted someone to one day find out about it and make reference to her which I would have done if I wasn’t aware of the story that follows the treasures and the vault.
“Shall we?” I switch my gaze from, Cassius to Nadine then to Xander who’s nodding at me to go ahead. And so I lit the lighter and then let it fall to the book.
We all watch expecting something to happen but the lighter is only lying on the book with the fire lit being blown by the wind.
“I guess we were wrong,” Nadine states from the side, however a thought strikes me.
“It will be insensible to have fire without something to ignite it,” I say with my gaze on Xander who nods indicating he understands what I mean.
Without hesitation, I reach out for my pocket knife, slicing the flesh of my finger and letting the blood drop on the fire. My finger stings but I manage to press as much blood as I can. Xander takes the knife and does the same.
Just as I expected, the fire lits higher consuming the book as Xander pulls me back from it. My eyes widened despite the fact that I had predicted it would happen. As if that is not enough, a thunderous sound causes us to stumble as a large fire lits from behind us.
“What in the world is happening?” Nadine questions in awe, her mouth almost dropping just like me. While Cassius and Xander have indifferent looks on their faces, I can still tell they are shocked by what is happening before us. Who won’t be?
This is like a spiritual mechanism, a connection I never expected to encounter. If someone had predicted such my fate three years ago while I had my memory lost, I would have tagged them as a scammer. That’s how much I never expected this to happen. But now, with everything I have seen, anything is possible.
”I guess it’s all over now. No more treasures, no more Vaults…no more revenge” Nadine says and I turn to her, delighted by her smile.
“The fire might spread since it’s the dry season, I will get the fire department to come to ease it down but in the meantime, I think it’s best we evacuate from here before we get choked up by the smoke” Cassius suggests and my smile grows wider, knowing the reason for this suggestion, the chances of the fire spreading is little despite the season, and the smoke is not going to have that much effect on any of us, aside Nadine.
Xander motions for me to walk ahead and Nadine joins me, lacing her hands with mine as we walk towards the car, while Cassius and Xander follow behind us.
This marks a new beginning, despite the fact we’ve lost the things around us, we didn’t lose ourselves and for that reason, I have hope that we can get back on our feet. We may not move on from the people we lost, but we can live on because there is hope.
I can keep moving because I have Xander with me.