The absence of the incessant rain left a serene silence, a space for the numerous birds to sings into, as they flew out their nets, adorning the opened air and cold atmosphere with their wings, and then dropping feathers as they go. Water, cascading down from fresh leaves as the winds blow through the trees, and snails remain still under them.
Reuben and Roderigo saw Ben resting, and dossing beside a tree when they walked by. He folds his hands around his chest, and his lips were shaking incessantly.
"His clothes get wet," Roderigo said, covering Ben's body with a long wrapper, which he collected from his wife before following Reuben out, in search of the teens.
"Benjamin," Reuben called, tapping him to wake.
He opened his eyes, widened his eyes in surprise to see Reuben in his presence.
"Get up," Reuben said, "Where are the others?"
"You haven't come here?" Ben again, adjusting the wrapper on his body. "I don't know where they are."
"How on earth can't you?"
Ben explained everything that had happened to them since the day they waited for him under the tree.
"Is that so?" Reuben asked, glancing about.
"That is all I know," Ben said when cold is shaking his lips one more.
"What are you going to do now?" Roderigo asked Reuben.
"Haven't know yet," he said, "I wondered where they are."
And then after some moments of silence, Roderigo saw Edwin targetting Reuben and left out the arrow.
"Reuben, see."
Rueben took out his sword. "What?"
Roderigo pushed Reuben aside as the arrow flew toward him. And then the arrow hit his chest. Reuben was gazing at his friend, wanted to know why he pushed him and was scared to see an arrow on his friend's chest. And then, Roderigo fell in pain helplessly, his blood, surging out upon his white clothes and Reuben hurried to him.
"That is him," Ben shouted, as Edwin jumped down from the tree and flee away.
"Reuben," Roderigo groaned, "I'm dying."
"Please don't die," he said, removing the arrow from his chest.
"Damn. Reuben, please take me to my wife and my daughters," he moaned.
Silent tears darted from Reuben's eyes. An old eye weeping for his childhood friend. "You should not have saved me."
He collected the wrapper from Ben and bandaged Roderigo's chest and carried him on his back, as a mother does to his only begotten son.
"Hold this sword," he said to Ben, "and follow me."
He ran towards home and Roderigo's blood, pouring down on Reuben's white clothes and dripping down. When they get home, the front door was opened ajar, and the house was silent. Reuben and Ben walked in and he dropped Roderigo down.
Blood, staining everywhere. The daughters of Roderigo had been murdered. His wife's eyes sockets had been removed and blood was trailing from his mouth.
"What happened buddy?" Roderigo asked, "why this silence Do you see my wife?"
"Yes," Reuben said, weeping. "I saw her death."
"With my future son?"
Reuben looked at Roderigo's wife and saw that she died pregnant in her womb.
Roderigo managed to stand up seeing his wife who had promised him that she would bear a boy for him after five daughters. Ruben sat on one side, his head was bent, shedding tears.
They saw a letter nailed beside her dead body, It was written with fresh blood Roderigo picked it.
"What is this? A letter?" Roderigo sobbed
"Give it Ben," Reuben said, "he will read it."
Ben collected it, rubbing off tears from his eyes. And the blood on the letter stained his fingers. "Who do you think you are? What do you think you can do? You killed my father. How dare you killed a lion. Anyways the son of the lion has come here to revenge. And I promised that I will shoot you with a poisonous arrow. Say farewell to your bosom friend before you died. Go to hell."
Reuben yelled from the top of his voice and then fell.
Reuben hurried to him. "Please don't die."
"I'm dying amigo," Roderigo whispered, "Don't worry, I'm with you always. I won't let you till you revenge."
"Oh no, we have to do this together," Reuben wailed, "we started together."
"Amigo," Roderigo whispered, "I will miss you."
Roderigo gave up the ghost and Reuben, holding his friend's hand tightly, can't believe what happened. The room looked blurred. He wipes off his tears
"Can I let's go? Will you leave me just like that? Man, sit up. Let's talk. Stop pretending. You're too funny. Haven't changed a bit," he cried "I can't let you go." And then, burst into a sea of tears.
Beside him, Ben, dropping the bloody letter, cried too.
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SOPHIA POV
I felt uneasy since we came to the house and stepped into this room Not that it wasn't peaceful or neat but the feeling without Henry, without someone I loved changed my mood. I sighed, standing up. "Guys, I need to search for Henry."
They all exchanged glances.
"You can't go anywhere," Bella said, "we won't follow you this time."
"We were here in this village for something else, we must find him, that is why we are here."
"But we were not here to die too. Did we?" Lucy said, twisting her long hair.
"We would search for him later," Bella said, "all you need do is to be patient."
"I'm tired of being patient," I said, "I'm not feeling comfortable."
"You should," Bella said, "you must make us your comfort zone."
"We are not enough for you, Sophia," Lucy said, "are we?"
"You won't be with me all the time," I said, "you guys can't just understand me."
"I understand you better," Bella said, "you just have to be patient. Don't rush yourself."
I walked to the door. "No. I can't do this."
"Sophia," Bella shouted
"Let her go," Lucy said, "she is too stubborn."
Anabelle rushed to me outside and say, "I will follow you."
"Nay, you can't," I said, "I don want to put you into any trouble again, so, go back."
"If you stay, I will stay," she said, "And I will follow you to anywhere you go."
I looked at her. "Why are you saying those things?"
"You know, it's already getting dark, why don't you wait till tomorrow morning?"
"I missed him."
Anabelle looked down, sobbing.
I walked close to her and say, "why are you crying?"
Alice and Jackson walked here. Alice looks worried, dropping the basket of rice they bought from the market. "Alice, what happened?"
"Sophia, want to leave to look for Henry."
Alice's face changed. She looks relieved. I don't know why.
"Sophia," Jackson said, "the moon would soon show up. Please think it twice, stay and eat this night."
"I can't wait," I said, "It's so hard to wait for a single moment."
Alice holds my hands. "You have to endure the feeling, please stay this night, just this night. We would follow you anywhere tomorrow. And I will try all my best to help you."
I hugged her, sobbing. This is easier to say than done. I walked in and saw my friends frowning at me.
"I'm sorry Bella," I said, "I'm sorry Lucy."
"It's fine," they chorused, smiling.
"Sophia would cook for us," Anabelle said, smiling too.
"Sure," Lucy said
Bella looked at Lucy and say, "For food only."
"Thank you," Lucy said, smiling again.
Jackson took me to the kitchen, and Anabelle stayed with me for more than an hour. She helps me grind the pepper and she keeps running up and down for me. She told me to sit down while she follows my instructions. She makes me laugh in the kitchen anytime she noticed sm feeling sad.
While Jackson, and his brother, John, were teaching the rest how to play the piano in the parlor.
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ALICE POV
Jackson's handsome fingers were moving smoothly through the keys, playing a piece of music that is bewitching my soul. He had become my best friend, but I want something more than that. But I don't know if he was thinking the same.
I got jealous when Lucy walked to us and said, "Jackson teach me how to play it."
I feel jealousy, do jealous, as I will need to stand up for Lucy to sit beside the person I love so well.
And in my mind, I slapped her face and kicked her ass. But here, in reality, seeing her enjoying the flow of her fingers pressing the keys makes it even worst for me to see or endure. Is this what Sophia is suffering too? Is it not the most painful and worsted feeling in this house?
I don't want to leave them and I don't want to stay. I just want her to leave. If I leave, she might attract her, and if I stay l will keep jealousy. It better to stay, I thought to myself.
Not long after, Sophia and Anabelle served us food. And I was glad that Lucy would soon stand up because she loves food. But to my astonishment, it doesn't go the way I thought.
"I'm loving this," Lucy said, "I will eat later."
I walked thee and turned off the piano. "Get up. Get up. If you can't eat now. Jackson must eat."
Lucy frowned and Jackson smiled.
"It's okay. You don't have to turn it off," Jackson said.
"I need to do that," I said, "you guys can't understand me." And am glad that they obeyed me.
Jackson shows us the room we would sleep in tonight. His brother, John has slept in his room. And here, Anabelle's snoring beside Sophia. He tried a lot to keep his identity from the person he loved. I don't think I can do that. And I feel guilty of telling him not to expose himself now. But it's for their betterment anyways. I ignored the feeling of a wrong number.
I walked out of the room, to the living room, seeing Jackson playing the piano.
"Hey," Jackson said, "Am I disturbing you with this. I should lower the volume once more or I should turn it off."
"High the volume," I said, walking to him. "Just wanna know how you can play that without looking at the keys."
He chuckled. "It's not that easy. But practice makes perfect."
"Really?"
"Yeah," he said
And I sat beside him, gazing at him as he is looking down, playing the melodious keys. I gaze at his pink lips, his curly hair, his winsome eyes. And everything about him was so amazing, it charmed me.
And here, Jackson looked at me for a while and smiled. I don't know why and I don't want to know. All I just want is to see more of his smile. To hear more of the music. Which he keeps showing. And it makes him more beautiful, and he was as pretty as the coolest girl's face.
"Look over there," he said, "did you see that snake on the window?"
I turned my head towards the window, scaring. "A snake? I don't see anything?"
"Another one is here," he said.
I turned my head to him to avoid being bitten, and then I was surprised, so surprised as Jackson kissed me.