City of Sinners

Chapter 27

Still bearing the trauma from the previous event that we had suffered, I sat on a giant boulder that was beside a huge tree, where I managed to save Agos from. From my own bag, I grabbed a small pill which, despite the small letters embedded in it, could be read as water. I crunched it with my thumb and index finger, and soon, a pixelated red light appeared and formed as a bottle of water. little by little, I am getting familiar and used to this kind of system.

While looking afar, particularly at the river of Sao Garde which has turned into a river of fire, my thoughts drift off, and went into different scenarios, different what ifs that has been bugging me. To relieve the stress, I drank from my bottle of water.

“You seemed too anxious.”

A familiar voice from behind me has appeared. Quickly, I looked at him to check whether if indeed it was him or not.

Glad that I finally saw him standing—which now about to sit beside me, I called; “Valour.”

“I’m fine, if you will ask. Had enough rest and had calmed myself now,” he said as he finaly sat beside me.

“That’s not what I am going to ask,” I said, trying to tease him.

With curiosity, he quickly fixed his stare at me. “What then?” he asked.

“I was about to ask about how embarrassed you’ve felt when you whimpered earlier, when you remembered the thing about the demon?”

Suddenly, I saw Valour’s face turning into color of embarrassed red. From that, I could not help myself, but to release an unrestrained laugh.

“Sitri, making fun of other’s dilemma is unethical,” he suddenly said, trying to suppress the flush of redness on his cheeks.

“Wow, how cool of you talking about,” I raised both of my hands, fingers were folded except of the index and middle finger, then moved it as I imitated a quotation-like sign, “dilemma and unethical.”

Valour sighed. “You’re just making fun of me.”

“No, I’m not. It’s just that … well, earlier when I heard it from you, I have to be honest that I actually felt worried for you. You sounded frightened and traumatized—which I understood because I even experienced the power of those demons earlier, but compared to you, the time is less shorter. So I understand where you are coming from. It’s just that …”

“Ah, here we go again with your childish acts,” he said, irritated.

“What?” I asked, trying not to laugh. “I just want to say that when I remember your whimpers, I realized that you … you sounded like a frightened dog.” Then, from that, I could not help my self anymore but to laugh.

Valour looked at me in disgust. “That is not even funny, Sitri.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. It’s just me and my shallow sense of humor,” I said. I stopped laughing, and immediately, there was silence—but, just like the other silence we shared, it was comfortable—that has surrounded us.

“But I am happy that you’re safe,” I said, breaking the silence.

“Yeah, me too. Because if by any chance, I died, there will be no one who will baby sit you anymore.”

From that, I stared at him sharply. “That’s offending.”

Valour shrugged, and pretended as if he wasn’t affected by my stare. “I was just telling the truth. You need a baby sitter beside you, isn’t it?”

“And who’s gonna baby sit me? Someone who whimpers like a scared dog?” I stood up, irritated. Without looking back, I decided to head towards where the others were found. I even heard Valour asking me where I was going, and he was laughing as he asks me that. Because I’m kind of irritated at him, I did not bother to reply anymore. That man was really annoying. Though at some pint, he’s of good help, but most of the time, he does nothing but to annoy me or even ruin my joy, especially right before the comet explosion, and this appearance of hell occurred.

I reached the place where the gangs were mostly occupying. Most of them are resting, because they have been so tired after the fight we have done to the demon. Even I was tempted to rest just like what they are doing, but I’m afraid I could not do it—I am sure that I won’t be able to sleep nor feeling relaxed because of the place and of the trauma that I had experienced inside my realm of dreams. Other of the gang members has volunteered to guard the place. This is not a safe zone, that is why we still have to keep our guards tight.

I originally planned to go and find Solomon in order to discuss some things to him. I wanted to know what’s his next plan, so that I would know whether if I could help him over something.

However, when I am about to search the area, a group of men had blocked my path. They were kind of familiar to me, but I don’t know to what gang do they belongs to. Each of them, they were looking at me as if they were lost children who was trying to find a home.

“Uhh …” I muttered, trying to remove the awkwardness that was creeping in between of us. “What can I help you guys?” I asked.

Yet, about many seconds passed, but they were not responding—they were shy. Each of them were pushing and nudging each other, forcing that one of them shall speak, as if a student who was about to tell something to a teacher, but was feeling shy. That means I am a teacher.

“They wanted to ask if they could be adopted by you, Sitri.” Beside me, Agos popped up, and then talked in behalf of the shy men in my front.

Quickly, I realized that they’re from the gang of Owls. That is why they are not as domineering and does not have a boastful presences unlike the others. These men were sift to look at—which made me think in what way were they able to join a gang, if they were as shy as this.

“They’re from the Owls?” I asked, in order to ensure that my realizations were right.

Agos shyly nodded. “Yes, Sitri. We’re the remains of the Owl gang.” He scratched his head, making him obvious that he too was feeling shy. “And … you know, we have a big problem.”

“Which is related to the running of your gang; who to lead and what’s the next thing to do?” I asked, but in the tone of being sure that I am telling a fact.

“That’s … yeah. Precisely. That is why one of us thought that what if we don’t choose the next leader anymore? What if we just skip planning what’s the next thing to do—because we’ll surely fail. All of us here were far from being as good as Hylos, our leader. Then, instead of making the gang still be kept on running, we thought, what if we just transfer to another gang. What if we could find another gang that would want to adopt us, like a lost puppy in the street. And we thought of the Vultures first, because you have unhesitatingly helped us—me—from the sur death,” he explained, paused, let the silence creeped in, then continued: “that is … if you want to keep us in your group.” Then he suddenly raised his hand, waved it along with panic on his face, and said, “you don’t have to say yes, Sitri. It’s—It’s okay. We’re just … just thinking of possibilities.”

I sighed. When he finished explaining, I now answered: “I … can’t let you in on our gang.”

Hearing my answer, the faces of the men has noticeably turned sad in a sudden snap. Even Agos, his face went from shy, then sad.

“Because I am not the leader,” I continued. “You see, I am just a mere member of the Vulture gang, and I don’t have an enough high position to tell whether if you’ll be part of our family now, or not. Our leader will.”

Just with the right timing, I saw Gaston walking not far from us.

“Gaston!” I waved my had after calling him, so that he could easily see me.

Gaston smiled at me when he had finally saw me. I signed my hand to come towards where we are, and after a second, he was already right in front of us.

“What’s it, Sitri? Got any problem?” he asked while looking at Agos and the Owls with curiosity.

“We’ve got an issue,” I started.

“What’s it?”

“These Owls here, they want something from the Vultures.”

“N—No, it—it’s not a want, Sitri. We’re just … hoping,” suddenly, Agos interfered.

“So you mean you don’t ‘want’ to be part of Vultures, but just a ‘maybe we could join’?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

“No! we want to be part of the Vultures. In fact, you guys were the prio gang. It’s just that, y’know, maybe we’re … not fit.”

“Not fit to be part of the Vulture gang? Tell that to me who’s been told that women can’t be in a field dominated by men. Can’t join any gang,” I reasoned out. From that, even though it was just a little amount, I immediately noticed the sudden lifting of the mood of those owls.

“Hey, I got the problem already,” interfered Gaston. “So these dopes here wanted to become a scavenging birds, instead of remaining as nocturnal, flightless feathered gang?”

“That’s right,” I replied, and then I added, “Wow, how had you thought those metaphors? I thought you’re dumb?”

Gaston looked at me while pouting his lips. The way he had done it was gross that I even wanted to throw whatever I have eaten earlier. This big, bulk man who has an edgy face was making a pout, and was trying to be cute! What’s more gross than that?

“You’re making your leader sad, Sitri.”

I bit my lower lip in rage and was about to him him hard on his edgy face, but he suddenly dodged, and then laughed.

“A’right, a’right, Vulture’s Gem. Not gonna tease you anymore, okay? Just get rid of your fist away of me. I’ll start talking to these kids,” he said, laughing.

I calmed myself and then released the pressure away from my fist.

“Got to leave them to you. I’m going to talk to Solomon.”

“They’re behind that giant tree opposite from where we are. They’re guarding the place,” Gaston told.

“Right, thank you,” I said, looking at the giant tree. After seconds, I shifted back my gaze towards them. “I’ll leave now. Talk to the Owls after. If ever you’d have hard time to decide and you need votes from the vultures, I’ll vote wanting them to be part of us. The more the members of our gang, the happier it’ll be”

Before I leave, I’ve seen how the sad and awkward emotions the Owls have, has suddenly turned into bright, full of hope expressions. They turned happy.

Well, I guess I could not deny the fact that I too, was feeling blissful whenever I could help someone.