Pandora's Box

Chapter 31

Alexander’s Point of View

I woke up at 1 in the afternoon because I slept too late at night. Even we are under the ground, I can tell because there is a clock inside our room.

I am thankful that my roommates did not wake me up.

I still feel dizzy and drained because of my sleep schedule. That’s why I don’t want to stay late at night. Solely because of that.

I get up on my bed and yawned. I feel weak and the urge of sleeping again is very strong. I want to lay down but there is a long day ahead of me.

Tonight, I will probably sleep early. I want to do my daily workout but I can’t because of the time I sleep. It’s bad for the body. I guess it’s rest day right now, and there is something bitter in my mouth. Dry saliva. Happens when I stay late at night.

I need to think of something that will wake up my body.

I stare at the door that leads to the bathroom that exists inside this room. Probably taking a shower is the most reasonable thing to wake up my body.

I stood up and walked timidly towards the bathroom. I grabbed my bag, and get my toothbrush and the toothpaste that I brought alongside me. It’s not that everywhere I go, my mouth-cleaning utensils will magically teleport in every bathroom I go.

This is a necessity when it comes to traveling. Don’t forget your things, because you will regret it. Besides, there is no store on this underground.

Once I grabbed it, I faced the mirror in the sink.

The bathroom here is impressively clean, so it’s not disgusting to use. I opened the faucet and let the waterfall from the tap.

I scoop it up after putting my toothbrush and toothpaste on the side. I splashed it on my face and the coolness of the water slightly woke me up. What a great way to start my morning. I face the mirror and squinted my eyes that feel so heavy. Maybe water will make it light for some reason.

One more splash and I brushed my teeth. Afterward, I took a shower. I feel so alive for some reason. I put on some new clothes, and I didn’t care how I will look like because any clothes that I put on will surely look good on me.

That’s true.

It is as if the clothes that I wear themselves adjust themselves for me. Like a god, but on clothes.

I get outside and everyone looks at me, they are surprised. Everyone is busy but all of them have a plate in their hand. It’s lunchtime, I guess.

But for me, it’s my brunch time. Ha-ha funny. But the first person that my eyes searched for was Jen. Hoping that today she decided to get out of her room.

Honestly, I miss her so bad.

I want to see her.

But she needs the time. I need to understand that. She is sad and she needs to grieve for her lost sister.

I want to be the one, that will console her every time that she is sad.

Echo is not here too, should be expected because she I slept earlier than her. It’s her nighttime in her perspective because she is much awake at night.

I saw my sister coming to me, and I prepared myself, she will probably check on me. Because I stayed up late at night.

“What did you do last night?” she asked me and I said that line inside my mind. Like we are in sync. She is always like that to me. Her baby brother, I don’t have a problem with it, it’s just embarrassing in the public.

I mean come on! We are all grown-ups here, if we have a bully with us here right now, he or she will probably call me a baby boy. A big baby boy.

“Insomnia attack,” I answered her question honestly hoping that it will satisfy her.

“Since when?” she asked me again. Maybe the wrong answer, but it’s the truth.

“What when?” I asked her back.

“Since when you had insomnia,” she repeated her question and added some details so I could fully understand her question.

“College,” I answered her. Yeah, I stay usually late at night to finish all my tasks and research projects. Since my course and the school likes to put a heavy burden on the back of their students. Honestly, I feel bad for the others who are struggling.

Maybe it is good for them to shift courses.  

She caressed my cheek and even it is so embarrassing for me, I feel weak. I don’t want to slap away the hand of the only family that I have left in this world. She is everything that I have. I don’t want her to be away from me. She is my strength.

“Don’t overstress yourself,” she told me and I can feel the concern in her words.

“I know, I won’t overstress myself,” I assured her. Then she put her hand away from my cheek, and thankfully it seems like that everyone here, knows the meaning of affection and they seem to not mind at all.

I can breathe well and rest well right now.

“By the way, have your lunch,” she told me and I gladly followed her because I am so hungry right now. Food won’t harm, isn’t it?

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I feel so full right now, I burped because I have eaten so much and the meal was delicious. Turns out that my sister has been stocking up food here and she comes here often to prepare, and the food that is near expiration she takes with her and supplies it with fresh products.

The sheer amount of dedication is impressive enough.

I mean, it’s too hassle just to have ingredients here and meat to keep in check. If it were me, I would probably stock this storage with supplies that takes ten years to expire. Like processed foods, in cans, and instant ramen.

But for the sake of mental fortitude, she told me, that this kind of food that is cooked with love is good for everybody.

As if I can argue with her.

She is naturally a good cook since she is the only one that has to look out for me. She cooks delicious foods, and I am happy that she did that for us.

I love her and that won’t change.

“Dude, I did not know that your big sis can cook well,” I heard Jose whisper on my side while I put a mouthful of dessert in my mouth. A banana split with chocolate syrup on top. Just to boost our morale.

I want to live like this every day but on the outside.

Lowkey, I feel so proud when he told me that. Because that is my sister he is talking about.

I looked at him.

“Yeah,” I cheaply answered him and it looks like that he is satisfied with my response so he did not bother me that much and put his attention on the food.

I am glad that everyone here is enjoying her cooking.

After that, I grabbed a glass of water, and the man with a thick beard is the one doing the dishes. Based on my observation. It seems like that he and my sis, are pretty close.

I never heard my sister being together with someone. If she chooses this man, then I have no problem with it but I won’t lower my guard every time that he is around her.

If he hurts her, then I won’t think twice to get him away from her. He must make sure to make my precious sister happy all the time.

He seems like a good man, and he is a leader based on the conversation between us all, the other day. He likes to stand up, and ideal man for my sister. The type of man, that will care for her. I don’t mind honestly.

I don’t mind what will the man in her life will look like. As long as they love each other and HE cares for her. Then we are good.

My sister deserves to be happy just like me.

It seems like that she is supporting me on Jen.

I have to do the same to her.

She has sacrificed that much for me.

A little favor to her won’t hurt, right?

There are things that I won’t do, like meddling with her life because every decision she makes is up to her. But I can surely say that I am always here on the sideline, waiting for her to ask for my help. Because I will gladly do so.

There is this saying that a man or a woman, builds up his or her own by their own choices in life, they fall but they stand up but sometimes, at some point of their lives they will need a helping hand to fully stand up and walk straight again.

What a great saying right?

After my sister is alone again, and she is reading a book, I decided to sit beside her.

Everyone is back to their own business and even here, their research doesn’t stop.

“Sis,” I called to her.

“Hmm,” she turns to another page.

“I know some secret of yours,” I want to be honest with her as much as possible and I want to inform her about last night or should I say earlier? Because it happened on the same day... You know what I mean.

She stopped reading and she turned her attention to me. I piqued her attention and that is a good sign.

“What secret?” she curiously asked me.

“The cameras,” I told her. She was surprised. She should be because Echo and she are the only ones who know about the surveillance room.

“How?” she asked me.

“Echo showed me,” I answered her honestly.

“You met her?” she said in a manner as if I am not supposed to meet that woman.

“Yes, last night she bumped onto me, she was loud though,” I said and I chuckled on the last part because it seems like that she is so out of character from what I expected from her.

“Yeah, she is always like she just has social anxiety and is not great around many people so she avoids waking up in the morning where all of us are awake,” she explained.

I see so that’s why.

“But there is something important that I have to tell you,” I told her and her expression turned into a serious one quickly.

“What is it?” her tone changed too.

“There is a creature that is trying to get in her without being detected by your defense system,” I told her honestly.

“What did you just say?”