Pandora's Box

Chapter 33

Jennifer’s Point of View

The world has been so dark for me these recent days. Dr. Sarah, Alexander’s older sister has been so nice to me, and the other two.

Boys are not allowed to enter this room.

That’s why I don’t see Alexander around.

They are too supportive, which is I am glad of because I needed that. They bring me food, give me hugs whenever I am crying, waking up because of a nightmare they are always there.

But this night, I saw Dr. Sarah stand up.

I checked the time and it was 1 am, she should be asleep by now. That’s her daily routine. There is not much to do here, so whenever I have free time for myself, I observe them. I know how they behave especially Dr. Sarah. Because she is the one that took my interest.

She is too disciplined.

Even though she is too busy, she always sleeps on time, wakes up early too, I can tell, even I am not waking up as early as them.

There are times that even in sleep I observe them because I am too afraid to be left here alone.

That feeling that when you open your eyes, you are all alone here.

Well, I fear so much recently and I don’t know why.

It was fun, but now I am curious about what made Dr. Sarah stand up from her bed and ditch her healthy sleeping schedule. We share the same bed. So, we are side by side, and this is one of the nights that my insomnia attacks me, and it’s so hard for me to sleep.

I got up.

I took three deep breathes. Battling myself if I am supposed to follow here and I asked myself if I am ready to leave this bed.

The very reason why I am stuck here is that I feel so safe under this blanket. I want to protect myself. Yes, that is the very reason why.

I want to protect myself.

I think my heart is too fragile now, and I am the only holder. I can’t blame anyone else if this breaks. I can’t trust anyone right now.

I feel that if I stay here and give myself some time, I can regain my strength. Then one day I will feel that I am fully charged and ready to talk to them again.

So many reasons for me to be afraid.

I think... I don’t know how long I’m stuck in this bed.

I feel so thirsty.

I am so hesitant if I should leave.

Well... water won’t hurt, right?

Eek.

No water.

I am so shy to ask them for some. I don’t want to wake them up. If I can... I sighed. I guess I need to stand up... for my own sake.

I don’t want to be like this forever. I know that many people are worried about me.

My mom, has so many missed calls on my phone right now, and I have Cheryl’s phone so there are so many missed calls there too.

I know that she is extremely worried.

By now, I am sure that the news of what’s happening here had already reached her. I am so sorry mom.

But I am not ready. To tell you everything... to tell you that Cheryl is d-

I can’t!

I am not ready!

I’m not!

I pulled back the blanket and hid under its protection.

I feel safe...

. . . .

I was woken up by something scratching. I looked all around hoping that I will see the one creating that noise... but there is nothing.

I looked up and realized that the source of the noise comes from there.

When I realized...

I am out of my bed.

Curiosity has gotten the best of me.

Again...

I sighed.

But I am out of bed. That prison.

I guess I am ready now.

I checked the time.

I am surprised to see, that it’s only been thirty minutes since I slept again. I remember...

Dr. Sarah is still not here, maybe finding some answers for that too won’t hurt.

I remember that Dr. Sarah told me that the database of this room’s security system has my biodata, such as my fingerprint.

I just have to put my thumbprint on the scanner and I waited for it to finish scanning. I smiled at myself. I guess this is fair enough.

Dude...

The door in front of me opened.

What greeted me surprised me the most. I saw them, doing something. I can still hear the strange sound, but I saw Alexander’s eyes widening.

He was surprised, and a smile formed on my lips.

“Surprise,” I said trying to cheer up my voice.

Then he went straight to me and he hugged me.

It was warm. Same as the blanket. I feel safe. It’s addicting, but never again. I just got out. My mind changes so quickly. Earlier, I am telling myself that I am not still ready for that but there I am standing. I want to laugh at myself because of that.

Well, here I am standing.

And he is hugging me.

I smiled.

“You’re, okay?” I heard Dr. Sarah ask me. I want to nod at her but her brother is hugging me tightly so it’s hard for me to breathe.

“I know, I know,” I told him. “You missed me, I missed you to Alex,” I told him, and is he crying? I wanted to take a look, but every time I try to escape his embrace, he just hugs me tightly. I am so confused right now.

I guess he is just too shy to show me that he is crying.

I hugged him back.

Then I heard a sniffle.

“That’s it,” I told him. “Why are you crying?” I asked him immediately.

I heard a burst of laughter behind him.

He released me and I can breathe well now, why is he crying?

He did not answer me.

He just wipes his tear and when I look behind him, I saw two women, I know Dr. Sarah but the other one.

I don’t know her; she seems familiar but this is the first time that I saw her.

With just a first look, I think I know her personality.

“HI! I’M ECHO!” she cheerfully greeted me with a bright smile. My jaw dropped when I heard that from her. What the actual heck! I don’t know what to say.

They say that don’t judge a book by its cover, and I think that is true. Geez! I can’t believe despite her gloomy look; her smile is brighter than ours combined. Maybe she is just like this, her style.

I am not the one to judge that. It makes her happy, why would I?

I awkwardly waved my hand towards her because for me it is too awkward.

“W- what are you doing?” I asked them.

“Something is happening outside,” Alexander told me but I saw Dr. Sarah pinched his arm.

“Ouch! What’s that for?” her little brother pouted towards her.

She just gave him a look, that’s why Alexander just shut his mouth. Too late, I am already curious.

“What happened?” I asked.

Dr. Sarah just shove aside her little brother and I laughed because of that because of how she acts. Alexander being an obedient little brother just stood aside watching his sister come towards me.

“Something broke outside,” she told me. I don’t why she needs to do that but it’s not my place to judge.

. . . .

Alexander’s Point of View

After we are done preparing for the electric fences that we are putting around the shelter so those who escaped.

I mean the artificial ones, can’t get in here. She said that they are drawn to their gadgets’ electromagnetic signals.

And there is nothing that can help us here to jam the signal to prevent it from reaching outside, I suggested foil because well I can find it everywhere. My sister just laughed at me because of that suggestion, and for that, to work, we need tons of it.

What I mean by tons, literally tons! The weight measurement so, I just kept my mouth shut and dared not to say another thing to them.

I just went on with their plan covering this place with electrical wires. I mean there are still weak spots, but sis just told me to wait for the result, and trust Echo because she is a pro when it comes to this kind of thing.

“Why didn’t you tell Jen the truth earlier?” I asked her when Echo invited Jennifer to the kitchen to get something to eat. She told me that we need to make sure that there is nothing outside, just to be safe.

She just gave me the look that shuts me up earlier.

“What do you think she will feel if she knew that there is something outside trying to get in here and might be wanting us dead?” she asked me and my eyes widened because that’s so long. I remember that she told me that it’s too hassle for her to say such long sentences.

“Scared?” I guessed because that’s what I feel right now and I think that it is natural to be scared.

“Exactly,” I guess, I am correct too. “She is afraid that’s why she doesn’t go out, and if you want to see her, don’t give her another reason not to go outside that room again,” she gave me a sermon. Thankfully Jen was not there to hear it all.

But she gave me a reason to keep my mouth shut.

I don’t want her to get inside of that room again and isolate herself from everyone again. Especially to me.

Because I want to see her every day.

I want to be with her every day.

Echo and she came back.

What my sister told me earlier echoed inside my mind. If it is possible to put a zipper on my mouth, I would just be so sure.

“Really?” I heard echo explain and I saw Jen chuckle.

It’s been so long- actually days but it feels so long for me, the last time I saw her smile. This is a refreshment for me. It gave me energy for some reason, and I am all here for it.

I just stare at her, until she stares back at me.

I don’t know what to say.

I just smiled at her.

“You’re in love,” I heard my sister whisper in my ear. I know sis, I know.

“I know,” I whispered back at her and I can imagine her covering her mouth with both of her hands.

“Hopelessly in love,” she told me which made me frown.