Pandora's Box

Chapter 6

The night has passed and I woke up with the blaring sound of my alarm clock.  I don’t know what happened but it did not bother me as usual.

Because this is a very special day and I am thankful for the clock for waking me up.

I rose and ope- oops I remembered that I don’t have a window. Hehe. Well, forget about that.

I stood up and went straight to my bathroom to clean my face. Once I got in, I quickly searched for the sink, and what I did is open the faucet and splash water on my face which is very good.

I feel refreshed.

Since this is not my own house, I went back to the bed table where I put my bag that carries my luggage, where I put my personal things.

I searched for my own toothbrush and toothpaste, that was covered in a clean dry plastic to make sure that it won’t get infected by any dirty means.

A cup...

Ohh, they really are prepared.

This is like a house prepared for your arrival and this is very convenient.

I grabbed one of the drinking cups and went back to the bathroom. The first thing I did was fill the cup with water, I put it aside and put a toothpaste on my toothbrush.

I started to brush my teeth.

As I am brushing my teeth, I looked at the mirror where I clearly see my face, it was a bit fogged up and the cold temperature of this room because of the air conditioning.

I’m so messed up.

I need to look presentable.

All people here are professional researchers and I don’t want myself to look like a kid to them.

That’s why I brought my own researcher outfit, which is a pair of brown pants, and a blouse. Well, that’s the way I see them, behind their lab coats.

I am sure that they will provide us lab coats when it is needed, and also, I don’t want to make myself look like wannabe later.

The cringe, and I cannot bare to think about it.

Minutes have passed, and I am looking at myself in a whole-body mirror.

All prepped up and what’s left for me is to meet my companions. My heart is racing right now and I’ve been blabbering about this over and over again, but I won’t get tired of saying this.

I am so excited about the tour.

I grabbed my phone and my brown handbag that carries my other necessities. Like a camera, wait, is taking photo allowed?

Well, Alexander invited that vlogger, I’m sure that they will allow just a picture of the creatures here for sake keeping.

A notebook for documentation, and a pen. I will write down all the knowledge that I will hog out from this place.

I can use all the information in my study and to my advantage from other students, I aim to be a citizen of this place. I will stop at nothing to achieve that dream.

Reaching this place is just a starting step forward for me.

I sprayed a little cologne to myself, to get that first good impression from other researchers.

I wonder, who will guide us in the tour today. I hope Alexander’s sister will be the one in charge because I already feel comfortable with her around me.

Well, let’s be real here, she praised me, and I like that feeling.

Let’s just say that I already know her attitude, well a little bit but still I still know her attitude. I know what will she like in terms of conversation and it seems like that we will get along really well.

I like to talk to her more and about those terra formers, I caught a little glimpse of it, but it will really feel different if you yourself see it with your own two eyes.

I checked the time.

It’s ten minutes before seven o’clock. Seven o’clock was the set time for us to be in the meeting spot. I don’t want to be late.

I cannot remember what number my sister’s room is, and with how the room numbers are arranged in this place.

No way...

Besides she did not come here to see those magnificent creatures, but to have an alone time with her boyfriend.

Since ten minutes is not that long, I quickly went outside.

“Hey,” I heard Alexander’s voice as I close my door.

After making sure that door is locked, I slowly turned my head to him.

“Oh hey,” I greeted him back.

“Excited?” he asked.

“You bet I am,” I enthusiastically replied to him.

“Just what to be expected from you Jen,” he then pinched my cheeks but I just pouted at him.

“Am I that too nerdy?” I asked him.

“Yes, you are the nerdiest girl I met,” he said. I pouted my lips again because of that comment. “You know I’m joking right?” he then asked me and he genuinely sounds so nervous.

I chuckled a little.

“I totally got you there.”

He then gave me momentarily blank stare.

“I though you were serious for a moment there,” he remarked.

“Why would I? I know that I am a nerd and so what?” I said those words with pure confidence in my tone.

“That’s what I like about you,” he said.

“What?” I didn’t get the meaning behind those words.

He was dumbfounded for a moment and the he blinked his eyes for a moment, and there he looks at me.

“I mean, I like that attitude of yours,” he said.

“Ohhh,” that’s what he meant. I blushed a little because I took it in as a compliment.

“Oh, my sis,” then I heard the overexaggerated voice of my sister besides me.  I looked at her with her boyfriend by her side. “Is what I am seeing real?” she asked. “You are acting like a lovey dovey with our sponsor?” she added.

“And you are the one to ask,” I replied. “Besides we are just friends, period,” I clarified the relationship between us two to her. “Right?” then I asked Alexander.

“Yes, yes,” he nodded acting bitter. What’s gotten into him all of a sudden? “Let’s go, my sister is there probably waiting for us,” he said and then he started walking.

He is acting so strange all of a sudden.

I looked at my sister with a confused look, and I shrugged my shoulders to tell her that I don’t know what is happening.

“You’ve hurt his feelings,” she said.

“What? How?” I asked.

“Never mind sis, you’ll know soon enough,” she said as she walks towards me. “Let’s go,” she said and then she gave me a kiss on the cheek.

They went on ahead leaving me here standing alone confused.

But I did not bother myself that much, with what she meant by those words.

I followed them.

Moments later, we are gathering in the lobby, turns out that we are here for more waiting since Dr. Sarah is taking care of things, according to her assistant.

What’s worse is that the loud and annoying vlogger is by my side.

“Sup Rizalians,” Rizalians? Who does he think he is? The national hero of the Philippines. But that’s how he calls his community. “Your boy Jose Chua here is up for more treats for you all,” he added. He is not even a pure Filipino,

Am not discriminating him in regards with his race but using the name of the National hero for something so senseless, is purely disrespect to the man.

If only he didn’t get on my nerves, maybe there is another train of thought circling in my mid right now.

“We are going on a tour now, and let’s see what kind of creatures we will see later, from this tiny bit of captive animals here, to monstrous like one,” and then he is acting like a crazy man besides me right now.

I know his motives here; he will add a special effect later.

That’s why he looks so crazy because this is a raw footage and he has gotten a hold of it. But still annoying, at least I like his choice of words when it comes to addressing the terra former, not just calling them out right monsters, but creatures just like all that lives here on earth.

He dropped his camera and for some reason his expression changed. Yes, I am observing his face giving him a bad stare, hoping that it will melt him.

That change of expression just lasted for a little bit when he saw me staring at me.

“A fan?” he asked. “Wait you are that nerd yesterday? I am sorr-“

“No, no I am not a fan I am just annoyed with your loudness, it’s something like you are invading our PRIVATE space, and also, yes I am a NERD,” I told him with fierce in my voice and from the looks of it, he seems intimidated with what I just said.

“Hold your horses there miss, I am sorry, I am just like this in front of my camera gotta keep my viewers entertained,” he excused, and gotta say a petty one because it is not a valid reason for him to disturb anyone’s personal space.

“What about us people around you?” I asked him.

“There’s that too, okay okay I am sorry if called you a nerd and for being loud, I just don’t know that you don’t like loud voices,” he said.

His voice changed too.

A mystery.

But maybe it’s just the way he is.

“Hey there guys,” in an instant I ignored this Jose besides me and I looked at Dr. Sarah who is in front of us now, and I gotta say out of breath too. “I am sorry for the delay,” she then apologized and there is nothing to apologize for doc. “We are ready to go for the tour, for jus a little moment while we deal with the red alert,” she said.

Red Alert? That is not nice to hear.

“Red Alert?” I asked Dr. Sarah.

“It means that a very dangerous event is happening there is many reasons for it to be triggered because of how cautious the government here is but not something worries some, usually its new terraformers have been found within the country or born,” she said. “Just like now, but everything is as fine as the sea in the shore,” she said. “Now shall we get going?” she said.

We nodded.

“Then let’s shall proceed with the tour,” she said and she turned to her assistant and grabbed the white towel that it hands to her.

We stood up, but my attention was quickly shifted when I noticed that I dropped something.

It’s my pocket watch, with what my sister has given to during my 18th birthday, it contains the picture with the both of us, but when I opened it.

I was concerned that our picture was broken.