Elevate

Laying Fragments

A glint of light stung my eyes as I tried to focus my sight on the copper table. It has been thirty minutes when we arrived at the base, but there was no presence here which welcomed us. Cody and Miguel weren’t here and we presumed that they were still together with Hannah and Macky. Perhaps Aunt Liech and Uncle William decided to have some time with them.

Guilbert kept moving in front of me back and forth as he crossed his arms. He was drawn by his deep thoughts, his eyebrows met each other. He rubbed his chin as he kept glancing over the clock, ticking on the wall. Loshiana came from the kitchen, grabbing a tray of grilled potatoes and dipping sauce. She placed it gently on the table and she let out a contemptuous look as she watched over Guilbert.

She sat beside me and simply crossed her leg. “Will you stop that? You’re making me dizzy.”

“Then, don’t look at me. Why aren’t they still here? It’s getting late.” He uttered with an irritated voice.

Clearly, Guilbert bothered too much with the group especially when there’s a quest that needed the group to be divided. He’s been cautious and strict by the rules. And whenever someone's late, then an acceptable reason might be necessary.

“Don’t think too much, Guilbs. They’re probably just having their time with the couple. Perhaps, they’re wandering around the forest right now. Just don’t be hard with yourself, will you?” Loshiana uttered to him.

I took a fine amount of the potato and dipped it in the sauce. Taking a bite, it melted so fast inside my mouth, making my eyes grow bigger. “Hmm! This is delicious.” I complimented.

I heard Loshiana giving in a sneer. A sudden knock was there on the door and we heard some soft talks behind it. Guilbert immediately moved to it. He held the knob firmly and opened the door, exposing the faces of the two men. They were wearing their trenchcoats and their shoes were wet and bulky by the soil sticking on their base. Slowly, Macky glanced over to us behind Cody. The boy was clasping his pants tight. Hannah, on the other hand, was standing still beside Miguel. But then, we were surprised to see Aunt Liech and most of all Uncle William. They were behind them.

Cody cleared his throat and made his way first. “Are you not going to let us in?” He facetiously asked.

Guilbert scratched the back of his head and took his side. “Of course you can. Good evening.”

I saw the kids pace down in our direction and threw us their hugs. The man was scanning the place, intently watching how our lives have been. I suddenly caught his radar and our eyes collided. There isn’t a sense of guilt we have shared the moment we have seen each other again. Maybe because we knew all along that we needed to keep ourselves distant for some reason. I smiled at him. Even though I wasn’t expecting him to respond, he gave me one.

Guilbert moved and helped them with their things. Aunt Liech had gained weight and she isn’t bringing the baby right now. They removed their shoes and went inside the base. Miguel closed the door for them as soon as Guilbert joined them. Loshiana offered them their seats. The woman hugged her tight. Aunt Liech had surely missed her.

Loshiana didn’t hold herself back and fondled the woman too. She might not be always with her back in time due to reasons and responsibilities together with Kinzel, Loshiana had been closed to Aunt Liech. They shared a lot of hobbies and their sense of maturity was somehow the same.

She offered her hand to me and I slowly shoved from my stool. Moving in their setting, Aunt Liech immediately wrapped her arms around me. I glanced over the man who’s just staring at us as he stood still. Gradually, I snuggled her tight. I missed them. How long has it been when we last saw each other? Even after the destruction, we haven’t talked nor got the time to see ourselves. Except for Guilbert and Loshiana, they often visited them in the forest. In fact, I thought that it was only I who haven’t seen them at all. I wasn’t sure if the two men have talked to them lately.

Uncle William dabbed me by the shoulder and smiled. It was new for me to see him like that – maybe a change of heart? We pulled from the hug and assisted them in the living room. Cody and Miguel decided to go to their rooms to change their clothes, while Loshiana progressed to the kitchen and prepared some coffee for them.

Guilbert and I sat across the couple. It was a chance for us to see them clearly as the light shined upon us. He has a pale white, pudgy body. And one thing that is very decipherable is his flabby paunch and dark brown hair. It never goes out of his style. Aunt Liech was as beautiful as ever since then. She is audacious, a risk taker and candid. Her hair, currently in a ponytail, had now turned into grey as her eyes were surrounded with wrinkles.

“Where’s the baby?” I smilingly asked.

“We decided to leave Matt with his Aunt Merida in the forest. It would be safe for the child to stay there and we also have to do a thing here.” Uncle Liam promptly answered.

“Oh. That’s good to hear.”

Still, in the back of my mind I was hoping to see my nephew. I bet he looks good like his older brother.

“Matt is cute and strenuous. He’s a curious cat.” Macky commented.

I chuckled and rubbed his head. “He’s just like you, Macky.”

“What?” His expression was unbelievable. “Of course not.” He crossed his arms and looked in the other way. “I’m more handsome than him and I’m not a bad child anymore.”

“Oooh, So, Macky is obeying his parents now.” I pinched his cheek and swiftly tickled him on his sides, making the kid burst into a laugh that he could cry at any moment.

Guilbert cleared his throat all of a sudden and we deliberately stopped teasing each other.

“Tsh. Who said that you’re different from Matt? You’re acting on your own. You wander around and is always curious about anything. You don’t think much and you’re being tenacious most of the time.” Hannah stated with a grim as her eyebrows began to confront each other.

“I am not.”

“Yes, you are-”

“Okay. Okay. That’s enough.” I didn’t let her finish because I could sense a hit of annoyance from Hannah. Probably because she had to look out for her brother. Somehow, she was right that Macky is an inquisitive person. And, we don’t blame him for being like that. Being held inside a laboratory for months, he deserved to see the real world and do the things that a normal child should be doing. A second chance it is.

Guilbert reverted his sight to the couple and uttered, “Is there anything we can help with?”

“We went here to tell you about something. It’s regarding the Informant.” Aunt Liech spoke.

Loshiana went back to us, now bringing with her a tray filled with cups of coffee. The boys have already changed their clothes and joined us in the living room. Guilbert darted over me and gave me an eye regarding the kids, telling me to do something. They don’t need to hear our talk this time.

I looked at them and held their hands. It’s almost nine in the evening too. They should get some rest. “It’s time for you to go to bed. Come on, let’s go.”

Hannah and Macky slowly stood from their seats and followed me into my room. Opening the door, I let them inside. They often wanted me to read them stories before they go to sleep. Grabbing one of my books, which was also the thing that Kinzel had used for me to rest, I moved to them and settled on the bed. So then, I gave them their favorite one as they lend me their ears. Being with them truly calmed my soul. Hannah and Macky reminded me of my life together with Cody. It was just like in their same age, when we used to go around the city to find just food and partial job for us to sustain and helped Uncle Liam and Aunt Liech.

It was peaceful that time and the couple had completely made themselves witnesses of how we grew. I saw them taking their yawns and rubbing their eyes. And it didn’t take much time for them to doze off to sleep. I observed them getting their dreams. Giving each a kiss on the forehead, I pulled the sheets and covered them.

Their childhood should be memorable and clear.

THIRD PERSON’S POV

The elusive scent of their drink flunked around. A large moth had entered the living room and settled itself in one of the corners near the bookshelf. It flapped its thin, whopping wings. Droplets of water continuously fell from the faucet in the kitchen where burdened, stodgy grey cobwebs filled the top of those erstwhile drawers.

Everything is a mess inside the base, but it seemed so well this past few weeks for the team.

Now that the couple have arrived and pulled themselves out from their nutshells, Era had grasped the ray of hope which was bestowed upon them. Seeing the man took himself was a great opportunity for them. They knew that their Uncle William was holding something that it could turn into a bomb for someone else. It was a silent menace. They have gathered in the living room and waited for Vixen to get out of the room. The man cleared his throat and laid out a question for them to answer.

“What are you up to right now?”

Loshiana held her hands together and spoke, “We’re currently looking for the secret passage that Penelope had told us. Mr. Everdeen had tasked us with that thing.”

William rubbed his temple. “I see. So, have you found it?”

Cody shook his head. “No. The hunt is still ongoing.”

Later on, they heard the room’s door clicked and slowly open, revealing Vixen herself. She gave them a smile and moved to them. Rubbing her hands on her pants, she took her rest beside Miguel on the right side. Grabbing another piece of potato, she enjoyed munching it.

“So, what are we going to discuss right now?” She asked them.

“Well, first. It’s good to see you right now and all of you. It really took me a lot of time to decide to go here, did I?” He chuckled.

Cody slowly nodded and took his notes.

“It’s about the Informant, Mr. Elikai Bryson. It’s sad to think that his name is still a part of what we’re going to do afterward.” He opened his dark brown bag with patches on the side. William took a thin, slightly crumpled paper. He unfolded it and carefully placed it on the table, revealing a contract signed by the Informant himself. But then, what came more flabbergasting was the evidence that Mr. Zyrender Everdeen had also signed the contract.

Basically, the man was working for him. That’s why Mr. Everdeen had so much information about the Royals and the Lowies back then, because Mr. Elikai is a man under him. The contract stated that Mr. Elikai would be working for him for two years and its expiration date was just three months ago, in which he had lost his life too.

Guilbert snatched the paper and intently read it. His face was getting gloomy as he examined it, almost gripping the sheet.

Mr. Zyrender is not the person you believe he is.

It dallied on Guilbert and Loshiana’s ears, and it was then they finally realized what Kinzel was thinking before. They looked at each other. Clearly, the woman was right. Mr. Everdeen is wearing a mask that they needed to pull from him. Knowing that he’s now acting as the current leader of the place, he’s in control. Yet, he seemed not to share his plans with them anymore. Maybe he was just busy and they’re just thinking too much. Well, the least that they would except for the man who helped them back then.

If things will turn upside down, then they would prepare for anything to be worse. Era had been into such appalling situations, yet they were able to survive. They’re not easily taken and it was their asset.

“Mr. Elikai was a friend of ours. He had helped our family not to be persecuted by Penelope. Before the explosion, we were able to get inside the city using the Old Mill. Yes, I am one of those people who’re being monitored by that time, but the man had helped me in getting away back in the forest. I wanted to thank him for that time, so I decided to go back at his place, but only to find out that he's killed.” He explained.

“How did you get back inside when Penelope had closed the passage in the Old Mill?” Miguel asked him right away.

“Someone had helped me. It’s the Invisible Girl.”

They gaped at each other and they knew it was Carmilla herself. Now, things are getting interesting.

“That woman…is Mr. Everdeen’s daughter. But I guessed, she’s on her own way in dealing with her father. I think she wanted to get away from him.”

Vixen rubbed her chin and thought for possible reasons to connect why Carmilla had helped their uncle.

“Why did she help you?” She asked her uncle.

The man intently stared at her and said, “Because she knew who killed the Informant.”

The bell had rung so hard in front of them, slapping them by the veracity that their own friend, Carmilla had kept something so viable. They needed to know why the lady did it.

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, I’m not sure if she really saw it or she just heard about it-”

The flower vase that was standing still on the kitchen's shelf had suddenly fallen, which cut him off directly. Everyone looked in the same spot and was left with concerns on why it shattered on the ground. A sigh went out from Loshiana and said, “You can show yourself now.”

Slowly, a woman appeared in front of them and picked up the flowers that were on the floor. She was wearing her skinny black jeans and black leather jacket. Her hair was in a messy bun. She was anxious when she faced them. It was Carmilla. Everyone was shocked when they perceived her.

Guilbert stood straight. “What are you doing here and how did you enter the place?”

The woman exhaled and kept the flowers near her chest. “Just when your uncle and your aunt entered. I was with them when they got here. But, they didn’t know.” She glanced at the two. “I decided to stroll around, hoping to see something but then I saw them going here so I followed. I didn't know you’re going to talk about the former Informant. Trust me, I don’t mean harm here.” She explained herself and raised her hands slightly.

“Then better get your butt on the couch and explain yourself more. Why don’t you clarify your side too?” Guilbert suggested to her.

The lady nodded promptly and went to sit beside Vixen as she stared over at her. “You don’t have to give me that look, Vix. I know what you’re thinking.”

Vixen pulled her gaze from her and peeped the other way around. “It’s not like that. I was just wondering why you needed to hide yourself using your power when you can just reveal yourself and freely went inside with them.”

“I needed not to disclose myself right now on why I’m doing this, but I hoped you won't take it as a negative one. Just trust me with this thing.”

“How are we going to trust you when even you’re like this? Carmilla…your strength; being an invisible girl, is a great advantage and can be a weapon to take down anyone. Remember, you were the one who captured Penelope back in the third level. How are we going to do what you’re asking us when you can’t just do a simple thing by revealing yourself at front. You can’t put the blame if we’re going to see you as a threat and more like a spy.” Guilbert said.

“We should at least let her explain her side before we take action, don’t we?” Aunt Liech said to them.

The woman could clearly see the tension that’s engulfing the area. She needed to act straight or Guilbert would be making a ruckus. Somehow, she knew that Carmilla has a reason to do such a thing.

Guilbert took an intensed exhaustion and settled down on his chair. He bit his lip and waited for her to concede.

“You don’t have to tell us that it’s all for your mother again, because all of us here have lost someone too.” He added.

“Guilbz…” Cody held him by the shoulder, enough to remind him of the line that needed not to be crossed.

“I-I know that. And, to my mother and sibling…I know I already gave them the justice they needed, even if I’m not related to them by blood. Perhaps, my instincts just told me to do it, but I didn’t regret it. I should have known from the start where this is leading me. But for now, I could feel like I’m a living puppet being controlled by my own dad…” She said with her low voice, holding closed her leathered jacket.

“What do you mean by that, Carms?” Loshiana pondered.

“I thought at first that he just wanted me to do things the other way around, but I think he’s just letting me be away with you. Lately, he instructed me to find the flash drive that was lost. But when it took me time in searching, he reverted me in a mission in finding another thing.” She narrowed her sight to William and gave him a faint smile. “And…the reason why I decided to help William was because I needed him to be a witness for something.”