The night slowly withered away as dawn approached. Ms. Valeria's coughing riddled throughout the night.
My body wouldn't let me get a good night's rest. Emerging from my covers I felt so tired. This was the earliest I've been up in a while.
Getting out of bed I watched as everyone slept so soundly. Luther was almost off the bed as his covers were off and his shirt up.
Cleo laid neatly under his covers as his feet were exposed to the slight chill of the room. Jackson faintly snored as his durag slipped off while he slept.
Runi slept on the covers themselves as Dahlia slept fully under them. Alex and Marcel's beds were empty. Leaving the bedroom I slowly closed the door behind me as dim light shone through the living room.
Glancing to my right Ms. Valeria's door was slightly cracked open. I can only assume Marcel stayed by her side.
I quietly stepped into the bathroom as I looked at myself in the mirror. My deep brown eyes looked as black as ever—as dead as ever, almost like there wasn't a living thing behind this face.
Reminiscing on Runi's touch gave me a fleeting sense of warmth, but nothing sticks. I sighed as I walked into the living room. The stillness of the cabin felt so surreal—so peaceful.
As the sun began to rise more and more I opened the front door and poked my head out. A frigid gust of wind rushed past me as I looked to the sky. I looked back down as I felt myself smiling. A genuine smile.
I slipped on my sandals as I began to walk the forest path. Rays of light pierced through the treetops as I got closer to the big oak tree.
Alex laid against the tree as he slept holding his vusk. His grip on it was tight—almost as if he dropped it the whole world would end.
Even as he slept he looked so sad. I envy how well he can hide his emotions from others. I sat next to the sleeping Alex. "I knew you would be out here."
I looked down as I played with my hands. "I'm sorry for blaming everything on you… I know that wasn't fair to say."
"Is it okay if I just… sit here for a moment?" I mumbled as my eyes grew heavy. Before I knew it I could feel myself begin to snore.
I tried to force myself up as the cold air gradually began to warm but my body wouldn't cooperate.
I took a deep sigh filled with defeat as I untensed my body and succumbed to my weariness.
**
"Wake up boy."
"Come on, wake up."
"Wake up Simon dear."
My body jolted awake. I strained my eyes as I swiftly looked around. Taking a moment to breathe I quickly calmed down.
I looked up to the beaming sun as I noticed my shirt was damp. I've been burning up out here. The trees that would normally act like a shield couldn't stop today's heat. Even the shade was hot.
"What time is it?" I mumbled under my breath as I took off my shirt. It finally clicked that Alex was no longer next to me.
"What am I even doing out here?" I groaned as I made my way to the forest path. The cabin soon came into view the same it did many times before.
Something felt different this time—like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I stepped onto the porch as indistinctive chatter came from the living room.
Opening the front door, eyes locked onto me as if I broke in. I was like the knife that sliced through tension.
Dahlia stood in the middle of the living room as she was mid argument with Runi. Alex and Cleo sat on the couch while Jackson sat on the kitchen island.
"Look who decided to join us." Jackson said as he grinned ear to ear. Cleo put his hand on his forehead. "Simon I don't think this is a conversation you need to be in."
"No, Simon is the perfect person for this." Dahlia said as she rushed up to me. She grabbed my hands and pouted. "I need help with something."
The change in tone was off-putting. "Uh help with what?" I questioned as I slowly pulled my hands from her grasp. "I want to create my vusk, maybe I could help Ms. Valeria if I had that power." She said as her eyes went from sad to determined.
Who am I to say no to her, I'll just make sure she doesn't overdo it. "Hmm, alright fine. What are you thinking about turning into your vusk?"
Dahlia let out a sigh of relief as she rushed to the bookshelf across the room. She came back holding a book that was very familiar to me. "The human development book?"
"To me this is probably the most important book here." Dahlia said as she held it tight to her chest. "Are you sure that's what you want?" I questioned. She vigorously nodded her head in agreement.
"Okay then, everyone off the couch." I announced as I sat Dahlia down. "This is gonna be really hard, okay, but I promise I won't let anything happen to you." I said as I held the book in her hands.
"First you want to close your eyes, let the book be an extension of your body." Dahlia closed her eyes as she fully extended her arms holding out the book. "Okay what's next." She asked.
This might be rough. "I want you to imagine a flow throughout your body. This flow is supposed to connect you to your book."
"Okay, I'm gonna try it." Dahlia said as I could see her face tense. "I think I got it!" She said as I perked up. "You sure?"
Dahlia's book began to glow a light brown aura as she opened her eyes. "I feel it, I feel it!" She exclaimed as everyone watched in awe.
I can't believe it was that easy for her. I could feel my face frown a little. Maybe she's more advanced than I am.
Everyone was silenced by shock as Dahlia held her book in the air. "I did it Simon!" she yelled out as she hugged me.
Out of everyone's expressions one in particular was a little… odd to me.
Out of everyone in the living room, why was Alex so surprised? He looked as if this was new to him. Jackson interrupted my thought process as he yelled throughout the cabin. "That was so cool Dahlia!"
Cleo clapped his hands as Runi looked a bit jealous as she stood with her arms crossed next to Cleo.
Dahlia's face radiated confidence as she gripped her vusk. "I can finally help her I can—"
Dahlia fell to one knee as she spoke. I managed to catch her as I pulled the book from her grasp—the book's aura fading into the air.
I took a page out of Ms. Valeria's book as I gave Dahlia a gentle smile. "So you've done it."
"You don't seem too gassed, that's great." I said helping her up.
We heard a door opening from the hallway as everyone turned around. Marcel slowly sulked out of Ms. Valeria's bedroom.
"So… how is she?" Runi asked as Marcel entered the living room. "I think she's gotten worse, her coughing is bad, her temperature sucks. We need to go and get medicine."
"What do you mean go? Like beyond the oak tree?" Cleo asked. Marcel smacked his lips. "She has no other choice god damnit!" Runi took a step back as Marcel yelled.
He took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm sorry for yelling alright, but if we don't get her outside help then—"
Marcel stopped as he clinched his fist. "I just want to avoid the worst case scenario."
"Fine." Cleo said as he looked around. "We can get a group together, but some of us need to stay behind to watch over Ms. Valeria."
"I'll stay behind." Dahlia said as she held her vusk. "I can look over her while you guys are gone."
"Simon you're with me and Marcel, you are the only other one who has a vusk." Cleo said. I glanced to Alex as he looked towards the ground. "Alex should come with us too." I added, pointing to him.
Alex took a sigh of almost disappointment as he agreed to go. I can tell he wanted to stay close to Ms. Valeria but he's probably a stronger vusk user than I am.
"Runi, you and Jackson should stay here with Dahlia, help her with anything she might need assistance with." I said as I jogged down the hall. "I'm gonna grab my paintbrush."
I noticed the empty nightstand at the end of the hall as I ran upstairs to get my brush. Coming back downstairs Ms. Valeria's formerly closed door was now open as her bed was empty.
A wave of shock ran through my body as I entered the living room. It was the first time I've seen Ms. Valeria since she fell. She looked horrible.
She was slightly hunched over using a cane to keep her up. Her skin looked dry and flakey as her eyes were puffed. "You shouldn't be up right now." Marcel yelled out as Ms. Valeria walked to the kitchen table and sat down.
"Would you stop… all that damn yelling." Ms. Valeria said with her scratchy throat as she let out a huge cough.
"We're going to get help." Marcel said as he calmed himself.
Ms. Valeria firmly slammed her cane on the ground. "No."
"Why don't you want help?" Cleo questioned as he crossed his arms. "I just don't get it."
She sighed as she coughed again immediately after, her arm shook as she used all of her strength to push herself up as she limped to her bedroom without saying a word.
"At least she can still walk." Jackson joked as he fell into the couch.
"I don't care what she thinks she needs or not, we're getting her help." Marcel said as he walked to the front door. "Hurry up, let's get moving."
"Where's Luther anyway?" I asked as I put my shoes on.
"I don't know, but we have bigger things to worry about right now." Cleo said as he followed Marcel outside.
Dahlia, Runi, and Jackson stayed behind while Marcel, Cleo, Alex, and myself started down the forest path.
The walk was quiet, but even through the tension we made it to the big oak tree.
We stared at the dark path ahead as I looked at Alex. "Who wants to go first?" Alex looked back at me as he grabbed his vusk from the ground—pretending it was a regular stick. "I don't know but it won't be me."
Marcel took a step forward as his body bumped against the pathway entrance. He kicked at the seemingly endless darkness as a red pulse ran out from the impact.
He kicked the veil a couple more times before becoming frustrated. "What is this?"
I could tell by his face he was pissed. Walking up to him I grabbed his shoulder as he went for another kick. "Stop."
He sharply turned around as he used his other hand to punch me in the face. I stumbled back as Marcel rushed at me, attempting another punch, but Cleo grabbed him before he could reach me.
"What the hell is your problem!" Cleo shouted as he held Marcel. I immediately got up and threw a blow at Marcel as Cleo was holding him, which made Alex step in between us as he pushed me back.
I don't know why I did it, but it felt good. I don't know why it felt good, but I could feel a faint smirk growing on my face.
"You think you're so damn special." Marcel snarled at me. "Why do you think you're better than me!?"
We were all speechless as Marcel continued.
"When Ms. Valeria fell… you just stood there and did nothing! You didn't help her, you got scared like the coward you are. Then you wanna run around the house screaming she's gonna die!? You fucking suck Simon you know that?"
"You cracked, you tried your damndest to act like the ideal guy but you cracked. You have a darkness inside you man… you're sick. I just can't believe it took me this long to realize it."
Marcel pushed Cleo off of him as he stormed away. He's right. He's right about everything. I act like I have everything under control when I can't control a damn thing.
Cleo ran after Marcel as Alex helped me up. "Don't mind him, he's been under a lot of stress lately. He stayed by Valeria's side every second of the day. He didn't mean any of that, truly."
Alex poked at the entrance with his vusk. "Is this some type of barrier or something?"
He looked at me and frowned. "Your emotions are showing on your face again. If it makes you feel any better you're the only one my age I can feel free around, so don't beat yourself up about what Marcel said. He was just angry, that's all."
"I'm fine." I mumbled as I walked up the to barrier and kicked it. "Even if we wanted to leave we couldn't."
Alex threw his vusk in the dirt. "We're like animals here." We started walking back to the cabin as his facial expression threw me off, he looked so upset—hurt even.
Alex swung the door open as he stepped inside. "Valeria has some major explaining to do."