Chapter 2

"Rise and shine, sleepy head." my ear caught.

My eyes were still closed but I felt everything around me. I was lying on my bed sheets on the floor of my room. My arm landed the cold floor. I suddenly felt the heat of sunshine covering my face.

I opened my eyes, slowly picturing the white ceiling and the sunlight curtaining the room from the window. Things started to flash on my mind. Roughly flashed then turned clear. Was it all a dream? I pushed my body up with my elbow against the floor.

"Ahh!" sudden pain sprung up from my stomach. It ached, "Ouch."

It wasn't a dream. It's all true. I murdered some animal last night.

All of a sudden, the strange sad feeling starts to bother me again after what the chief said that things are going to be hard for me. The feeling just sprung up inside me. Then, I heard a cranky voice once again whispering through my ears, "You cannot defeat me. You will rot here as long as I live."

I dragged the whisper out of my head. It has nothing to do with this. It will never be. I said to myself.

"Don't think too much of it my Grandson." Grandpa appeared in the door. He gave me a hand to stand. He continued, "...about what Mr. Chanester said last night. He's just overwhelmed."

It is not a big deal though, this feeling slowly preoccupies my entire mind for something unknown. I yelled inside my head, "I can defeat you. You will rot here, not me." for no reason at all.

Then, I stood and give him one big hug.

"You've been growing really big. You're now a young man." He said as we broke and his head studied me. I almost had his height. The top of my head is already on his ears. "Days are passing like hours."

It was early in the morning as sunrays curtained everywhere in the house. I can see the dust that freely roams the atmosphere while eating my breakfast. I took another bowl of soup. For the record, that's my third.

"Good sign of recovery my dear", Grandma said laughing at me while mixing the casserole.

My grandparents always know when I am sick with just a sign, if I don't eat too much. You know, it was me who consumes almost the half of rice in the bowl for the whole family but I am still wondering I am not getting fat faster. I am growing heights though.

"How's Guss going, Grandma?" I asked her.

"He's with your Grandpa at the field" she answered.

I rushed to her and raised my empty bowl. I quickly said, "Got to go Grandma!"

I sprinted through the door and let my feet run as fast as it can. My felt feel the cool grass that brushes against it and the muddy soil that sprinkles to it.

My ears didn't hear what my Grandma's yelling about, "Hey Adrian you're Grandpa...…." until it fades in my ears. Then I stopped under a big tree. I took a deep breath in the middle of the great green plain in front of me, against a mountain beside under the clear blue sky.

I started to jump up all over the place. It looks like it's another day for me. I saw Grandpa holding Guss' rope quite closer on where I am right now. They are walking very slowly towards the field along with other rice farmers and their cows. I run fast until I reached them.

"Grandpa" I called.

"Adrian!" he yelled. I know he'll get angry to see me here. Maybe he told Grandma to let me rest. But I can't help it. He continued, "I told your grandmother to take care of you. Go home. Guss and I will be fine. You're going to make me worry again when something happens to you."

I replied a smile. He's not really angry, just yelling at me. I know.

One of the rice farmers, Mr. Maggeto having his female cow in Grandpa's front said to us, "Frank, your boy's not that kid anymore. He's now a young man."

He turned to me, "Adrian, you want to be a hunter? What happened to you last night is just the beginning."

"You cannot defeat me. You will rot here as long as I live." I heard once again. I tried to ignore it and made myself fine by squeezing my eyes shut.

Grandpa sighed and take a look at me, "You're right, my boy's growing up fast". Then, he messed my hair. He finally let me walk with their parade.

The scorching heat of the sun prevailed the early morning. I took a seat on the dry plate-like edge of the plot. I see them starting to plough the soil, as preparation it for the next plantation.

Working in the field is a very exhausting task. Since I've been late in the academy in almost a year now, I am not wasting my time to train my body in this tough work with Grandpa and the rest of his friends at his age. To be strong and resistant to body stress, I remembered when training with Kevon every early afternoon. He's a newly wed guy around who simply wanted me to be with him when he first arrived. He teaches me handling spears and bows and arrows and many more about hunting stuff. And as each day pass, our exercises get tougher, seeming Kevon was really meant for something.

It maybe a couple of weeks or days from now, the councillors from the academy will announce names listed in the class roster of those who will go with them inside, district by district. We call that event, the "roster call". When that day in this year is approaching, I feel excited. On the other hand, I feel lonely when thinking I have to leave my grandparents and not to see them for months.

Grandpa's turning 55 while Grandma's turning 52. People at the age of 50 were prohibited by the law to work very hard tasks or just simply stop since the kingdom provides all the basic necessities for everyone. Some at this age simply work at the farm to use their time more productively. Grandpa is a former beta hunter, the one who collects and inspects raw materials from the lands outside the walls for food. And Grandma is a former cook at the royal palace that's why she cooks very well.

"Adrian!!!!!" I've heard somewhere far. It echoed, "Adrian!!!!"

"Your friends, my boy. Go." Grandpa looked at me, holding rice seeds in his hand.

I bowed. I spun around and saw Michael and Jenny walking nearly behind my back with Kevon behind them.

"Adrian pal!" Michael gave me a high five then a hand. He added, "We've been looking for you. Your Grandma told us you just left."

These guys are my best friends. Michael Rockfall and Jenny Braile are both 16 years old. Michael was used to be called, Mike. He is just like me, having the same height and body build except for his blonde thick hair. Jenny is one of the most beautiful girls in our village. She's shorter than Mike and has a very slim body for a 16-year old girl. She had a straight black hair. They were engaged to marry each other someday but they grew up best friends.

Mike wears his light blue long sleeve over a white pants and a pair of leather sandals. Jenny wears her brown morning dress over brown sandals. Kevon on the other hand, is wearing a blue long-sleeved polo shirt over black shorts. He got a knife tied on his belt. His hair is curly, the shafts are almost forming converging holes and he had a white skin, whiter than a girl.

"How are you Adrian?" Jenny asked me.

"Yeah! I thought I'll never see you for the rest of the day." Kevon added.

"I'm alright. I'll tell everything on the way", I said as I got up. I pointed my eye on Grandpa and said, "Grandpa, I'm going. See you in lunch".

Grandpa salutes his right hand. And, we took our way. I told them everything. They were all fascinated.

"That's a good start Adrian. No one in the hunter academy did that before entering the wall." Kevon applauded.

These guys are quite special to me. Last year, Michael and Jenny wished I would leave the year after for us three leave and stay together inside the central walled city. They wished because they're going to miss me very much. And it happened. After that, they felt sorry for me as if it's their fault. But they're not. And I am not upset. From there on, I can't remember if there is a day that I don't see them to hang with me. Really, not one.

I didn't know much about Kevon Stewarx but it seems he's our big brother at his age of 26. It was few months ago when the three of us knew him as a newlywed guy who was left the central walled city and tended to live here at district 14. He is a beta hunter just like Grandpa but his stuff is on weapons. His house is quite closer to the wall of the central walled city.

"Yeah, as Grandpa said to cheer me up this morning", I answered.

"We heard Mr. Chanester went to your house last night." Mike said.

"Well, I'm struggled by what he said that things are going to be hard for me." I replied.

"Thanks Kevon. I owe you a lot." I said .

We finally headed the end of the trail of the rice fields in the middle of this hot midday sun. We are about to enter the small forest covering the wall between our district and district 13. We used to play there every time.

"So, in some time, you'll get in that central walled city. What stuff are you into much, kids?" Kevon started a new topic to talk to.

"We are not kids Kevon." Jenny exclaimed as we enter the forest.

"Alright, lovebirds and a tough guy." Kevon giggled. He teased, "Is it more appropriate miss?"

To my surprise, the two blushed right behind me and Kevon. I tucked Kevon's shirt and pointed my mouth to those two that made a sudden stop. We both burst out laughing.

"....hahah part of growing up lads." Kevon added. Mike and Jenny can't look at each other, trying to nail their sight everywhere. I added behind my laughter "Why don't you hold hands? We'll all probably busy when we're in there."

"You probably had that embarrassing yet sweet moment when you're at our age, haven't you?" I look him straight to his eyes. We can't get over laughing at Mike and Jenny.

"You got me with that Adrian", Kevon said while giggling his lines from laughter.

We keep on walking. Kevon sees straight in the way with me. I gazed the two behind with a glance. They are still holding hands. Their blushed faces turned back to normal but then, they refused to look at each other. After few more steps, we reached the swamp. There are tall grasses along the trail over the muddy ground. The trees start to fan their leaves. Cool.

"Why we are here again?" Jenny said.

"I have something to do this afternoon so let's train this early but," Kevon explained. He put his hand on his chin.

The sun rays are passing through the leaves of the trees around us forming the beautiful glitters of lights. We settled under a small tree. Mike, Jenny and I take our seats in the grassy ground forming an arch facing Kevon that stands along with the tree trunk. Michael's in the middle while I'm on his left and Jenny's on his right. I am quite closer to the edge of the swamp water. It's getting hotter as my shirt start to press against my body. Despite that tragic encounter last night, I felt strange relief of having fun with these guys. I closed my eyes and took the air in. Then, the hot wind blew.

"Look there he is, Frank's grandson."

"Yeah, he's so blank. I wonder if he had recovered yet. From the way he looks, he's so fragile."

"Keeping him alone would really drive him insane. How about the others? "

"Still, under observation. According to the district police, 10 kids died this morning. Their bodies succumb to the infection caused by the explosion. And what's more, all the Gassa siblings died. Only one left, Lucy. She's hysterical for few hours. "

There were two men walking across me. They gave me fast glances then continued to walk. They are wearing their usual farm clothes. I just bowed my head down and tried to ignore them.

"Come on, Adrian. I was never wrong to find you here." One voice cheered me up. It was Grandpa. He gave me a hand and let me stand. While we are walking, Grandpa's right arm is on my nape. He said, "Have you met our new cow?"

I startled and stopped. I asked, "What? What happened to Guss?"

He looked me straight in the eye. His face was serious. His eyes narrowed and slightly tilted.

He answered as he led me walking, "Look what they did to you. They'd let you remember things again. How'd you know his name Adrian?"

"Guss? Our old cow? You named him right?"

That is when the sky darkens and everywhere becomes dim.

Then, there was someone who approached us, a middle aged man, wearing a black cape on his back and a red scarf on his neck. He had a very black hair and bright skin. His cheeks are pinkish and his eyes are like opened slits where inside lie black pearl pupils.

Grandpa didn't notice the man behind him and continued whispering on my ears, "That forbidden land is a horrifying place. You've been there once. And you're still alive. When you go there again...."

"...…you will be next Adrian." The head of the man burst out on my face. It was him! Our noses collided and his scarf touched my lips. His black eyes struck mine that I froze in place. He rasped, "You will never escape."

As I turned my head, people on parade slowly walking beheld me. They are carrying stretchers covered with white cover. The man pulled me there. He pulled the cover of one stretcher. There was a lying my body. A body of a boy. All bruised. Starting to dry up but he's still alive. Then, it opened its eyes. It was looking at me. It was me.

"Whahh…." I staggered back and fell on the ground.

Then the man with the scarf had a scary grin. Then behind him, a giant flame kindled. His face started to change. His grinning lips protrude and his skin becomes black and furry. His head turned into a wolf.

His head jumped on me then the fire flamed my eyes.

"Adrian. Adrian." another voice I heard.

"What?" I said turning my head around. Michael's holding my shoulder. The three of them are looking at me worried.

"Did you hear me Adrian?" Kevon said.

"Oh yes. Yes. About that great land beyond the walls. It is full of terrors and terrifying things. I have seen it. Many dead people are on parade."

Michael, Jenny and Kevon had their jaws dropped and started to tremble.

"What? What are you talking about?"

I gulped, deciphering reality right now.