Episode 3: The Transport Museum (7)

I took the initiative and steadily walked towards them.

"Erm... excuse me, missus," I said while reaching my hand out towards them.

She turned back as she gently patted her son's head; her face was as red as a tomato. Her eyes were still teary as a few more droplets fell down the side of her cheeks.

"Erm... do... I *sniff* know you?" she uncertainly questioned.

"Hi missus, we met earlier, do you remember?" I said slowly.

Her eyes were filled with tears as she slowly wiped them off with her free hand.

"Oh... it's... it's you, young mister."

"Yes, it's me again."

"So you've decided to stay here as well..." she replied looking around the corridor.

"Yeah, I'm staying here with a few people," I said politely.

"Those people you were with earlier?"

"Yes," I nodded. "Although... they are fast asleep now."

The kid's stomach suddenly growled loudly and the mother began to sob. She used her hand to cover her mouth tightly preventing any sound from escaping.

I reached out my hands and patted the kid's small, soft head.

"Are you hungry?" I said quietly while giving him a bright smile.

"Mhm," the kid nodded.

I gave the kid my plate, with the three crumpet, and said, "Here you go. Take this with you and eat it with your mum and your little sister."

The kid's eyes were glued to the plate - to be more precise, the food. His mouth started watering as if they didn't eat anything for days.

"Is... is it okay?" the mother asked. "You... you've also got two people waiting for this food, right?"

"Don't worry. You can have this," I assured her.

"Mhm... *sniff* mhm... *sniff*," she cried as she continued to rub the tears away. "Tha-thank you... *sniff* thank you so much... *sniff* I really don't *sniff* know how to replay you... *sniff* *sniff*."

"It's alright, your kids must be hungry from yesterday."

"Yes... I gave them some of that energy bar... but without water, it was really hard for them to eat it. So... they've been starving for a while now... I thought... *sniff* I thought that since they were giving out food and drinks now, I would be able to get some but..."

I looked down at the kid. His face was gleaming and his eyes were still glued to the food. "It's alright now. Wait here for a moment, I'll get you some water."

I turned around and paced myself into my room.

The mother reached out her hands as if she wanted to stop me and say something.

I took a bottle of water, some fruits and passed it to the mother.

She looked down at the coloured fruits and looked back upwards me. "Thank you. Thank you very much *sniff*."

"It's alright, now get going before anyone sees," I quietly said to her. "Make sure you eat the fresh fruits."

They walked away into the distance, but suddenly, the kid let go of his mother's hand.

"Big bro! Bye-bye!!!" he waved back towards me.

"Be careful with that plate of food!" I quietly shouted pointing towards the plate.

His mother held on to the kid's hand and guided it towards the plate. The kid held the plate with his two hands and they walked off - back into their room.

I smiled slightly and headed back into my room.

"So... you're finally back. Where's breakfast?" Sam questioned.

"What's the commotion outside...?" Rose said while she got up from the bed.

The soft duvet still covering half of Rose's body as she yawned and stretched her arms high up. Her eyes began to tear up; she rubbed her eyes and slowly looked towards me.

I turned towards Rose's bag and reached out towards the fruits beside it. "Here," I said as I threw Sam an apple and an energy bar. "Eat this. There's something important I need to tell you both."

* * *

"So, you're saying there's a machine that can make you lose track of time?" Sam questioned. He gave a suspicious look towards me.

"Yes," I replied. "But that's not all. I also saw a glasshouse."

"Glasshouse?" Rose questioned with a confused expression.

"Yes. These fruits," I said looking down at the half-eaten apple. "I got these from that glasshouse."

"These fruits... they are really fresh," Sam said.

I nodded. "Yes, you're right and that's why I'm wary of this entire place."

Rose looked at both of us. She then looked down at her apple and took a bite.

"I'm afraid... this place isn't as simple as it looks," I gulped.

"..." Sam took out his phone and started playing chess again.

I looked at Rose. Her expression completely changed. She was getting more and more anxious and started to shake slightly.

I walked up to her, sat on the bed next to her, and said, "Hey, Rose."

She looked at me.

"Rose, don't worry. I think this place will be safe for now."

"Yeah, it will be safe for a while..." Sam assured us. "If 'they' were planning something big, 'they' wouldn't move rashly for the moment," Sam said as he laid down on the bunk bed. "Minimum, we have a few days to spare and plan..."

"Yes," I agreed.

"Let's wait out for a bit," Sam said hovering his phone above his head.

I looked at Sam. He was playing chess and I could faintly see that he was about to trap the black king.

A moment later.

"Checkmate," Sam said to himself.

I felt a slight needle stabbing into my brain. I squeezed my temples as I was losing consciousness.

"Ah... not... not thing feeling again..." I thought to myself as I began to fall backwards on to Rose's fluffy bed.

I could hear a faint voice echoing around me. "Ray... Ray...!"

I felt my body moving as if someone was shaking me. Who was it? I slowly blinked a couple of times as I turned my head left and right; gradually, I closed my eyes drifting off into a deep sleep.