Chapter 2: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF KEVIN, CARLO AND RYAN

June 7, 20XX (Monday)

2-1

I slowly opened my eyes and the rays of the sun blinds me for a short moment. I can smell an aroma befitting for a king; this delicious scent woke me up from my deep slumber.

I was still holding on a few cards on my hand, the same is true with everyone here as well; it looks like we fell as sleep while we were playing UNO. Well so much for staying up all night. I wiped my mouth to wipe off the drool on my cheeks, just in case if there's any, and slowly looked around. Wesley looked like a child holding his candy while Johnny and Steph looked like a very tired corporate employee who just went home from overtime from work.

"UNO…" Gregory mumbled as he uttered this word in his sleep, too bad for Gregory, he was about to win considering he only has one card left on his sleeve.

It seems the sun rose just earlier ago, though looking at my phone's watch; it's already 7:56 AM from where we came from. I stretched my body as far as possible and just stared at nothingness for a couple of second before snapping back to consciousness. I stood up from the couch and walked to where this scent came, which is in the kitchen, by the way.

I entered the kitchen and saw Nadia checking on the people cooking; Venus, Kristen and Troy. Troy is frying some bacon, while the others are making some basic breakfast dishes. Since Nadia is the only Muslim here, she can't really eat pork. No wonder she's here inspecting, you can't have the same person, cooking something pork, cooks another dish. It will spoil the other dish for her.

"Oh! Good morning Dar!" Venus noticed me and greeted casually,

"DAR!" Troy also greeted me,

I nodded my still drowsy head in response; I looked around for a cup, poured it with water and gulped it all down. Nadiaapproached me and without second thought of hesitation, she punched me in the stomach with full force that woke me up like instantaneously.

"Ack! W-What was that for?" I grasped for air,

"Nothing." This malicious smile, it's cute but terrifying.

Nadia has been doing this thing even before we were stuck in this deserted-like compound. I don't know why she is doing it but it seems like that she just wants to test my abdominal strength, in which I am very much lacking.

"If you do that again Nadia, Daryl will have to drink the water he just drank again." Kristen teased,

"EWWW." Nadia and Venus felt disgust in unison as they covered their mouth to hold it in,

The image of me puking water back in the cup is simply too disgusting. But if ever I puked in that very instance, I will puke it all at Nadia for a proper vengeance in my part. That would stop her from punching someone's stomach very unexpectedly.

I turned the water dispenser on for hot water, and sat down besides Nadia who is also sitting in the counter bar, lying half of her body on top of it. I was just staring at the smoke that is being sucked by the exhaust with disinterest. If you think about it, we never really had any exhaust in our dirty kitchen back at home, the same goes for most of us here, so far, the only one whom I know has an exhaust in their kitchen is Troy so he basically knows how to handle those kinds of things.

"Dar…" I heard a vague utter at my side, I avert my gaze to the source of it,

"…Thanks." Nadia whispered in the open like her words weren't directed to anyone though I know for sure that she is thanking me for no apparent reason,

I didn't reply her gratitude with a 'you're welcome', heck, I don't even remember any reason for her to take the initiative of thanking me. I didn't do anything worthwhile that could receive such gratitude. But the thing that she thanked me really moved my heart for just a little; it is very satisfying.

"BREAKFAST IS SERVED!" Troy confidently said as she presented his dish in front of me,

I immediately munched the bacon, ah! A Piece of heaven in just one single strip of this bacon will make you feel like you are strolling with angels or such. Slowly, the dining room started to get crowded as everyone else entered and ate their breakfast lazily.