Chapter 2: Punishment

My family is like a normal typical household. With both parents still alive working their asses to feed me and my older sister as well. But…When your father is a god, your mom's a witch and your siblings have different unique abilities like, controlling things and reading minds. Now that's a different story.

Going back…

This beautiful horse slowly dropped us in front of our driveway. It's been fun flying all the way home, it's very heart-warming not experiencing traffic once in a while. I've been living in the Philippines for at least months now… The biggest challenge is the long drive hours with traffic and infinite red lights.

I wish I could keep the horse… I was going to ask my sister if we could keep it but, turning around the horse was suddenly shrouded in smoke and turned into a little brown bird and flew away.

"Hey…!" My sister carrying Sam on her back called me out.

She then tapped her arm near her fist and mouthed "Time"

I quickly snapped my fingers and followed my sister inside.

"Well, Well… It's been a while since we had a visitor…" At our doorstep my mom holding a cup of coffee.

"Hi…Mom" I greeted with passion but, she suddenly glared at me then a tremendous aura struck my inner soul.

"Uhmmm…" I couldn't find my words.

"You stopped the time again young man…" Mom massages her forehead and took her reading glasses off dropping them, but before they could touch the ground, her broom catches her glasses.

"Thanks, broomhelda…" My mom said. I suddenly laughed my stomach out… "Broomhelda" what the hell was that name!?

"Seriously mom? What kind of name was that!?" I continued to laugh.

"Wha!? What's wrong with it!? I found it on the web! I thought it was cool!" Mom's cheeks turned red and fidget.

"jeez…Just call it something else…" Mom coughs and fixes her composure.

"Your dad is waiting for you, in the living room" A huge gulp in my throat made my heart beating louder than I anticipated.

"O-Okay…" Mom told my sister to put Sam in her room so she can heal her. I, on the other hand, went straight into the living room.

Seating on the couch beside the lampshade while reading a newspaper, before I could even greet him, dad told me to sit, I sat on a single-seater couch in front of him while he flips the newspaper.

"Dad I-"

"Because of boredom right?" looking down I didn't reply.

"And because of that… Somebody knew your special ability…" He continued to read, resting his right leg on top of his other, I couldn't see his face, all I can see is his's white hair and the cigarette smoke.

"How did you…?"

"I made some precautions… A talented kid but with no responsibility like you needs a lot of observers…" Observers? That explains why that Duwende knows our family name.

"Two months living here… Still you've caused another trouble…" The aura changed, Philippines is a tropical country, but our living room was as cold as winter.

"I have no choice but to drop you in school…" I quickly stood up.

"What!? Y-You can't do that!" I blurted.

"Actually…" Dad took his newspaper down, I can see his red eyes glowing. "I can…" after seeing his serious face I quickly ventured down.

"I-I have something to tell you, dad…" He continued to flip his newspaper.

"Go on…" I told him about Sam and what happened at school, the flipping suddenly turned to the sound of paper folding.

"What…? Are you absolutely sure?" I nodded and told him about me running from her and she found me quickly. Our school is big so it's impossible to find me that fast, and not to mention. How she was REALLY exhausted after finding us.

"Come…" Both of us ventured upstairs into my sister's room. Mom and sis were surprised to see dad not burning his eyebrows in anger.

"What's her status, Helena?" Dad touching Sam's wrist using his fingertip.

"Her Mana was almost empty, if she's not treated properly she could pass out for almost a week or two…" Mom replied while her spellbook was floating mid-air and the potion that she's brewing is stirring itself while floating.

Dad opened Sam's eye.

Wait? Is Sam's eye always like that?

Her eyes became grey like hollow blocks…

"Dear… is she?" Dad nodded.

"She has 'The Eyes' this is huge…" Dad patted my mom's shoulders.

"What's with that Dad?" my sister blurted.

"Uhm… 'The eyes' Are basically like a metal detector for us…She can locate supernatural powers and beings by using her eyes alone" Dad clicked his tongue.

"She's in trouble…" Dad said.

"In trouble? She's just a harmless girl? What's the big deal if she can locate us?" Mom and dad sighed.

My sister hammered fist me in the head.

"Idiot… if she can locate powers, it's not only us that she can locate…"

"What do you mean?" I couldn't grasp anything properly.

"She can locate evil once also…" My body froze.

"Exactly… Our world runs with not-so-good beings… She can be an answer in solving where the "Others" hide… that's why she's a huge threat for them…"

"By 'Them' you mean?" Dad didn't say any word but I know what he's been talking about.

Like I told you, the realm of the unknown is a place filled with monsters. I saw something down there that made my brain scatter in pieces. But that realm is just one of the nightmares, there's a lot out there in the dark seeking blood. Accidentally opening the realm of the unknown made me realize some creatures are dangerous and will stop nothing just to eat you like a slice of pizza.

"So…What's the plan dear?" Mom said.

"We wait for her to wake up… and lunch…" dad suddenly blurted and hugs my mom from the back.

"Jeez… get a room…" I blurted. Mom clapped her hands and told everyone to go downstairs, except for me.

"What? Why!? Why me!?" Before closing the door. Dad stops.

"You don't want? Okay, that's fine… I'll contact the school for your…"

"OKAY! OKAY! DAD! I'LL DO IT!" Dad smiled and closed the door.

I sat on the side of the bed near the edge and sighed.

If she is in trouble… what kind of trouble also that she can cause in my family? I stood up and stared at my sister's window, it was covered in blinds so I just took a peek.

That's when I saw some kind of creature… Under a huge tree, a shadowy figure was just standing and staring at my sister's window. Does that creature knows Sam's here…?

An ice cream truck suddenly passed by then after that it vanished. Rubbing my eyes I must have been imagining things.

"Ugh…" Looking back I saw Sam blinking her eyes in frustration.

"Sup Sleeping Beauty…" I sat on the edge of the bed again.

"How…? Where am I?" Sam tries to take off her head bandage but failed.

"What happened?" Sam sounded like a grandma forcing herself to get out of bed.

"You passed out…" She touched her forehead.

"Hey…Wait don't force yourself…!" Of course, she didn't listen. She leans him back on the wall.

"How did I passed out…?"

"You were chasing me and eventually caught up then all of a sudden… BAM! Good thing my sister caught you…" She giggled and said thanks but, I told her it was all my sister that she should be thanking.

"Okay… I'll keep that in mind…" Her face became gloomy.

"What's wrong? Sam are you good?"

"Nothing it's just… There is something last time while chasing you I got this weird feeling in my body… I felt cold… then while blinking numerous times everything was grey except for you guys…then I think that's when I passed out…"

"I can't explain everything…" I stood up and offered my hand.

"If you want my family will explain everything…"

She took my hand and assisted her downstairs.

***

After going down we both sat at the dining table.

"Are you feeling well now Sam?" Mom asked while putting a mashed potato on Sam's plate.

"Y-Yes…" Sam staring at her plate.

"Please don't be uncomfortable with us, we won't bite" Mom smiled and offered her a glass of grape juice.

"Yeah, we won't bite…" My sister eating a steak. "But he might…" She pointed at me while laughing.

"Hey! Shut up!" eating my food. Dad coughed and both of us went silent mode.

"Uhmmm… excuse me?" Mom stared at Sam while she's still finding her words.

"Yes?" Dad continued to munch his steak, while my sister and I were curious.

"What's your home located?"

"Well…It's 'Spring field Town House' it's in Quezon city deary…"

"Ohhh…I was just curious how we got here so fast… it's almost an hour drive when commuting…"

I almost choked, is it okay to tell her what her situation right now is? Dad still enjoying his steak while mom is still doing her best to talk.

"Sam, do you remember how you got here?" Some drank her juice.

"Not really, but at some point, I felt I was flying…but I was too tired to open my eyes…" So, she was half-awake that time?

"Sam, how's the family?" Dad struck out of nowhere.

"Oh, there fine…" Dad suddenly sighed.

"I-I can't keep up in this conversation so, let's get to the point miss Wells…"

"What do you mean by that Mr, Henry?"

"You're in danger…" Sam's expression didn't catch up.

"What?" Dad told her about her eyes and how her powers work, and how she's able to find out my ability. Sam's face while listening became worrisome.

"At some point Miss Wells they will come and get you… and kill yo-" Mom smacks the table using both hands. The sound of the plates covered our kitchen.

"That's enough dear…" Sam didn't know what to say, she just stared down.

"But…" Before dad could even speak, mom stuffed her mouth with a steak.

"That's not a nice way to explain to a child…" Mom massaged her forehead.

"She's just a first-year high schooler Kamaya! How do you think she'll handle it!?"

"I-I'm still quite confused…" we all stared at her.

"How did you know all of this?! I know your son has supernatural abilities and you guys are pretty chill about this…"

"Our family looks normal on the outside but… We're not actually humans, to begin with…" Mom replied and took a sip of her tea.

"My Husband is Kamaya… The 'Kamaya' in his first name means 'Kamatayan' which means 'Death' in Filipino. He's the living embodiment of death itself…"

"I'm Helena a witch… As you can see…" Mom's broom flew on her side.

"My kids… You've already met…" Mom pointed me and Danielle. "Danielle's ability is physical manipulation, she can copy moves and attacks when in fights, by copying them she can gain strength 2 times more than her opponent… but her ability focuses on physical only…"

"My son here…well, you already know right?" Sam nodded and still her face shows that she's still in a glimpse of grasping all the information.

"I think we had enough explanation in one day…" Dad stood up and whipped his lips with a tissue.

"But… I already warned you, Miss Wells… you're in danger so be careful…" Dad left and took his old man stood with him.

"I-I don't know what to do…" Sam murmured.

"Don't worry deary we'll help… Charles and Danielle will protect you..."

"WHAT!?" my sister and I rose from our seats.

"Problem, young man? This is your punishment for being irresponsible… and are you going to let your friend in grave danger?" Mom's tone was worried and also forceful.

"M-Mom?! Why also me!?" My sister shouted.

"We both know that your brother is an idiot…"

"Mom!" I blurted, I know I'm an idiot but can you please deny it for once?

"Just look after your brother… for me please…?" Mom stood up and touched my sister's cheek from the back and smiled.

"Alright… Alright…" My sister inhaled deeply and stared at me angrily again. Oh boy…

"We've got to protect Sam, she still needs time to process this all… and it takes a lot of time… so, let's be patient alright?" mom pulled our dining room table cover, the white cloth-covered everything and every single plates and glass disappeared.

A lot of time huh?

What if… We don't have time left? If she really is a big threat… they won't stop until she's dead.

I quietly stared at those eyes and let my mind swim with thoughts.

And some of them are not pretty…