Chapter 5: Sanctuary

The train tracks rumbled like empty sardine cans, Sam and my sister sat on the chair exhausted. The station went from Recto to Santolan…the people inside the train became lesser and lesser until it was just us. It was weird because it's only past 11 in the morning. The train announced the last station but not stopping. I almost lost my balance I held on to the pole tightly. The speaker began to stutter, the station map's lights began to blink rapidly and suddenly everything became dark.

"This is not normal…I've been riding this train ever since I went to school…I can't recognize this building and houses…" looking at the windows the buildings turned into wooden huts, and after that, all I can see is fields of trees like a rain forest.

The train slowly stopped and opened the door slowly, in front of us are plants and trees everywhere and a path towards somewhere.

A huge sign plucked in front of the path "Garden of Eden" Wait? What? Did I just read that right? Is this the legit Garden of Eden? I must be dreaming right!?

"Sis…What do you think? Where are we?" I tried to look around but all I can see is tall pinewood trees.

"Well…It's hard to believe also that were in the garden where the sins of humans started…" Sam rubbed her eyes.

"Sam's right…Let's just follow this path…And see where it leads us…"

The three of us followed the path like 3 little piggies not having an idea where should we go. It's a long way from school and I'm still worried about dad fighting his own brother, who would have thought that the greatest danger in your life is family itself. My sight switched to trees and now a cloud of smoke coming from afar, I pointed at the grey smoke and the three of us ran towards it.

It was a small grey house, most likely a rest house for the elderly with brown fences, a huge smelly horse in front of the house, carrots, and cabbages in the ground guarded by a scarecrow that is moving apparently, to top it all off. I saw dad seating on a rocking chair on the porch all dirty and holding his sides.

"Dad…! What the…?" my scream filled trembling fear I rushed towards him not minding the horse poop on the ground.

"The hell happened…?! Are you okay…!?" Dad grunted.

"I'm wounded and can't lift a single finger! Oh Yeah! Sure I'm okay…Of course I'm not…!" This dude is in a tremendous amount of pain yet he still manages to poke insults at anyone.

"Funny dad…! Let's try and heal it come on…!" Danielle held dad's arms and looked at his wounds. A huge black gooey mixed in dad's flesh almost made my stomach worst.

"Wha…What…? Happened…?" Sam covered her mouth.

"It's a special poison of anti-healing…Ugh…I don't know what is in it but…It hurts…" Dad continued to cover his wounds.

"We… Have to get mom! Quickly!" Danielle pulling out a pocket knife and a piece of paper again but, dad held her arm.

"She's on her way…Just seat here and wait…" Dad rested his head on the rocking chair and closed his eyes.

"DAD! Don't die!" crying sarcastically dad suddenly karate chopped me on the head.

"Hey! I'm dying you idiot…I'm just resting…Go explore or something…" Dad continued to snore while the three of us sat on the porch all exhausted and worried at the same time. What are we going to do now? Our situation really nerve-wracking…We're like criminals being hunted by the police but in our case, blood-thirsty Monsters and my Uncle is chasing us. Not to mention he has an army, to begin with…not sure what army but, it still gives me goosebumps.

"All we can do is to wait…Don't worry dad's going to be fine…He's been in tough situations more than this…" Sis patted my shoulder and sat beside me on my right and Sam on my left.

"Yeah…I'm not being a bother or anything but, your dad is a powerful being…" Sam murmured, I can feel her worries also by the tone of her voice.

"Sorry for…all of this…" I replied "If it wasn't for me…You're supposed to be having the time of your life now in school but, you ended up like this…being chased by monster and demons"

"No…It's fine…To be honest, your family is quite fun…" Sam giggled and looked at the both of us.

"Why is that? Aren't you a little bothered? Because we're not normal humans, to begin with…were freaks and other sorts of weird beings…" Sam looks to the sky aimlessly and smiled.

"Yeah…it's surprising at first but…As I walk with you, talk, and even eat with you guys I felt comfort…I mean, who cares if your family is weird and inhuman. It's still heart-warming to see you guys cared for each other no matter how hard and different your situations are…I felt happiness in your family and thanks for making me feel it…" Sam's bitter smile caught me off guard, I can feel her loneliness and the longingness of family.

In some people, the word "family" doesn't bring any good at all…

"I'm not good at words but…I hope you can get along with your family…" Sam nodded and her face was glooming again.

"If…We don't die…Of course" Then my sister elbowed my side from behind.

"What good advice Charles…" Danielle sarcastically blurted.

The sound of train tracks conquered the atmosphere of the forest along with the chirp of little birds, Telling my sister and Sam that that must be mom arriving I went to the spot where we first arrive while both of them watched over dad's disgusting wound. Standing beside the sign along with the tall pinewood trees, the arriving train let out a huge smoke after stopping.

"Mom!" Hugging her after the doors slowly opened.

"Where's your father…?" Mom patted my head and we both head towards the cabin.

"He's badly injured, I don't know what kind of poison it is but, it's not pretty…" Mom wearing her black robe and her signature top witch hat that I never seen in ages felt weird. Looking at the smoke from afar my mom grabbed me from the back and covered my mouth, we hid in a bush. My eyes gazed at mom trying to tell her what the hell is going on? But the only thing that she did was pointed at the train not moving in its place. The train began shaking like it was being jiggled by an earthquake, then after the windows broke into pieces the doors slowly opened.

A crawling, crying baby trying hard to crawl out the train. It let out a cry like it's begging for milk. I was about to get up but my mom grabbed my hair down.

"What?! Mom look! That baby is in trouble! Who knows what kind of monster wants a late-night snack!?" Mom rolled her eyes and pointed at the baby.

"Look…! And observe…!" As I look closely the baby has green-lined eyes you see in reptiles and it has a forked tongue. The baby stopped crying and started sniffing the air like a little lost dog. Suddenly the baby cried again and again but this time its voice began to become deeper and deeper until its shadows towered the bushes where we're hiding.

Huge claws and reptile-like skin stumbled in our eyes as the once cute baby turned into a huge 8 feet ugly humanoid lizard. Its jaws began to break into two while letting out a huge roar. Its tongue slithered while some of its greyish scaly skin fell on the ground.

"What are we going to do now mom!?" I tried to speak as quietly as possible but I couldn't hide my fear in my low tone.

"That ugly creature is coming to kill your father…We must lure it out away from the cabin until your father can recover…" Mom breathes deeply and grabbed my hand.

"HEY! You lost!? Jurassic Park is this way!" Mom jumped out of nowhere and screamed. The monster let out a huge roar and ran towards us, huge thuds shook the pine trees that surround us. Mom grabbed me and held my hand as we ran from the left side of the forest.

"Mom! Are you crazy!? How can we outrun that monster…!?" The monster struggled to fit inside the forest floors, it continued to slash its way to us using its big claws.

"I have a plan don't worry…" Mom was laughing while were running. "You have to kill it to save your father…" Mom turned her head to me and smiled.

EEEHHH!?

"What do you mean kill mom!?" I screamed in frustration.

"You see, to complete the medicine I've been cooking, the one ingredient missing is monster flesh…" I bit my lip and scratched my scalp.

"You're telling me this now!?" I scream while mom made a funny face….This old hag!

"Sorry…! But you have your father's scythe, right? So…Now we don't have a problem killing it of course! I'll help you! Don't ya worry love!" Mom mimicked a British accent while we still struggle outrunning the monster chasing us on our tail.

Mom whistled like she was calling a taxi on the side of the road. Some leaves entered my mouth as we ran, I hope no insect is taking a rest on some of it. then her broom suddenly appeared rampaging at a hot speed I don't know how but, mom manages to slide past her blazing broom and rode it like it's nothing, plus, she manages to hold me up on the broom as well.

"This is bad…" mom folds her hair and bit her thumb.

"What's bad mom?" grabbing the broom with all of my might, I hate dying like this falling from a broom while my broken corpse is going to be devoured by an ugly lizard human.

"Your father's infection is getting worst…" She then got closed on a pine tree.

"Change of plan…Kill that monster for me and bring some flesh after killing it…" After that mom told me to stand on a huge branch.

"What…!? How…!? I-I can't mom…My powers are still weak…Even my swordsmanship is still at works…! I-I can't…" Mom held both my cheeks and got closer.

"You can do it…You have your father's weapon with you…You're the son of a god…have faith…to conquer your fears for you to survive and thrive in this world…" Mom patted my head. I nodded in agreement and, as soon as my mother zoomed on her way to the cabin I yelled at the top of my lungs. The monster slithered its tongue as it looked at me with a deliciousness written all over its saliva, I summoning the scythe, it grew in the shadows and formed.

"Son of Kamaya…" The creature spoke while licking its fingers with its forked tongue. "This is your stop…My friends are going to surround The Garden of Eden, we will destroy this place along with your pathetic family…" His voice billowed.

I pointed my scythe and didn't reply, he suddenly growled and let out a huge roar after he rushed towards me in all four. Leaping off from the branch as his head collided with a tree, I landed on the monster's scally back and slashed its tail. He let out an agonizing cry before turning back.

"YOU! BRAT! Ughhh…!" The monster looked at his tail and licked some of the blood. "You'll pay this with your life…!" I quickly dodged his snapping jaws from the side, I can't use some of my powers because of the mana I burned using time spot.

The monster was becoming faster and faster and eventually caught up with me, getting lucky its claws only penetrated my scythe. The scythe was repairing itself I wish I could do the same thing. Running from the monster I tried hiding in a pine tree but its claws tore the tree clean off an instant log. The monster continued to laugh and mock me while avoiding attacks.

"You'll never save them by running!" his laugh echoed along with the trees being pushed down. "I thought you're the one who's going to kill me?! What a waste!" I tried to hide in a huge boulder and took a rest. My lungs are going to pop out at any minute, I need to kill this monster quick if I want to save dad and mom.

I have no choice, I left the boulder and ran towards the monster, it ran in my direction but I slid myself down and, like the trees from earlier, the monster's feet cleaned off. It let out a huge roar and tried to reach me but it was no use. I lifted my arm and crushed him with my time spot. After using my power I can feel my mana draining all over my body, dizzy and my legs feeling wobbly like cooked ramen I used my scythe to support my heavyweight.

I felt like being crushed by a huge rolling stone as I went closer to the monster's broken and flattened body. Cutting one of its fingers I struggle to drag my feet on the way to my father's cabin. Everything was becoming even more blurry, but I kept my posture up and my hand held the scythe firmly as I follow the path again.

"What…?" I saw everything burning.

I couldn't see mom and dad anywhere, even big sis and Sam…The cabin was burning to the ground while the monster is sniffing and circling their tongues out in finding my family. I quickly hid behind a tree and laid my back flat. I constantly slap myself both hands to stop the urge of falling asleep. I never thought a grass filled with dirt would be comfortable to sleep in.

I-I…couldn't help it…

The ground is too comfortable…I-I…Can't help it…