Will o' Wisp

"Let's go," he said before turning his back on me and walked towards the opposite direction. But my mind was still processing what he told me. I have a bad feeling about this.

Throwing that at the back of my head — I followed him. But as soon as I stepped my right foot forward, I can feel my hipbone move oddly. I stepped my left foot forwards but it reacted the same way. It doesn't hurt per se, it just doesn't move the exact same way I remember it to be. The same is true with my right arm. It swings in an exaggerated manner.

Seeing that I was walking funnily, Ethan chuckled and said with an upbeat tune. "Oh! Silly me. I forgot to tell you. But what you drank was only a pain reliever, it doesn't heal anything. A very strong one. So you must have dislocated or broken a few bones but you'll be fine."

"Exactly when did a broken bone sounded fine to you? And what will happen if the pain reliever wears out?"

"Isn't it obvious? You'll experience a more torturous pain than you did earlier. You'll be straining them further the more you move, you know? And oh! Did I tell you that you cannot drink more than one bottle of that in a week and that its effect will wear off in approximately thirty minutes?"

No, you definitely didn't.

"And what will happen after thirty minutes?" I'm hoping you will not say let's cross it when we get there or I'll definitely strangle you.

"Hmm… You don't have to worry about that. That old man will most probably do something again. But, well — should I say good luck?"

"You —"

"That's why if you don't want to become a vegetable in thirty minutes, you'd rather make haste and stop delaying us with your small talks. Don't worry! You can talk to me all day long whenever you want. Just not now, hmm?"

"Just how highly do you think of yourself, huh? Tsk! Lead the way," I said. Although I wanted to strangle him to death right at this moment, the time is running and I definitely don't want to find myself writhing in pain in the middle of the road. So I had no choice but to swallow my grievances.

He grinned as soon as he heard my response. And with that, we resumed to where we left at.

I don't know if he has got this all planned out but I gotta praise him — just for this one time. He has chosen quite a good location. The alley we're currently in was sandwiched in between two towering buildings blocking the majority of the moonlight. Exactly because of that is why this alley has very low visibility. If anyone who knows us saw us here right now, it will be hard for them to recognize us even without the dark hooded cloaks.

We continued walking through the dark and narrow alley silently. I was only a few steps behind Ethan. A few moments later, he stopped, so did I.

He was staring down at the manhole by his feet. And I tell you, I've got this weird feeling that we will be getting in there. But why am I not surprised?

He kneeled in front of it and 'maneuvered' the lock to open it. He then moved the lid to the side before turning to me. "We're getting in."

Thought so. But I'm just concern about one thing though. It will be very dark in there for sure and we don't have a flashlight.

Probably guessing what was in my mind, he grinned and said, "Don't worry. This friend of mine here has got our backs." He waved a yet another bottle at me. But unlike earlier, this one is obsidian in color.

He uncorked it and what happened next amazed me. Its lid flickered an ocean blue light. Tossing and crashing like waves. And a few seconds later, a flame-like ocean blue orb squirmed and wriggled as it forced its way out of the tiny opening.

Soon after, a fist size orb 'enthusiastically' floated and circled around Ethan. "Hello there, Mafitti. We'll be needing your assistance." he whispered to the blue thing and 'excited' ripples flared up from its core. By now, I am no longer surprised. I've already accepted that anything can possibly happen in this world.

"What's that?" I asked.

"A will o' wisp."

"Like… the ones we see in bogs, swamps and marshes and those who causes the death of many foolish travellers?" I asked. It reminded me of the folklore stories I used to read as a kid.

I asked purely out of curiosity. But as soon as those words left my mouth, the will o' wisp suddenly turned frozen mid-air. Its ripples had become violent and its colors had gone pale. While Ethan was looking at me as if I just said something crazy.

"Uhh… Mr. Jack. Exactly what are you talking about?" he asked.

"Huh? Was I wrong?" I'm confused! That was how will o' wisps were described in the story books I used to read. How would I know if they're a totally different existence here?

"No, you're not wrong. Because you're absolutely wrong! Will o' wisps were only kids who died but cannot rest in peace and so, they took the form of a fiery orb. What you're talking about were the friar's lantern." he said.

"I'm sorry," I sincerely said. I noticed he had become a tad emotional. Is this topic a sore spot for him?

He let out an exasperated breath and nods at me but his brows were creased in the middle. This is the first time I am ever witnessing his other sides.

"Let's go," he said and went to the manhole. The will o' wisp already returned to its original condition and followed him as he jumped inside.

And I was there — left alone. I don't even know how to feel about this. I'm at a lost.