Chapter 2: Introductory Events

"Stay away from those people who try to disparage your ambitions. Small minds will always do that, but great minds will give you a feeling that you can become great too." — Mark Twain

"Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. The slogan 'Press On" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." —Calvin Coolidge

***

Before Xenia could ask the kids a barrage of questions he immediately wanted an answer to, a pale lady who was covering her mouth with a towel called out his given name.

"Xenia," the lady weakly uttered. "It is time for lunch. Your father's already back home."

"Your mother's calling for you, Xenia. Arlan and the rest of us will go home then too."

For now, Xenia voluntarily went with his mother, who looked quite ill at the moment. She kept coughing roughly and had a quick glance at the towel in her hands. Xenia, sensing the slightest change in his mother's expression knew what was up.

"I guess the questions I have in my mind can wait." He said to himself as his stomach suddenly growled from hunger.

"You should hurry back home or—"

Again, his mother was attacked by her illness, suffering from a series of dry coughs before she could finish her sentence.

"I would like to hurry back home, but I don't have a clue where we live. So, I am here stuck to her side."

Then Xenia remembered what Arlan said earlier about the place being an island surrounded by seawater. Also, there were lots of tall trees and very few animals, which he did not pay that much attention to.

What intrigued him was the fact that the place they live in was actually an urban city when it was an isolated place. Xenia has no idea how big the island is, but it will be for now.

"Arlan also said that this island is a part of Quesaint, right? I don't remember an island on Quesaint's map. An isolated one at that."

While on their way back home, an immense surge of memories flooded Xenia's mind. All of a sudden, he let out a startling scream, which, of course, took his mother by surprise. It was so loud she thought something terrible happened to him.

His head felt excruciating pain. It was throbbing in pain, like daggers stabbing him in the head. Endlessly.

The process continued for a whole three minutes until it eventually stopped. He felt way weaker because of it, so famished and thirsty.

Worriedly, Xenia's mother stooped down to check on her son.

"Xenia! What happened?! Did you hurt your head?"

The worried look on her pale face encouraged him to gently touch his mother's cheek. But he refused to do so. It would be so out of character since the Xenia they know does not show that much affection. However, Xenia definitely loves his family.

Her face was thin and small. She has no face fat whatsoever and is undeniably gorgeous.

"Is it because she's sick? No, it is not."

And the harsh memory of them not having anything for supper brought an ache to his heart.

"She told me to hurry. Food must have been limited and scarce again. It would be good not to cling to the thought that there will be food on our table."

It is pointless hoping that there will be food left for him, but if his siblings and father are responsible and considerate enough, then there will be little to no left.

And since his mother was sick, her fair share of food might go to him if they did not leave food for Xenia to eat.

The island is not really that poor nor the food is scarce. Xenia's family was just extremely poor, living in a tiny bungalow built by his father.

"I have three siblings, and they are all female. I am the only son they have and I am also the eldest. That means I shoulder and share the same responsibilities as my father, yet I am outside playing with kids. If I at least want to have a proper meal, I will need to work and do something about it."

"The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty." — Winston Churchill

Not long after that, the upward path toward their home proved itself to be a hard road to take on. But Xenia and his mother were used to it. Soon, the view of their house came into sight. A low house with a broad front porch, having no upper floor and was created with dormer windows.

For Xenia, the real Xenia, that house is more than any luxurious and grandeur house there is. But still, a kid like him would wish for a nice and cozier place to live in.

Outside the front porch was a goat with a puffy coat to it, munching on some grass on the ground while placed on a leash. Around the area where trees did not grow a small garden was planted with potatoes that are about to be harvested. Some died due to the extremely hot weather that struck the island for three days, rendering their crops inedible.

Devastated by the loss, there was nothing they could do but treasure those that survived the hellish three days.

Most of the trees surrounding their area had been cut down for their house and the little garden to be built. But if Xenia would look around and stretch his vision to the furthest back, he would see the layers of trees that go to the end of the land.

"We're as poor as always."

Xenia's father is a fisherman for a group. The catch is not always good for them, but if it is he would definitely bring some back home for his family. He can't get a job in establishments, for their family was hated by most of the citizens. Only the kids Xenia was playing with, and their families were the only people that did not discriminate against them for what they have done.

"His parents did not really tell him what actually drove them to the far northeastern part of the island. But according to his friends, Xenia's father and mother did something horrible in the past. The people of this island despised them, but there are still people that are kind enough to see this family as innocent."

The two of them entered the room. It was pretty chill inside the house. There was no electricity. Their only source of light was through the dormer windows. And when it was night, they would light up their homemade candles. If his father and mother could do and procure essentials, they would. The little money Xenia's father would get from his job will be spent on their food.

"I told you to stay in your bed and have some rest, Krishna. I just turned my back for a minute, and you were already gone!"

Xenia's father immediately assisted his mother to her bed. Sickly, she lay down, smiling through the painful coughs she just had for a moment.

"And you, kid. Sit down already. Why are you looking around as though it is your first time seeing our house?!"

All of Xenia's siblings were sitting on the floor made from wooden planks put together. A small table that was big enough for the four of them to share was in front of them where their food was. Happily and hungrily, they were eating, devouring those fish and crab like there would be no tomorrow.

"Hey, that's mine!"

"Huh? I just put this on your plate, but this is mine!"

"Okay, stop fighting, ladies. You can always request for seconds because your dad had some bonus!"

"Yay!"

And when Xenia thought there would be no food for him since he was a bit late for lunch, fish and clams were brought out by his father. His three female siblings raced to the freshly cooked clams, hoarding as much food as they could on their plates.

"Someone who does not get to eat a lot of food even if they want can't be too ungrateful."

Xenia sat down and reached out for the clam and some fresh cut-up vegetables as a side dish.

"Thank you for the food," Xenia said with his palm clasped together, which turned out to be something Xenia would not do. "Well, being thankful is everything I can offer, right, dad?"

"Yes, son." His father replied with a tired smile on his face as he cared for his wife. He was spoon-feeding her while she had her back against the back of her bed. "Now, 'ah' or you won't recover."

"Don't you think it is pointless, Jorn?"

Jorn Volcom was his father's name.

Faint but Xenia could clearly hear his mother's words.

"Haven't we talked about this already, Krishna? And not now. Xenia is here. He has a mind of his own now."

"You know we won't be able to hide it forever. The kids are bound to know about it."

"Not a single word, Krishna!"

"You will regret it because I do now. Jorn, there is no place for us. We are monsters."

~