5

During dinner, Adrianna sometimes glanced at Lewis.

Tall and so frail because of his thinness, he gave the impression of obvious defenselessness. It seems that Lewis can be broken with just one easy move.

Feeling the gaze on him, the blue-eyed Briton shuddered and looked at Adrianna.

— Is something wrong?—He squeezed the spoon with thin fingers when he felt the spoon almost fall out of his hands.

— I'm sorry, I was just thinking...—Adrianna said.—You haven't even eaten half of what's on the plate. If you don't like it, I can cook something else...—

Lewis shook his head.

— I really liked everything, but... of course, I don't know you that well, but I don't think an ordinary person would have a good appetite after what happened to me...—The guy sighed. For a short time, he was pushing red pepper with a spoon among the broth and vegetables.— What do you say this soup is called?—

— Zhurek. For those who are not used to such heavy food, it can be problematic. When Ryan ate too much of this soup for the first time, he was just incredibly sick...—Adrianna laughed.

Ryan nudged his adopted daughter with his shoulder.

— Ow!—Adrianna grimaced.— Are you fighting over the truth? —

— Don't give away my worst secrets. Secrets should be kept where they can't harm anyone...—Ryan collected the plates from those who had finished.— I'm going to wash the dishes...—

— Ryan, I'll help you.—Adrianna said, but Ryan waved his hand:

—Can't I turn on the dishwasher?—

Adrianna followed her foster father into the kitchen.

— What could be wrong with him?—She asked Ryan.— What are you so afraid of?—

—He may be the bearer of the power that I refused to accept. The slang name for this force is the Wheels of Hell. This power is contained in a vessel, which is given to each of the destroyers upon reaching the age of fifteen.—Ryan took a shuddering breath.—If you drink this, you'll never die. But at what price such a life is given... When the inner reservoir of vitality runs out, the destroyer draws vitality from other living beings...—

Adrianna remembered Lewis waking up from a nightmare. With his touch, he drew strength from her...

But would she be able to kill him?

No. I never could have.

There's something sweet about Lewis. Something like that... Pure, innocent, or what?

Something that fills the world with light. Something that really makes the world a kinder place.

—And you're going to kill him?—Adrianna asked in a trembling voice.

— No. I don't understand why. I... can't kill him. Something is not working here.—Ryan tapped his chest.—I still have something that looks like a heart. And we look so much alike... It makes me uneasy...—

Ryan sighed loudly when he heard Lewis's bubbly laugh— the guy was chatting animatedly with Darek about something.

The tamagotchi on a colorful string around his neck was bouncing with laughter.

Darek was laughing too, although his gaze hinted that he was not here with his mind right now.

He's definitely thinking about someone... But only about whom?

— Darek is kind of strange...—Ryan said thoughtfully.

— No stranger than you!—Adrianna playfully whipped her foster father's soft spot with a towel.— Let's go wash the dishes traditionally!—

***

Adrianna watched the soap spray disappear into the center of the sink.

— You can't use detergents, why don't you wash the dishes in the dishwasher?—Ryan asked, looking at the cracks that appeared on Adrianna's arm.

— I want to remember the normal moments of our lives, normal in the truest sense of the word. I like to cleanse this world of all kinds of filth, but I need a little sip of human life.—Adrianna took a tube of Chinese ointment out of the closet and quickly smears the ointment on her hands.— We look like them... At people, I mean...—

— People are stupid. I don't see much similarity between them and us.—Ryan suddenly looked sad.

— Let's go to the guys, it seems they turned on a cartoon there... Otherwise you'll turn sour.—Adrianna smiled.

Ryan laughed.

— Looking at him, so cheerful, young, handsome, I get the idea of how old I am! I'm the oldest veteran on this planet... Daniel is probably the only one older than me. Of those I know, only Daniel is older... But I don't know that much!—

They returned to the living room. The rest of the company is having fun watching TV.

It seems that if you watch "The Amazing Digital Circus" or "Scooby Doo" or "Garfield" forever, they will never get bored anyway.

Each of these cartoons is a classic of its time.

Adrianna lay with the back of her head on Cornelius's chest and laughed at John's phrases when he scolded Garfield for breaking everything.

—And Garfield bears a resemblance to you, Kirby.—Ryan laughed.— I hadn't even thought about it before, but now I've put all the facts together...

Kirby threw a pillow at him.

— It's never been so peaceful...—Cornelius suddenly said.

— Yes, you're right, old man...—Darek sighed.

Cornelius noticed the glint of a ring on a chain around Darek's neck.

— Has my brother got married?—Cornelius asked Adrianna when they were going to bed.

— Cornelius, Darek is your brother! I don't even know if he has a girlfriend...—Adrianna lay down next to him.

— You're lying to me now.—Cornelius looked into the eyes of his beloved.

— Why do you think that? I really don't know!—Adrianna jumped up in bed.— Why... do you know me so well?—

— So what?—Cornelius smiled.

***