Chapter 24: Melinda's Disappearance.

I then headed towards the exit, when I went out, I found all the villagers dead on the ground, with skinny bodies as if they had been devoured or sucked from the inside.

It was terrifying, I took my courage and headed to the place where the stranger had captured me last time.

I look in front of me, and I still see this immense forest.

A sigh from me comes then I take a first step but I crush something that quickly attracts my attention on the ground.

I look at what it is and there I am moved.

It's the teddy bear that my parents left me.

I had dropped it here that day, I picked it up even though it was full of dust.

I shook it a little before hugging it to comfort myself.

This teddy bear means a lot to me, he's the one I confide in, why? Because for me I tell myself that he represents my parents a little bit.

After hugging him, I resumed my journey running through the terrifying forest in front of me without looking back, for me, I had to be able to turn off this part of my story, so I decided to delete my name, my age, and everything that could concern my old life in this village cursed by Sy666.

Melinda: Sakolomé, now you know my whole story, what do you think?!

Sakolomé was silent, he had listened attentively to Melinda and did not know that she had lived through so many horrors in her past.

Sakolomé: Melinda... you know... I'm not good at speeches but I honestly don't think you deserved this horrible life!

Melinda nods.

Melinda: Otherwise, I say it because I think you can understand me, as a killer man, you have certainly experienced much worse in your life!

Sakolomé smiles in an embarrassed way then says.

Sakolomé: Melinda, I can tell you that I have experienced everything except a spiritual trauma by being a killer man

Melinda: And how did you overcome all that?

Sakolomé declines his gaze and seems to delve into his memories.

Sakolomé: I was lucky to have parents who always made me understand not to always act the way others want us to be, they taught me to always keep my calm in horrible situations and to always think about the consequences of my actions before causing them, if I should act badly one day, it must be for a good cause, a cause that will not do more harm than good ... I hate seeing people suffer more than me, I don't know why but that's how it is, especially when they are humans!

Melinda is immersed by what Sakolomé had just said then she smiles.

Melinda: Humans you say?!

Sakolomé nods.

Sakolomé: Yes, I can't often blame humans for their actions, especially when they are common, they have suffered enough in the past with the war against the mutants and the one against my ancestors the killer men ....

Melinda: But Sakolomé, you too are a human, why do you speak as if you were a creature other than a human?!

Sakolomé: I see myself more as a superhuman, and superhumans must protect normal humans, yes I am a human but also a monster in the eyes of all because I am a Satsujin Otoko, but in my conscience, I see myself more as a protector, defender of the human race than a normal human!

Melinda smiles slightly and replies.

Melinda: You're still a human Sakolomé, even if you become a superhero, or you go to the moon, or even to the bottom of the oceans you're still a human, there's a proverb that says, wood can last in water, but it will never be a fish, you know what I mean? You can't change your true nature

Sakolomé: Hum... yes you're right Melinda, I am a human!

Melinda stands up and says.

Melinda: Sakolomé, I like your way of seeing things, it seems like you kiss everyone, even if everyone doesn't like you..

Sakolomé: haha, maybe the bad behavior of others towards us Satsujin Otoko, is simply due to an education that we teach them about us, but, I could see that some when they learn to discover us, understand that times have changed, the killer men are no longer those of yesteryear

Melinda: Um...and where did you get this thing that you say you were able to see?

Sakolomé: thanks to an acquaintance, his name is Mr. Ramos, he is living proof!

Melinda: I see...Sakolomé, let's resume our training, I want to know how to fly!!!!

Sakolomé gets up in turn.

Sakolomé: good, let's go Melinda!!

Sakolomé and Melinda resumed training to fly.

Melinda tried again and again but it was still so complicated.

Melinda: But why... why can't I do it!!

Sakolomé: You know, maybe the way I'm teaching you isn't the right one!

Melinda: What do you mean?!

Sakolomé: Normally, manipulating energy and being able to fly with it isn't something simple, with mana it can become easier but...

Melinda: But what?

Sakolomé was a little embarrassed, he didn't really know how those who possess mana used it to fly, so he didn't really see himself able to explain it properly.

So he sees himself continuing with energy.

Sakolomé (sighing): When you manipulate energy, with good mastery for example, you become able to manipulate other energies, kinetic energy, magnetic energy and psychic energy. With magnetic energy, you are able to fly using metal surfaces, or simply by creating interactions with metal objects, with kinetic energy, you are able to control the kinetic energy around you and by increasing your energy you could propel yourself into the air, and finally psychic energy, you are able to use your mind to manipulate the energy around you, which can allow you to fly too!

Melinda: All this is super complicated, and what energy do you use?

Sakolomé: I use psychic energy, mainly to fly

Melinda: Is manipulating all these energies only useful for flying?

Sakolomé: No, you can use them in other ways too, but currently we are talking about flying, hence I specified them in my explanations by developing only on the field of flight!

Melinda: Oh I see!

Melinda looks at the horizon and notices that the sun was already setting.

Melinda: It looks like we're going to have to separate again!

Sakolomé: No, I'm going to sleep here tonight!

Melinda (surprised): What? Your parents won't hold it against you?!

Sakolomé: No no, don't worry about it

Then Sakolomé looks away, with a slightly worried look, he says to himself in his thoughts: (even if there's a good chance that my mother will seriously reproach me for it)

Sakolomé approaches Melinda.

Sakolomé: Have you ever flown over the sky one day?!

Melinda shakes her head.

Sakolomé turns around and adds.

Sakolomé: Get on my back!

Melinda hesitates for a moment.

Melinda: Are you sure?!

Sakolomé nods.

Melinda: Wait!

She picks up her stuffed animal from the ground and then climbs onto Sakolomé's back.

Sakolomé: Are you hanging on tight?!

Melinda: Yes, I think so!!

Sakolomé: Hum... it's not enough to just believe!

Melinda: Okay, I'm hanging on tight, smart guy!!!

She replies in an annoyed tone.

Sakolomé snickers and rises into the air.

Melinda is surprised and hugs Sakolomé even tighter.

Melinda: Wow... were you serious?!

Sakolomé: Of course, come on, let's take off!!!

Sakolomé rises even higher into the air with Melinda to the point of reaching a dizzying height.

They were in the clouds and were no longer able to see the ground because the clouds were absolutely hiding everything below.

Sakolomé: Hey Melinda, do you like it?!!!

He asked.

Melinda remained silent, she did not answer.

Sakolomé: Hey, Melinda I'm talking to you!!!

Melinda had covered her eyes with her stuffed animal so as not to see the ground, she was clearly dizzy and afraid of falling.

Sakolomé: Melinda!!!!

Melinda (with fear): Sak....Sakolomé do...do...do very careful!!

Sakolomé glances slightly behind him and notices that Melinda was covering her eyes.

Sakolomé: Melinda you don't have to be afraid, I use my energy to protect you you have nothing to fear!

Melinda (still with fear): Ah...really...you...you're not talking bullshit?!

Sakolomé: Obviously, with you on my back I couldn't afford to move super fast without protecting you, your body would have suffered monstrous damage because of my speed of movement, but thanks to my energy that envelops us, you are protected from everything that can harm you currently, even a lack of oxygen wouldn't get the better of you, come on do me a favor, open your eyes and let's enjoy the show!

Melinda: Oh... that's very thoughtful of you... ok I'll open my eyes!

Melinda takes her stuffed animal off her face and sees clouds everywhere, she is amazed by the beauty of the sky and this cloud forest that seems to stretch as far as the eye can see.

Melinda: it's magnificent... magical... it's too beautiful with the sun setting in the distance!

Sakolomé: and to think that you wanted to miss that

Melinda: it would have been a crime to miss that!

Melinda reaches out her hand on her right and left which was holding her stuffed animal at the end, she touches the clouds and finds this pleasant sensation.

Melinda: I am the mistress of the world!!!

Sakolomé: Hahaha!!

Melinda: Sakolomé, try to go higher!

Sakolomé: Very good miss!!!

Sakolomé rises even higher in the sky, he rises so high that we could see the earth's horizon now.

Melinda: Wow... it's beautiful to see the earth like that

Sakolomé continued to fly over with Melinda on his back.

Melinda was so carried away and let herself go too much by the beauty of this landscape in the sky.

Melinda: I feel like I'm the queen of the world!!

Sakolomé: You have funny feelings, we're going to go down soon!

Melinda: No never, I'll be the one to say when we're going to go down!

Sakolomé (sighing): OK, whatever you want!

Sakolomé turns around and Melinda finds herself in an upside-down position, she is suddenly worried and tells Sakolomé about it.

Melinda: Sakolomé, what are you doing?

The latter replies in a tired tone.

Sakolomé: Melinda, I'm sleepy, sorry!

Sakolomé stops flying and lets himself fall with Melinda on his back.

Melinda panics and shouts at Sakolomé.

Melinda: damn Sakolomé are you crazy?! We're falling, pull yourself together!!!!!

Sakolomé wasn't listening to what Melinda was saying. He was still deep in his sleep.

Melinda is panicking, she's been falling from an unimaginable height with Sakolomé for a while. She knows that if they fall from this height and hit the ground, they'll never survive.

Melinda has been shaking Sakolomé for a while but he still didn't respond.

She started crying.

Melinda: Fuck...fuck...fuck... Sakolomé, you're just an idiot, how...sniff...how can you sleep at a time like this huh, get up and fast!!!

Melinda and Sakolomé had gone beyond the clouds, below, there was a huge forest visible from the sky that was going to welcome their falls.

Melinda stopped fidgeting and clings to Sakolomé, she closes her eyes and seems to have accepted her fate.

Then Sakolomé wakes up and says.

Sakolomé: Haha, you're not rushing anymore?!

He regains control of the air and takes off again with Melinda.

Sakolomé: You should have seen you, you were so scared, hahaha!!!

Melinda was silent, she was clearly upset, she hadn't liked Sakolomé's joke and Sakolomé had understood it very well.

He pulled himself together and said.

Sakolomé: Melinda, I'm sorry, I made that joke to scare you I admit but I swear to you that at no time were you going to lose your life, everything was under control, in short... I apologize, I will never make that kind of joke again

Melinda leaves a silence between her and him for a moment.

Then she smiles at him again and says.

Melinda: I forgive you Sakolomé, never do that again, I thought I was going to throw up my heart for a moment.

Sakolomé: haha... to that extent?!

Melinda: it's easy for you to be proud, you know how to fly, but I don't, so you can't understand me!

After more than 1 hour of flying, Sakolomé and Melinda return to the ground, where they are used to being.

Sakolomé lands on the ground and drops Melinda.

Melinda: it was really a new and unique experience for me!

Sakolomé (smiling): same for me!

Melinda: What are you talking about?! You're used to flying!

She says, intrigued.

Sakolomé: Yes, but not with a friend as important as you!

Melinda blushes and smiles.

Melinda: smooth talker, come on, let's light a fire, I'll tell you stories that were told to me before in my village.

Said thing, done thing.

With the food that Sakolomé had brought, Melinda and Sakolomé were feasting while telling each other scary stories for most of the night until sleep took them both.

Day breaks, Sakolomé opens his eyes and wakes up completely.

He yawns and then looks around.

Sakolomé: Where is she?!

He gets up and stretches.

Sakolomé: What time is it anyway?!

Melinda appears out of nowhere and surprises Sakolomé.

Melinda: Hey, you slept well it seems!

Sakolomé surprised jumps slightly and replies.

Sakolomé: Wow...you almost scared me, where were you again?!

Melinda smiles proudly, she was showing off in front of Sakolomé.

Melinda: I know, I'm a super early riser.

Sakolomé: Yes it's clear, Melinda, I have to go home to get us something to eat, you wait for me here OK?!

Melinda: no worries, hurry up above all!

Sakolomé nods and flies away immediately.

He heads like an arrow home and lands in front of the door, he opens it and sees Amu in the living room sitting sewing clothes.

Amu looks at who has just come back and is surprised to see her son whom she hadn't seen yesterday all day and all night.

Amu: Sakolomé, where have you been? I was really worried about you!!

Sakolomé answers in a soothing tone.

Sakolomé: It's nothing mom, it's just that yesterday I trained a lot and I was so tired that I fell asleep completely there!

Amu (smiling and relieved): In any case, I'm happy to see you in one piece

Sakolomé: Mother, where are the others?!

Amu: Oh... Your father and Bakuzan went on patrol, and Bakuran and Salomé are training not far from here!

Sakolomé: oh... okay, mother, I'm going to have to go back but first I'm going to get some food

Amu: no worries, you can go to the kitchen and get whatever you want

Sakolomé goes to the kitchen and fills a small bag with food.

After doing so, he leaves the kitchen and finds himself in the living room again.

He looks at his mother who was sewing.

Sakolomé: Mother, if I don't come back tonight again don't worry, I'm just still training!

Amu nods and adds.

Amu: no problem but take good care of yourself my baby, and also, every morning don't forget to come see me always, I like to see that my children are doing well!

Sakolomé smiles and says.

Sakolomé: understood mom, you really are the best!

Then he leaves the house and flies away directly.

Sakolomé is happy to have reassured his mother, he is happy and impatient to see Melinda again to have fun with her again.

He arrives and lands on the ground, he puts the food on the ground and shouts.

Sakolomé: Hey Melinda, I'm here!!!

But no answer.

Sakolomé is a little surprised.

Sakolomé: Ah I see she's trying to play a joke on me again!

He sighs and adds.

Sakolomé: Very well Melinda, I'll find you!!

He starts looking for Melinda everywhere.

From the bottom towards the river, going to the hills and mountains where they used to go play. But no results.

Sakolomé: Wow, she hid well this time!!

Sakolomé sits on the ground for a moment.

Sakolomé: I think I have no choice, I'm going to have to cheat!

Sakolomé closes his eyes and concentrates, his super developed senses could sense the presence of insects hundreds of meters away from him, he completes this by adding a layer of energy that he assimilates with the energy of the surrounding nature allowing him to know everyone who is in a huge perimeter.

Each movement is immediately spotted and analyzed, from the smallest ants, to the largest snake of the tides to the largest wild horses, nothing was able to escape him in this extreme concentration.

That was certainly good, but he still didn't feel any presence of Melinda when .... he suddenly opens his eyes and heads downhill.

He seems in a hurry as if he had spotted something.

He stops and looks at the ground.

Sakolomé: What? Just that?!

He said with a disappointed air.

On the ground, it was Melinda's stuffed animal, Sakolomé didn't understand anything at all, she had never disappeared like that before.

He picks up the stuffed animal and heads to where he usually waits for her.

He sits down and waits, time passes, again and again and here the sun sets.

Sakolomé has his eyes lost in the void, with Melinda's stuffed animal in his hand, he looks at the horizon, and can't stop wondering where she could have gone.

Sakolomé: Melinda...where are you...fuck..?!