Chapter 18: The Past Still Matters (2)

When Arya couldn't find Daniel inside the house, she dropped her body onto the couch, sitting down in the living room where the whole group was.

"Make yourselves at home. I'll just go to my room." She stood up and went straight to her room without batting an eye to them, as Zack watched her go. He wanted to go after her, but what can he do? So, he opted to stay, and maybe talk to her tomorrow when she's ready. 

—

Mark was walking around the house, looking at the portraits. Arya's baby picture, a photo of her and Daniel, and their old worn out family picture. His eyes lingered on the image, but his mind started to wander, and a familiar ache twisted in his chest. 

Ellie noticed him, as his soft smile changed into an emptiness? She walked towards him. 

"She was cute. Well, she still is, but she's got a bit of a temper. Her brother looks adorable too." She chuckled softly.

Mark didn't say anything and just nodded his head.

"Well, what about you? Do you have any siblings?" she asked.

He hesitated before answering. "Yeah..I..I have a younger brother, Brian."

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Really? That must have been nice to grow up with someone."

Mark let out a slow sigh. "I guess. Depends on how you look at it." She caught the shift in his tone. "What was he like?"

Mark hesitated, his fingers absentmindedly fidgeting. "We were different…He was the happy go lucky kind of guy, and a rebellious one if I say. He did everything however he likes. Nothing matters to him other than his happiness." He exhaled sharply. 

"On the other hand, I was the opposite. Did everything right, followed the rules, got good grades. Made sure I never disappointed anyone, especially my parents." He continued.

"So, you were like the golden child?" 

Mark scoffed. "I guess, something like that. But, it didn't matter. My parents weren't exactly paying attention to either of us. Maybe that's what made Brian the way he is. Maybe he figured that no matter what he does, they wouldn't care. So, he chose to live his life however he likes."

"But me? When I was a child, my father told me that I am his heir and I cannot mess it up for him. I followed everything they wanted me to do. So, I always keep that in mind growing up. Maybe that's how I became the way I am." he added. It;'s like his tears are about to fall. 

Ellie was just listening. It was the first time that Mark talked so vulnerably like this. From the first day he met him, he was the quiet one. Like you wouldn't know he had this kind of past that he's been carrying all along. 

Little did they know, Ambrose was in the corner, listening the whole time.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted the stillness. 

"That must have been tough for you, Mark." Ambrose said, making both Mark and Ellie look over at him. His eyes were focused on Mark, analyzing him.

Ellie raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. She realized that they don't know anything about Ambrose. This is the perfect time to know something about him.

"What about you, Ambrose?" she asked, her tone casual so Ambrose will not suspect anything.

Ambrose paused for a moment, thinking about the exact words he had to say. "Me, well.." he swallowed hard. "I wouldn't say it was tough. I guess you could say I didn't have exactly the kind of childhood you might be familiar with. I was made for a purpose."

Mark blinked, confused. "What do you mean? Aren't we all made for a purpose?" he laughed bitterly. 

Ambrose shrugged nonchalantly, taking a slow step towards them. "I suppose you could say I've always known what I'm meant to do. There was never any room for mistakes. No growing pains. Everything was clear." 

Mark and Ellie exchange a quick glance. There was something strange about how he said it, but neither of them could pinpoint what exactly made him so off. The way he spoke so matter-of-fact, made it hard to read his expressions. 

"That's quite vague," Ellie said, confused. "So, you are saying you had it easy, then?" she asked.

"You could put it that way. No distractions…Just purpose," he said, his eyes unreadable.

"What about your parents? Siblings?" Mark asked, now curious where the conversation is going.

Ambrose shrugged. "I didn't have parents, not in the traditional sense. Siblings? A lot."

Mark's brow furrowed, trying to piece it all together. "So, you were an orphan or something?"

"Yeah, I guess. I had someone who…helped guide me, though. Someone who made sure I turned out right."

Ellie exchanged a glance with mark. "So, just a 'guiding figure'?"

"Yeah, something like a father figure, if you must." Ambrose replied. "I suppose it's why I value purpose so much. I was given one, and I've made sure to follow it, no matter what."

"Sounds like we are the same after all. Like me, you were just following 'orders'." Mark said, chuckled softly, almost as if trying to lighten the conversation.

"I suppose. Life is harder when you have to make your own choices. The only difference between us is that I don't care… and you care so much that you forgot what you really want to do with your life." Ambrose stared directly at his eyes. 

Mark was caught off guard. Ellie was shook. But they didn't have the right words to say. Mark knew he was right and he couldn't argue with that. It was like the words were stuck in his throat.

He stood frozen. It was true. He'd been so focused on doing what was expected of him, following the path laid out by his parents, that he never really stopped to think about what he wanted. Before he could do anything in his life that he truly wanted, he was now stuck in this world– this system that he did not want to be a part of.

"But you are still lucky, you know.

Ambrose walked away, before the both of them could respond. 

—

Zack was in the kitchen, trying to find some coffee. Jake approached him from behind, his expression tense.

"Zack," Jake called quietly, not wanting to draw attention to himself. Zack turned, brow furrowing, sensing something from Jake.

"There's something you need to know," Jake continued. "Back at the hospital, before we went out. I found a backpack. Arya already knows about it." 

Zack raised an eyebrow. "What's in it?" He leaned at the counter top.

"Medical supplies, ready to eat meals, flashlight, pocket knife…everything we might need. It was right where we'd be able to grab it in case we had to leave quickly. But here's the thing, I thought it was all an illusion, considering the place we were in. But, it is still here, so it's not part of the illusion," he said.

Zack's eyes are narrowing. "So, you are saying the backpack was left there…but nothing else? Why would someone leave it there at the perfect time, just when we needed it?"

Jake's voice dropped to a whisper. "Exactly. It feels too convenient. It wasn't just lying around either. It was like someone put it there. The supplies inside? They're all the things we didn't expect to find in Northwood, not in this apocalyptic scenario."

Zack's stomach tightened. The screws in his head started to turn as his mind raced with a million questions, trying to connect all the pieces. 

"Who would have left it, then? And how did they know we'd need it? Where did they get all that stuff?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"That's exactly what I'm thinking," Jake added and leaned on the counter top as well, facing the living room where the others were still talking. 

"The only thing we know for sure is that they are not from here. They were from somewhere else," Zack replied. 

The house was quiet for a moment. Just as Zack opened his mouth to ask another question, the familiar mechanical voice echoed through the whole house. 

[Attention, Survivors.]

Zack froze. He will never get used to hearing that voice. 

Arya immediately went out of her room, she went to the living room, where the whole group was. 

"What now?!" she frustratingly said, clearly fed up with the endless announcements. She was clearly still upset about not finding her brother. 

[You will be transported to 'The Pentagon'.]

"Come on! Give us a break! What the hell is the pentagon?!" Jake exclaimed while the others were silent, waiting for the announcement. 

[The Pentagon is designed for your next Trial. You will find yourself within its walls shortly.]

[Instructions and objectives will be given to you upon arrival.]

Zack clenched his fists. They barely caught their breath from the last trial, and now they are being transferred to the location of their next Trial.

[Brace yourself. You will be transported to the next location in 5…4…3…2…1]