They Called Me FIVE

LANCE

We walked hand in hand inside our class. Unlike my first day on Opra, the room is filled with kids who has an air of I couldn't care less. No meanie looking, all are disciplined faces. They chatter only in their seats. They laughed, the kid around, the air is completely friendly. 

I can tell they're all having fun. Except one thing. They're smiling facial expression comes up strained. Like how you see threatened extras in movies. Knives or guns at their ribs, they we're forced to act what the perpetrator tell them to do. 

'Don't do anything stupid. Act normal,' One out of ten, that came out as super awkward and totally obvious. 

I can't understand why they're faces came out like that to me. Am I being paranoid? Or something is actually on the work here? 

"Lance, let's take a seat." Meira said, leading me to a seat at the center of the room. I let her take me. Her hand still interlocking mine. Our tables are shared each by two people. The two guys on the front looked over their shoulder. I didn't recognize them at first.

But the similar features of face and burly arms, oversized nose and glaring eyes, I suddenly remember the two guys – twins whom I toured just yesterday.

One minute passed, Meira and I did our best to ignore them. They're still staring. Three minutes, a cold sweat trinkle down to my nape. I smiled awkwardly.

He – hey, how's it going mate?"  Both grunted in dissatisfaction. So they hate me huh. Then why are they looking at me like they'll have me for breakfast? 

At that exact moment, the teacher came in and slammed her palm on the teacher's table. Garnering all our attention. The classes start and the burly twins stops staring. I exhaled in relief. I try not to think at the warm soft hand holding mine. 

I tried to focus on the discussion. Especially at the long list of dates the teacher drones on about World War and other important people involved. She showed powerpoint presentation. There's a guy with curving beard like worm wiggling above his mouth. And another guy with nest like gray hair which seems to wobble everytime the screen blob due to the soft wind brewing from the aircon above 

I waited patiently for lunch. I couldn't believe what Meira said about Ava didn't exist. I believe there's a big gap in my memory. The more I try to dig in and uncover the treasures buried, the more soil crash on the pit. Rendering my effort useless.

I think back, slowly, gathering the pieces. Maybe I can make sense if I did that. 

'You're not a fool Five.' Who said this?

'If you think you can save humans when they became a slave of Faeries, you're wrong. Once a soul was forcedly sucked out of their bodies…there's no getting it back. It's the same thing with your blessing. The moment you absorb the life force of fields… you can't bring it back alive."

Meira? I caught a glimpse of Meira's face. Focused on her task in jutting down notes. It's not her. The voice isn't hers. Meira is more shrilly and sing sang. This one is smooth, almost like a wistful whisper.

'Think everything over Five. What did Meira say before coming here? What did you observe in your Dad's behavior for these past weeks? Why did Lista and your Dad trained you to fight Beasts when our enemy are the Faeries? What was the reason why you came back to Chicago? Your Dad was dead set on never coming here… especially when this is the place where your mother died…'

I froze. My head began to throb and I scratch my nails on my hair. Trying to elevate the pain. Someone told me those words last night. Who was it?

Why can't I remember you?

"Lance, are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh uh yeah. I'm fine." I forced a smile. Meira put her hand over mine. And a sensation of butter feeling spreads towards my chest. To my brain.

"Are you sure you're fine?"

I don't know what's happening. Everything is melting. Both the pain… and the words from the girl I don't recognize. Now I can't remember a single thing.

.

.

.

Wait, what was I thinking a few seconds ago?

"I'm perfect."  I said, and squeezed her hand interlocking mine. Meira smiled and my heart turned jelly.

After lunch, we ate in the cafeteria. Just the two of us. Our conversation is totally random. What's our hobbies, I can't answer anything. As if I can answer I whacked Beasts everyday. So I said pizza with movies. She said she loved movies. Especially Asian movies.

For the whole hour, she kept droning how Asian zombies looks so real. She and her mother recently watch a Korean drama series where there's zombies even if the setting is purely historical.

She described the gore scenes. How they move in packs and feed on one woman with a baby on her back. The others prioritize the baby…while the mother did not make it. I'm amazed how she can extract great details from it.

The pizza I bought with grated cheese and sausage doesn't look tasty anymore. My stomach, despite being empty, kept tugging at me. Sending BARF EMERGENCY, TOILET ASAP.

Before we head back to class, I excuse myself. Telling her to go ahead of me. I finish my business in the toilet. Took me ten minutes before I calm down. I know I suck. Barfing just because the girl started to talk about zombies.

But I can't help it. My stomach is sensitive. Can't handle feces nor gore talks. So I just have to deal with this. I already showed many uncool sides of me to Meira. Can't afford to have another one.

A slight beep crossed in my head. I winced. The shrilly ringing continues for a few seconds before it stops.

"What do you think that girl did?" Someone asked. I whipped around.

"Erase his memory." A girl answered. Wait, this is a men's toilet no girls are allowed here. I pushed the cubicle door opened. No one's inside except me. Are they outside?

"So he can't remember us now, is that it? What's the point of revealing your other self then?"  The man demanded, his tone clearly frustrated.

"Yeah, it was useless. He's stubborn too. Not like we are any better. We're fools to believe his sweet talk. Five trust him so much, I assumed we could make him convinced Five to come with us. Now look where it bring us." The girl resigned.

Five? I looked at the Mark of Five in my forearm. Are they talking about me?

"Then what about the other girl? You said you're able to control the Faeries influence over her. You said you manage to –"

The girl cut the man off with a chuckle.

"Well, that's the thing isn't it? We were wrong from the start. That woman…is not a slave, but a Faery. A 'Temptress' to be exact."

My breath got caught in my throat. Faery? What are they talking about?

"What's a Class 8 doing around with Five?"

"Isn't it obvious? They're reeling him in for –"

The painful shrill zipped in my head. I gasped. The next thing I know the voices disappear.