Chapter 9: Chapter 9

There are a lot of mysterious things happening to me but I decided to ignore it, this must be the effect of that horrible incident.

More than a week has passed, after my encounter with Tobias, I see him almost every day. According to Aunt Vera, he really spent his days roaming around them even before I came.

I found out that he is only a year older than me. I was actually surprised by that information. He's surely tall for our age, I have to admit that. Days after seeing him, I perceived him as someone who jokes around and is really extroverted.

I have been already under the care of Aunt Vera and Uncle Silas for more than a week. It was still a short time but that already feels like a lifetime for me. They have been very kind towards me and I have never seen them angry even once. They were also giving and they really treated me right as if I was their own child.

Aside from feeding me and giving me the basic necessities, they enlisted and enrolled me yesterday in a school near our town. I was actually excited about it. I used to attend schools in our village but when the bullying went more than I could imagine, I ended up not attending classes. I just studied all by myself at home.

For that reason, I am delayed by two years for school at my age. However, luckily, the school officials that we talked to yesterday approved of me taking an examination and if I passed that, I will be promoted to the level I'm supposed to be. It was a great opportunity for me.

I still wonder why the deities have allowed me to start a new life. Was it their apology for bringing my family down? I still get nightmares about what happened that night. I could still vividly see in my dreams my father being a werewolf and how he ended up being killed. Everything is still vivid. It was embedded into my soul and I will forever mourn that loss.

There were nights that I would end up being awake from that nightmare and I couldn't go back to sleep, instead, I only cried missing them. I wish my brother would visit me in my dream. Or is he loathing me in the other world for not being able to save him? I still regret some things that night.

If only... if only I did not trip off and fell that night then we could have escaped those men. We could have escaped and started a new life... the possibility of it haunts me. Being the only survivor from my family that night hunts me.

"Maive!" I was brought to my senses when Tobias called my name as he snapped his fingers in front of me.

I raised my head, "Sorry I spaced out." I said as I extended my hands to get the basket of coffee beans.

We are currently in the forest where Uncle Silas harvests his beans. We were trying to help him. For Tobias, he usually helps Uncle Silas. I just went along because I also wanted to help, that's the only way I will feel okay staying at their home.

Tobias laughed a bit, "Don't think about me that much." He teased me.

I rolled my eyes and lightly punched his arm.

See? He really likes to joke around and that is probably the reason why I already feel at ease whenever I am with him.

From my peripheral vision, I saw Uncle Silas approaching us with baskets of coffee beans in each of his hands. I immediately went to the hut near us to get the jug of water. I handed it to Uncle Silas who is now full of sweat from the intense sun rays.

He smiled at me as he accepted the jug of water that we brought.

"You should have not joined us, Maive. Look how hot it is," He said after drinking some water, I could even see the worry in his eyes.

He shouldn't worry about me, I am fine with the heat or with the tiredness of helping. That is the only way I could ease my heart from the kindness they showed me. That's the least I could do for them.

I smiled as I shook my head, "I'm used to this kind of heat, Uncle. My father and I used t-" I stopped when I realized that I was starting to talk about my father.

I bit my lip after realizing that. Uncle Silas and Tobias looked at me with curiosity. I could see questions were now running through their thoughts. Silence remained but they did not ask whatever they wanted to ask.

I felt guilty because I still couldn't tell stories about my family, I just don't know how I would ever answer if they ask what happened to my family.

"It's okay." Said my Uncle Silas as he tapped my shoulder. He left after that and went to harvest the coffee beans once again.

When lunch came, Aunt Vera brought some foods she had cooked that we all share in the hut. The whole day went quiet after then. I tried not to talk much, afraid that I will talk about my family once again. I don't want them to see me weak, I want them to see me strong with no problem. I don't want to be a burden to those people who have been so kind to me.

The sun was already setting when we finished harvesting. Uncle Silas has a cart made from wood with wheels where he placed the baskets. Tobias and Uncle Silas pulled that cart to bring home the beans we have harvested.

While walking on our way back, I suddenly heard a cat crying. When I looked around, I found it being trapped above a tree. I was walking behind Uncle Silas and Tobias so I did not bother to call them as I climbed the tree to help the cat be free.

It was too high but I am used to climbing since my father has also worked on a farm. Forest and rice fields have been my playground and climbing would just be easy.

When I reached the branch where the cat was trapped. I patted the cat as I put it into my grip and prepared to climb down the tree. However, to my surprise, a snake appeared out of nowhere. It was crawling into the branch where I was gripping.

Shit!

Being afraid of getting bitten, it made me jump out of the tree. As I jumped out of the tree, I prepared for a bad landing and for sure fractures. I closed my eyes hoping that the landing would not hurt that much but I knew that it was impossible since I was falling from a high place. I hugged the cat tightly, trying to protect it.

"Maive!"