Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Wagner’s Point of View

Sojin’s emerald eyes pierced through mine like the eyes of a poisonous snake. He commanded the dinosaur to stop without looking at it. He can’t take his eyes off me, and it’s the most irritating thing I’ve seen. I told him to get out of my sight, but he heard nothing.

I flung his arms and rolled over. My death stare wasn’t enough to shake him when I made it on top of him.

“What a wild girl. I like that,” he said.

That was it. I lost control and punched him in the face.

“Pervert! Do you think you’re cool? Geez. You’re below average.”

I stood up and wiped away the dirt on my clothes. The dinosaur growled like thunder. Its sound echoed through the dark tunnel. Without the shimmering emeralds splattered all over the path, it wouldn’t be nice to stay there.

“What? Do you want to fight? Come on. I’m not a scared cat. I might as well kill you so we could eat something exotic for breakfast,” I said as I glanced at the dinosaur.

Sojin stood up while brushing his hair and looked at me.

“You are really something…”

I diverted my gaze to Kylo and signaled her to come near me. The horrible creature still frightened her as she walked with caution. I held her hands and patted her shoulder.

“Worry no more. If that thing comes after us again, I’ll kill Sojin instead.”

It was a whisper that could reach Sojin’s ears. I heard his footsteps as he followed us. I paused and glared at him one last time.

“Make another step closer, this thing will fit perfectly through your heart.”

I showed him the emerald stone with sharp edges. It glows in the dark like the lights of a firefly. Sojin looked at my little weapon with a blank expression.

“The bad news is… I don’t have a heart,” he said.

He looked straight into my eyes. His eyes revealed an emotion of anguish; it’s something that one couldn’t fake.

“Wagner, I’m hungry. We’ve been running early in the morning,” Kylo said.

“Follow me. I’ll lead you somewhere that will satisfy your stomach.”

Sojin walked ahead of us with his dinosaur named Lava beside him.

“He doesn’t seem dangerous,” Kylo said.

A look of puzzlement crossed my face.

“Can you hear yourself? They sent a dinosaur to attack us, and you’re saying that man is not dangerous? You drowned your brain, kid.”

“It was a wake-up call. Maybe the dinosaur didn’t mean to harm us.”

My mouth opened as I exhaled.

“Who in their right mind would send a dinosaur to wake up someone? If we didn’t run, we’re dead meat. I think they are keeping dinosaurs as pets. They sent those creatures to chase after the pirates, and I bet they’re dead by now.”

Kylo’s hopeful moments were replaced with distress. I wonder if I shouldn’t have said it.

“So what are we going to do? What if their food has poison? Maybe they were just luring us and kill us in the end.”

Her eyes stared blankly into space.

“You know what? Forget what I said. If we die, we die. The worst regret that we could feel is not enjoying the moment before it ends, even if we know what lies in the end.”

Words of comfort that suit the moment were inconceivable. To begin with, I was not an expert on hindering reality from unveiling itself.

Sojin stopped in front of a gigantic door. Their doors looked the same, but I don’t know their exact location.

“Lava, stay here,” Sojin said while caressing the dinosaur’s bumpy face.

He pressed the crystallized button and its beams run through the patterns crafted on the door. It screeched as it opened. We heard loud voices of people inside which show his kind.

The entire setup of the room was like a bar, the only difference was its designs. It was unworldly. They made the tables and chairs, and sky blue colored vines. Sprinkled all over it were rubies in its glittered form.

At the corner, there stood colorful trees that almost looked like a bunch of colored pencils sharpened. If I wasn’t wrong, it’s called rainbow eucalyptus. It’s the trunk that changes color. After the tree sheds its bark, it bursts into a Technicolor display of oranges, blues, and greens. They bear woody fruits and flowers without petals. But what they have was extraordinary because the colors glow.

They made their eating utensils out of gold. I thought it was mind-blowing enough, but there’s more. The floor was made of glass, and underneath we could see the water with various fish swimming gracefully. There were breathtaking coral reefs that serve as a hiding place for the clownfish to play hide and seek.

They divided my attention when I smelled an olfactory aroma from the crisp of chili beef, mashed potato, seasoned pork chops, tender pork spareribs, and the spicy-sweet chili sauce. It was mixed with the ambrosial scent of wines I couldn’t recognize.

I gulped as my digestive system snarled. We followed Sojin and sat at an empty table. I rubbed my fingers against the texture of the vines. They seem real and alive, but their color was aesthetic. The rubies beamed brightly, and it tempted me to pluck it. I wished I could bring bags of them home. Such luxury is perfect for me.

I snapped out of my ardent desire when an annoying voice disturbed me.

“Do you want to bring them home?”

Sojin looked at me with enticing eyes, like he always does.

“No. I have enough.”

“You don’t look like it.”

“Who cares?”

“I can give you some.”

My heart leaped, but I concealed my delight.

“Why would you do that? I thought it’s forbidden?”

He grabbed the glass of wine, placed it against his lips, and looked at me.

“You are an exception,” he said before drinking it.

One of his kinds came to our table and placed some mouth-watering foods on the table. I unconsciously bit my lower lip and ate it without a second thought. Kylo looked at me to secure if the food has no poison. I raised my thumb up together with my brows. She dug in it with sparkling eyes and amusement.

My tongue licked the chili sauce on the tip of my fingers with my eyes half-opened. I couldn’t stop moaning because of the contentment it brought me. Staying on a weird island with obscure creatures wasn’t bad after all. If the food was poisonous, I would die with a smile.

My peripheral vision caught Sojin staring at me, so I stopped and faced him. I cleared my throat and spoke.

“Don’t you know that it’s rude to stare at people who are eating? Mind your own business, will you?”

He was resting the right side of his head on his palm.

“Mind your own business,” he said without blinking.

“Seriously, why are you staring at me? You’re creeping me out, man.”

“Why do you close your eyes when you eat and produce strange sounds? It’s bothering me.”

I heaved a sigh.

“It’s an involuntary reaction. I’m savoring the moment.”

His lips half-smiled.

“Well, the same goes with me. I’m savoring the moment.”

I faked a smile and rolled my eyes. Kylo chuckled while looking at us, but pretended to be choked when I scowled at her.

After devouring the food they served for free, I was more than relaxed. If I were to be reincarnated, I wanted to be like them. There’s nothing I could wish for. Being isolated on a beautiful island with unlimited delicious food without humans became my new dream.

Kylo looked down to the floor and enjoyed the view of the fish. For a moment, she acted like herself. She used to be an innocent girl without worries, and who deserves to see something pleasant in a chaotic world. But her amazement didn’t last long when deadly sharks appeared and drove most of the fish away. It’s when the shadows of life shaded the light within her.

I was alert when the lights turned off. My hand crawled on the table and reached for my fork. In case they attempt to attack us, I can use it to protect myself.

After a few seconds, the lights came back. But it was different. We were like outside the galaxy. The outer space was literally displayed around us. It feels so real.

System of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, and dark matter surrounded us. I smiled like a retard for the first time in my life. I imagined myself flying free from inhibitions.

Music played with blues. It was seductive, trying to lead me to a black hole. Who knows where it would throw me? I’d like to be on a planet without suffering. Imagine floating around the milky way feeling nothing but eudaimonia.

Sojin broke my spectacular view when he stood in front of me.

“What?”

“Would you mind, dancing with me?”

“What?”

I raised my voice in shock.

“It’s a no. Get lost.”

“I’ll do you a favor, anything you’ll ask for.”

I paused for a moment and think critically. It’s my chance to ask about the ritual. I can turn a disaster into a blessing.

“Well, there’s nothing to lose.”

I held his hands with elegance and stood up.

“Wagner.”

I looked back at Kylo.

“Be careful. You might slip, your hair is too long,” Kylo teased.

If not because of our mission, I’ve already killed Sojin in a snap without an effort.