EPHREONA

CHAPTER THREE

EPHREONA

When we were all done, we all sat around the bonfire and looked at the sky.

"So Ephreona, where are you from? Your family? I just want to know you well. We'll be together for a while. Xavier told me he's sending you guys to the mountains. The Survivor Camp." Brandon said.

"We're from a small town in the south. Our dad died the same day the virus infested our town. Our mum died a few days ago. She said she was tired of hiding." I responded remembering the last bitter words of my mother and the way she died.

"I'm so sorry about that. I can imagine how you both are feeling right now. I don't think you guys should go to the Survivor Camp. You guys should follow us back home!" Brandon exclaimed excitedly.

Xavier was glaring daggers at him. I didn't know, but something kept on tugging me that the only reason Brandon was doing all of this was because of Senah. Senah on the other hand seemed brainwashed by whatever effect Brandon had on her.

"By the way, where are you guys from?" I questioned. Xavier looked like he had just choked on acid. Brandon suddenly got up. It seemed like they didn't want anyone to know where they were from. I just shrugged and kept on looking in the sky.

Right then, my thoughts drifted off to Xavier. He was so cute and everything, but he was just so cold. It's like he didn't want anyone to crack his shell. His heart was like it was coated with cement and lime.

...Maybe, he couldn't be so bad.

Brandon announced earlier that we were going to play games. So, after the tub bath, we joined the boys. Xavier looked bored and angry. The way Brandon smiled; it was as if they had already discussed it. I felt like Xavier was scared of his younger brother or it seemed like, he didn't want to displease him.

"Okay. In these games we're going to play, we have to pair. Senah, you're with me. Ephreona, you're with Xavier. For the first game, we're supposed to look for five roses, two white rabbits, and a stake." Xavier's eyes widened at Brandon's last word. Brandon's expression remained the same. "We have just an hour. Let the search begin."

Brandon and Senah took a different turn, and we also did the same. We walked for about ten minutes without saying anything. On the way, I spotted a white rabbit happily hopping about. The way Xavier grabbed the rabbit by the neck sent a cold shiver down my spine. The poor animal looked like it was going to die.

We kept on walking when I saw a rose plant. Xavier held the rose the same way he held the neck of the rabbit. This time the flower got crushed in his hands and his palm was bleeding from a cut that was from a thorn on the plant.

He didn't even seem to notice until I attempted to hold his hand but even then, he pushed my hand away and gave me a cold glare. I was hurt but I coolly put my hands back by my side and continued walking ahead. Before I realized it, he was in front of me.

He leaned in toward my face and just when I thought he was going to kiss me, he pushed my face away and picked another rose.

At that point, I imagined how Brandon and Senah were enjoying their search. I couldn't blame Brandon for putting us together. He wanted to be with Senah. I then thought to myself that if I wanted to get to know him, I had to speak to him.

"Xavier, how old is Brandon? He seems to be my age mate." I asked him hoping to get an answer.

"If you want to know how old he is, ask him yourself. Don't ask me." He said in his usual tone.

I decided to ask no more questions. It was obvious he didn't want to talk to anyone. He wanted to be quiet. I didn't know why somewhere deep down in my heart, I was hurt that he didn't want to know me.

After about thirty minutes, we found everything excluding the stake. Xavier had suggested we return because on the way, we'd find a lot of them.

When we found it, he told me to pick it up since he had already picked the rest of the items himself. I had no objections and did so.

When we returned, we saw that Brandon and Senah had already returned. They were sitting on a rock and Senah was holding a basket while giggling while Brandon was dancing around her.

Xavier simply scoffed and looked away. He shouted Brandon's name to catch his attention and he and Senah joined us some moments later. We all put our baskets down and decided to find out which group won. When I saw Senah's basket, I was jealous. There were lilies, sunflowers, and roses mixed in the basket. It looked like a bouquet. 

I was impressed by how their rabbits looked so happy while ours looked like it needed a mental hospital. At the end of the day, Senah and Brandon won because their items looked like wedding gifts. Even though I wasn't happy about Xavier's behavior, I still smiled at my sister and congratulated her.

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That night, I had a dream. A strange dream. I didn't know how to explain it. All could say was that it was about Xavier:

I was in a beautiful garden. Xavier was smiling and carrying me in his arms. He was telling me how beautiful and how lucky he was. He occasionally kissed my forehead and we hopped happily about. He was very happy. I was wondering what had changed about him.

Suddenly, I became confused, and the place changed. I was back there at the waterfall where we were picking the rabbits. He turned to look at me with dark eyes filled with hatred and pure disgust. It was like he didn't want to look at my face.

He told me I was a burden to him. He said I was tormenting him, and I should have stayed with my mother and died. As tears fell down my face, he still went on and walked away from me.

My head kept spinning and the scenery changed again. I saw that I was in a dark room, and I saw a human heart of the brightest shade of red on a golden plate in a white room.

Just as I made attempts to reach the heart, a strong force pulled me back. It kept me from reaching the heart.

I tried harder to push but it sent me back again. This time, I ran so hard. It threw me backward and I flew in the air and landed in darkness. I let out a shrill of pain, but it was as if my voice was caught in my throat.

Just then, a voice filled my head. "I'll never give you access into my heart. I wish you'd rather turn into dust and go far away from me..."

At that moment, I woke up suddenly. I was sweating all over and I realized that I was also crying. I got so scared. I suspected that the voice I heard belonged to Xavier.

I didn't know why, but it just hurt me that he didn't want to be around me.

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Hello, miracle babies.... I hope you're enjoying the story so far...Sorry for any grammatical error. I'm trying my best to type the best English I know.