GUESS WHAT? (ONC 2024)

Chapter 5 Part 10 Words of Love

Luigi said, ''The food is plenty. The weather friendly.

Never have I met pretty, until I met you Seulgi.

Allow me this day to be your date on a wonderful picnic date.''

His words felt genuine, and we were already here.

I made him taste all my favorite meals, even the salads. Taco salad, grilled chicken Caesar salad, and my lifesaver, fruit salad. I guess we were both at the right place at the right time.

There was never a time for love. My life was like this holiday. Expect one thing and get another.

In a perfect world, we could remain here forever, next to this river.

''Guess what?'' Luigi asked.

"You enjoyed the food I made?, right,'' I answered.

''No, I enjoyed spending time with you. I like you a lot,'' Luigi said.

''Damn sigh, I got it wrong but I like you too in a get-to-know-you kind of way,'' I said.

''I just wanted you to know how I feel since we don't know what tomorrow brings. Did you read the entire book because we better get going?'' Luigi asked.

''It feels like the book is a part of me now. I know every word written in it,'' I answered.

We made our way across the river and into uncharted territory because that was the only way to get to Jamie. We were back on route and had already passed by the letters ONC when the trees that surrounded us made a strange fog appear out of nowhere and we could not see the path forward and stumbled in our tracks.

Luigi assured me that it was just the river on this side, but a few steps forward, had him dead in his tracks. He had walked right up to a monstrous figure with many eyes on different parts of its body. It pushed Luigi to the ground. Pinned him on the floor with blood when blood streamed out of his arm. The fog made it fast because it moved in and out of our vision with speed.

''He who has ears.....'' Luigi tried to shout before being hit again. I could not see where he flew to. Panic set in. Luigi could not use his power due to the speed of this thing. He tried to run around it and get distance to be able to speak but to no avail as the monster trailed him and kept punching him. All he could see was punches coming through the fog and with all those eyes there was no where to run.

He managed to get a gap. ''He who has ears let him hear, protect Seulgi at all cost. ''A barrier formed around me and the monster could not hit me as well.

''Luigi! I yelled. What must I do?'' I asked.

I stood there by myself, silence engulfed me like the fog. My hands trembled like I was in a western duel, but I knew I had no weapons.

Instincts kicked in, ''If you play with fire you will get burned,'' I screamed. Fire formed around my hands and launched at the monster. Direct hit. It disappeared in the fog. I could hear the sound of it moving further away from us.

 Felt like hours had passed when I heard Luigi, ''Seulgi over here.'' I followed his voice to a nearby tree. That monster did a number on him.

He had healed himself, but looked terrified. There were no words to calm your own heart or mind. We were almost there as we tried to escape the fog and made it past the letter X.

''What was that? I had never seen anything like that,'' she questioned him. ''I am clueless, only legends and myths about creatures, but never any proof until now,'' he responded. ''We better get out of here before it returns,'' I said.

Two letters left and we would be out of this graveyard. We finally made it to a fork Y-shaped. The fog had cleared up and before us stood an old man far off in the distance.

''Ídentify yourself or else,'' I said. The man did not utter a word as we drew closer to him.

White mist hair, greyish beard, brown eyes, a snub nose, and a scar in the center of his eyes above the bridge of his nose.

"Sue, is that you?'' he shouted. Only one man has ever called me by that name. ''Grandpa Kang?'' her voice echoed.

''My granddaughter is all grown up. How long has it been?'' He asked.

''Too long Grandpa, how did you get here and what are you doing here?" I inquired.

''I have been looking for you to help you with Grandma. When I got the news, it took a bit longer to return from Egypt in Africa, where I was exploring all this time,'' he replied.

I noticed something around his neck while we continued to chat. Eager I went into an investigative hug to confirm. It was another artifact, but unlike ours. This one possessed a lively eye engraved into it. 

''Let us go back to the village Sue,'' he said. 

''No! I need to go find my friends first. We will meet you there,'' I replied.

''Before I leave, tell me have you awakened the power of the artifact your grandmother gave you?'' He asked.

''Ýes,'' I replied excitedly.

''One last thing, is that your boyfriend or bodyguard that is bowed beside you? You know your grandmother had a bodyguard always following her around. I think his name was Gin or something,'' he inquired.

''I am her friend and it is nice to meet you finally, Mr. Kang.'' Luigi responded.

I was still speechless at the question but Luigi's response was a double-edged sword through my heart. 

Thank you for reading.

Please comment and like if you enjoyed it.

Chapter 5 completed.