𝕄𝕪 𝔾𝕚𝕣𝕝𝕗𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕤 𝕒𝕟 𝕖𝕝𝕗

Chapter 6: New Discoveries

William lay in his bed, trying to fall asleep, but it was no use. His thoughts were racing, and the soft glow from the TV didn’t help. Lin was still awake, glued to the screen, her eyes wide with fascination. William had told her a while ago to get some rest, but she was so focused that she didn’t even hear him.

Sighing, he got up and sat beside her on the couch. It wasn’t until he was right next to her that she finally noticed him, but she wasn’t startled like she had been the first time. She glanced at him briefly, her gaze quickly returning to the TV. William was relieved—at least she wasn’t afraid of him anymore. The tension between them had eased. Now, they sat together in silence, with only the sound of the TV and the occasional hum of the city outside breaking the quiet.

After a few moments, Lin broke the silence. She pointed at the screen, where a scene of a park filled with children playing was on display. "I want to go there," she said, her voice soft but certain.

William blinked, following her finger. “That’s a park,” he explained, his tone hesitant. “But going outside isn’t safe for you right now. There are... people looking for creatures like you.”

Lin tilted her head, her glowing eyes still fixated on the park. “It looks fun.”

William sighed, thinking about how to explain the danger to her. He knew she didn’t fully understand the world she was in yet. But he also saw the determination in her eyes—this wasn’t just curiosity, it was a deep longing to experience something new.

“Okay,” he finally said, reaching for the dictionary he had bought earlier. “But if we’re going to do this, you need to learn English properly first. You’ll need to talk like a human if we go anywhere.”

Lin’s eyes lit up with excitement. She eagerly reached for the dictionary, nodding. "Teach me."

For the next few hours, they sat together on the couch as William helped her with words and phrases. Lin was a fast learner, her English improving with each passing minute. Soon, she was able to form longer sentences without struggling too much. William was impressed—her determination was undeniable.

But as the night dragged on, Lin began to slow down, her eyelids growing heavy. Midway through repeating a sentence, she rested her head against William’s shoulder, her words trailing off into silence. Within moments, she had fallen asleep.

William glanced at her, a soft smile on his face. He couldn't help but admire her beauty, her face in the moonlight. It was late, and they both needed rest. He didn’t want to wake her, so he stayed still, letting her sleep comfortably against him. Eventually, he closed his own eyes and drifted off, the TV still playing in the background.

When William woke up the next morning, he found himself still on the couch, with Lin sitting beside him, engrossed in the dictionary. She was flipping through the pages, her lips moving as she tried to pronounce new words. He rubbed his eyes, amazed at how determined she was, even after staying up late.

“You’re up early,” William remarked, stretching.

Lin looked at him and smiled. “I want... to learn more.”

William grinned. “Well, you're doing great. But don’t forget to take breaks.”

He reminded her of how to heat up food, repeating the instructions just to be sure. He also warned her, once again, not to go outside while he was gone. He knew she wanted to explore, but the world beyond their apartment was too dangerous for her right now.

“You can watch TV if you want,” he added, picking up the remote and showing her how to use it. “But take breaks, okay? Learning is important, but so is rest.”

Lin nodded, her eyes bright with understanding.

Satisfied, William got ready for school. As he left the apartment, his mind wandered to what he had overheard the day before. He couldn’t stop thinking about the scientists and the strange energy they had detected. His curiosity got the better of him.

On his way to school, William found himself walking the same route that passed by the alley. And just like the day before, the men in black suits were there, talking amongst themselves. His heart raced as he slowed his pace, staying out of sight but close enough to overhear their conversation.

“The energy signature has stabilized,” one of the scientists was saying. “We’re getting closer to pinpointing the source.”

William's ears perked up. *The source?* He moved closer, listening carefully.

“We need to be careful,” another man said. “There are reports of creatures being spotted in the city. We can’t risk any of them being captured before we understand what we’re dealing with.”

Just then, one of the black-suited men received a call on his radio. William held his breath, straining to hear.

“There’s been a sighting,” the voice crackled through the radio. “Some kind of creature spotted near Main Street.”

The men immediately sprang into action, several of them rushing off to investigate. William stayed where he was, his mind racing. A creature? Could it be another one like Lin?

When the men had left, William decided to follow them. His heart pounded in his chest as he carefully trailed behind, forgetting all about school. If there were more creatures like Lin out there, he needed to know. And maybe, just maybe, he could help them too.