One Piece (SSW Backstory)

Chapter 15

Silver's POV

I was woken up by a commotion going on in the kitchen area. It wasn't loud, per say, but I could still hear several people whispering. 'That's odd. Since when was my hearing this good?' I got up from the bed as quietly as I could. Charlie and Winifred were still asleep. I also noticed that Saphira isn't in the chair where I last saw her before falling asleep.

I push back the curtain and enter the sunlit kitchen area. What I saw made me pause. Angie, Leo, Donny and Mikey are standing in a crowd, whispering and pointing at something by the wall. I silently move closer to see what they are looking at. I let out a loud gasp at what I saw. Angie quickly turned around and hushed me, "Shh. You'll wake them up." I slap a hand over my mouth to stop any more sounds from coming out.

Right there, on the floor, was Ralph and Saphira. They were obviously still asleep. 'But, Saphira doesn't like Ralph, so this doesn't make sense to me.' Saphira has her head on Ralph's shoulder, and Ralph looks ready to topple over any second from the way he's body is leaning the other direction. True to my words, he's body slide down the wall and collapsed on the ground. The impact immediately woke him up. He groaned as he sat upright.

"What the hell is going on?" He wasn't completely awake as he stare at our group with squinted eyes. Angie giggled as she pointed at him, "The better question is, how long has this been going on?" Ralph looked confused at her question, "What are you talking about?" Leo, with an amused smirk, pointed at Saphira. She was still fast asleep, leaning on Ralph. Ralph's eyes widen as he quickly try to explain the situation.

"No, this is not what it looks like! Granny Lilo took my bed, and we were both exhausted, she just fell asleep on me and I..." His ears turn red as he struggles to come up with a reason for his actions. "Uh huh, rigghhtt..." Angie crossed her arms as she didn't believe a word he said. Ralph got mad at her words. He jumped to his feet and clenched his fist, "Don't make assumptions that aren't true!..." We all froze when we heared a thump. Ralph turned around as we looked down to see Saphira laying on her side. She didn't wake up.

"Is she okay?" Leo's concerned words made me move towards Saphira. I shook her shoulder, "Saphira, wake up." She didn't respond. The only way I knew she wasn't dead was the fact that she was still breathing. I looked up at the crowd still standing around us, "Saphira isn't a heavy sleeper, so why won't she wake up?" Saphira has always been a light sleeper. Any strange noise would wake her up instantly. That is why she hates mornings, or being woken up. She loves sleep, but hate the fact she sleeps light.

My question made everyone nervous. We all jumped when a voice spoke up from behind us by the door. 'How did I not hear that creaky door opening?' "Leave her be. She skipped two days of sleep. She must be very exhausted." Granny Lilo silently closes the door behind her as she walks toward the table with a basket in hand. "Can one of you boys take her upstairs to rest more comfortably?" Granny Lilo puts the basket on the table and starts unpacking the items inside, Angie is quick to help her.

"I can do it!" Mikey was more than happy to help. I step back as he came over and gently pick up Saphira. He looks to the ladder and freezes, "How do I get her up there?" Donny sighs as he comes to his aid, "Put her on your back. It would have worked better if she's awake, but I'll support her from behind you." Donny's voice send shivers down my spine. 'Why does his voice sound like that? Creepy.' I watch in nervousness as Mikey and Donny struggle to get Saphira up the ladder.

"Silver, dear, come join us by the table. Once those two join us, I have something I'd like to share with you all." I nod my head as I pick a chair by the table to sit on. I watch as everyone got the table ready for breakfast. Leo and Angie set the table, while Granny Lilo lit a fire under a pot. Ralph was chopping the vegetables that Granny Lilo brought. "We'll be having potatoe and spinach soup." Mikey groaned as he decends the ladder, Donny right behind him. "I was hoping for some meat." Granny Lilo slapped him when he passed her with the wooden spoon she's using to stir the soup.

"You know we don't have enough money to buy meat, so stop complaining." Mikey only groans again as he plops down in the chair next to me. "I know..." I was a bit confused. How can such a large family even survive in such a poverty-stricken environment. 'I'm no genius, but if Granny Lilo is the only bread winner, her income won't be enough to sustain such a large family.' I jumped as a clay bowl of soup was placed in front of me.

"Now that everyone has a bowl, let's eat and then talk." I open my mouth to ask her about Charlie and Winifred's food, "Don't worry, I put their bowls away for now." I was shocked that she knew what I was going to ask. I nod my head in thanks as everyone digged in. I slowly ate my food. No matter how thin Ralph sliced these vegetables, I was still cautious with every bite. My traumatic experience of almost dying choking on a carrot is still fresh in my mind.

After everyone licked their bowls clean, Angie took everyones dishes and started cleaning up. "Mark Silver, Charlie and Saphira's bowls. Make sure to wash them last and scrub them twice." Angie nodded at Granny Lilo's instructions. I could hear Winifred's wake up call. "I'll go get her!" Mikey volunteered, Leo stopped him before he could get up from his chair. "No, with your luck, you'd somehow drop her. I'll go get her." Mikey huffed in annoyance as he watches Leo walk towards the curtain.

"It seems I need to give you more chores to do, you have a lot of energy." At Granny Lilo's words, Mikey quickly shook his head. Leo came back with Winifred in his arms. He sits down next to me, "Can I hold her a bit longer?" I knew he wasn't asking because he wants to hold her, he was just being considerate towards me. "Sure..." Winifred is a heavy baby, and I have skinny arms. I get quickly tired from holding her. "Now, let's have that talk." Granny Lilo grabbed everyone's attention, and everyone listened closely.

...

"So, we won't get infected as long as we don't get their saliva or blood into our mouths?" Angie repeated this question twice now already. Ralph groaned in annoyance, "Stop with that question already! Just get it through that stupid head!" Leo sighed at the noise as he bounces a giggling Winifred on one of his legs. I was shocked by the information Granny Lilo gave us, too. It was hard to digest. I mean, who would believe that we are hosts for the deadly virus. But, Granny Lilo has evidence of it.

A poke to my cheek snapped me out of my thoughts. "So I won't turn into a zombie if I touch her like this, right?" Mikey poked me again. I slap his hand away, "Stop that. Zombies are walking corpses, do I look like a corpse to you?" Mikey raises his hands, "Wow, that's dark. How old are you again?" I frown at Mikey's question. "What does it matter what age she is, she's obviously smarter than you." Donny's voice did that thing again, where it makes me shiver. Mikey looked offended by his words, "What?! Are you calling me dumb?"

Donny looked him straight in the eyes, "I never said you were dumb, just that she's more intelligent than you." This made Mikey flustered. "I-I..." He had no comeback to that, he just sighed in defeat. "Granny Lilo, is it okay for us to stay here, even knowing we are a danger to your family?" My question silent everyone as they wait to hear the old lady's reply. "Child, just like I said to your older sister, I can't blame you for something you have no control over. I can't simply kick you out because of that."

Her words are kind, but she must know the risks that comes with keeping us here. I'll just have to accept her words and do my best not to cause her or the others trouble. "Thank you, for not abandoning us." Granny Lilo seemed happy by my words. 'Can we make this our home? I guess we'll have to wait and see how long this would last.'

Thank you for reading~