Chapter 12: We're Here

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I wonder what she thinks of me. What am I to you? Are you making the right choice of trusting me? Because some people are not what they seem. So tell me, Eiffel, what am I?
"What do you think will happen to us? What's your guys' plan on finishing this?" Eiffel asked. She was still leaning on me.
"That, I don't know," I spoke softly. "I don't know how to start or end."
"Where do you think I should go after this?"
"What's your dream place?" I ask her.
"I... don't know. I've never really felt safe before."
I slowly slide my arm above her forearm. "What about now?" I asked.
"I guess so..."
Jess! Wake up! You're being stupid! No Zips in your boundary! Absolutely not!
"Okay then," I put my arm down, turned around, and shook my head diffidently.
"What's with the head-shaking, Jess?"
Gosh, she saw me!
"Just, a bug on my hair," I lied.
"Let me see..." she took her head off my shoulder and tousled my hair playfully. "You charming liar," she said, laughing. I leaned away, laughing. I almost hit my head in the window. You're making this too hard for me! Can you please stop?! I know I'm starting to like you, but no. No no no no no! I just can't.
"Yeah," I fake laughed this time.
"I still think you're unboring," she stopped tousling and sat firmly.
I see that Jackson, Sarra, and Ace were watching us. Ace snickered and sank down his seat, an old man stared at him in disgust. Jackson talked across Sarra, who was laughing too.
I'm worried that we have to keep our secret from a person who trusts us, especially me.

We got off the bus, finally. I wonder why he chose Hawaii as our refuge, it's still part of America.
"Idiot thinks there's only forty-nine states, since Hawaii is an island separated from the United States," he said.
"Dumb," I scoffed.
"Now that we're talking, I suppose we can talk about what happened earlier at the airport?" He pushed the elevator button and the doors slide open. We scooch in inside along with other people waiting. I pushed myself against the wall to prevent myself from getting crushed by these senior citizens. Inside was like a blender, cramped up with all these people wearing multicolored shorts and bathing suits.
"Can we just... talk about this when we get to our hotel rooms?" I asked.
"Good idea," Jackson said, muffled.
"This is uncomfortable,"
There wasn't enough space to breath, talk, or blink. I hate elevators. Reminds me of Ace almost getting crushed inside the shaft. I feel that Mr. André will soon shoot these doors down and kill us. But no, we're safe here. I hope.
I step inside our hotel room, it smelled like nature's flora and fauna. The scent of raging river and wild flowers. No stench was detected throughout the entire square footage. I sniffed more air and took it all in. I took off my shoes and dropped myself on the cool, silky bed. I did not feel guilty for wrinkling up the blanket, I was gonna sleep on it anyway. So what?
"Okay, so guys sleep on this room and girls sleep next door," Jackson said, "If you guys need anything, just knock."
"Our key, Jackson?" Sarra asked and stretched out her hand. He tossed the key to her and signaled for them to exit the room. I looked at Eiffel before he closed the door. Her head turned and her hand slowly waving at me. She lets go of the soft, soothing words, "Bye..."
"That was one heck of a trip, isn't it?" Robert dropped his backpack next to my suitcase and laid on the second bed.
"I feel like I can sleep for centuries," Ace yawned and sat next to me.
"I'm doing a little exploring around the hotel," Jackson said, looking energetic still, "Wanna come?"
"No thanks," I said, "We've been through a rough two days."
"All right. I'll be back before lunch. I'll bring food as well."
"Thank you!" Ace said with a wide smile.
"Buy the girls something too!" said Robert.
"I will." He shuts the door behind him. I hear his footsteps go further into the hallways.

"So what now?" Robert asked. He comes out of the restroom, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.
"I dow know, why don't you put on some clothes first," Ace said, pressing the remote continously while facing the flat-screen TV.
"Ace, you need to shower at least once today." Robert says, grabbing his fresh clothes and entering a small closet on the corner.
"Yeah," I cover my nose and stood from the bed we slept in for two hours, which wasn't enough. I still feel like melting in the scorching sun. "You... smell like sweaty gym socks."
"As opposed to normal?" he looked at me and smiled menacingly.
"Take a shower!" I pointed and shouted with a menacing chuckle that matched Ace's. He didn't always smell like gym socks, only after training.
"Alright, I'll take a shower." He threw his hands up and left the TV on. He took his fresh clothes and slid inside the bathroom.
I sat back on the bed and waited for him to finish. So I watched the TV. I hear the male news reporter announce, "In this world, corruption our main adversary. But now, things have changed. Nobody thinks it's for the good. They say they walk among us on this planet, looking like ordinary people. They are said to have extraordinary abilities like start fires and control the human mind. They are failures of human evolution. Can this be the end of human race?"
I tighten my grip on the remote as I held it. My chest burns with terror and anxiety. But I can't stop now.
"No one knows where they came from. But there's a theory in which they are one of the people who experienced tge great trials of the Nazi experiments, according to philosopher, André Hope. Remember, we are not safe. They might be even sitting next to you. So be careful when--"
I mustn't go on. I am too occupied inside. My heart moves faster than Mr. André's gossips. There must be a reason why he's exploiting his own kind. Does he hate the fact that he's not normal? Or is it just a part of his plan to capture me?
I shook my head so I turned the TV off and tossed the remote across the bed. I'm still grilled inside. The most barbecued organs ever. I suddenly don't feel so tired anymore.

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