The Wanderer

4

Erl stopped the jeepney in front of a cave.

"We... are going to stay here?," Marchell complained.

"Well, that's the best place we could get. Better than nothing," Jesse walked to the cave.

"This place seems cozy," Tasha sat down.

Erl set up a fire in the middle of the cave. "So, what's the plan? We have the map. Are we going to follow it?," Jesse asked.

"Well, it's unusual for a Wanderer to use one," Tasha interjected, "But, I guess we have to follow the map."

They decided to sleep.

Early in the morning, Tasha woke up to the sound of car engine. "Tasha, we're about to leave. Are you ready?," Jesse told her.

"Yes," they hopped onto the jeepney and followed the way of the map. It seems to lead them to a river. They stepped down the vehicle.

"This is the Vinstropolis?," Marchell frowned.

"This isn't what I felt like the place I wanted to go...," Tasha turned to Jesse.

"Something must be wrong," he took the map, and studied it again.

"This is where the map led us. Why? There should be something," he thought and thought and thought.

Suddenly, Erl's phone rang. "Hello?," he turned to Tasha," It's your aunt."

Tasha took the phone,"Hello, Aunt Wendy?," she said.

"Umm... hi, darling! It's Miss Helen," the voice from the other line said.

"Oh, Miss Helen. Uhh... is Aunt Wendy with you?,"

"Oh, Tasha. I'm so, so, so sorry. I know this is not supposed to happen but,"

Suddenly, tears were rolling down from Tasha's eyes. "We need to go back."

Jesse walked to her and hugged her,"Why, Tasha? What happened?,"

"Something happened to my aunt," she cried even more.

"I'll drive," Erl told them. They rode the jeepney back to Denhills Town. They went through all the streets, buildings, and stores. And finally, they reached Tasha's house.

The door was wide open. They entered and found Miss Helen by the bed. On the bed, was Wendy. Blood on the cushion and floor.

"Oh, my goodness. Miss Helen, what happened to her?," Tasha ran to Wendy's dead body.

"The officers are on their way. I don't know what happened. I came to check on your aunt. But, I went to see this. Wendy wrote a phone number on her book. And I saw it wide open on her desk. I called it, and it was you," Helen panted, as she tought everything was creepy. She started to sob.

"Miss Helen, I'm so sorry you have to go through this. Thank you for calling us. You can go home now," Jesse softly said.

"You can't just leave me. We still have to work, Aunt Wendy. We still have to rock it like an auntie," Tasha whispered, as she uncontrollably cried.

"Madeses," Erl said.

"What do you mean?," Jesse turned to Erl.

"Madeses. They use spears and rocks. Jesse, isn't it obvious? Your kind killed her aunt. They must've speared her stomach while sleeping. They saw everything. They know everything! They know my phone number, they know us, they know Tasha! Because, of your kind, Jesse! Because of you, greedy Madeses!," Erl's eyes grew as he went outside and threw his phone away.

Jesse stood there, not knowing what to say. Tasha dragged him to the backyard.

"Jesse, please say something," she pleaded.

"I don't deserve you. I don't deserve to be your friend. I killed your family," he said as tears rolled down his eyes.

Tasha held up her hand to wipe them away,"Oh, Jesse. It hurts. It hurts to know that Aunt Wendy would just be gone like that. We all know Madeses killed her and that they're cruel. But, you know, you're different. Have you ever touched a spear?," Tasha asked.

"No."

"Have you ever killed a Wanderer?"

"No."

"See? You're not like them," Tasha smiled.

"But, I'm a son of a Mades." Jesse turned to her.

"Come on, Jesse. You know what I'm saying. You will always be my very good friend," Tasha hugged him.

"Thanks."