Hunting for Shadows (JaThea Fanfic)

Lights

****San Martin Outskirts. Late Afternoon****

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Althea and Jade took turns in carrying Ate Linda on the way to the house. Just as Nanay promised, they reached their destination safe and sound. By the time they set foot on the place Althea once called home, it was almost nightfall.

It's a miracle that the Guevarras' house survived the explosions. It's as if it was spared from war. All of the other houses in the area were either wiped out by bombs or burned with fire. The once lush area with trees and flowering plants has sadly become a barren waste land. Althea herself could not recognize the place if not for the sign over Tatay's bakery which read, Guevarra's Panaderia.  

"We're here." The nursing assistant whispered coldly.

It was Jade who opened the door. It's surprising to see that not much has changed since the day Althea left the place to look for her Tatay. Aside from a few cracks on the walls and broken windows, the Guevarras' house was still intact and livable. Ate Linda felt at home right away and sat on the rattan couch to rest.  And in just a few seconds, drifted into slumber.

Meanwhile, Jade headed to the kitchen to look for food. Night time approaches and they don't have any food left after Ate Linda ate it all. So far, she found a moldy loaf of bread and an unopened tea bag on the table.

Althea surveyed the house in wonder as if it was the first time she had seen the place. Everywhere she turned reminded her of the past. It was all too bitter-sweet for her. Each room was filled with memories that she shared with her family. The chair where Nanay used to sit on was still there, the kitchen where Tatay used to bake bread every morning still smells like dough, and the living room where Migoy and her fought and played as kids did not change a bit.

"I found peanuts!" Jade remarked excitedly. She dangled a small plastic bag of peanuts she found in the fridge.

"Great! We have dinner ready." Althea joked, trying to hide her sadness.

They divided their food into three. Each one of them got 10 pieces of peanuts, but they only ate half of their portions to save the other half for breakfast. They took turns sipping the hot tea Jade found earlier.

"What now?" Althea asked while watching her companions eat.

"After we decode the notebook, we need to burn it. No one should find out how to use the necklace.. or else it will be the end of all of us." Jade answered and took out the notebook from her pocket.

Ate Linda joined the conversation.

"Who gave you that notebook if I may ask?"

Jade gazed at her.

"This notebook was my Dad's journal. His life's work are all recorded in these pages. Including his biggest mistake, creating a compound that could wipe out an entire island with a single explotion. Grace found this notebook in my Dad's office after they shot him. They tried to decipher the content, but they couldn't figure it out. When Grace died, I took it from her pocket before I escaped. The military doesn't understand how powerful the weapon is. This weapon would kill us all. We need this notebook.. to destroy the necklace."

"What happens if we destroy it?" Althea asked in all curiosity.

Jade looked at her affectionately. "We end the war."

Ate Linda's face suddenly lit up.

"Great! What are we waiting for? Let's get working!" She exclaimed.