The Virus Stealer

6 - Experience. [REWRITTEN]

Jason would slowly drop a box onto the floor with a sigh of relief. "The last one," he would look around the house. The interior of the house has tan painted walls and smooth hardwood floor made with vintage maple. The house is almost furnished as there are some boxes left filled with accessories, such as pictures, sculptures and blankets.

The house itself was looking cozy and warm. Jason would glance at the living room to see it filled with fabric made couches, chairs, television, coffee table and a chandelier above it all. There were pictures on the walls too, as they are accessories to the living room. Pictures of landscapes and families. Jason would come closer to a picture which would be a portrait. In the picture would be a family. Five men, two boys, one girl, an infant and a woman. They were all gathered together, smiling towards Jason. Towards the camera. One of the men was Jacob. He was next to the woman with his hands on top of the two boys. The woman has one of her arms wrapped around Jacob's and her other arm would be carrying the baby. The girl in the family would be next to her. Around them would be the rest of the men, with their arms over each other's shoulders as if they are brothers.

Brothers...

Jason notices Jacob leaning against the wall, staring at Jason.

"That's my family," he said. His tone sounds sad as he said that sentence.

"You guys look so lively. You look different," Jason said. He didn't want to say anything that offends him.

"Yeah," Jacob would get off the wall, walking towards the box that Jason recently put down.

He would unfold the box and pull out a mask. The mask looks old. The mask would look like a balaclava but with thick scratched metal. The eyes on the balaclava would be a green visor with a circular shape eyehole.

"This is my old mask. My very first mask that my brother made. The er, one with the glasses in that picture, yeah," Jason notices him clenching his mask as if he is remembering something. Something bad.

The idea of remembering a tragic event is cruel for a human. To Jason, he doesn't know if he can consider himself a human anymore. Jacob would hand him the mask.

"Here, you can have it. You would need to get it repaired somehow, but I'm sure that you can figure it out," he would give him a smile. But that smile looks sad. It's as if Jacob is giving an upside down frown. For him to feel like this, this must be a hard thing for him. Of course, he didn't like the idea of taking the mask, but he doesn't have the will to talk back.

He realizes that Jacob is giving a strong memento to him. Something that only a person can do only with a strong amount of trust. He would take the mask out of his hands, accepting it.

"Thanks," he would nod.

With nothing else to say, Jacob would smack Jason's back, almost tripping him. Jacob was laughing. His laugh sounded normal. It didn't sound depressed or anything but rather cheerful. He must be trying to brush it off. Jason decided to follow his lead.

"Why?!" He would whine, rubbing his back. Jacob would be laughing.

"You better be lucky that I'm giving you that! It may be old but as long as you freshen it up and get it working, it will be the best equipment you can use," Jacob said, with his arms crossed. This is becoming a joke, isn't it?

Jacob would look at the boxes that Jason recently brought in. His expression changed into a confused expression then looks over at Jason. "You know that U-Haul truck that is at the front? There are still some more boxes so can you bring them in?"

"Sure."

Jason would drag the last box out of the truck. In total, he would have to bring in five boxes. Jason would stack two boxes on top of another one, then he would pick up the stack of boxes from the bottom by raising it to his shoulder. He would carry three boxes filled with accessories and books.