Experiment X

26 | Secrets Revealed

26 | Secrets Revealed

The night has stolen the daylight sky completely, lost within its dark starless hands, and the firelight shadows Manu’s face, as he stares deep within it beside of Teresa who remains quiet. Some of the group members have axlready fallen asleep, after nibbling on what preserved meats and other foods had been passed around; Reina sits still with Isolde holding her withered hand in a comforting manner, her face plagued with a suppressed sorrow, an evident helplessness.

Eventually, Manu’s eyes rest on Sera who’s sitting with Teran against a tree a distance from him, beyond them, lying on his back is Gil, all of them as silent as him. “It’s just…I worry about Sera,” he tells Teresa. She looks at him, as if she understands. “I know the feeling,” she says. “Not knowing whether you will have enough food to feed them…or how long you’ll even stay alive to take care of them…It’s heartbreaking.” Her voice cracks.

“Yeah,” Manu agrees, however, sighs. “But, it seems to be more than that lately…She’s grown distant from me…As if she doesn’t want to talk.”

Teresa can’t help but frown. “Yes, I sense there’s something with Teran as well…But what I think it is…That we’re not so willing to accept is the fact, they’re growing up. He no longer wants to sleep with me…Or have me around. I know he loves me, but you know…It’s hard, accepting this. For any parent, I guess…And you’re the closest to what Sera will have as a father…”

“Yes,” he says softly, not taking his eyes off Sera. “It’s just…I’m not sure…I hope it’s only that. Growing older…”

Sera notices the way her uncle is staring at her, and this is slightly unnerving, but there’s much more that’s eating away at her. She needs to tell someone. And she knows who that someone is exactly, and they’re sitting right next to her…But the consequences? Who cares now, Sera thinks. This is a must need know basis. Lives could be in danger. And it’s time. She looks over to Teran who’s oddly enough staring at her as well.

“Can I talk to you Sera?” he asks, before she can as so much whisper to him.

“I was about to ask you the same thing,” she says, “so sure…But I would like to talk to you in private, away from here.”

“Okay…But your uncle?” They both look to Manu, who is no longer staring at either of them, in fact, both him and Teran’s mother are deeply engrossed in conversation, oblivious to anything else. This is their chance.

“He won’t notice,” she says, smiling. “We won’t be gone long.”

Teran nods. “Alright…But we’ll have to be quick.”

“Exactly…So, let’s go.”

Sera gives her uncle a suspicious gaze, before deciding to slowly stand, and then Teran does the same. Gil isn’t aware at all of them leaving, as his back is completely turned; maybe, he’s sleeping, Sera thinks to herself. Together, they slip off into the night, disappearing in the thicket of the woods, cloaked with shadows, where the light of the flames does not reach.

As they travel further into the dark woodland, the sound of a babbling brook is nearby, and a owl hoots from above. Sera stops near a collection of mossy rocks, and Teran follows suit. “I think this is far enough to be out of ear shot,” she tells him, looking behind her, to his direction.

“So what do you want to talk about?”

“It’s about those two…awful men,” she says.

“Who do you mean? Derik and the other one? The big one?” Teran questions extremely curious. “I can never remember his name.”