章 36: CHAPTER 35
Just when Matt was about to complain again, Sandra slowed and alighted from her H-board. She deactivated her board and walked about six steps ahead, went down to the ground with her right knee and started pulling out grasses from the floor.
The others alighted from their board and stretched their aching waist; they circled Sandra and watched her quizzically.
"Ouch" Matt laughed despite his aching muscles when he noticed Sandra.
"Is this the part where you advise us to feed you with grass, so you could see clearly in the night? Well, if you have suddenly become a ruminant animal, it will be my utmost pleasure to see thorns go down your throat as I feed you with them."
Matt's mockery was met with a chuckled from someone beside Ema, whose face was turning red with laugher.
"If I happen to be a writer, I would surely name this chapter 'Sandra goes wild" Pinna was the one who had said it. Not able to control herself, she burst out with laughter and Matt followed.
But Sandra paid no mind to their comment. She wiped out dust from the ground and immediately pulled open the door of a cellar, hidden under the grasses of the field.
As if that was a signal, the laughter ceased and was replaced with awe. The humming sounds coming out from the main fence was much louder here, even though the fence was nowhere near. It was no doubt the sound was concentrated here; this was the center nucleus to whatever is powering the main fence of the academy.
"We are here." Sandra said with deep voice, to someone on the other side of the phone. She stuck the phone somewhere on her pocket and turned to the others who were standing behind her.
"This is it, I hope you are done with the goodbyes?" she asked in a quick and formal look, just as Mrs. Jessica April.
Matt stared at her with hate; it was now that he was able to place Sandra's character. The older girl was living the life of Mrs. April. Too bad for her; she was nowhere near Mrs. April, who had over the month became Matt's favorite teacher.
"Are we to go in through that?" Jeff pointed, ignoring the girls question unintentionally.
"Not until the humming sound dies down, Raz and Leonard are working on that though, but unless you want to be cooked by electricity, then you can be my guest." Sandra said, meaning it as a joke but neither of the other kids seemed to notice.
Somewhere in the night, a wolf was howling.
"Be careful Jeff and you Ema." Ham said clapping a gentle hand on their shoulders. Jeff looked pass his shoulder and caught Ham staring at Matt. He wasn't surprise, Ham was trying to piss Matt off but Matt was not paying attention as he was watching Sandra dubiously.
"We will" Ema responded as though she was cold, but it wasn't cold, it was fear. Not that anyone blamed her but it was funny to see Ema, who always wear the hard looks, frightened.
"Am sorry," came a tiny sad voice that was colder than Ema's fear. The three turned and stared at Matt who was now looking down, not meeting either of their eyes. The moon showered him with its blue light, making his short blond hair appear gray.
"What do you mean" Pinna asked with huge emerald green eyes buried on Matt, as though she knew the next word he was about to say.
"Ham, am very sorry about my irresponsible behavior in Ema's apartment the other day, I didn't mean..."
"It's okay" Ham interrupted warmly, with face turning red in the moon light. For one thing, it appeared like the grassy earth would open and swallow him where he stood.
Ham was huge, not with height but with strength. For his size he looks nothing like a healer, and the strenuous training in the academy over the month, seems to have brought out all the muscles in his body. A little carelessness and he find himself hurting someone. With a close look, one would notice that he was the one who frequently apologies to people and not the other way round.
"It's okay Matt, I never had anything against you" Both boys shook hands together, smiling like new business partners who had just reached a fine agreement.
"Oh finally, it took the both of you forever" Pinna exclaimed happily as she towered over them and stroke their hair like babies. Even the angry glare they shot her did less, but was enough to keep her at bay, because if Pinna had her way, she won't mind bathing the two boys in a bathtub, clothing them and singing lullaby until they are fast asleep.
"It's time" Sandra said urgently and at that moment, the others observed that the humming sound from the cellar had died.
The hooting of the owl and other night birds were now audible enough. The crickets too sang with them in an endless rhythm, even the trees joined the melody when the wind of the cold night breaths into their stomata.
"Come on be fast, the door won't hold forever" Sandra urged the two who were now looking at the dark cellar as though it was a tomb of no return.
Shooting one last glance at their friends, Jeff went down the ladder and Ema followed reluctantly. Just then, the doors of the cellar closed and the whole earth shocked violently like an earthquake.
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