Another vision.
His mom wasn't present in this.
The same dark void stretched endlessly, odd creature's filled the void. He wandered around, hoping for a sign of life among these lunacy-a sign of his mother.
Each thing bore a distinct feature. Deformed aberration for what should have looked like human. Some three legs in place of two, three arms on a side, one eyes, two nose, 8 arms. The variation continued across them. Yet the upper part of their body, curved as he approached. A sign of respect he thought.
He felt a hand tap him from behind.
It felt feminine.
Joy filled his heart. His mom. He thought.
He turned.
His face blanked.
A girl no more than 18, she had a strange aura about her. Different from these beast here. If he was to describe it. One word. Alive.
She bore strange feature, face shone in almost transcendent light- the same glow his mom had. She was tall. Almost an inch taller than him. Her slender figure fitted perfectly in her dark blue dress.
He wanted to speak.
Then--
A tugged at the back of his mind.
He woke up.
Sunlight burned at his eyelids. Chike stirred. Stretching at the discomfort of his slumber. His eyes opened slowly. Adjusting to the unfamiliarity of his sleep space.
He was not on the over grown lawn of his mother's house. Trees. Towering trees.
The jungle outside town.
He sat up slowly, eyes aching- his body followed suit. Every muscle ached. The memories from last night slowly reeled in. His chest tightened.
Under him was a nest of old, threadbare of bed sheets-- he recognized them.
His father's.
He was at least half a mile from town. But how had he gotten here?
Ofor.
The being inside him, still silent.
he stood up-- his legs quivered- every step was heavy. A new pain arise-- his stomach growled in agony. Hunger.
It had been more than a day since he had anything to eat.
Going back into town was out of question. His clothes were ripped and stained with blood. Even a stranger seeing him now wouldn't need no pr-information to call the police.
He turned. Away from their town. Venturing deeper into the woods. If he was lucky, he might find something edible.
A faint buzz came from his pocket.
He reached inside and pulled out the cracked phone.
"Not your best idea Ofor." he sighed.
A single message flashed across the shattered screen.
"I'll find you."
His heart skipped. Grey. He must have found what was left of his squad.
Even the bodies.
Chike hurled the phone as far as he could.
They could be tracking it.
He continued.
The path behind him faded faster than he could walk it. As if something was deliberately hiding his trail.
Ofor.
Double edge sword it was. It would be harder for anyone to track him- he also couldn't also retrace his steps.
He avoided the mountain path. He avoided the mountain paths- though the trees would cover him. He didn't want to take any chances against any supernatural abilities.
The forest was quiet. The air smelled clean. The natural greenery packed a sight. Even the trees. All together bearing an unusual aesthetic. Unlike he'd ever seen before.
There was a strict housing and lawn pattern back In the community. Every other thing was considered unholy. They were to live as one.
He moved again. Propelled by the growing noise in his stomach.
Up ahead, a mango tree rose from the undergrowth, heavy with ripe fruit. behind it a pawpaw, then orange. It was his lucky feast.
It had been a sin to eat fruits directly from the tree. They had to be purified first.
Chike didn't care.
He dashed forward, desperate-
His danger sense tinged but it was too late.
He had barely grabbed a fruit, when the earth suddenly opened. Swallowing him whole.
Chike landed hard at the bottom of a deep pit. Perfectly dug- just enough to bury someone standing. It didn't feel like a natural occurrence.
A trap.
But by who.
In a distance he heard whispers, soon the grew closer.
"Its just one person." one voice called out.
Two figures step over to the edge of the pit. Watching. Eyes searching his face. Both of similar build. One older- one younger but bigger.
His danger sense didn't ting as they appear. It only meant that these men hold no real danger to him- or it simply wasn't functioning right in his hungry state.
The young one pulled his companion to the side and they started another round of side discourse. Barely audible. But Chike could make out what they were saying .
"he doesn't look dangerous."
"just hungry."
"Look at his clothes,"
"you have no idea what you'll be inviting if you let him stay with us."
The older man uttered something inaudible. It contained no sound so Chike couldn't listen.
However he saw the young man stand down in defeat.
The older man came close again, leaning on one knee at the edge of the pit. And smile at the young boy. Then he stretch out his hand.
"Come on. You don't belong down there."
Chike recoiled.
A strange tattoo on the mans arm, stirred up a dangerous memory within him. A treacherous one.
FM 4S.
His breath hitched.
Faith Militia.
He stepped back.
The man puzzled. Looking at the growing terror on the boys face. Not certain what was causing.
His eyes followed the boys and back to his folded shirt. His tattoo.
'Oh?"
"So you know what this means."
He turned to his friend. "This is no ordinary boy. He's more interesting than we thought."
"Don't worry. I am no longer with them. I'd actually really like to hear your story."
"How did you encounter the Faith Militia and survived?"
A warm relief washed up on the boys' face.
He had watched the man carefully. The steady rise of the mans chest, his unfading gaze. Not a flicker of tension in the brow. He was calm.
Every word felt true, the old mans words had no lie in them. It was probably why danger sense was silent.
But he just couldn't get over the fact members of the same group were after his life barely 24 hours ago. And he had killed some.
"I'm Edward." the old man called, still stretching out his arms and wearing a polite smile.
Chike never imagined he'd get that warmth from someone ever again.
He got hold of the man's hand.
Edward lifted him effortlessly. Dazzling Chike with his sheer strength.
Of course, he'd have a supernatural ability. The boy thought.
He turned his attention the Edwards partner.
That Peter, I owe the man my life.
"Now do you mind telling me us your story."
"Don't." the voice yelled. No one else could hear.
It was Ofor.
It's concern was valid, though Chike was smart enough not to divulge everything about himself to two strangers- no matter how nice they had seem.
He gestured to his stomach.
"I need to eat first."
Edward obliged.
a little while later, the boy sat at the feast of fruits his 'new allies' had laid before him. Before he could finish, Edward brought him some roasted meat. Only after he had taken a huge chunk did he became wary of poison.
Danger sense was equally quiet, it was partly why he was careless in the first place.
Chike sat quietly, watching the two men talk. It was easier to make out the men were saying now he was in close proximity to them.
Edward talked greatly and long of deep concern from him. Peter however remained in distrust of him. questioning about the blood stains on his shirt, and how he survived the bruises. The old man answered. And Chike was puzzled how detailed the man narrated how he got each bruise and wound with an extreme veracity. Some details surprising the boy himself.
Edward turned to the perplexed boy. "I was blessed by the almighty with the gift of knowledge."
"Or that's what I was told."
"Any information - piece of knowledge, past or present about a person or object. I can access it." the old man smiled.
"Peter here, is blessed with the gift of doorway."
"He can open a doorway to a place he has been to before."
Chike blinked.
He had already suspected a gift, but his mind could never have imagine abilities like this.
No wonder the two men had stayed hidden for a week, even Ofor couldn't sense them as he approached.
His mind already went to work. Soon it almost figure why both men were fugitives.
The old man's gift probably wander too far. Suddenly he was curious as to what the old man knew.
Then it dawned on him, he hadn't told them his name.
"I'm Chike." but the boy regretted it almost as soon as he said it. For immediately the old man eye's turned white. His gift went to work.
The boy stiffened. Now he would have no secrets.