Something’s wrong

Ania finally understand what Cleo mean by what she said. The thunder is just too loud for her, as if this earplugs are not enough to make the terrible sound disappear. The loud snores of Marcus are in every corner of this tent! It's already two in the morning and she still didn't had a sleep, even just a few minutes. The dark circles in her eyes are really visible even from afar. This made her grit her teeth.

It's been days since she wished to have a proper sleep and came here thinking that she will finally have one but to her dismay, she won't.

She heard a sobs coming from the corner of the tent. She looked to only see that it was Nana who is crying while both of her hands are hugging her legs, hiding her face full of tears.

"Mommy..."

Sigh, how can she be careless about that? Nana is still a child after all. She may be happy and energetic as if she doesn't care about the world but at the end of the day she will still gonna miss her family.

"Hey baby..."

Nana, who is hiding her teary face, showed a small part of it and to look at Ania. A liquid yet slimy water is going out from her nose , her eyes are red from crying. She really looks like a pitiful child.

"Are you sleepy?"

Nana shook her head. While still crying and forcing her snot back inside her nose.

"Why are you crying?"

"I miss my mommy."

"Are you scared?"

Nana again shook her head.

"Why aren't you scared?"

"Big brother and big sister Cleo are with Nana so Nana is not afraid."

"Then do you still need mommy?"

"No, mommy is not here anymore so Nana needs to be strong."

This made Ania chuckles. This child is so interesting.

"Does that mean you're not afraid of demons?"

Demons...

Nana's body began to shake.

"Big sister, Nana is not strong yet so Nana is still afraid."

Ania's nodded her head. It looks like this child knows her strength well.

"Then do you want me to give you something? This will be my gift for you."

"Gift!" Nana's eyes sparkle, who doesn't love gift after all.

Ania searched something in her pocket. It was a simple yet beautiful necklace, the white dewdrop crystal created a translucent look that made Nana widen her eyes. It captures the complete attention of Nana.

"Do you like it?"

"This necklace is very special."

"Special?"

"Yep. See this crystal? If this crystal turns black, then a demon is near you. And when that happens and you are alone, I want you to hide, hide no matter what okay?"

Nana's brows wrinkled and furrowed as she looked at Ania in deep contemplation. And after a long thinking, she gave a nod to Ania.

Nana may only be a child but she can easily grasp the words that was told to her. Only three but is smarter than you think. When a child opens her eyes and to see that the world is not the same as the fairytale, she must blend in the environment in order to survive. Like a dead leaf mantis that camouflage itself around the dried leaf in order not to notice by everyone, Marcus found Nana in that state when her family was killed.

Ania cannot imagine what this child went through in order to be like that.

Nana began to yawn while her eyes is slowly starting to feel heavy, this caught Ania's attention. It's reasonable for her to be like that, after all it is already 3.

Ania place the sleepy child in her lap. "If you're sleepy, you can lie here with me."

"Mommy used to sing me a song to make me sleep. Can you sing for me big sister?"

Ania smiled. Sometimes, you just have to let the child be.

"Okay but I only know one song."

When the moon shines on you,

The dampness of the night,

One then two,

Cease the burning flame.

The melody's words flow,

The hatred melts

Fleeing together with the chime

Ania stopped.

"You have a beautiful voice big sister. Where did you learn that song?"

"Long ago, I heard a woman sing that song."

But that is the only thing that she can remember now.

"Then sing it till the end big sister."

"Haha how about I sing another song?"

"You have another one?"

"I can make another one for you."

Once I saw /a small child,

What a courage you have there,

I still think /of that day,

looking at / you now.

You sat there / crying still,

Courage / you have gathered then.

Only three but so brave

How I smiled while thinking back.

Close your eyes and imagine now

How stronger / you will be,

Next I knew, turning ten

You'll be doing many things.

She looked at Nana to only see her sleeping peacefully in her lap. Haha surely you will do many things...

Her eyes also turned heavy and last thing she knew, she also fell asleep.

"Shhh. Don't wake them up."

" Why are you shushing me if you're the one who's shouting!"

"I'm not shouting!"

Ania wake up with the screaming voice of Cleo and Marcus. The two of them are already fighting first thing in the morning.

She looked at Nana who is still sleeping while drooling at her clothes.

"Now look they're awake now! And all because of you!"

"Me? You're the one who is shouting here!"

Nana blink her eyes while yawning, it looks like she's awake now, thanks to the both of them shouting.

"Good morning big sister."

Nana smiled at Ania.

"Whoa! When did the two of you get close?"

"Hmm maybe it's because of your constant snoring."

"What? I don't think I snore, do I?"

Marcus hold his chin while thinking deeply.

"Told you, you need them."

Cleo pointed at the earplugs in Ania's ear.

"Yeah, like it really helped me."

"Hehe well maybe we need more than that."

***

Ania went outside to catch some fresh morning air, or that's what she called it. It was already eleven in the morning and she was expecting to see a jolly environment outside with the children playing and bumping on people. The surrounding is so quiet with no children playing and the people is lesser than number of people yesterday.

Where are the others?

"Oh the others are maybe outside the gate. It is always like this."

Ania saw the child that bumped her yesterday, Kiera. But unlike yesterday, she is walking together with her like a well behaved girl. She's not like the jolly child with full of energy and smiles like she expected her to be.

"Hello, good morning."

She went to greet the mother and daughter but she received no reply. The mother and daughter only continued to walked away from her.

Something's not right here. They eyes of the two are gray, like a lifeless and soulless body that only continues to walk. She looked at the other remaining people and they are all the same as the others. What is going on here?

She looked at Marcus , Cleo and Nana. They are the only one here who are not different.

"What's bothering you Ania? Come, we need to clean ourselves."

Ania looked at where they are heading.  It's a small pond, but this is connected to the sea outside the gate, making it clean and crystal clear when you look at the bottom.

Nana grabbed her hands while pulling her to the water. The water is so cold and refreshing, perfect for her dry and dirty skin.

"Cleo, how long have you been here?"

"In this safe place? Hmmm. For about a month now."

"Is it always like this?"

"The water? Yes."

"No, the people"

"You mean how they acted?"

Ania gave a nod indicating that her to continue her sentence. How the people acted is not near normal, especially how they acted differently now than yesterday.

"It's normal, tomorrow they will leave this place and a new people will come here. It's always like that here."

"There's something wrong here Cleo, we have to leave this place."

"But-"

"You said that there will be new people that will come here?"

"Oh yes, and they will be welcomed here in the evening."

"This is a bad news."

Ania stood and walked out back to their tent. She really have a strange feeling about this place, ever since she step foot here. If more people will come here, then she cannot leave. But what happened to the people? Is it the demons doing? No. The gate was always been closed and she didn't spot any demons around here. But whatever is going on here, it has a connection with the demon.

She already has a hunch but in order to prove it, she has to stay her for another night.

It looks like it will be another sleepless night tonight.