CH 3 : Master Khalid

"What're you doing here, Octavia?'' Mica

finally broke the long ensued silence

after watching Octavia eat for a long

time.

Octavia didn't look at her, although she

was nervous.

"I...I want to stay here, Mica. I want to

be a part of the X-family" she answered

timidly.

"Why?" Mica's voice was a whisper.

"Why would you leave home and come

here, Octavia? I don't understand".

Octavia couldn't say a word but just

chewed slowly at her pops.

"You know what?" Mica scoffed.

"This isn't happening. You're going

home as soon as you're done"

She stood up and turned around.

"I'm staying, Mica!" Octavia also stood

on her feet and Mica stopped walking.

When she turned to face her, her eyes

melted.

"Please.." She added.

"Don't push me away."

Mica scoffed and walked closer to her.

"You can't stay here, Octavia. What is

wrong with you? Before I left, I explained

how dangerous this was".

Octavia bent her head dolefully like a

child who was being scolded.

"But everyone here is like me" she

muttered, almost inaudibly.

"It doesn't matter. There are a lot of |

people out there who are just like you

and still living in their homes. Besides,

the Master won't accept you. He's

rejected 12 people in the last two days.

He doesn't need a new member!"

"Just...just take me to him. I'll prove myself to him and make him accept me".

"I can't do that!'' She said angrily.

"Master Khalid isn't someone you toy

around with, and as a matter of fact,

you need to leave before he comes back

and finds you here".

"Besides, you told me you've always

hated the X-family. You told me you've

always disliked them".

"That night, when l'd wanted to leave,

you tried so much to convince me out

of it. So, why the sudden change of

mind, Octavia? Why do you suddenly

want to be a part of us?" She hushed,

but Octavia kept her head bowed and

didn't say a word.

Oh damn it! Mica could sense it. There was something wrong.

"Where's dad?" She asked, and Octavia,

with her head still bowed, answered:

"He's fine".

"And Agatha?" That was their

stepmother.

"Fine as well came the reply.

''So, why the fuck did you leave them?

Why exactly are you here, Octavia?

What're you hiding from me?"

Yn was almost shaking, but tried

as much as possible not to show it.

"You can't stay here, Octavia, you can't

Survive it" she went on.

"Over here, we do a lot of terrible things. We steal, we fight, there's bloodshed, we...kill" she whispered the last part, her voice sounding so hoarse.

"We....we make use of our bodies,

Octavia. We don't know what dignity is

anymore. We can get used at anytime,

anywhere. All that matters is the game.

Do you really think you can survive it?"

Mica's words drove cold chills to

Octavia's spine. They scared her to the

guts and made her feel like running

away instantly. But, she couldn't. She

was scared of staying and was scared

of running away.

"Octavia!" Mica held her hand, awaiting

her response.

And in a timid voice, her reply stood:

"I want to stay".

Mica felt all her hope flying away as she let go of her hand. She scoffed and

walked some steps away.

"What are you hiding from me?" She

stood at a distance and asked.

"Why exactly do you wanna stay here?"

Octavia fisted her hands on both sides

of her dress and didn't say a word.

Immediately, the door went open

without a sound and the two sisters

turned to see who it was. One of the

Master's close guards.

Mica's heart skipped immediately as

she knew what his presence meant. If

he was around, it only meant Khalid was

around as well.

"Mica" he called grufly still standing at the doorway.

His eyes drifted to Octavia.

"So, it is true" he stated.

"There's indeed a stranger here",

There was silence, a deafening silence.

"Anyway, the Master's back and

requests her presence" he added and

left.

Mica turned back to face her sister, her

face looking more etiolated.

"Octavia please" she said bleakly.

"Leave while you still can".

Octavia shook her head lightly,

indicating her decision still stand. She

was determined to stay.

Mica scoffed and turned around. She

winced and went through a lot, trying to

control her emotions. Then, she turned

back to look at her sister.

"Try not to look him in the eyes when

he's talking" she said hardly.

"No matter what, be polite. Mind your

words. He kills at the slightest annoying

thing, Octavia" her voice had almost

broken at the end.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" She

asked and Octavia nodded slowly.

Mica finally gave up when she saw the

determination in her sister's eyes. She

could see two things: determination and

fear.

With a deep sigh she turned towards the door

and said:

"Let's go".

Octavia took in a deep breath and

followed her sister out of the room. She

kept her head bowed the whole time,

trying to prepare her mind for what was

next.

She could do it, she said repeatedly in

her head. She could blend with them. All

she needed was to belong. Even if she

hated it, she had to. She'd look for a

way to convince the so called Master to

let her stay.

She walked behind Mica for a long time

and finally, they got to a door which had

two boys in front of it.

"Master Khalid sent for me" Mica said

to the boys. Octavia was a little

surprised at how bold and rough her

sister was. Even her walking steps had

changed.

One of the boys nodded and opened the

door for her and they walked in.

At first, all Octavia could see was

smoke, smoke flying in the air.

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To be continued!