I was about to walk up the stairs when I remembered something and grabbed Collin’s shirt, “what is it?” he said. I looked at him, “do you have your phone with you?”
“Uhm, yeah, why?”
“Take it out and tell me what date it is.”
He fished out his phone from his back pocket and took a quick look, “the date’s October 24th.”
“2024?”
“Yeah.”
Without saying another word, I sprinted up the stairs and entered the house. Collin was saying something while walking behind me. I went to the living room, but no one was there. I looked at the den, none. Then I brisk walked to the dining room and found the two brothers with Elizabeth. “Hey Elizabeth,” I said, panting, “do you, uh, do you know what date it is?”
“Yeah. It’s, uh,” she paused and took her phone out, a freaking flip phone, “it’s September 2nd. Why?”
“I just, uhm, I forgot. September 2nd of 2024, right?”
“No silly! It’s 2002!”
I gave a nervous laugh, “okay. Thanks.”
Merikh and Azriel looked at me weirdly then Collin just motioned for them to follow as I left the room to go back to my bedroom.
I was pacing back and forth in the bedroom when my door opened. Collin entered with Azriel and Merikh in tow, then he closes the door. The three of them were watching me pace, “are you just going to do that or –“ Azriel broke the silence. I looked up, “I don’t think we should stay here,” I paced again.
“Why not?”
I stopped and walked towards them, “I think we’re in the presence of Lotus Eaters.”
The three of them looked at each other. “The one in Greek Mythology?” Collin looked at me.
“Yes,” I replied. I placed my hand on my head, trying to think of how we could escape. “I also remembered another thing. When we came to Somerset, my phone says it’s October 18th. It’s October 24th now. We’ve been gone for 6 days out there.”
“But we came here yesterday,” Merikh suddenly chimed in. I looked at him like I’m crazy and don’t know what I was talking about. “Here, it seems like that. I mean, you heard her! She says it’s 2002,” I argued, “I’ve read about the missing daughter of Senator Cole. And she was kidnapped in 2002. This right here, is where they’ve been staying since then.”
“Mia, that doesn’t make any sense!” Merikh argued back. I looked at him surprised, “doesn’t make any sense? Have you noticed the dude in his 70’s get-up? Or the kid that looked like Oliver Twist?” I paused, “you know what, if you don’t want to believe me, fine. But I am getting out of here. You can stay here for all I care.”
“Mia,” Collin said calmly, ”tell us more about the Lotus Eaters.”
I rolled my eyes and placed both arms crossed, “according to mythology, Lotus Eaters are people living in this island where Lotus trees are dominant and it’s their food source. When you consume a lotus fruit and flower, you will forget everything. The effects of it is similar to narcotics. You will choose to live with your fellow eaters than go back home to your family.”
“Do you hear yourself, Mia?!” hissed Merikh, “it’s a myth! You said it yourself! Stop this crazy non-sense and just fucking stay for a moment! You have no proof of this! So, just, just give this town a chance.”
I turned to the bed where my duffel bag was and grabbed it. I placed the strap over my shoulders and looked at Collin and Azriel, “if you know what’s best for you, you’d leave with me.”
I passed by Merikh, who grabbed my arm, “go kiss someone else,” I said and dismissed him, removing my arm from his grip, and left the room.
I was nearing the front door when Elizabeth shuffled from her seat at the dining room to stop me from leaving, “Mia! Mia!”
I stopped and looked back at her, “Hey. Look, I am sorry but I need to leave.”
“You can’t! I mean, my mom, she’s going to make us some lasagna for dinner,” she was already pouting at me like a little girl.
“I’m sorry but my aunt. There’s been an emergency at home. I need to be there. I’m sorry,” before she could say something, I slipped out of the front door and jogged straight to my truck. I heard Collin saying sorry to her. As I got inside, Collin and Azriel ran to the truck. “Shotgun!” Azriel shouted, Collin rolled his eyes and opened the door on the backseat and sat there. I started the engine and backed up the truck, then I saw Merikh running towards us as I shift to drive. He jumped on the side step of the truck and hung onto the roof rack, his gold staff on his left hand.
“Uhm, Mia,” Azriel started while staring at Merikh outside, “I know my brother can be a pain in the ass, but, uhm, aren’t you gonna let him in?”
“Not now, Azriel. If there’s something you need to know about me,” I paused as I abruptly hit the brakes by the gates, where four of the Senator’s guards are blocking it, “I hold a grudge.”
I was having a stare down with them when I hit the gas and ran over the gate. I can hear Merikh yelling “Mia! Let me in! What the fuck?!”
When we were a few blocks away from the house, I stepped on the brakes and change the gear to park. Merikh jumped off the step and I went out. “WHAT THE FUCK, MIA?!” he shouted at me.
“Why are you yelling at me?! You’re the one who didn’t want to leave in the first fucking place!”
“I was trying to make you stay!”
“Well, I don’t want to!”
“Why?! Because you think they’re Lotus Eaters?!”
“I do not think! I know!”
“Oh yeah the great Mia knows everything! Newsflash, angel, you don’t!”
“How dare you?!” I was so pissed, I pushed Merikh. He flew a few feet away from me. I walked towards him, my eyes were glowing then I grabbed his shirt. I was about to hit him but then I stopped, I felt the end of his staff on my stomach, “go on, hit me. Let’s see what you got,” he threatened. I glanced at his staff then to him, and with a swift move, I grabbed the staff away from me with one hand and punched his nose with the other. I hit him the second time, I was going for a third when Azriel ran to me and grabbed me by the waist. Collin ran to Merikh and helped him up.
I was wriggling from Azriel’s grip but his green eyes were glowing, making his hold of me a bit stronger. “Stop it, Mia,” he whispered, “it’s over.”
I was panting and glared at Merikh, who was also glaring back at me while wiping the blood off his nose. Azriel let go of me and walked over to Merikh, he used his angelic powers to heal him. He yelled “son of a bitch!” when his nose got fixed. I was just standing near the truck when I heard footsteps. I slowly turned around to see some of the Senator’s security guards walking towards us. “Guys,” I said softly, “guys!” I yelled, the three of them turned around and saw the guards. They ran towards the truck as I ran to the driver’s seat.
I placed the gear to drive and stepped on the gas, the guards started running after the truck. The people around the town didn’t give a shit about all the chasing between the guards and a pick-up truck. Some of them were getting pushed out of the way by the guards. I stepped on the gas harder as we drove straight out of the barricade. I slowly lifted up my foot off the gas pedal to slow down the truck when we were miles away, the three of them looked back and slowly looked forward. “Are you okay?” Azriel asked, I just nodded and slowly drove then I stepped on the brakes. We went to a slow stop, then I lifted up the handbrake, and changed the gear to park. I went out of the truck, leaving the engine on, and walked away.
I heard the door open and then close. Then there were footsteps, and a hand was laid on my shoulder. I turned around and saw Collin, “are you sure you’re okay? I’ll drive if you want to rest.”
“Okay,” I whispered. I was about to walk away when he puts his hand around my wrist, “hey, I know what it feels like to say something and not be believed until it’s too late. But you gotta calm down. You’re a Nephilim. You’re stronger than Azriel and Merikh combined, okay? I love you and I don’t like seeing you get hurt or anything, you’re one of the best people I know,” he hugged me tightly and kissed the top of my head, “but for the record, you punched him real good.”
We both laughed and walked back to the truck. Collin got inside first and asked Azriel to move to the backseat and seat beside Merikh. I stood outside as Azriel got out. He opened the door to the backseat, but before he entered, he went up to me and gave me a hug. I went inside the truck and sat on the passenger’s seat, putting my seatbelt on. “You ready to go,” Collin asked, I nodded and leaned my head to the window.