Chapter 3: 3
“Are you dead?” Dara frowned at his strange dream. All he wanted an escape from his reality but his dreams weren’t helping him at all.
“Wake up!!” He heard her voice as his eyes shot open.
“Get up. We need to get food.” She said and wore a cloth that was supposed to work as a coat.
Dara looked outside and frowned. It was still dark and not a soul in sight.
“How much sleep did we get?” He asked while stretching his limbs.
“I hope enough to get us through the day and get us started.” She said with a smile that screamed sorry.
“Are you cold?” She asked and he shook his head.
“Of course, you still have warm blood inside you.”
“What about you? Are you cold? Do you have warm blood inside you?” Dara asked and the girl raised her brow.
“I’m sorry, it’s just that I know nothing about you but you seem to know everything about me.” He said as he watched her grab a basket that was barely holding up.
“I’m sorry as well, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I am Hyeri.” She gave him a more sincere smile this time.
“And I am just a little cold, but it’ll go away when the sun rises.
Sun, The symbol of something good, a new start, a new day, light at the end of a dark tunnel.
He felt a little relieved to see something that held such importance.
“We have to walk a little but not too much.” She said and gave him the bowl which he had seen a few hours ago.
They both stepped out of the house and he was a bit surprised to see her walking away almost immediately.
“Don’t you have to lock it?” He asked while taking long steps to match the girl who was almost running now.
“It’s still early for anyone to be out and if we’re being honest, even thieves won’t try to steal from my little home.” She joked and linked arms with him.
“We need to go faster or we won’t get any berries. You don’t want to eat leaves right?” She asked and felt him match her pace at once.
“This is a struggle. Do you have to do this everyday?”
“It is the only fun part in my life here.” She said with a sad smile.
“The only rush. I have no other motive than to just fill my stomach and wake up the other day.”
“Is it going to be the same for me too?” He mumbled softly but she heard it.
“Let’s pray to God that it won’t be like this for you. But God won’t even listen from here. Let’s put in effort. I will do everything I can to help you.” She said and stopped at a big tree with nothing on that.
Dara wanted to ask what she meant but before he could, he met a set of eyes, and as he looked around, he saw more. Scared of this sudden appearance, he got more closer to her.
“Don’t worry. They are the last people here who might hurt you. They are here for the berries too.”
Dara felt his nerves relaxing, ease with the fact that there were more people around.
All he had seen ever since he woke up was Hyeri and those creatures that still gave him goosebumps.
“New?” He heard someone speak but it was too dark to see who it was.
“Yes. But he won’t be here for long.” Hyeri said but heard a chuckle in reply.
“You said that before too but still we meet here everyday.” That was the last thing he heard before his eyes felt like they were being blinded.
“The sun is here. For few minutes, take as much berries as you can boy.” He heard someone say and a nod from Hyeri.
He started plucking berries from the garden. The only thing he was sure of till then was that this was going to be his lunch and dinner as well.
He looked around and there were about two dozen people filling their vessels with berries and fresh leaves.
His eyes started looking for Hyeri who was now plucking berries and having small talk with others.
Once he was sure, he had enough for a day, he went to her and showed his bowl.
“That’s really good!” He could now see that she really meant it when she said that this was the best part of her day.
“Don’t pluck any now.” He heard someone say and looked at Hyeri.
“The moment the sun goes away, the berries turn poisonous.” She said making him frown.
“Why?” He asked and she shrugged.
“Good things are limited here. Good people too.” She said and looked at others who were giving the berries to those who couldn’t get enough.
“Good people are like treasures.”
“You’re a good person too.” She smiled at his comment and took his bowl of berries and mixed it in her basket.
“We have enough for a day or two. We should start our journey after I explain everything to you. I’m sure you’re curious.” Dara nodded again.
“I’ll explain it as we walk back home.”
Even if the sun was down, it wasn’t dark at all. The light was still there even if it was dim.
He looked around and now there were more people or things that look like people.
“They are demoises.” Hyeri said when she saw Dara eyeing them.
“Demoises?”
“Yes, like demons. They eat souls and drink blood.” Dara felt his legs freeze.
“Don’t worry, they won’t hurt you. They are not that privileged. Just don’t look at them and you’ll be good.” Dara looked away and stared at the ground instead.
“What are we?” He asked not really sure what he wanted to be.
“I am a resident here as you can see, I have a house and everything.” She said with a chuckle but it was short-lived.
“But Dara you, you don’t belong here.”
“You have said that a lot but you won’t tell me where I belong.” He said and sighed.
“You belong with the good ones. Where God answers your prayers.”
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone