Bottle of Stories (81)

Rey and Annie are far behind Jayson. A few blocks away, Jayson will reach Rey's house. Rey has to do anything he can to stop him. 

Jayson is already knocking. When Rey and Annie caught up to him, Rey opened the bottle causing them to be transported to another world.

This time, they did not lose consciousness nor got dizzy but they failed to notice this because the townsfolk here are running while screaming.

"Run! They are coming!" a civilian shouted.

"Why did you open it, Rey? We are not ready!" said Annie in frustration.

"We have no time for that." Jayson grabbed someone on their wrist. "What's going on here?"

"Let me go! I have to stay away from them."

"Who?" asked Jayson.

"The witch goons. If they touched you, you will become one of them," she explained.

A man runs back to them when he noticed that her partner is slowed down. "You should come with us. We will explain what happened here later."

Rey, Annie, and Jayson followed the two strangers that leads them to an underpass where many people are hiding.

"I'm Yaesso Cu. I work as a tourist guide on this island."

"Like Q?" asked Rey.

"Close enough. Did you get separated from your parents? Tell me what color they wore when you last see them and I will find them for you."

"Cu, their parents might not be here. You should not go out for now, it is dangerous."

"Don't worry Avie, I'll just look around. By the way, she is Angi Ver."

"Call me Avie. Please do not scare me like that again," she looked at Jayson.

"We did not go here with our parents," answered Annie.

"What! Oh no, they must be worried sick. As an adult here, it will be my responsibility to keep you guys safe," said Cu.

"Stop being a father Cu, we have to make a plan on how we'll escape this island." Avie hold Cu's wrist and dragged him.

"Wait for me here! Do not leave this place or else I will not cook you my specialty."

They watched Avie and Cu leave them.

"Rey, why are you so scared," said Jayson. "There is no one inside your house."

"What? I thought he will come home early today. How did you know?"

"No aura inside. That is how I found you when we first met. Your aura is below normal and I thought you were dying."

"How's my aura now."

"Still the same."

"Did you know, Jayson told me before that I have above average aura," bragged Annie.

Rey was disappointed.

"I really want to be angry because of your recklessness, but this place we went into seems dangerous for us to handle. When will you learn that you always get us in trouble."

"I'm sorry, Jayson, Annie. I really do not want you to get involved with my personal problems. I do not want to be a burden."

"Tell us what happened."

"I went overtime in Annie's house after we went to Guardian of Dreams. I forgot to cook rice earlier the day my father went home early so he punched me and I blocked it with my arm." Rey pulled the sleeves and show his arms to his friends. 

"Why don't you fight back?" ask Jayson.

"That sounds so wrong knowing that I'm the one at fault there."

Annie and Jayson were silent. Jayson tried to change the mood. "Once I'm able to go back at my world. I will ask Chloe to heal you."

"Or you can ask me to cure that." Cu appeared on Rey's back that made them turn their gaze onto him. "We have an area where we help those who are injured."

"No, this is okay. I already put ice on this in the morning."

"Whether the injury is small or big, we cure that. We'll be back again after few minutes."

~~~*List of Chapters*~~~