The following morning
A day's worth of rest and plenty of hydration re-energized Aden's body, and his consciousness started to resurface.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Unsettling sounds flooded his ears while consciousness returned gradually. He covered his ears in annoyance, to no avail.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
It continued, no matter what Aden tried. It felt as if someone was marching toward him with loud steps. The sound rang not in his ears but directly in his brain. It felt like someone or something was marching inside his skull.
Damn!
He couldn't help but groan at the constant, unbearable noise.
Shortly, Maria approached and asked. "Aden, are you okay?"
Silence
The noise ceased abruptly.
"Aden, are you okay?" Maria repeated her question with a concerned look.
Her question jolted him back to his senses. "Yeah, I'm fine, sister. Just a headache." He lied about it, he couldn't explain the bizarre experience.
Maria frowned, putting her hands on his forehead. "Just a headache? You were groaning like you got beaten. Are you sure that's all? No nightmares?"
"Yeah, it's just a headache. Don't worry, sister," He replied nonchalantly.
"Alright... but that was some headache. Let me get you something strong." She browsed through the supplies with her attention locked on him.
Meanwhile, Aden took a peek at the surroundings, and the hallucinations started to surface.
The usually round tin cans were changing, weird patterns emerged out of thin air, and the geometric shapes warped into disturbing patterns.
"What the hell?" His head spun in confusion. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
Fortunately for him, the hallucination vanished as fast as it materialized.
"Okay, here is your medicine. Take it and rest well." She passed a tablet with a tin can full of water and resumed her work on the desk.
"What are you working on, sister?" Aden saw her work, so he asked curiously.
"It's just a list of medical supplies running low."
Oh!
"What's the list for? Will there be a supply run soon?" A sense of excitement and curiosity filled his eyes.
"Yes. Ther..."
She paused mid-sentence.
She thought, "He'll push to go if he knows. However, he'll find out eventually anyway, but Franz is only taking twenty veterans; he won't add an eager amateur. Still, best make sure Franz knows not to consider him."
With her thoughts organized, she chose to inform him. "Yes! The reservoir pump has broken down, so Franz and his team of veterans will do a medium supply run to scavenge the necessary parts in Bullhead City."
"Sister… did you say Bullhead City? Isn't that well-known Death Hound territory?"
Bullhead City was a well-known danger zone amongst the settlements. Rumors of the death hound the overlord in the city were already common. However, no one had seen it. The decision to make a supply run there surprised him.
"Yes. I confronted Franz about it, but he reassured me they'll be fine since 20 personnel will participate. I know what you want to say, and my answer is no. I'll make sure Franz won't let you enroll."
She resumed her work with a firm stance.
"Please, sister. Let me participate too. Bullhound City is bound to be full of resources. I might even get the car parts."
"Please! Please!"
Despite his pleading, she refused to budge.
Sigh!
Her unyielding stance forced him to slump on the bed.
***
An hour later
"Alright, let me just..."
With the list complete, she got up and disappeared briefly through the door in the back leading to the storage room.
Clink! Clink! Rustle
Moments later, she reappeared, holding two steaming mugs fashioned from old tin cans.
"Here, drink this." She carefully placed one beside Aden. A warm, vaguely herbal scent drifted up.
"So Aden. What do you have to say about yesterday?" Her piercing gaze was directed at him.
"I'm sorry…sister."
His head drooped under her scrutinizing gaze. He glanced at Tom, and a sense of guilt surfaced within him.
"I just wanted to gather the spark plugs and the battery for the car. It's been 20 years since 'The Silence'. I want to find my parents if they are out there." Aden replied in a weak but hopeful voice.
His reply saddened her. "I know you want to look for your parents, but risking yourself isn't right. That's not what Luna would've wanted."
She leaned close and hugged him. The sudden mention of Luna invoked a repressed memory to surface.
***
"I'm sorry, Aden. I couldn't reunite you with your parents. Because of me, you'll have to suffer in the future. Please forgive this incompetent aunt of yours."
A sorrowful and parting voice echoed in his mind.
***
As fragments of his Aunt's memories flashed, his eyes started to fog, and beads of tears rolled down, making his eyes glisten like rain-streaked glass.
"I'm sorry… sister."
Apologies choked him as tears streamed down his face.
"It's okay, Aden. I'm sure you're under a lot of pressure. I'm not against it, I just don't want you taking unnecessary risks."
She caressed his hair and consoled him. Her time with Luna had familiarized her with Aden's situation.
"How about this? I'll ask Franz to look for those parts if he can. Sounds good, right?" Seeing his miserable state, she made a promise.
"You mean it?" He couldn't help but glance at her with tear-filled eyes.
"Yes. You have my word," she doubled down on the promise.
"Thank you…sister. You're the best." Aden hugged her tightly.
"Ok, ok. Now go and wash your face. Then, I'll hear the events from yesterday."
"Ok." Despite some muscle soreness, he stood up and hurried to the wash basin in the corner and washed his face. He returned feeling refreshed and began narrating the events.
"So, I was looking for spark plugs and a battery with multiple failures."
Bang! Bang!
"That's when I heard gunshots. I cycled my way in the direction of the gunshots and called for Tom…"
During narration, he mimicked the events by creating various sound effects and acting. It was a strange scene.
Maria watched him, a faint smile touching her lips despite the grim subject matter. His exaggerated sound effects and mimed actions were absurdly at odds with the deadly reality, yet seeing this familiar, almost childlike energy return after yesterday's trauma was… unexpectedly comforting.
Suddenly, he thought about the weird noises and hallucinations and got distracted.
Maria saw his dazed state and asked. "Then what happened?"
"Huh? Oh, after that…." Back to the senses, he resumed the narration.
"And that's all I remember before losing consciousness."
Phew!
The nonstop narration left him gasping for air.
"So, you guys did slay an alpha." At first, she doubted it, since it wasn't an easy feat with a group of two, let alone two amateur scavengers, but Aden's recollection of the events was too vivid to ignore.
"Yes, we did. Well… technically, it was Tom who shot it." He couldn't help but clarify the details.
"Now, now. Don't undermine your role as well. It wouldn't have been possible without cooperation from both. As for the death hound in Golden Valley, I'll inform Franz about it." She couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in their achievement.
"Oh, yeah! Tell me the names of the parts you want before I submit this list."
She returned to her desk, pen poised over the list.
"Six spark plugs, and a battery. Also, an air filter, an oil filter, and a fuel filter. Brother Ethan said the ones in the car are already on their last legs."
"Okay, they're on the list. I'll go and submit the list. You take a rest. Don't even try to leave the bed." She left the clinic with the list. Meanwhile, Aden went back to sleep.
***
Town Hall
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Maria was already at the door with a list in hand.
"Come in."
She grabbed the latch and opened the door.
"Oh…Maria. You're already here with the list." He put his pen to rest and focused on her.
"Here's the list. Also, I have a favor to ask, Franz." She placed the list on the desk.
"Oh… a favor? That's rare for you. Alright, what is it?"
With the list on his desk, he grabbed it and skimmed through.
Medical Supply
Oxygen Tank
Antibiotics Syringes
...
...
DTPA (Diethylenetetraaminepentaacetic)
Spark plugs for Chevrolet K10 Fleetside
Car Battery
Air Filter
Oil Filter
Fuel Filter
"It must be about those car parts, right?" Franz was quick to notice the irregularities in the list.
"Yes, it's for Aden."
Sigh!
"This kid won't stop looking for trouble. If possible, ask your team to keep an eye out for them." A frown creased her brow, her usual steady gaze clouded with worry.
"Well… I won't stick my nose into your matter. As for the supplies, I'll see what I can do about it. Do you want anything else?" He passed the list to Riku, who in turn gave a small nod and placed it amongst the supply run plan.
"Aden said they were attacked by the death hounds in the Golden Valley, that's where they killed the alpha."
The prospect of death hounds so close was a cause of concern for her, but a reluctant pride swelled within her for their unlikely victory.
"So… they actually did it. As for the death hounds in Golden Valley, I'll have a team assigned to clear Golden Valley after the supply run." Franz noted the information in the office register.
"That's all. I'll get going now." Maria made a swift departure from the room.
"Looks like we'll have two capable scavengers in the future." Franz mused on Maria's report and looked forward to the future.