"Why did you call us?"
Laurette was the first to speak up. Herself and Claire were standing at the front of the safehouse which was adjacent to the Castle.
Ayisha whom the question had been directed to walked out of the safehouse,
"Shouldn't we talk about how to find Damien?"
The three obviously weren't on good terms. Claire wasn't ready to relate with any of them. Ayisha was playing her usual game. Laurette didn't find either of them hospitable.
It's safe to say that only one thing brought them together. Damien! Yes! That was how much the used-to-be loser had affected the hot and classy girls.
"Why should I trust the both of you. After all, we know Claire is always up to no good. I still don't understand why you are interested in finding him... or maybe I do, but I'm finding it difficult to believe."
Laurette took it out on Claire. Claire scoffed.
"I can say worse about you. Weren't you cussing heavily at him? Since when did you take interest in his well-being or are you being a hypocrite?"
"What did you just say?"
Laurette was beginning to burn in rage. Ayisha stepped into the open space between the two, both metaphorically and literally.
"I won't stop the both of you from fighting. But you can do that after this meeting..."
She paused for a moment as though she forgot something,
"Sorry not after the meeting... After we finish doing one or two things today."
The girls began to calm themselves. They had a common ground. They should respect it huh?
"Yesterday, myself and Claire went to spy on the Cannibals..."
"Are you guys crazy? What if you were caught?"
There was an edge to Laurette's voice, and concern in her face. Claire sneered at her because of the sudden change,
"Charade. Since when did she care?"
Laurette looked around them as though she was looking for something.
"Oops! I forgot that Mira is not here."
Ayisha smiled at the game the both of them were playing. It was quite interesting to watch, but also unnecessary.
"So, I was saying..."
Ayisha let in a filler to grab the attention the both girls had lost. They both turned to her.
"We found a shocking discovery. One it was new to me, but to Claire... it was more like affirming what she already knew."
Laurette took Claire in her gaze. Obviously she wanted to ask Claire the full details, but her ego had been fleshed.
"And what's that supposed to be?"
Though Laurette was looking at Claire, after the question, yet her interest was severed, shared between the two. It seemed as though she was asking Ayisha but looking at Claire. A safe way to play?
"Damien's body was no longer there."
Laurette's eyes widened as she looked away from Claire to Ayisha. Like making an eye contact who influence the already spoken words.
"What d-does that mean?"
She stuttered, involuntarily looking back at Claire for affirmation?
"We are not sure yet."
Ayisha sighed, taking a pause.
"Claire argued that she believed that Damien's body was somewhere. Though getting to the top of that tree is more like a nightmare. We all knew what we went through trying to make fire."
"You mean we have to climb a tree?"
Laurette tried to understand what Ayisha had just said.
"Isn't it obvious? Must you repeat the same question? I wonder what the level of your IQ is..."
Claire had trolled Laurette. Ayisha almost stepped in when she realized what could happen, but she was surprised to see a smile tug at Laurette's lips.
"Higher enough to know playing around with words is a child's play..."
"Are you going to remain standing there?"
Ayisha turned to Claire,
"Come let's go."
"Tell me."
Claire demanded.
"Why will a bitch tell you? Ask from someone else who isn't a bitch."
Ayisha left her standing there. After all, she didn't forget the coin tossed.
"That bitch."
Claire swore, watching the two go.
"Aren't you two going to wait?"
She swallowed her pride and ran after them. What choice did she have? She was obviously at a disadvantage.
Damien was leading all the Cannibals through the woods. Earlier, he had thought that they were going to attack him for killing their brother, he would had been really merciless and kill so many of them... break as many bones as possible.
But he was disappointed. They had walked past him to do the usual rite for the dead. The frown or glare must be something that comes with the package. Something that he'd never noticed before.
He took a glance at his back. The Cannibals kept quite a distance behind him. His eyes strayed to the head of the Cannibals who was carrying the sac containing their clothes.
He looked away from them. It was a great feeling to know that he meant so much to them. So much that they would kill themselves because he didn't return?! How insane.
"I wish there's a skill to be visible only to the Cannibals but invisible to the girls."
Well, he wish! He took a last gaze at them, when they had walked past the watchtower.
"They should bathe first. That'll kick off the civilization process."
He looked away, never to look back again?
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