Chapter 02

I don't know what to do. I can't even think rationally about this matter. My head was full of confusion. A lot of questions were ruining my mind. Nevertheless, I can't get an answer to any of my queries 'cause who the fuck will give me the key for the overflowing elicit information I want? 

I don't even know if these walls were protecting me otherwise blocking my way to escape. 

My head was aching from all these occurrences that caught me off guard. It was hard to stay dumb after everything that happened earlier. 

Yet, I'm alone and held responsible for my survival. However, I don't know where to start. I felt like a speck of dust on the floor, waiting for the wind to take me from its paradise. If only I could be sweep away from this hole. 

I got up. My tears dried up in my cheeks that I didn't notice. I chewed my bottom lip, eyes were wandering around these walls, finding something to use on how to break free from this confinement. 

I paced back and forth, nails biting until I ceased. I frustratedly bit my bottom lip and brushed my hair using my fingertips. 

I couldn't see anything but merely these fucking white walls. Looks like it was strongly built behind my room for a hidden purpose, and the only lock was outside. 

Shit! This is a fucking hopeless case. 

Disappointment scattered in my eyes 'cause of the inability to find something for executing my plan. 

This is getting more serious and harder than I thought. Like a complex code, I can't decipher or probably I know, but blinded what way to take first. 

Mom, where are you? I need you. I can't do this alone. 

My shoulders elevated and tears fledged to bloom again, ready to bail out from my eyes. 

I stayed for being a breakable glass for a moment until I looked up, only to gaze by the same sketch of surroundings. But there's a certain difference screaming, for I had heard my mother's voice lingered inside my head. Those words she muttered whenever I'm down and struck by the nonsense thoughts of giving up. 

Rule your mind or it will rule you. 

River of sweats pored in my skin, further enhanced to generate a lot. 

My mother was right. Giving up wasn't always the solution. I must take a step and find a way onward rather than coming to a halt. 

I breathe deeply, feeling the air in my lungs and the ripples of the universe filling me with every blessing that I will ever need. After that, I opened my eyes and took the bright side embraced by hope instead of dwelling in the case of darkness. 

Aboveboard, knowing that I'm safe in the knowledge that everything I need to achieve a precise goal is at my fingertips, the tunnel of my thoughts had lightened up. 

Take it in and let it out. Breathe, Xiomara. Breathe. 

Perhaps, the universe did not send me here and let me live without a purpose. I know my mom. She has a heavy reason for jailing me here. She believes in me. But how can I believe in myself if I don't even know what's happening in the first place? 

Why I am alone when she can be with me? Why is she securing my safety? What about hers? 

Damn. Breathe, Xiomara. Breathe. 

I can't ruin the positive thoughts I created in my mind or else I will be doom for thinking about the negative things that will destroy me for sure. 

Break free from the box where you had isolated yourself. 

I won't lose my hope. I need to get out of here and find my mom. 

My eyes were circulating the whole room. Where should I begin? 

For a while, I reminisced the moments I had with my mother. 

A pang in my chest almost blows up my mind whenever I think of her. I missed her already and I hope she's doing fine outside. 

This is not the right time to feel that kind of emotion. I just need to escape from here right now. 

Furthermore, when my eyes probed, I saw a bed, one refrigerator, a bathroom, and a small window. Those were the things that my eyes had spotted. Which place or things did she lurked the passage? 

My mom loves mind games. She's secretive and that makes her dangerous. I stood still and think where she had put the other door here inside. 

Why didn't I think of that idea? Mom always has a lot of back-ups, backup plans. 

Now, where did she laid her card for the secret door? 

"We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility of our future. And you are made that way, Xiomara. Keep that and understand its meaning. It's up to you the way how you use it." I remembered her said that, and those words were already engraved in my mind. 

The way she caresses my hair and sang me my favorite lullaby was the best thing that no amount of gold can replace. 

"There's a domain of knowledge in your head, and a pearl of wisdom in your heart. Don't be afraid to take risks, but don't gain the world's burden and lost your soul amid your journey." 

I was young at that time when she told me that. Not thinking about the possibility of what awaits me in the future. 

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Naked eyes can't see, but a pure one can determine."

My mother was a tricky one. She did not put the secret door in these things around here but established beyond doubt in these walls in front of me. 

I get it. My mom set those symbols for secrecy on these walls. 

I walked while finding the exact wall where she explicitly settled the codes. My mind was active, senses were denoting the energy pursuits about this matter. 

"Where the fuck is it?" I whispered. It's been a minute and I can't seem to see anything through these walls. 

I failed to retain my hope from finding the things I've been looking for. The confident I'm grasping was slowly fading away. 

"Come on, Xiomara. Put your shit together. No one is helping you outta here. Breathe and be brave." I convinced myself but who am I fooling? 

When things go wrong, just trust yourself that you are born to be brave. 

Mom, I am not brave enough. I can't conquer this alone when I, myself, was also jaunting in the endless road of emptiness. 

After contemplating with myself, I buckled my knees and brace myself up. I emitted a sigh and called all my courage to face the ordeal. 

I started to check every wall. Trying my luck to find something suspicious that can lead to some clues. But to my dismay, I found nothing. Hours passed by, and I still can't find anything that can aid me. 

I tiredly blocked my face using my hands. My situation was hopeless. No one can help me. I'm all by myself now. If only I have my phone with me, then I can dial someone to help me escape. But no, my phone was left in the car together with my bag. 

Think, Xiomara. Think. 

I don't think it's in the wall. My mother wasn't stupid enough to put the passage in the wall if she already used it outside. 

Fuck. How come I didn't think of that? Stupid, Xiomara! 

The complexity of my thoughts became profound. I stared at the ceiling not until my eyes darted on the floor. 

The floor! Right! 

Without any intervening time, I kneeled and dropped my face on the floor. My knuckles kissed its surface and I almost jump when I heard something beneath this floor. 

Excitement flooded in my veins. Now, I need to find the precise spot for access to this passage. 

I moved my body and looked under the bed. There, I saw some patterns that whittled on it. Crawling, I reached the place and I don't know but it prick my interest when I saw a riddle written on it. 

Use your brain, Xiomara. Analyze things. 

My lips formed into a thin line. 

"What is greater than God, but eviler than the devil. The rich need it, but the poor already have it. If you eat it, you will die." I loudly read. 

You're making this hard for me, mother. 

A small smile spread throughout my lips. 

But I wouldn't be an Eleanor if I can't solve this. 

"I think I get it. Nothing is greater than God, nothing is eviler than the devil, the rich need nothing, the poor have nothing, and if you eat nothing, you die." I muttered to myself, and I can perceive the bell of joy ringing inside my head. 

That's it. The answer is nothing. Now it's time to turn it into a code. Good thing my mom taught me how. 

I dragged my figure along the floor until I arrived at the same spot where I think the door was located. 

I smirked in victory when I saw the small card graved on it. I punched the code and I almost scream when I fell without me preparing. 

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. My knees were shaking when I scarcely found myself that only one person can take a sprawl inside. It has walls that firmly stood to be a barrier on each side, but I noticed some weird noises that I haven't heard before. 

I can feel my own heart beating rapidly beats in nervousness. I have a little doubt inside me to turn back, but I know I can't. It's an endgame for me to be a coward. 

Whatever happening outside, I need to face it to know the truth behind everything. 

I prepared myself to sprawl ahead. It's ungainly uncomfortable 'cause it has a small space, but I have no time to gripe about it. It's useless. What choice do I have in the first place, huh? 

This small width and limited in extent amount of scope was lack of air, but I can somehow still breathe. 'Cause of heat sweats battered my body and I felt viscous all over my body. 

I'm panting heavily, but there's no way that I'll stop crawling to gain my freedom. 

I almost leap when I heard gunshots, screaming, and something unknown voices. It stunned me a bit 'cause I'm not ready to hear those out. 

But it fully confused me about what's happening outside. If only I could see something. 

"H-help!" A piercing cry of a woman filled my ears. 

I'm sure that she's only a few meters from me. Beneath from where I am exactly. 

There go the uncanny voices I've heard since then. Followed by the woman's cry of suffering. 

Trembling, I crawled forward. I don't know a single thing about what's happening outside, but I have a small hint that it's bad more than I think it is. 

Oddly worse that I couldn't even imagine, I supposed. 

My eyes glistened in hope when I saw a glimpse of light. The anticipation to get out made me move faster. 

I beamed a smile when I reached the flat base that build to block this small passage. Moreover, I think luck is on my side when I noticed that it doesn't have some screws on each side to make everything harder for me. 

Mom, you're so brilliant! 

I opened it and my smile immediately died when a hand was waving right in front of my face. A man's hand, exactly wearing some military uniform. 

Damn. I don't know what to say. I was utterly shocked for a moment. 

Is it good that someone was nowhere to lend me a hand? Or not, 'cause apparently, I'm not a weird telepathic to know what's running inside his head to give me a hand. 

"Get out faster. The undead was now approaching." 

That made the situation confusing even more. 

Should I trust him? 

Before I could utter a word, I heard gunshots once more, and I don't need some time to think twice but grabbed his hand to assist me in getting out. 

My eyes grew bigger when I saw the whole ground. It's a mess. Bloodshed was the exact word to describe this whole thing. 

"Hurry up or you wanna stay here and die?!" 

I paled after watching those militaries shooting those people- are they still? 

I stood frozen on my spot, and this man curses before dragging me along with his haste steps. 

I can't digest everything. Fuck. This is absurd! 

My mind went blank. What I witnessed was scary than seeing someone being murdered. ...this whole thing is pushing me to throw up. It's fucking sinister that freaked me out! 

Later on, I found myself inside a military vehicle. The current situation made my eyes lose their color. It turned into a void as my beats ironically became a dead beat. Lifeless, even. 

I stared at these soldiers blankly. 

I am not dumb not to condemn those people they're shooting. But unfortunately, the qualm inside my head will remain hanging. 

What makes those people became...undead?