Chapter 14: Green Butterfly

Wake Louchette

Wearing our personalized colored powder-white team lab gown with our signature white pearl logo sewed at the right side, we walked towards the facility where the plant randomly grew. The company immediately designed the room for it to be more accessible and safe. The process was indeed fast. Well, it was not a surprise. Mystica Glory is the most competitive company in science, technology, and research in the whole world. 

When we arrived, the tall and wide colored pure white with dark black AI-generated door opened with high-profiled securities guarding around it. The design satisfies everyone's expectations of what technology looks like today and in the prospect. 

We stepped towards the plant through the only long rectangular path built towards the circular land where the plant grew, while the rest filled with waters and waterfalls served as the wall surrounding the place. It was slightly dim inside this vast and high-ceiling facility due to the plant's sensitive reaction to natural light. And there was a circular hole above it where the light can pass through. That is, the only light that captured our eyesight, which struck at the center, was the spot where the plant grew.

My team followed me. These professionals were at my back, bringing with them their sheets, ready to write their observations. I know we already did many trials to prove this unknown plant's characteristics. But, we are still persistent in discovering more of the truth from different perspectives. 

This task is our responsibility, so we need to focus. Our head, Mr. Steeven, gave his trust to us.

Circulating the plant, we stood two to three feet from it. A few security personnel were behind us. Technically, our team consists of eight members. Hisha and our two teammates, Alexis-with curly chocolate brown hair paired with her arched eyebrows and peach-orange lips-and Christian-with black spiky hair with few pores on his face, were writing down ahead about the things they observed at first glance. On the other hand, Lance and the rest of the members, Gabriel, Aniela, and Elaine, discussed in silence, probably sharing their thoughts. 

"Take a look," Alexis suddenly pointed towards the plant. Her eyes looked directly at the plant while giving us notice. "The plant is... glowing a golden light." She perplexed. 

"It's not golden; it's yellow-orange, or let us say, dandelion yellow or honey~" Gabriel immediately opposed while making a girly gesture of pointing with diction in pronouncing every word. His pointy finger was near beside his right cheek. 

Alexis rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms. "Duh, whatever."

In our team, Gabriel is the most observant and particular it comes to details, especially colors. So it was no longer a question why he knew those shades.

I just laughed in my head while looking at these two people arguing with their gazes. If I knew, they were still friends anyway. 

My attention was brought back again to the plant as it showed a glowing light. I asked Hisha to get a piece to a detector tube sensor to capture the light intensity to do further analysis later on. I thought that the sunlight right now might be the main factor. But the question is, what bothers the rays to make such a reaction towards the plant?

Lance went towards the plant, kneeled, and tried touching the flowers using his bare hands. It means he wasn't wearing any protective gloves. 

My hands were at my back-holding the observation sheets while watching with straight, focused eyes towards the possible effect that might happen afterward. When Lance's finger touched the petal, all of our attention, captured by its captivating and unusual response! 

The flowers began to open wider while producing a variety of butterflies in different sizes! What struck me the most was the strange fixed color that they have. It only has two; green and blue. Our eyes were following the directions where they flew around the corner. These beautiful butterflies were dropping a white, tiny glitter that gave more life to the waters as they passed. 

The splashing of waves of the surrounding water made the pathway wet. We moved a bit to avoid getting hit. Well, except for Elaine, who was busy looking at those butterflies. So Christian stepped towards her to make her feet dry. 

We could not believe what we saw. Everyone's mouth except mine was hang-opened in surprise, while I remained a tight, impassive grimace while observing the surroundings.

"I already fixed-" Our head turned towards Hisha, whose words cut as she was also amazed at what was currently happening. Her mouth was slightly open. Her eyes roamed around and tempted directly to see the view of the environment's sudden change. 

"Woah..." She finally muttered a word as an expression.

"Our task is getting harder." I heard Lance complained in a low-pitched voice while holding his two hands in front of him. He was looking down with a face, indicating that he was in deep thought. 

I knew what he felt. As the leader of this team, I also felt pressured.

First, I was wondering why the plant was glowing. Second, the butterflies mysteriously appeared out from the flower's petals. Third, the white, small figures that looked like glitters brought life to the waterfalls. And lastly, the unexpected water waves struck for no reason; there was no sign of a natural event that affected the flows.

Ugh! What a small task to handle.

While a few of us were taking down notes, and some were still observing the surroundings, I accidentally glanced towards the circular hole in the ceiling. Coincidentally, one green butterfly escaped.

Lance Spiller

After the observation session, I quickly ran towards the nearest restroom. I wasn't there to pee or did personal stuff. I was there to wash my hands, especially the finger I used when touching the flower a while ago. 

I felt a little itch after what I did, and later on, I felt uncomfortable. My hand was weighing a bit heavy, and my finger felt unusual. It seemed like there was a strange thing that was moving inside. 

In a calm but slightly panicked way, I grabbed the soap-which was formulated by the company themselves-to wash the itchiness. Afterward, I immediately grabbed the mini size alcohol inside my lab gown's pocket then sprayed it above my finger. 

I observed it. My eyes were blinking more often. 

I was terrified and did not know what to do when I saw a tiny wound in my fingers with green blood slowly coming out! I was not sure if that was blood or something, but it was questionable why I had this thing.

I grabbed a band aid in my pocket and quickly covered the wound. At this moment, I still do not know what to do. Whether I should tell my fellow teammates about this, or should I only inform Wake?

My hands were trembling as I held my pulse. My eyes weren't able to react instantly. I leaned my back to the wall as I felt my knees going weak. I wanted to scream, but I cannot! I ate the pain I felt as I sat on the floor. 

I stared at my finger, which was now showing a trace of green roots! My mouth was slightly hang-opened, and my eyes were entirely shocked! 

My mind suddenly became in chaos, bringing back the odd times where I threw my garbage everywhere. In the lakes, beaches, biological life, and a lot more that I could not comprehend!

What was happening to me?!

Wake Louchette

I was just here at the top of the building, standing below this mauve, purple sky. The moon was shining in deep, while countless stars were twinkling brightly. 

I breathed deeply and felt the cold air passing through my skin. I wasn't thinking anything except for having a little of my time for myself, just for now. I closed my eyes hard to get away from those loads of tasks that I need to accomplish. 

"The moon is beautiful, isn't it?" The joyful voice of Hisha brought me to reality. I looked back to see her. She swayed her arms as she was facing above the sky while approaching my direction. 

When she was finally beside me, she hinted. "I heard you went to Layvanna and stayed there for a few days. Don't you?"

"Who told you?" I asked in response. Honestly, I felt bored right now.

I saw her rolling her eyes and pouting. "Duh! You are the leader of Ocean Pearl, and I am your teammate. What do you expect?" She remarked while doing a silly thing most girls would do. She was like moving her head while saying those things with one of her eyebrows raised. 

As she said, Ocean Pearl is our team name. To be precise, team names were products, and Mystica Glory is the brand. The white pearl logo of our team signifies the treasure we have in the ocean. 

I haven't responded to her. I just turned my attention away towards the plants that grew in the city, just like what I told before.

"The plants were growing gradually," I commented.

"I know. Every day, they grow about one to two inches tall." Hisha added in response to mine.

I sighed. "If Mr. Steeven gave this task to us, I am dead right now." I joked in a manner that was not too much beyond the status we have as co-workers. 

I heard her chuckled. "Well, our tasks right now are also hard." She reminded with a formal tone. 

"Right." 

I thought the conversation ends here. However, Hisha asked something, trying to catch a friendly talk within us.

"So... When are you going to visit Sarah?" She surprisingly asked. I was stilled by what she said. I know that she had heard the news, so there was no way for me to ask her out about how she knew about Sarah any more.

Besides, how come she dared to ask that personal thing in the middle of work? I mean, we need to overtime. 

Also, how did she know that I have an interaction with that girl?

"Lance told you?" I inquired. If she says yes, I will find that bastard for spreading my privacy.

"Of course, he's your loyal friend." She responded while putting a long diction in the word 'loyal.' 

Tsk, I knew it.

"Just don't mind him-"

"Heh! Just tell me that you don't want to answer my question. Hmph!" She cut my words while huffing with her arms crossed. 

She wasn't looking at me, but I knew she was waiting for my answer. The truth was, I did not know when I am going to visit Layvanna once again. In the case of Sarah, I knew what happened to her privacy. Her photo and video from the news were circulating in Prisila throughout the media. She's the talk of the town right now. For sure, this incident went to my hometown as well. All eyes of the netizens were hot towards her. 

Our company was already ahead of arranging plans for Sarah. It is in preparation so that when the video will serve as evidence of her unusual act by the government itself, everything will be ready. I also heard that many professionals in terms of videos were analyzing the tape as well. 

I faced Hisha with heavy eyes before I decided to leave. 

"I am not interested in visiting her. I am busy."