Chapter 17: When nature starts to roar

All the members stood up as I entered the hall premises. Every one of them bowed as they saw me entering in front of them with their two hands holding together, pressing their upper stomach. Christian, Hisha, Aniela, and Elaine sat on the right side of this circular glass table with a hologram in the middle. On the other side lies Gabriel and Alexis.

My attention went towards the transparent chair beside Gabriel. It was empty.

 It was so disturbing in my eyes. 

I just realized that Lance wasn't here. What? Why is Lance isn't here? 

"Where's Lance?" With a creased forehead, I asked Gabriel. But actually, that question was for everyone in this room.

Gabriel bowed his head first before answering. "He told me this morning that he's not feeling well." He stressed.

"For what reason?"

He raised his shoulders. "He did not tell or even gave a clue."

My eyes blinked a few seconds while I bit my lower lips about what he said. The last time I saw Lance working, he felt healthy at all. It was not about emphasizing that people aren't allowed to get sick, but he should have told me ahead. I have no idea what was happening to him, and now, I need to adjust the division of tasks I prepared.

I smirked in bitterness. "It seems like Lance found a new leader, hm?" I whinged, facing Gabriel as I grabbed the tip of my clothes down quickly before I sat. Then I focused once again on the tasks I was supposed to do this afternoon.

From the side of my right eye, I saw Gabriel, who bowed his head because of shame. He did not even approach me ahead before this meeting starts. 

I felt no emotion as I arranged the papers that I will be giving to them. I stood up to distribute the summary, making an irritating sound of the chair where I was sitting. I threw the papers in front of them without noticing that it produced an aggressive sound.

After disseminating those stuff, I managed to grab the starter device at the opposite end of the table to activate the hologram. I did not bother to ask the one seated near the receptacle-where the starter device was floating.

When the hologram appeared, I went back to my place and asked them to sit down. They immediately followed. 

The room was in silence.

I sighed, trying to calm myself before sitting down. I closed my eyes for a second before starting the formal discussion.

I raised my hands and made sure that the hologram can detect my palm and recognize my handprints. The machine displayed a confirmation sound, saying that it understood the biometrics. Afterward, it showed all the summary we had as a team, including the plant visuals and simulation of its characteristics.

Everyone's eyes were focused and did not make any unnecessary movements nor sounds.

First, I discussed the observation of each member, which highlights the main characteristics of the plant. These were the color, shape, possible texture, form, and size. I compared them to one another and formulated the average findings. 

Second, I emphasized the plant's characteristics when it comes to reacting to nature. The central discussion was its interesting reaction when facing natural light. Another one was the reaction between the plant's interaction to humans, including how it creates butterflies out from the flowers when touched. It reminded me of Lance. He was the reason why we had this kind of observation. I was about to continue discussing when I realized something. 

All of them were stunned when they noticed me stopped talking. I wondered if Lance's physical interaction with the plant has something to do with his absence today. It was not merely a coincidence. 

The incident also reminded me of what happened to my hand this morning. But the thing was, I touched a different plant.

I massaged my head in extreme frustration while closing my eyes. I couldn't think properly. 

All of a sudden, I experienced a flashback. My brain flitted a scenario of a rural landscape where tall yellow leaves swayed with the wind. There was a familiar girl who stood just beside me. Her hair disguised her face, which hindered me in distinguishing who she was. 

Her voice echoed, "You drank them like rivers until they ran dry."

"You made them as your shelter when they don't even have one."

"You tried to look impressive, but you will never impress them."

I felt so dizzy having these things in my head. I couldn't picture out what was happening at that time. Everything seemed a flash of events.

"How pity, humans have no idea..."

At this point, I woke up in my consciousness when I realized that I almost passed out. 

I felt a hand tapping on my shoulder. "Wake, are you alright?" It was Hisha.

When I tried to open my eyes, everything I saw was blurred. Those human figures in white approached my direction, probably trying to console me. The voice of that woman in my memory kept echoing in my head.

You drank them like rivers until they ran dry? What does it mean?

-

The familiar weird smell of medicines and band-aids woke me up. 

"Finally! You're awake!" The relieved face of Hisha approached my sight. Her eyebrows went relaxed while letting out an air of worry-free. 

I can't stop feeling uncomfortable in my surroundings. I was on this arched bed in the middle of the laboratory. 

Did I pass out a while ago?

"We injected temporary medicine for your wound because no matter how much we tried looking for the most effective one, it would not make any difference." A focused tone of voice caught my attention. It was from Lance. 

I was surprised when seeing him. So he was here now?

My eyes were questioning his presence. "I thought you're absent today." 

I saw him feeling guilty about what he did. He bowed his head and can't keep the focus of having eye contact with mine. "Ahm... I apologized-"

"So you're okay now?" I asked in bitterness. "Tsk, you're late." I continued while greeting my teeth in front of him. I was not in the mood to argue more. He was lucky that I felt not normal right now. I still feel a little dizzy with a tiny pinch feeling on my right hand. He should be thankful.

When I remembered the hell that crawled within my hand, I immediately raised it above where my sight can see it. 

All of the members gasped in concern.

"Oh! Wait, be careful!"

"Slowly!"

These were the only few things I heard. 

When I saw my hand, the wound was like a trace of sharp pencils stabbed deep into it but in a spiral form, passing in between my fingers. 

What a perfect art! I said to myself in sarcasm. But, I admit, it was not comfortable to stare at it. I was worried about its possible effects. 

When the members informed me about the misfortune of looking for the right medicine, I assumed that this wound could be a new health problem or a disease.

When Lance was talking about this topic first a while ago, I asked. 

"How did you know that there was no effective treatment for this?" I clarified. As much as I knew that he concluded too early, I guess he had enough knowledge about these things. 

I was starring at him, with the rest bowing their heads, listening to our conversation. I saw on his face that he was somewhat confused about my question. So I added. 

"Don't get me wrong. My hands attacked by the branches just yesterday, and now you were saying that there was no treatment to this? I mean, where's the authenticity? It was only a short time yet, you concluded?" I explained in a much more way that he could surely understand what I was trying to say. This message is not only for him; it was also for everyone in this room anyway.

I was referring to competitiveness and accuracy. 

Lance glared at me with his steady eyes while raising her one hand. His pointy finger struck me the most. It has the same wound as mine, and I can't stop wondering! 

"Y-you-" I muttered a word out of surprise, while Lance immediately interrupted my words as he nodded.

"Yes, the unknown plant and Narra tree have the same effect. I was a victim too."