5

I woke up feeling hot and sweaty. When I opened my eyes, my first initial thought was I was kidnapped and tied beside a fire, but I was on the ground, on cement to be exact. I was laying down and when I turned, Snow was beside me lighting a candle.

“Hey, Red. You’re awake. This is a healing candle, it’s good for your nervous and respiratory systems,” she said, answering the question I was yet to think. A few seconds later, Marco entered the room.

“The first time I saw you unconscious. What was that?” he asked. I don’t know if he was teasing me or he was actually concerned for me.

“I don’t know. I thought I saw someone, and there was definitely someone, but I lost him,” I explained, expressing my disappointment. I stood up, Snow gasping, like she didn’t expect me to immediately recover that fast. I went out the room and saw the others resting by a fire. They all looked at me when I got out, Josaiah even stood up. What, like he was nervous for me? Geez, have a little confidence on your leader.

“How are you doing?” Gabriella asked, looking unfazed. So, is this thing normal to her or what?

I shrugged. “A little uncomfortable, but I’m fine. I told you, there was someone else there. Maybe someone direct from Causan Industries,” I told them. Ace looked at me and didn’t seem to buy my explanation. He thinks I failed.

“Did you see his face or what he was wearing?” Ace asked.

I shook my head and sat beside Josaiah. “No, I didn’t.” I’m so sure that he just wants me out of the mission, like he was waiting for something like this to happen. Back then, I only saw a silhouette, a man. He was certainly a guy, judging from his height, figure and the absence of long hair being carried by the wind. The only thing I’m also certain of is that he can precisely shoot arrows just as I am.

“H-he…he shot an arrow at us. An arrow that had the same direction that I pointed at him and almost the same timing I released mine. His arrow was electrically charged and it triggered an electrical response to our in-ear pieces,” I explained to them.

“So, that person was intelligent and had skills. It’s possible he’s from Causan Industries,” Gabriella said. The moment she mentioned that he could be from Causan Industries, I suddenly felt my head ache. My eyes suddenly felt blurry and it shifted to a series of visions. Visions that changed too quickly, my head feels like it’s going to burst. I held my head tightly and fell to my knees. I slammed my head on the ground and I felt Josaiah hold my shoulders.

“Red!” I heard him call.

I saw a man, a man that looked like he was wearing a uniform that looked like General Alon’s uniform now, carrying a spear. Then it shifted to a baby in a bed being entertained by…pins? Suddenly, it showed the ocean with a small boat in the middle of it. There was no one inside the boat, it was only floating with one paddle. Then, a terrible war. There were soldiers fighting who I don’t see the faces of in the forest. Suddenly, the man who I first saw was laying in bed, having a peaceful sleep. After the visions, my head finally calmed down and my breathing stabled. Snow was suddenly beside me, holding my chest.

She sighed. “Your heart finally calmed down. It was beating like crazy a while ago,” she said. Josaiah held me in his arms and didn’t let go.

“Is he…going to be okay?” Josaiah asked Snow. Snow looked at him with an uneasy expression. I recalled my visions and I wasn’t familiar with any of it. Was it a sign? Why was there a war? Is it a foreshadow that I’m going to be the cause of it?

“Is there any chance that the electrocution might have damaged my brain?” I asked Snow and sat myself up. Josaiah even grabbed my arm but I stopped him. My team is being a little overreacting tonight.

“It’s a rare chance,” Snow said. I held my breath. Is there going to be a chance that I’m going to be brainwashed by the enemy? Was this their first move? I feel so uncertain and unsafe that I’m going to endanger my people.

“Gabriella, we need to move. We need to head out and find the other camps,” I told Gabriella and stood. Gabriella, who was surprised, dropped the tea she was drinking. Huh, herbal tea.

“Wait, huh? Head out now?” She asked, confused. She walked towards me and I held her shoulders. I looked at her straight in the eyes, hoping she would understand what I was thinking.

“I….I feel like the enemy tried to get in my mind, use me against Aleris. I don’t know…” I told her. She didn’t speak for a few seconds. Suddenly, she shoved my hands from her shoulders.

“Then the safest way would be for you to go back to camp, with my mother,” she firmly said. I looked at her, confused and shocked. How is that the safest way when there will be more people around me?

“W-what do you mean? How is that going to help?” I asked.

She looked at me dead in the eyes. “My mother is back home. She can keep you company,” she backfired. She was absolutely certain that if something happens, General Alon could handle it. I didn’t try to resist her anymore, so I instantly headed to the direction she’s currently pointing at.

I started walking, not even looking back at them or speaking to my team. They can handle themselves, they are part of squad 1-A anyway. Suddenly, I heard another pair of footsteps behind me. It was light and rhythmical, like it wasn’t trying to attack me.

“You know, Gabriella’s right,” she started. It was Snow. I didn’t bother looking at her. I was to upset at how Gabriella couldn’t trust and believe me. I knew what I was thinking, and I definitely knew what I was saying.

“What, that I was a going to go rouge?” I asked, obviously pissed.

She giggled. “That General Alon can keep things in order, that she can handle anything,” she said. Our way back home was chilling because Snow kept humming. It was different from before, it wasn’t making me sleepy. It made me rather…calm. I felt like she was trying to calm my mind and heart. When we arrived back to camp, Snow went back to their tent to wash and change. Huh, acceptable. I guess she’s done for the day.

When I entered our tent, General Alon was sitting in front of the computer, observing Gabriella and the others in the forest. They were discussing how to attack the next camp and how to fill my position.

“How are you feeling, Red?” General Alon asked, still looking at the screen. I froze. This is the first I’m having a conversation with just the general and me. First, I stood properly and placed my hands on my back.

“I’m feeling better now, general,” I replied to her. When Gabriella and the others started to move, General Alon then turned to me.

“What were your visions, Red?” she calmly asked and pointed to the chair beside her for me to sit. I went for the chair and placed my hands on my lap. Am I going to be straight-forward or be a little gentle? How am I going to speak to her?

“No need to be nervous. Speak comfortably,” she said, noticing how I was probably fidgeting my fingers. I breathed and collected my thoughts, trying to remember what exactly happened in my visions- not that I really understood and saw everything.

“It happened really fast. First, there was a man who looked like someone from Aleris, next there was a baby, then a boat, then a war. It didn’t make any sense, almost like they were random. I really don’t know anything about it,” I explained. General Alon just looked at me, thinking. It looks like she’s trying to make up of something from my visions, like she was trying to connect them as well.

“I hope you find out soon what they mean, Red. It’s going to be a big help,” she said then stood to leave. I showed a confused expression. What did she mean by that?

“W-what do you mean, general?” I stood as well and asked. Before she could even let a word out, Snow suddenly barged in. She froze when she saw the general, but eventually relaxed and waved.

“I’ll be off then, Red and Snow. Have a good rest,” General Alon said before leaving. Snow then sat beside me and took out a small jar. She opened the jar and wiped her two fingers in it before placing it on my temples. It felt cold but not painful, like it was soothing my head. A healing ointment?

“You know, this is the first time Gabriella sent someone back to camp because of a minor injury,” Snow started, still putting ointment around my head. I stood still, not wanting to bother her.

“When other soldiers had to work with us, she doesn’t dismiss them despite a cut, a dislocated bone, or missing body parts. That’s how determined and strict she is, but she doesn’t’ do that because she’s ruthless. Those injured soldiers push themselves to their limit because they do it for Aleris. Gabriella sees it as their passion and love that she doesn’t want to take. To be pitied at and looked down on are the worst things a major general can do to her soldiers,” she continued. I never really imagined Gabriella having a soft spot for things, let alone sympathy and understanding, but it was selfish and rude of me to think that. I’ve been jumping to conclusions about Squad 1-X that I forgot how human and fragile they can also be and that they do these things for us, for Aleris. We’re all in the same ocean, but on different boats.

“So, why do you think she dismissed me from the mission?” I asked her. As soon as she was done with the ointment, she wiped her hands and closed the jar.

“I think she likes you,”