CHAPTER 31 -UNCOUNTABLE FATE-

COLTER HART

“Alright everyone, be together with your group and don’t leave before we take roll. Starting us off Angelica Rio.” Said the professor as he began to take roll, surrounding him like swarms of moths to a flame.

This school trip consisted of three things. First, is the history of the prophets. Second, their overall history of the king’s descendants. And Lastly, how to make a better world for everyone.

It's already been a week since school started and we get to go on a field trip?

Well it doesn't matter, what matters now is that we should finish our work and go sightseeing.

“…Colter Hart” announced the professor as I raised my hand and yelled loud enough for him to hear the overlapping voices.

“Here!”

***

Enjoying the view and peaceful atmosphere that was around me. I waited for my classmates to be called and marked present, consisting of Alexis Stillinger and Larisa Arcand.

Taking in the sight of the city that screamed peaceful life, I noticed that there wasn’t any waste laying around. Is this nation really strict like the books said it was?

“Nice view, huh?”

I turned to my left as I saw a hooded girl looking at the same thing I was, the peaceful view.

I hesitated to answer but I didn’t see any harm in doing so. “You said it, it’s just breathtaking even when there are so many people,” I said, finishing with a deep breath.

I felt her gaze as she looked at me with confusion, “you’re not from around here are you?”

“Is it that obvious?” I responded, scratching the back of my head with a smile. The hooded girl let out a little laugh as she continued to look at the other people in front of us.

I stared at her for a couple of seconds before looking behind me, my class was nowhere to be found. A sense of panic entered my mind as I remembered that I was in a nation that I didn’t know anything about. …Dammit, how could I be this distracted?

Continuing to look around until there was something to satisfy my fear of being left alone in an unknown place.

Who could I ask for…

That’s when an idea came across my mind. I turned to the person who I knew was from this nation. Maybe that person would help me–

Huh? Where did she go?

She was just here a second ago… I turned to every place I could see, that was in my sight. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get any sight of her, close or far.

Could my day get any worse?

I grabbed my phone that resided in my right pocket, thinking that this could probably save me just by calling or texting Larisa or Alexis. I should’ve known that things weren't going to go my way just because I was blessed with such amazing parents, or because I understand anything more than anyone, no. I should’ve known that things weren't going to go my way because fate is no one’s object or tool at their disposal.

It has its own free will, hell, it could even be considered a living thing.

What I’m trying to get to, is that I wished that I would have seen every lit tiny bit of evidence that it was never going to side with me, even if it meant the destruction of the universe…

It is already getting dark…I should find a place to spend the night.

The dark alley ways around each corner were filled with homeless people, a side of Pleoca that I or anyone else has yet to see.

Upon endless hours of searching, letting the dark veil of the night slowly fall upon the city. I’d found an affordable yet stretchy place to stay the night, hoping that there was a phone charger since mine had already died due to me searching and waiting for a text from my peers or my parents.

My mind wondered how everyone I knew would react when I was left behind in an unknown nation, with little to no money, worried for his parents.

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“uh-Hi, how much for a night?” I asked, concerned whether I had enough to pay. The attendant that looked no younger than thirty, gave me a quick scan, head to toe and again. He probably didn’t think I had enough or he would think that I had even more than enough.

I’m sure that my uniform– wait, I didn't have my school uniform on. That is the reason why this old man is looking at me like I didn’t have the money to afford one of his ‘hotel rooms’.

The only thing the old man saw was me wearing a black dressing pants along with a dark navy blue button shirt that was accompanied by a long coat colored black. And here I thought that this was the style that everyone knew, from rich to poor but I was ignorant to even believe the internet.

After moments of studying me, the suspicious old man decided to speak with his old cranky voice that startled me. “Look here kid, I’m not trying to assume anything but you don’t look like you're from around. I suggest to you that there better be money the moment the bill reaches the room.”

When those harsh–but sweet–words enter my ears, I can feel the amount of relief being washed over me, like the ocean waves. In the moment of excitement I continuously nodded and proceeded to pay for the room along with some food services.

As I put the money on the reception desk, the old man handed the key to me but he hesitated, pulling it back. I felt his eyes look into my soul, the very same feeling that I felt when I met the angel in my dream.

“Before I give you this key, I must warn you of something,” even though the only emotion he was displaying was seriousness, I could tell how important his words were. “Whatever happens, whatever you see, whatever you hear. It must always stay here and only here. No one can know, whether it's the police or the president, no one can know.”

It's been an hour since I’ve been in the room I rented, thinking about what the old man had said to me. Stuck in my mind like glue and a boomerang, always being in my mind nonstop or always coming back in thought.

I was almost lost in thought when suddenly the door was knocked on. My heart raced for a little bit before I had calmed down. Why is my heart racing? Taking in a few breaths, I walked towards the door still thinking about what the old man had said to me.

Could it be that there is going to be a problem?

I will never know unless I opened this door, I thought to myself as I turned the knob of the door and slowly pulled it my way. The veil of worry fell upon the face that I saw on the other side of the entrance.

The Unexpected reunion left her too speechless…

“Huh? What are you doing here?”

“So you are our new customer? Who would have thought?”

As I opened my mouth to speak, the attendant walked into my room, put the food I ordered on the table and sat down on my bed.

“Are you going to be standing there the whole time or you’re going to eat?” Her questioning look made my body respond fast that even my own will couldn’t undo.

Walking towards the table where my food was left by such a gentle woman, I noticed that her uniform was like some sort of maid outfit. Though she didn’t look bad on it either, it was only kinda interesting knowing that she would wear something like this. From our encounter earlier, I would have thought that she was the tomboy type of girl, wearing non-girly clothes.

But this truly changed my point of view, now I know why there is a saying that follows, “never judge a book by its cover.”

I let out a small laugh just remembering that quote.

“What are you laughing at?”

“No, nothing, it’s just that even though I just met you, I would have never thought that you would use a maid outfit.” I responded, still laughing about it loud in my mind but just a little outside.

A moment of silence fell upon the room as we both thought about today’s event, I took my time and told her why I was here in the first place and how the event unraveled until now. I tried to leave some key details out like my family’s occupation.

After all, getting attention is something I’m not a fan of.

We both spent hours talking, not realizing that it was already morning, as the ray of sunlight appeared on the bed that both of us were sitting on. “It’s already morning? I should get going, it was nice talking to someone my age.”

As she got up the bed, she slightly fixed her maid uniform and picked up the dishes that she had brought.

It's been hours that we talked, nonstop and I still didn’t know her name.

When the maid reached for the door knob of the room, I quickly made up my mind on asking something I should have asked when we first met. “Hey,” I let out, surprising her as she wiped her head towards me in confusion.

“I know it’s kinda late but… what is your name?” I felt my face get hot as I finished my sentence and when I–for some reason–locked eyes with her.

She let out a suppressed laugh and then laughed even harder, holding her stomach and letting tears out her blue eyes. “You, you really know how to make people laugh,” leaning on the door while facing me, she continued but this time without a laugh but a giggle. “My name is Alice, Alice Howell.”

***

The city is crowded today huh? Could it be that people are working or on break…but whatever the case is, this is the reason why the city is lively.

I wonder if I can find the place that I was before my class deserted me, I thought, walking down the street along with what felt like hundreds of people in front, back, and the sides.

Upon arriving at the scene, I noticed a bunch of familiar uniforms.

The groups of three and four, walking around and asking people about something while handing a paper with someone’s photo. What are they doing…wait… did someone get lost in this city like I did? If that is the case, I should start helping by looking at the photo.

I ran towards a group of students that had a couple of flyers.

“Hey… who got lost…” the length of the run left me almost out of breath–more like I wasn't in shape of running–needing some air in my lungs, I took breaks in between my words. Looking at my peers' expressions, I soon realized who the ‘lost someone’ was…

“I’m surprised that you survived in a foreign nation.”