"Lalala~"
Nana is happily skipping her steps as they walk.
Ania decided to come with them as she was offered by Marcus as an apology for the trouble they have cause her.
"I'm glad that you decided to join us, as the night is not safe here. The demon will soon come and roam this area."
The four of them walked as the sun is slowly getting down.
"Why are you even here? It's not common for a woman to be here alone."
Marcus faced Ania while waiting for her to answer him.
"I'm a traveler. I travel every where to hunt demons."
Marcus laughed at her, not believing in everything she said.
"Pfft! Yeah, a woman alone fighting demons with her 'sharp' knife."
Marcus said while emphasizing the word sharp.
"Don't make fun of my knife. This may look like a toy to you, but it's harmful to demons."
"Hmm. Right."
Ania crossed her arms around her chest area.
"So much talk for a brother who let his 3 year old sister roam in a dangerous area."
Marcus stop while his head is looking at the ground, as if remembering something in the past that he deeply regretted.
"She's not my sister. She is someone I picked up when the demon started attacking her village."
He said while lowering his voice that only he and Ania can hear.
Ania also stop beside him. She can remember the tragedy that must have happened to Nana's family.
A family that's living in a normal life ,not even expecting that a demon will attack there village.
"Her family was already lying dead in the ground while hugging her. Her eyes is lifeless that time and waiting for her father to wake up."
"I'm so sorry for making you remember that."
"It's okay. It was Nana's family not mine."
"Big brother, why are you stopping? Let's go!"
Nana was pulling Marcus with all her might, but it looks like her strength was not enough.
Ania smiled at her. Nana is still as lively as ever, as if she never was the girl who lost a family before.
I think that's a good thing.
"Brother, hurry up!"
Marcus let Nana pull her and now was already far from her.
"Where are we going?"
She asked Cleo who was beside her now. The sun is almost setting.
"Marcus didn't tell you?"
Ania shook her head.
"Where to?"
"The safe place of course."
"Safe place?"
"How do you think we remained alive here?"
"The safe place is like a compound that has a single metal gate. Look, we're almost there."
Cleo pointed her lips on a direction.
It was a big stone wall ahead of them, it covered the whole area. What caught Ania's attention is the big gate that was opened while a lot of people are slowly getting back inside. It amazed her.
The people are happily chatting and hugging each other, happy that they are now safe.
"Wow"
Ania cannot believe what she sees. A lot of people, a child or an old people, are living here. The children are playing jokes at the people around, the people cannot help but to laugh at them. Like demons do not even exist in this world.
"Sorry."
A running child bumped her. Her voice is trembling when she apologize, so cute!
This child is so pretty and so little,her hazel hair is tied behind her hair and her natural hair flows down, a living doll. She cannot help but to pinch this child's soft cheeks.
"It's okay."
Her heart soften at the sight of the girl. She just cannot get angry at a cute creature like this.
"Kiera, don't run. Look you bump at someone"
The child's mother reprimanded her.
"Sorry about her."
"No, it's okay. She's just a child."
Kiera's mother carries her, afraid that her daughter will run again somewhere.
"We'll be going now. Sorry."
Ania nodded while she waved back to Kiera as the mother and daughter continued their way.
"Let's go?"
Ania returned her attention to the three who was waiting for her.
They are waiting for her a distance. She cannot help but to shyly scratch her head. It looks like she forgot about them.
"The people here are so lively."
"Heh! Never seen this before?"
Marcus rub his nose, proud of being one of the people here in this place.
"Nope"
In this kind of world, you will never expect to see anything except for killings and dying.
Ania wanted to add that.
A hand patted her shoulder. She looked to see who it was.
It was Cleo.
"Don't worry, this place is safely guarded and free from demons. See? The gates will close soon."
"Come, lets go to our tent."
Every time Ania looked at the three of them, they look like siblings. A sister who always butted in every conversation of her brother and a brother who protects both of his sisters. At least they still have each other.
***
After walking for a while, they reached their destination.
The tent was simple but despite of it, it's comfortable and the way it was made is a little bit acceptable.
It is made of patched blanket that was sewn in the corner to attached the others, in order to make it longer. The outside is layered with some waterproof material.Well it is enough to protect you from the sun and rain.
"Finally!"
Cleo jumped into the bed together with Nana and Marcus.
"Get up and eat first."
Marcus said while still clearly lying on the bed.
Cleo opened the bag to see what they put there.
Water, clothes and canned food.
The reason why the three of them are outside is because of this.
"Let's eat!"
Cleo gave Nana and Ania their shares.
"Marcus, get up!"
Cleo shouted at Marcus who is kissing his bed.
"Wait a minute."
Minutes later, Marcus still didn't get up.
Cleo stood from her spot and kicked Marcus out of bed.
Pak
"Get up and eat!"
"Okay. Crazy old lady."
Marcus murmured his last sentence but was still heard by Cleo making him receive another kick.
Because of the two arguing, it made their night a lively one. By the looks of Nana, it looks like this scene is natural.
"Don't worry big sister, Nana is still eating, see?"
Ania cannot help but to laugh.
"Oh, Ania here."
After twenty minutes of shouting at Marcus, Cleo gave something to Ania.
"Earplugs?"
What am I going to do with this?
"Hehe you will know later."