The bees were coming closer and every one stood a chance to get stung by it.
But LiLi and Felicity had different plans already being set up and they both looked at each other with wicked looking smiles on their faces.
Time to move.
Swiftly but firmly, Felicity broke the branch of a tree near her and swung it in different directions she knew the bees had targeted. It stroke many of them, but non could survive the hit on its body. Everyone watched her intensely. Surprisingly, even Joe felt impressed by this mysterious, mischievous and courageous tough girl. He felt good going on a mission with someone like her.
LiLi had no idea on handling a branch of a tree but who was she kidding?
She broke the branch of the tree and waved it in the air. Anywhere it swung, it smacked at least, a few or bunch of bees.
"They are too many" Liam yelled as he swung his hands in the air.
"Find them a safe place, Ryan!" Leo yelled but, the bees stopped buzzing but just got hung in the air.
"Wh-what happened?" Chloe asked
Everywhere shook. The ground nearly made the trees to uproot from its roots.
"What's that!" LiLi yelled
Leo held his hand up to signify an end of all their shouts and questions, and knelt down. He laid on the ground and pinned his ear to the ground.
He hears something. Eartheneous.
"Felicity, where do we go from here?" he asks, standing up from the ground.
"We got two ways, ahead and here" She then pointed to the right hand side.
"Which is shorter?" Chloe asks.
"The right side, but I prefer ahead cause it's more safer"
"We are going through the right side" Leo announced.
"No.... We can't. Didn't you hear her say ahead is better"
Leo stares at LiLi and wonders if she is thinking about safety, or if she is going to take risks to get to Perilous quickly.
"The right side is shorter. Approximately?"
"Just three days to get there" Felicity ended and Leo looked at LiLi with raised eyebrows.
"We have children with us, Leo. Ahead is better"
"Look they won't mind sacrificing their bodies to some bruises. No one even wanted to leave Perilous in the first place... "
LiLi stood before him speechless. Is he saying that she is the cause for their whereabouts and the things they're facing?
"So... I am the one causing all these?"
Ryan frowned at this question. What is she trying to insinuate?
"I never said that"
"You literally did"
Leo stared at LiLi. His eyes are becoming watery and red.
"What are you saying?" Leo asked slowly.
"Look, if you think I am the reason for your whereabouts, I am sorry okay? You can go back to Peril, help isn't needed anyway"
LiLi felt like crying. She walks away from them, still to the right hand side.
"What did I say that was wrong?" Leo asks everyone. But they don't know except Salient.
The little boy walks upto Leo and tug on his sleeve.
"I think I do" his little voice pierced through the ears of everyone.
Leo don't really listen to Salient because he thinks that he is just a child. And no one else does. But everyone knows, that even kids, can make a difference.
"What is it?" Leo asks.
"It's because you said no one wanted to go to Perilous in the first place. It's just like you telling me that no one wants me in the real world and no one sent mum to give birth to me the day I was given birth to"
Everyone stared at this little chap.
Even Joe didn't think a little boy like him (Salient) would be this sensible.
"To her, you're saying that she is the cause of everyone leaving Peril into the outside world where Eartheneous relies on"
LiLi sat on a stone when she knew that there was a distance between she and the rest.
Why will he say such a thing? It is like she is the cause of everything that they had gone through. Everything bad, that they had gone through, but is she? Is she the cause?
The trees where she is seated in the midst of are tall and leafy. It have fruits growing on them.
The dry leaves makes squeaky noises as the others looked around for her.
"LiLi! Are you here?!" Liam called.
"LiLi?!" Chloe and Ryan yelled in unison.
Leo stares ahead but don't yell her name.
She could be anywhere. But where?
Felicity raise her head from staring at a rock and then she caught sight of LiLi.
"There she is" she whispered when Leo was close to her, also in seach of her.
Leo got angry. They had been yelling her name and she didn't even respond or at least indicate that she was somewhere near. She just sat on a stone and hear them suffer.
Angrily, he made his way to her and stood behind her.
"Are you not the one we have been calling?" He asked
Slowly, LiLi raised her head and looked at him.
Leo was shocked.
Her eyes are swollen and her eyes are extremely red. Did... Did she cry because of him to that extent.
"LiLi... "
She didn't wait to hear what he had to say so she went back to crying in between her legs. She didn't want to bring herself low in front of this man but here she is... Crying like a child.
At the thought of this, she wipes her face clean and massaged her face a little before turning to face the hurt Leo.
"Your brother needs you more than I do. I have nothing to give you, so please... Go back to Peril. I and Felicity will continue on the journey. If she also want to go, fine. I'll go to Perilous myself"
"It's dangerous" Leo resisted.
"We are all capable of taking risks. Besides... "
LiLi stood up and faced Leo half way.
"No one wanted to come to Perilous in the first place"
She used his own words against him. He wished he never said that.
"Just forget it Leo. It's fine to go out there alone"