Hazel walked out of the plaza. The slight numbing pain on her knees reminded her that what she experienced in the forest was real. When she was pushed under the bench she landed on her knees. She sighed and decided to go home since it was already late in the afternoon.
By the time she got home, the sky had become dark, and dinner was about to start.
Exhausted, she dropped down to her usual spot on the table waiting for the rest of the family to gather on the table.
"Where were you?" her father asked as they had their dinner.
What she loved about her family is that during their meal they would discuss a lot of things. Although to some strict families this is improper, but this helped them bond. What they discuss would vary from what they experienced during the day.
They would talk about things that happened at work, talk about studies from school, discuss the current news or laugh about the funny things that happened today. This family discussion during meals helped strengthen bonds and know more about the family. Sometimes the meals would last for an hour or more.
"At the plaza with some friends," Hazel casually answered as she scooped a bowl of fish soup. She really couldn't tell them about what happened to the forest, right?
"What were you doing there?" he asked before taking a bite. He knew his daughter seldom goes out of the house unless there is a good reason. It's either because of an errand or when her friends call her to hang out. Other than those reasons, she would become a hermit in seclusion.
"Playing hide and seek," she answered as if her experience that day was a daily occurrence.
'It's true, right? I did hide from the seeker…a ferocious giant bird monster,' Hazel thought.
Her mother raised a brow. "Aren't you a little too old to play hide and seek?"
"It actually makes it more interesting," she answered her voice sounded cheerful. "You'd need to find better hiding places, you have to be really quiet, and you'll try hard to not to get found out by the seeker. The seeker can be very very scary."
"Is that so?" her father said in monotone.
Hazel glanced at her father. He sounded like he doesn't care much but he is listening intently at everything she said. This was something she didn't realize until she got older.
Sometimes, she would blame her young and naïve self of the past for not noticing such things earlier.
Hazel glanced at her father, noticing the gray hairs on his head had increased again. She looked down on her plate and ate quietly as she listened to the rest of her family talking.
"Dad, tomorrow I'm going out with my friends," Courtney announced. "We're going to the beach."
Hazel pondered before saying, "I'll drive you there."
Everyone turned to her just as she announced. It was well known to her family that Hazel is too lazy to drive. It was to the point she only drives once or twice per year.
However, only Hazel knows the main reason she doesn't like to drive much is because she easily gets distracted. It's to the point that a few times she got into a dazed state. If she wants to drive she has to have a co-pilot.
Hazel isn't really a bad driver except for her easily distracted mind.
Blinking, Hazel asked as if oblivious, "What?"
"Okay," Courtney said after pondering, "The beach isn't far anyway. Sis, do you want to hang out with us?"
Hazel tilted her head because she was holding a spoon and fork she couldn't comb her hair.
"I'll see," Hazel replied.
Hazel was well acquainted with her sister's friends. So it wouldn't be too awkward to join the fun with them. But considering what might happen tomorrow she wasn't too sure to join their fun.
"Can I go?" Valerie, the youngest sister, asked.
"Sure," Courtney answered.
Valerie was an extravert between the three sisters. She could integrate without much problem among her sisters' group of friends.
Their parents didn't say much. Their daughters are adults and responsible, and with Hazel, the eldest, there they didn't have to worry much.
"Pay attention to the road," their father reminded Hazel.
"Okay," Hazel answered coquettishly.
"Will there be a high tide tomorrow?" their mother asked.
"Around 12-1 pm I think," Courtney answered after pondering.
"Okay, watch out for the deep waters," their mother nagged.
"Yes," Courtney and Valerie chorused.
Hazel only nodded as she wasn't sure if she would really join them. After thinking she added, "And also jellyfishes."
"Hm, there was a case last month about a death of a child due to a jellyfish," their father acknowledged.
This caught the attention of Courtney and Valerie.
"The child could have been saved if she was sent to the hospital," Hazel said, "They only splashed the child with vinegar to get rid of the tentacles and then thought it was fine. However, jellyfish venom had already entered the child's body. The little girl died eight hours later. I don't know much of the details though. I only heard it from my co-workers. They said it was transparent like jellyfish."
"Whoa…the jellyfish we usually encounter are the harmless, brown colored ones," Valerie commented after chewing her food.
"I've seen a tiny, violet, semi-transparent one when I was young. And it was so close to me that time," Hazel chimed in.
She remembered that incident quite well. She adores and at the same time fears those creatures. She would stare at them, gazing at their semi-transparent bodies. But when is in the sea, she would be cautious of the water around her.
After dinner, she took a quick shower then slumped down on her bed.
"It's rare of you to go out on your will," Courtney said as she slumped on her own bed with a phone in her hand.
The three sisters share the same room. It was big enough to fish three beds, cabinets, and shelves. The walls were painted in lavender with not much decorations aside from their portraits. Attached to their room is their personal bathroom which is also a bit spacious.
"Yeah, sis," Valerie who was in the bathroom chimed in. Although the door was closed, they could still hear the conversation.
"Meeting up with new friends," Hazel casually answered. Her eyelids heavily closed as she no longer listened to the rest of her sisters' conversation.
"I wonder what's gonna happen tomorrow," she thought before succumbing to sleep.