the new day came with sound of Matthews alarm. Waking him up from his slumber the first thing Matthew noticed the bandage on his fist. Tied neatly with a small butterfly knot on the top. Matthew glanced at the wall. The cracks are like a reminder of his outburst.
'I overreacted.' Matthew pinched the bridge of his nose. Unfortunately what is done is done.
Matthew pushed himself off his bed and stretched lightly. He looked down at his hand as he did some stretching.
He felt different. Almost light and nimble. Matthew chalked it up to a goodnight sleep and walked up to his window. Sliding it open, he peered out of his window. The view from the sixth floor was oddly comforting for Matthew.
Across their apartment was a bakery and a small coffee shop. With a general goods store at the end of the road as the road takes a turn towards the more industrial side of Kail. Residential district is separated by river that cuts Kail in half with a bridge connecting the both side. Matthew can see the bridge from his room and the high skyscrapers. Yet beyond those skyscrapers, something stood out.
A pitch black monolith.
From the middle of the city it rose, high and high, before vanishing behind the clouds. These are known as simply the Monoliths.
Every major city have these. It, however, is unknown how and why they are here. But they have been here as long as anyone can remember, thus no one really questions their existence anymore.
Matthew turned his gaze away from the monolith to the streets. After the discovery of Void Crystals almost everyone used the pure Void Crystals to power nearly everything, completely replacing any other form of fuel during the New Age. Although after the Forgotten War, RCUVA started to regulate laws on the usages of Pure Void Crystals.
Matthew can make out a lone street going out of Kail. The main highway that connects Kail to Hima. Matthew always wanted to visit the Capital City, Hima. But the authorization would take months to come. Although there are some jobs allows free entrance and exit in Hima.
Matthew's eyes suddenly snapped towards the small streaks of lighting dancing among the clouds.
"I swear to The One, this is the last time I would trust a weatherman," Matthew grumbled before walking into his washroom.
Taking off his clothes to freshen up, Matthew quickly took a shower and had a change of clothes. After changing into a more comfortable and clean clothes, Matthew walked out of his room.
*creak* *snap*
The door closed behind him, Matthew glanced back. Slightly perplexed since the breeze was not strong enough to shut the door.
"Must have been the wind," Matthew didn't have any other explanation thus choose not giving it much of thought and headed toward the dining room. Not noticing a pair of pale grey hand slowly merging back into his shadows.
[On today's latest news. Locals of Kail experienced a mysterious phenomenon. The video evidence has left many professors perplexed. RCUVA has assured a proper investigation of the matter. Many believe this being nothing more than a simple Void Anomaly.]
Matthew can hear the TV running. April likes to hear news as she works.
[Now for the other segment. Popular singer and idol, Icarus missed his International Concert Tour at Orphi. Fans are left outraged as the singer apologizes profusely...]
Matthew walked into the dining room. Oliver was reading a newspaper, but looked up as Matthew stood before the entrance.
Father and son locked gaze. Both waiting for the other to speak first. Thus both of them stare at each other for a while before Matthew broke the eye contact. No words were exchanged between them.
Ann glanced between her brother and her father as Matthew walker over to sit beside her. He tried to give her a small head rub, hoping to ruffle her neatly combed hair. But Ann swatted Matthew away like a fly.
"Good Morning Matthew," April wiped her hand on her apron as she greeted Matthew with a smile.
"Good Morning," Matthew looked away as he scratched his cheeks, slightly embarrassed about the last night. He reached for Ann's plate for a muffin.
"Get your own," Ann kept the plate away. But Matthew snatched one anyway.
"I am getting my own," Matthew bite it down as Ann pinched his sides.
"I'm doing you a favor. Eating this much sugar is unhealthy for you," He tried to reach for another but Ann slapped his hand away.
Soon Matthews breakfast was served but the atmosphere soon turned awkward. Matthew just played with food without taking a bite. Lost in thoughts.
Father and son shared a lot of bad habits and quirks. April noticed that a long time ago. Thus Oliver staring blankly at the food was not out of ordinary.
Ann sometimes glanced at her mother who alternated her gaze between Oliver and Matthew.
Ann coughed lightly and said,
"So about the guests..."
Matthew looked up with a questioning gaze.
"Big sis Auriel and Jay would be staying at our house for a week," Ann said with an annoyed face.
Matthew let out an involuntary groan as he said,
"I'm out. I'll stay over Kais. I am not dealing with them."
"Do you want to abandon me again like last year? I can't stand those two sh..." Ann couldn't finish her sentence as April and Oliver both gave a stern glare.
"S-sugar combs? I meant sugar combs. I hate those two sugar combs," Ann managed to recovered.
"Sugar combs?" Matthew was amused by her choice of words when Oliver cut in.
"They are your cousins." Oliver reminded her.
"Ugh. Do we have to keep them here? Can't they just stay somewhere in their fancy hotel? They are loaded," Ann complained.
"Not fancy hotel. It's..." Matthew raised his arm and said exaggerated manner,
"It'S lUxUrY hOtEl tHaT pRoViDeS LuXuRiOuS aCcOmMoDaTiOnS tO gUeStS."
Nearly all of them chuckled at his exaggeration.
"Wanna do something funny?!" Matthew suddenly asked as Ann's eyes lit up.
"Dump gelo on their head?!" Ann immediately replied.
"I was thinking more like scaring them away. But yeah, dumping gelo works too," Matthew put a hand on his chin as he thinks about something.
"Oh. Oh! How about we do what we did last time?" Ann however chimed in once again.
"You mean switching their password?" Matthew answered to Ann.
"We did that?" Ann asked confused.
"Wait no. That was just me. Last time we fooled them into selling their rings...I think," Matthew frowned before quickly correcting himself.
"Ah, that's right. We almost got away with it too." Ann said with regret. She looked over at April. Her mother made them buy back the ring.
"You know I think I realize why you four have a such bad relationship." April said with a sigh.
"Bad? Phht. It's just a little bonding between cousins." Matthew grins as Ann nods with support.
"Than again they started it." Ann pointed out.
"Did they? Didn't we first put grasshoppers in their bags?" Matthew butted in
"We did that cause they ate my sandwich," Ann said after a moment of contemplation.
"Which they ate cause you bought...seven Mr Fuzzis?" Matthew looked at her for confirmation.
"Nine." Ann replied porudly.
"Yes! Nine. Nine, Mr. Fuzzies. And instead of drinking, you gave them away to your friends."
"Hey! I never liked Mr. Fuzzies." Ann rebutted.
"Then why did you buy Nine?" Matthew asked with bewilderment.
"Well, Big Sis Auriel took my favorite hair band. I can't just let her get away with that?" Ann sated as a matter of fact.
April and Oliver watched as both of them spiraled into more and more bizarre stories. Oliver ate with a slight smile as he listened to the stories. April watched both of her kids with a big smile.
By the time all of the finished eating, the mood have lighten considerably.
Matthew said goodbye to head out to meet up with Heikel. He will have lunch outside. Matthew walked out of the house in a slightly better mood and cheerful face.