"Damn you, Zev! I will kill you! "
Jody was standing on the cliff's edge. When Zev's car stopped, he quickly got out and ran away. Zev left her in that spot. Even though Zev said that the area was safe, she was still on edge. Also, Zev's driving too fast earlier almost gave her a heart attack. She yelled at you for the third time and felt better afterward.
Jody breathed in deeply and looked around. Even though she was alone, she wasn't afraid because that place was so beautiful. She could see the entire town, the woodland, and the mountains behind them.
Meanwhile, below the cliff, Loel, Jack, Kross, Drake, and the echo heard sounds from above. They couldn't stop laughing because that was so clear.
Kross said, "Damn, dude, a chick wants to kill you up there."
"Haist, she seems angry that I drove so fast earlier," Zev said.
"Is she your sister?" Loel asked. He remembered the beautiful woman in Zev's car.
"Sister? You've got a sister?" Drake asked.
"She has nothing to do with me. My father adopted her, but we're not biologically related."
"Adopted sister," Jack said. "Wow, I envy you."
"Whatever," Zev said. "Anything strange going on today?"
"Nothing stood out to us," Jack said. "Every corner of Rivendell was peaceful."
"But we can just quit. The local festival is approaching."
"Yeah, that's right. There will be people from other places at the town fiesta, so we must be more careful."
Loel said, "Jack is right. They are getting ready to arrive in town now. The cleaning and decorating of the plaza and the party will start at 7 o'clock tomorrow."
Zev took a deep breath and looked at his friends. "I know I want to go to tomorrow's fiesta, but..." Zev said.
"With so much power comes so much responsibility, dude..." Kross said.
"Sh*t, are you Spider-Man?" Drake chuckled.
"Aaahhhh!"
Everyone turned to look when they heard screaming from the top of the cliff. The group sprinted up the slope. After a few minutes, they were surprised as they reached the top. Jody stood with both hands outstretched, facing the cliff and screaming like crazy.
"Is this a joke or what?" Drake asked Zev.
"Perv…" Zev gave Jody a call. The woman turned toward them. There's a slight surprise and confusion on her face, but she smiles a little later as she sees Zev isn't alone.
"Oh my god, she's gorgeous."
"I know we're in the pit, but we're not dead yet, are we?"
"Geez, shut up," Zev said, adding that he went up to Jody. "Why are you being so loud? Did something happen?"
"Something in me craves a good scream. What made anything happen?" Jody inquired as they glanced at Zev's buddies one by one. They waved at her, and she smiled briefly in return. "Where have you gone? And are they your friends? I didn't know you have a lot of friends; it's not obvious to you."
"You dare to taunt me after what you've done?" Zev asked.
Drake raised his hand, so Jody averted her eyes toward him. "You know, Miss..."
"Jody..." she said as she smiled.
"Jody, we assumed something horrible had happened to you, so we returned here. You screamed like..." Drake said.
"A crazy lady. That's correct." Zev said. "She made us run all the way here, and we were astonished when she said she was just craving to scream."
Jody felt embarrassed all of a sudden. She just had some fun with her echo and didn't realize it would cause them trouble.
"Hi, my name is Drake..."
"Hi," Jody said.
"Loel, we've met..." Jody frowned. Loel remembered that when he saw the woman, he looked different. "Well, I guess I'm glad to meet you today."
Jody nodded, but she didn't seem to agree. "Hi, I'm Kross. He is..."
"Jack ..."
"Hello, nice to meet all of you," said Jody.
Zev scoff. "We're headed home. Other packs will do rounds today so that you can take a break." Zev said.
"That's good, anyway. Can we come to hang out at your house?" Drake asked.
"No…" Zev then walked over to his car and opened the door. "Rest at home. We will have a lot to do tomorrow night.
Jody took a few steps toward the car. Kross ran up to the vehicle quickly and opened the door for her.
"Thanks," Jody said.
Zev drove the car afterward and swiftly departed the area. On the way, they didn't speak to each other. Jody didn't say anything because Zev didn't. She was willing to take risks since they were only like that once. Jody gazed up at the sky when it became dark on the road. At the time, it seemed like she could only see her phone's background. The dark sky is stunning. Because the sky is full of stars, the road is incredibly bright even at night, without solar street lights.
"Wow!" Jody whispered as she looked out the car's window.
Zev looked back at the road after he took a glance at her. Jody couldn't believe she had never seen the night sky like that since she had lived in Rivendell. It's better to watch it in the middle of a forest. After a while, they got to the mansion.
Zev and Jody see Glendir sitting on the couch, talking to two men unfamiliar with Jody. When they see them, the two men say their goodbyes at Glendir.
"Are they the guards at the border, dad?" Zev asked.
"Yes, they know what to do already." Glendir got up, and Jody hugged him.
"How was your day? Did you get along? " Glendir asked.
Zev glanced at Jody and turned toward his father. "I'm hungry, dad. Have you had dinner yet?" Zev asked.
"Ah, yes. I can't wait any longer for you," said Glendir.
Jody observed that Glendir was weak, but she anticipated he would insist he was fine. Jody caught a glimpse of Zev, who was looking at his dad. He just stood there and seemed like he had no plan to help her help the older man.
Glendir drank tea while they ate in the dining room. "Jody, do you know that tomorrow is the town fiesta?"
"Really? What makes it different?" Jody asked. She has never been to a town fiesta, so he doesn't know what people do at fiestas in small towns like Rivendell. She watches the Sinulog Festival on TV, a big party in a city she knows. But if it's just a tiny town in the middle of nowhere?
Zev smirked but did not speak. Glendir shot a glance at Zev, then back to Jody.
Glendir said, "There are many things you should look forward to, and I want you to find them."
Jody smiled and suddenly felt excited. Zev looked at his dad and Jody and then went back to eating.
——
"Dad, go see the doctor."
Glendir was sitting on his bed with his back against the headboard. He was reading a book with his glasses almost reaching the end of his nose. Zev sat on the couch and watched him. He took him to his room after dinner while Jody went straight to hers.
"Son, I've been in this world for too long. If I see my doctor, he will only lengthen my life." Glendir said, laughing.
"Why? Don't you want it, dad? Do you want to leave me here in Rivendell alone?" said Zev.
"Jody is with you, so you're not alone," said Glendir.
"Dad, seriously? Do you seriously trust her?" Zev asked. "I mean, will you put me in her care?"
"No," said Glendir. "I entrust her to you."
"What? Will I be your adopted daughter's babysitter? Dad, that's not fair."
"There's nothing unfair, son. I will do it for you."
Zev grimaced and looked at his dad. "Do you believe we've become an item?"
Glendir did not answer. Zev couldn't believe it, but the fact that his father didn't answer showed that he was right.
"Dad, you can't do that," Zev said.
"I did it already, son."
"Come on, dad. Don't do this. She's not my type, okay."
"Why not? She's beautiful, smart, and..."
"Dad, I don't just look at a woman's looks and figure. I want a woman like my mom. And Jody's way too far from her."
"Since you haven't had much chance to get to know her, it's hard to determine whether or not she will be too different from your mother. Do you think I adopted her because I don't remember your mother in her?"
"Dad, Jody is from the city. Are you still not sure she's like us, even though you think she is? What if you are wrong?"
"What if you're wrong?"
"Dad, what if your hunch might be wrong this time, and we can't say?" Glendir did not answer. "Dad, Erjon, and Luisa's stories aren't true. An average human can't fall in love with someone like us. At first, maybe, but what if you need to shift? What if the woman gets pregnant and the baby is like us? I hope you just let me find a woman I like."
Zev got up and moved toward the front door. "Rest, dad," Zev said, leaving the room quickly.
Glendir kept staring at Zev until he shut the door. He finished reading the book, took off his glasses, and deeply breathed.
"You'll also get it, Zev. I was never wrong with my hunch."