With a whistle, Hunter announced his presence as he moved in front of an empty spot, just beside Ophelia. Opposite him was Hayden and Amelia, both which were all smiles. The kind of smile that tells you 'we haven't forgotten what happened earlier on'. Curtly, he nodded at Opehila and stared ahead, trying his best to avoid their eyes. This didn't go unnoticed by Ophelia as she quickly asked what happened. Hayden was the first to go.
"You see big sis, Hunter here was training this evening, shortly after you left and we could boldly say it went well". Hayden ended with a laugh which Amelia also joined in.
'Went well my ass'.
"When you mean end well, what does that imply" Ophelia asked with a raised eyebrow.
With a smile, Hayden stood and gestured towards Amelia with a quote.
"I will let the princess of the house tell you that".
All smiles and joy radiating from her plump face, Amelia nodded curtly and spoke softly but slowly.
"Big brother died nineteen times".
Ahh you should see the joy on her face, like she was proud of the record he had just broken.
Opehlia quickly turned towards Hunter with a surprised look and bursted into laughter. Her laughter was so infectious that the other two siblings followed suit, leaving Hunter wondering why who ever sent him here, choose a family of clowns while giving him a crippled body on purpose.
With a clear of her throat, Hayden and Amelia laughter quickly subsided. With such action, Hunter was grateful for that.
"Amelia, a short word of prayer ".
'Ohh they are religious'.
He looked around and what he saw made him feel nostalgic. Hayden the clown showed total seriousness as he clasped his hands together and shut his eyes tightly, the same with Ophelia and Amelia but not too rigid like Hayden, just the usual normal way.
"Oh Lord, we pray that ye sanctify this meal as well as our parents wherever they are, shall they remain blessed".
Expecting an amen at the end but heard none, he
quickly swallowed the word back and looked up. They all had solemn expressions for a second or two before reverting back to their usual bubbly character. Especially Hayden, who immediately pounced on his meal and attacked it rapaciously.
Amelia stared at him with horror in her eyes while picking her own meal made him wonder if this was the first time they have all had dinner together after a along while.
Meanwhile Ophelia who had yet to take a single bite stared at me in an inquisitive manner. It seemed she cared less about Hayden's table manners and more about why Hunter wasn't eating. Quickly he asked a question before been asked one. He remembered when he was still a young boy, and dinner at table was the time for mama to rat him out of his bad doings to papa. Or the other scenario of Papa and mama asking him how his day went. He could see it in Ophelia eyes that she was just about to do the latter. In the absence of his parents, she definitely was the next in charge.
"Sister Opehila, are we Christians?"
Hunter question caused the gobbling, munching and slurping sounds of Hayden to halt immediately as his soup bowl which was close to his mouth froze mid air with his jaws hanging down and stared at him for some seconds before laughing out loud alongside Ophelia. Meanwhile Amelia just muttered a "huh" been oblivious to what was happening.
'Fuck it seems every word or actions I take make this fellow humans think that I'm a clown'.
"What's that big brother ?" Amelia curiously asked with a low tone.
"I like him, I like this new Hunter! He's much more funnier than me!" Hayden laughed out loud amidst his chewing and talking ramblings.
"Is that a new group or gang?" Ophelia asked quickly after giving Hayden a harsh stare which he didn't see since his bowl was hovering over his face, rewarding him with its contents.
"Never mind," Hunter said quickly and began to eat his own portion.
Not long soon, his hands were moving at a fast rate and the tinkling of plates and cutlery could only be heard from two sides as the other occupants stopped eating to behold the sight.
Hunter had no idea when he became hunger and began to devour his meal and other side dishes in front of him. Quickly he matched Hayden pace as they unconsciously entered into a food competition of who can swallow faster.
Amelia stared in fright once again and Ophelia in slight annoyance.
The clanking of a spoon against a cup brought the twins back to reality as many empty plates and bowls laydd in front of them.
"Boys," Ophelia said with slight disgust as she stood up and dropped her napkin. Amelia also stood up alongside her elder sister and stared at Hayden, then Hunter while shaking her head slowly. They both walked towards the door as Hayden shouted out
"But we are young growing boys!"
"Right Hunter?"
Hunter paid no attention to Hayden's question for support as his name wasn't Hunter anymore. Seeing his twin brother action of eat more and talk less, he gave out a loud roar with a shout, he said
"Bring it on Brother!"
Few minutes later, Ophelia and Amelia were walking down a large hall way filled with statues of different classes of warriors as well as golden tapestries and pictures glasses containing quizzes. Hanging from the ceilings were marroon black chandeliers illuminating with golden coloured lights.
"Do you think Hunter is fine big sis"
Amelia asked as she quickly walked alongside Ophelia, trying to compensate the difference in leg stride and not get left behind.
"He should be alright. I think he's alright".
With a slight pause, she continued.
"But he seems different than before."
Amelia nodded in affirmation.
"He also seems more interested in life now, unlike before. You know this is the first time he did combat training even after been told he could generate new set of legs to fight with in the virtual reality. "
"You are right Amelia, unlike before he would always say he just want to die since the gods were unfavorable to him. But now, he seems different ".
"Yup. Still studying are you big sis" Amelia asked as they stood infront of the library. With a T section connected to it, there were three ways to access the library, that's apart from the windows.
Softly, Ophelia rubbed the top of Amelia head affectionately which made her cheeks to turn a shade of light pink as she looked away shyly.
"Time for bed Amelia".
She cutely nodded her head and turned to her right to take her leave as the door to the library creaked slightly.
"But you know Amelia, Hunter isn't the only one that has changed, even Hayden has. And his is more noticeable than that of Hunter".
"Yeah, I know big sis, but he's more happy and friendly than before and that's a plus for us " she said happily while walking down the hallway. Ophelia smiled as her little sister steps slowly became faint to be heard. Quickly she shut the door and got to work.
'click'
A hand switched off the chandeliers as the hallway became shrouded in darkness. A male figure stood out from one of the armor plated mannequins that adorned the sides of the hallway.
"It seems my acting failed. They know I'm not him".
Slowly he began to walk towards the other end of the hall, away from the library.
"I wonder what he was like before the accident".