"Can I open the window, Sao? I'm getting dizzy here," the pale Lorian requested.
"Hold it in, we are getting close. I don't wanna turn off the AC because it's hot outside." Sao denied Lorian's request.
After an hour of traveling, Lorian started showing signs of seasickness. He endured it for a while, distracting himself by reading the small booklet Ann gave to him. The journey was still far, as it was a 4-hour drive.
"Sao, urk, stop the car, urk! Please, stop it now," he begged while covering his mouth.
Sao hit the brakes, while Lorian immediately opened the door, puking all his dinner from last night. He supported his body holding both hands on his knees, reaching on and on. His eyes teared up in the process.
Sao brought a bottle of water and white flower oil. "Here, drink some water. This is a white flower oil, it will help you from your seasickness," he instructed handing it to Lorian.
"Thank you, Sao." Lorian thanked Sao, as he dunked all the water inside his stomach.
"Sorry for being a prick Lorian, I didn't know you have sea sickness." Sao apologized and went back to the jeep to wait, "Tell me if you're ready."
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San Vicente was an isolated village, far from the city of Bagahi. It was surrounded by different kinds of fruit-bearing trees that children loved to climb and snacked on their ripe fruits. The elderly would stand with brooms on their hands sweeping the dried leaves that had fallen.
Houses made secluded from one another, only illuminating a small portion of the road, while most parts were drowned by the dark every night. But the dark didn't bother the villagers of San Vicente. Some farmers going back to their homes at night would bring torches using dried palm leaves.
A teenager navigated the dark road like it was the back of his hand, without carrying any light. His name is Joey Quiñones, age 15, his parents were both farmers. He always wandered in the dark every night, visiting his neighbor's houses and asking them if he could watch their television.
His parents were busy working in the village next to San Vicente, harvesting sugarcane. Joey was alone in their shack, with some rice and canned foods for a week. Their house didn't have any electricity, with only a makeshift torch as his light source created from a rum bottle, gasoline inside, and a wick made of unused cloth wrapped in paper.
Joey didn't like being left in their house alone, but his parents wanted him to continue studying instead of working at the farm together with them. Without any choice, Joey would relieve his boredom by watching his favorite tv series.
He would go from different houses each night to not bother them with his constant visits. The villagers were all nice to him, even their children were his best friends. Tonight, Joey headed to his neighbor Hope Viray.
Hope Viray, an old woman, kind, and sweet towards children. She lived alone in her house, her husband was long dead, and her children had their own families, living far from the village. Like Joey, she was alone, without any companion.
Joey knocked at the door of Hope's house, carrying a sack in his arms. "Grandma Hope, this is Joey," he screamed.
The knob clicked, opening the door, behind it was Hope supporting herself with her cane. "Come child, your favorite series is now airing. I have already prepared dinner. Come join me."
"Thank you, grandma. Here, I have your favorite sweet potatoes." Joey said, handing the sack in his embrace.
The old woman beamed at the sight of her favorite snack. She lovingly rubbed Joey's hair, which made him embarrassed. Hope already considered Joey her grandson, giving him a share of her pension so that the boy would have something to eat every recess.
This made Joey grateful to Hope. He would even volunteer to help her clean the backyard or water her garden to pay back her kindness.
As they were enjoying dinner while watching Joey's favorite series, Hope's face became worried, "Was she still doing it to you?" she asked.
"Don't worry grandma. I'm getting a hang of it," Joey assured her.
However, Hope knew that it was a lie. She could see how Joey would dodge her eyes, fake his smile, or lower his head. He wasn't fine at all.
"Let's tell the chairman. I know he will help you, he is a good man," she suggested.
Joey became horrified, "No please don't. I don't want to worsen the situation. Please, her husband will kill you," he begged.
"But-," before Hope could say anything, Joey stood up.
"I'm not feeling well. Thank you, grandma, but I'm going back home," Joey turned around, leaving the worried Hope.
Hope could only sit on her chair, she was not young anymore, and stopping Joey was impossible. She absentmindedly looked into the distance, thinking about how she can help the troubled young boy.
Joey, who ran away, turned his back, looking at Hope's house. "I'm sorry grandma. I just don't want you to be involved," he murmured.
As he was standing still there, someone appeared behind his back. It was a man wearing glasses and a long black coat. "Young man, are you alone?" he curiously asked.
Surprised, Joey almost stumbled down where he stood. "Mi-mister, don't scare me like that. I almost peed myself," he said.
"You seemed troubled, can I help you?" the man asked.
"Not really," Joey flat-out denied.
"So there is troubling you," the man guessed, "How about this, I'll give you this good luck charm. It's pretty effective to me." The man gave him a red egg pendant.
Joey became dumbfounded, the red egg pendant looked like a precious stone. "Mister, this looks expensive. Please, let me return this to you."
The man didn't bother Joey's reaction. He walked past him heading to Hope's house. "Hold it dearly, it came from my friend," he said.
The man walked straight, focused, his back facing Joey. Joey bowed his head, putting the pendant in his pocket. The man insisted on giving the pendant to him, and he couldn't do anything but say thank you to that kind person.
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A black jeep caught the attention of the people in the village. After hours of grueling ride, Sao and the vegetable Lorian arrived at San Vicente Village, village hall. Lorian was once again at the grassy side of the road puking, while Sao kept patting his back.
"Argh, I hate this! I want to quit," Lorian said with his messy mouth and his moist eyes.
"Don't worry about it, because you can't quit. We have a lot of long rides to do after this, fight on!" Sao encouraged Lorian.
With eyes closed and head held high, Lorian shouted, "Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-!"