"Mama, how long are we going to hide like this?"
"Sshh… don't make any sound. The people out there will kill us."
She nodded and closed her lips tightly. Her face lifted to look at her mother who was holding her tightly in the basement of their house. Whenever their father came and brought bad news about enemy soldiers passing in the area near their house, she would be immediately pulled into the basement by her mother. While her father went to the border with the other men to get ready if the soldiers were a group of bad people who would destroy their home.
Clio was sick of having to live like this her whole life. This war already happened before she was born. Her mother told her that her first cry coincided with the sound of a bomb being dropped on a crossroads near their house. Her mother cried with her when she was just born for fear that the bomb would fall on their roof while her mother was giving birth. But thankfully that never happened. They lived long enough in the area to bear witness to the cruelty of people who were busy fighting to defend their own egos.
"Are we safe, mama?"
"Wait here, Clio. I'll take a look and take a peek at the situation up there."
"Don't leave me, mama. I'm afraid of being alone and the dark."
"You have to be a brave girl. We won't be able to live much longer if we become cowards."
"But it's scary here. I'm coming with you to see the situation above."
"No. You have to stay here. Don't move and don't make a sound."
Mama.... Mama don't go. I'm scared... Mama! Mama! MAMA!
Her body jerked awake violently. Her breath roared harshly in the cold and damp air. The soft humming sound of the air conditioner was the second thing she caught besides the sound of her own very loud breathing. Clio panted, trying to normalize the beating of her heart that was beating so hard in her chest cavity. It was certain that she was so scared right now that her heart almost jumped out of her body. Something from the past has always been like a ghost in her life. Even though the ghost doesn't exist, the memories from the past have always been a very scary ghost for her.
"Are you all right, miss? I think you just had a bad dream."
Clio flinched in surprise as someone gently touched her shoulder. She looked at her like she had just seen the scariest ghost. Sweat dripped down her forehead even though the air around her was extremely cold. And the woman smiled lightly at her response that seemed so surprised.
"Where am I?"
"In the largest and most comprehensive health facility on earth. You're on the White Wall. Want to drink?"
"Yeah, I think I need a drink."
The woman took a glass of water from the nightstand. She gave it to Clio, who accepted it and drank it very quickly.
"I'm thirsty. How long have I been here?"
The woman filled her empty glass with water from the dispenser. Clio noticed how the water miraculously flowed from a medium-sized box when a glass was placed under it.
"Three hours? Maybe a few more minutes. You slept very long. You must be tired."
"I..."
Clio tried to remember what happened to her before she ended up in bed on the White Wall. Her brain was still floating in her head, like her brain was a very light cloud and was floating in the sky in the wind. One by one her memories appeared when she gave herself a chance to calm down and inhale and exhale several times.
"I was tricked by that bastard man!"
"Who?" The woman was still holding the glass in her hand, her forehead furrowed in confusion watching Clio who looked so angry at the person they were talking about.
"Colman! He tricked me. That damn man tricked me. He pretended to be a traveler. In reality he is General Colten Sherman in disguise to fool poor girls like me."
"Ssshhh… keep your voice down. This room is equipped with bugs. You could get in trouble if you curse General Colten here."
"I'm not afraid of him." Clio shuffled from her lying position and glared at the woman.
"Who are you?" She asked sarcastically.
"My name?"
"Yes, your name." Clio lifted his chin, looking so haughty and annoying.
"Giselle. You?"
"Clio. I wouldn't say I'm glad to meet you. In fact I'm not at all happy to be here. How can I get out of here?"
"You can't get out of here. There's no way out unless the general wants you to get out of here. You want another drink?"
"No. My stomach is bloated. What happened to me?"
"Minor injuries. It's been treated well. We have a special serum that can heal wounds instantly." Giselle winked one eye coquettishly.
Clio suddenly remembered the wounds running along her right arm, then down her back. She couldn't find a single wound on her hand. And her back didn't hurt at all when she tried to lean on the headboard.
"You guys actually have that magic serum?"
"We have. Doctor Bryce made it a few years ago. That serum is very useful for treating Hyperion soldiers who were injured on the battlefield."
"No wonder their numbers never decrease. Apart from being equipped with sophisticated battle suits, they also use magical serums." Clio muttered half dreamily.
She remembered about the few attacks that Centurion had involved with the Hyperion army. Several Hyperion soldiers were injured from the Centurion's attack. And they weren't afraid of getting hurt at all because they had a magic serum to treat their wounds. While the Centurions did not have such drugs. They usually use natural ingredients made from leaves or roots that they can find around their homes. The healing process with traditional herbs is very long. Even some people with heavy injuries would not survive because their injuries were too impossible to heal with herbs.
"Hey, are you okay? Are you feeling dizzy? Is your vision blurry? You feel nauseous? What? Tell me if you feel something."
"I'm fine. I want to get out of this place."
"I told you, you can't get out of this place."
Giselle moved away and took something from the drawer. She had two tablets in her hand, then handed them to Clio.
"Eat this."
"What's that? Do you want to kill me with those poisons?" Clio shuffled back and spread a large pillow in front of her face.
"These are meal replacement tablets. You are very thin and you are malnourished. These drugs will provide the nutrients your body needs. Tonight you will not get food for this drug to work optimally in your body. Starting tomorrow morning you will get three meals a day."
Giselle blinked twice. Her big eyes showed a hope for Clio to accept the drugs. Clio was a little hesitant to take it. She was afraid that Giselle would also trick her like the general. But the serious expression on Giselle's face and the sweet smile on her face left Clio with no other choice but to take the tablets and swallow them without water.
"Are you happy now?"
"Very happy. I like obedient women. Some women sometimes make me have to be rude to tame them. Well, the medicine will work in a moment." Giselle clapped her hands excitedly. She looked radiant when she saw Clio who was looking at her with narrowed eyes.
Clio frowned as the shadows of the objects around her seemed to blur. Giselle's body that was clad in a doctor's coat split into three, then split into two. And her ears suddenly buzzed painfully. She could see Giselle moving toward her, bending slightly in front of her and smiling broadly.
"Well, I guess the medicine has worked."
"What medicine is this, Giselle? W-why do I feel like I'm floating and n-no energy."
"This medicine will make you sleep through the night. Don't be afraid, Clio. You'll be fine tomorrow morning. Good night."
"Gis-Giselle… wait."
Clio's voice weakened. Her screams were just a whisper. Clio felt her eyelids very heavy. Like she had five kilos burden in there and there was nothing she could do but close her eyes and fall asleep.
"Sweet dream girl."
Clio could faintly hear Giselle's voice. But only faintly. After that everything became quiet and calm.