As they finished up their brunch, the little ones begged to play. "Can we play now, Grandpa?" one of them asked with big, hopeful eyes.
The old man chuckled and asked if they were done eating, to which the twins eagerly replied, "Yes, Grandpa!" They quickly scampered over to a nearby cabinet and retrieved a tiny dollhouse to play with on the floor.
[[[The twin little sisters are identical in every way, with matching physical features that make it difficult to tell them apart. They have the same round, cherubic faces with rosy cheeks, big bright eyes that sparkle with curiosity, and button noses that crinkle when they smile. Their hair is a short bob that falls just above their shoulders, with soft waves and a honey-brown color that perfectly complements their warm skin tone.
Both sisters are dressed in matching yellow t-shirts and pajama bottoms, adorned with tiny blue flowers that add a touch of whimsy to their outfits. Despite their identical appearance, they each have a unique personality that shines through in their playful demeanor and giggly laughter. Together, they are a joy to behold, two little rays of sunshine that bring happiness wherever they go.]]]]
Meanwhile, the old man turned to Mark and Jhohan and asked for their names. Jhohan introduced herself and Mark, but it seemed like Mark's attention was elsewhere, fixed on the adorable twins playing together.
Curious, the old woman spoke up and asked,
"Why are you staring at them? I noticed that you've been looking at them for a while now."
Mark hesitated for a moment before revealing,
"Oh, uh...I have two sisters, like them, and they're twins."
His voice trailed off as he thought of his beloved siblings, and a hint of nostalgia crept into his eyes.
The old woman's interest was piqued. "Are they also kids?" she asked.
"No, Grandma, they're young teens now, and I really miss their childish behavior," Mark replied with a wistful sigh.
Intrigued, the old woman pressed further. "Where are they now? I hope they're safe," she said, as she began to wash the dishes.
"I don't exactly know where they are, but my uncle said that they were in the Obsidian base in the next city," Mark said.
Physical description!
[[[The old woman's face was etched with deep lines and wrinkles, a testament to the years she had lived. Her hair, now a soft shade of white, was covered with a simple handkerchief tied at the back of her head. Despite her age, she moved with a quiet grace, her steps measured and deliberate.
She wore a warm pink coat that covered her whole body, giving her a comfortable and cozy appearance. Her skin was fair and smooth, with a slight pinkish hue to her cheeks. She stood at a height of around 5"5, with a slightly hunched posture that hinted at a lifetime of hard work and toil.
Despite her advanced years, there was a quiet strength and resilience about her that shone through, as if she had weathered many storms in her long life.]]]
Their conversation was interrupted by the old man who stood up and walked towards the door next to the old woman and on Jhohan's right side.
"Can you both come with me?" he asked, his voice low and serious.
The old man led the way into the room, and Mark and Jhohan followed closely behind. As they entered, Mark's eyes were immediately drawn to the immaculate appearance of the room. The space was 200 square meters in size, with a ceiling height of 9 feet, and the white tile floor resembled that of a luxurious hotel. To the right side of the room, at the end of it, there was a table adorned with a bouquet of fresh flowers. Above the table hung several photo frames, showcasing memories frozen in time. Meanwhile, on the left side of the room, Mark noticed a collection of old artifacts that were meticulously arranged in transparent glass cases.
Mark couldn't contain his excitement as he approached the artifacts. "Wow, I've never seen anything like this before," he exclaimed.
While Mark was engrossed with the artifacts, the old man and Jhohan were looking at the photos. The old man then picked up a match and lit a candle,
"Your grandfather was a soldier?" Jhohan asked, pointing to the photo in the middle featuring Graucious Morty Sr.
"Yes, he was a General. He died when his camp was bombed by Sphanians," the old man replied.
Jhohan then shifted his attention to the photo on the right featuring Glorias Clara Morty. "Your grandmother was so beautiful too. She looks like a beauty queen, and her name is so cute. How did her life end?"
"She died of old age," the old man replied.
"Are those your mother, father, and siblings in these twelve photos?" Jhohan guessed as he looked at the twelve photos.
The Old Man expression darkened as he replied, "My mother passed away from breast cancer, and my father couldn't bear the loss. He eventually lost his mind and stopped eating. The little girl in the photo is my eldest sister. She was tragically kicked by a horse and died. As for the rest of my family, they were all killed by Mharsians who attacked our house. I saw it happen with my own eyes. They were dragged outside by the soldiers while I hid behind a tree. I heard gunshots and ran away. One of the soldiers chased after me, but I managed to escape by jumping into the well."
"Hey, Mr. Chairman, sorry to interrupt you," Mark said as he held up a photo behind them and called out to the old man.
It was Fernando and Lydia's first wedding photo from when they were younger.
"Your name is Fernando and your wife is Lydia, so if it's you and Grandma, your Golden Wedding Anniversary was two days ago, right?" Mark said with a smile.
"Did you and Grandma celebrate it?"
However, the old man answered him without showing much emotion and looked back at the photo of his daughter and son-in-law on the table. "If you're going to ask my age, I'm 98 now. If you're going to ask about me, I'm the chairman of this village. If you're going to ask about Lydia, she is 82 now. Our wedding date was april 22, 1988. You're right, kid. Two days ago was our Golden Wedding Anniversary. Do you think we have time to celebrate it?" the old man said, his eyes revealing the emotions he was feeling.
--- date: year 2048 april 22--
The room fell silent as Fernando placed his hands on the table and stared at the photo. Jhohan signaled to Mark to keep quiet by making a fist, but Mark responded with a gesture and whispered, "Okay, sorry."
Fernando walked over to the side of the table and retrieved a wooden chest box. He placed it in the middle of the room and opened it, revealing a transparent square glass containing a beating heart. A strange creature was living inside the heart.
"This is the heart of my daughter. When we were about to bury her, one of my men heard a pulse coming from her body. I thought she was still alive, but it's hard to believe since her body was cut into two," Fernando said.
Jhohan leaned forward to get a closer look at the heart. "Do you think your daughter was bitten by a monster?"
"I don't know, but I saw a big hole in her stomach," the old man replied.
Jhohan took the glass to examine it more closely. "It looks like Cephaloneuroplasm Microorganisms, but that's impossible. The Cephaloneuroplasm only lives in the Brain, and the color of the tentacles is different from this one."
Jhohan couldn't believe her eyes as she observed the strange creature living inside the heart. The tentacles around the heart moved like tiny needles, following her hand like a magnetic reaction. It was both fascinating and creepy at the same time. But what caught Jhohan's attention was the strange reaction of the tentacles to the shadow.
As Jhohan moved her hand, the tentacles grew longer and thicker as they hit the shadow.
"Look, do you see that?" Jhohan called out to Mark and Fernando, pointing at the tentacles.
"When it hits my shadow, it grows faster."
Curious, Jhohan leaned in closer to the chest box, trying to get a better view of the strange creature. She then decided to test the creature's reaction in a dark environment. "What are you doing, Spectre?" Mark asked, puzzled.
"I want to test if it really grows in the dark," Jhohan replied. She placed the glass back in the box and closed it shut.
But Fernando's warning caught her off guard. "It's not a good idea to put it back in the box," he said, his voice laced with concern.
"Why not?" Jhohan asked.
"Because if you close the chest box, the little bulb inside will automatically turn on and give it light," Fernando explained, his eyes fixed on the strange creature inside the glass.
Jhohan immediately removed the bulb inside the chest box and put the heart back in before closing it. Suddenly, they heard the sound of glass breaking from inside the box.
They were all shocked by what they saw - some tentacles were wriggling out from the cracks.
Jhohan immediately opened the box to prevent it from growing further.
Mark couldn't believe his eyes. "It looks like hairs now," he exclaimed.
Fernando was equally stunned. "What kind of creature is this?" he asked incredulously.
Jhohan's mind was racing with possibilities, but she didn't have time to answer. She knew she had to act fast before things got out of control.
Without a word, Jhohan grabbed the chest and ran out the door, leaving everyone else behind. Lydia was shocked, and the twins were scared, running to their grandmother for comfort.
"What's happening, Fernando?" Lydia asked as her husband quickly grabbed his gun.
"I'll explain later," he responded as they raced after Jhohan.
The group burst into the corridor, causing everyone they passed to stop,stare and scared. Some men joined them, armed with weapons of their own.
As they entered the old metallic elevator, everyone was silent, their hearts pounding with anticipation. After what felt like an eternity, the metallic door opened, and they rushed outside.
Jhohan didn't hesitate for a moment. She threw the chest box to the ground with all her might. It shattered on impact, and everyone who followed them was left shocked and awed at what they saw.
The scene was surreal. Thin, violet tentacles were now protruding from the broken chest, moving with a life of their own. The group stood frozen, unsure of what to do next.
As the noon sun beat down on the land, Little by little, the creature began to melt due to the intense heat. The Creature tried to dig a hole to hide itself. But Jhohan was quick to react. She grabbed a nearby weapon from one of the men and approached the Creature with a fierce determination. Without hesitation, she fired and shot the Creature brutally into pieces.
"Can you please get some shovels?" Jhohan asked the men, who were still looking at her in disbelief.
She fired her weapon into the air and shouted, "Get some shovels now!" Jhohan yelled at the men, their mouths agape in shock.
The men immediately ran inside to retrieve some shovels. Jhohan turned to the Chairman and asked, "Where did you bury the dead bodies? We need to dig them up to check if anyone was infected."
Together they climbed to the top of a small hill beside the village, where the graveyard lay. But as they approached, they noticed that the soil in the graveyard had been disturbed and the graves had been opened.
"Damn it!" Jhohan exclaimed. "Now they're freely hiding somewhere."