Zubie was standing in front of a house, the house was a masterpiece of what two carpenters can achieve from their excellent work. After she and Abram were done clearing and collecting what was left of her belongings in the manor, Zubie decided it was time to take a bus to the city for her good.
"Why are we here, Abram?"
"Because I can't just let you leave, I told my parents you'll be having dinner."
"Abram, it's afternoon, I need to take a bus home before it's dark."
"You can leave tomorrow early in the morning."
Even after her protests, he leads her inside the house. On the doorway, she was welcomed by a pair of friendly faces of his mother and sister.
"Hello! We've been waiting for you to arrive!" Anaya enveloped her in a hug that she awkwardly returned.
"It's nice to see you again, How is your foot?"
"It has seen better days but I'm fine."
"Zubie, dear, it's about time you visit our home. I've been asking Abram to bring you but he never listens!"
"And it's for the best, Ma, Zubie is leaving the town."
"For real?"
"Yeah, my work here is done,"
"Wait, I thought the ghosts of the manor spooked you into leaving?"
Zubie let out a giggle, she told Anaya, "the ghosts of the manor are very... tolerable."
"Really?"
"Yep."
"Are you both planning on keeping her in the doorway?" Mrs. Aydin leads her into the living room. The walls were adorned with wooden curving as well as some old worn out drawings.
"Make yourself at home, I'll see to the lunch and Abram, go to the store, it needs someone to look after it."
"But, Ma..."
"No excuses."
Pointing at Zubie, he exclaimed, "But I'm supposed to keep her company!"
"We will do a splendid job at keeping her company, Abram, don't worry!"
"Quickly, there must be a line in the front of the grocery store!"
"I'm doing this only because I love you, Ma!"
Anaya rolled her eyes, pushing him out of the house, "Stop buttering Ma and leave,"
"Hey! Stop pushing me with such masculine hands!"
"Seems like I inherited all the masculine genes, hence, my twink of a brother."
"Ma, make her stop before I do something horrible."
"Being your sister is horrible and punishment in itself."
"Anaya, you'll not be having any sleep tonight, be warned!"
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"It seems like we've run out of butter, Ana, go to the store and bring me some butter!" Mrs. Aydin yelled from the kitchen. Anaya was showing Zubie their old photos, mostly her brother's embarrassing ones that she has kept safe under his nose.
"Got it, Ma, anything else!?"
"Bring some chili seasoning as well as a crate of eggs for breakfast?"
Anaya trained as the orders piled up, "can't you just ask Abram to bring it all?"
"And have the eggs broken on their way?"
"Alright, but it'll cost a little something."
"Fine, take whatever you want but in moderation, got it? I don't want you to stock put potato chips in your wardrobe?"
Anaya's face turned red in embarrassment, she yelled, "it was one time and I was nine!"
"Whatever, go already!"
"Alright alright, Zubie, you wanna tag along?"
"I don't mind, let's go,"
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Zubie, along with Anaya, entered the familiar establishment, "He is not on the counter? strange."
"Must be stocking up, or sleeping in the back, take your pick?"
"I'll see if he is stocking up and also see to those eggs your mother asked for."
"I'll check in the back,"
Zubie ventured between the shelves, looking for the familiar face of Abram among them. The grocery store was small, not like the big ones in the future city where you can easily get lost.
"Where can he possibly be?"
A familiar flash of white hair was seen in her peripheral, Aurelius was here as well. She decided to abandon her plans of finding Abram and decided to follow Aurelius instead.
"Aurelius! What are you doing---"
The poles of grey were familiar but lacked the warmth that seemed to radiate from Aurelius's eyes. She asked, "Aurelius?"
"Ah, it's you, been wondering where you went."
"What do you mean... Oh."
The man grinned, he swaggered up to her and whispered, "Surprise,"
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"Tell me how you know my brother?"
Zubie was being held at knife-point again by Aurelius's brother who somehow hated her. She spoke, trying to keep the fear at bay, "He came looking for Issabelle."
"That's all? Should've known, that rascal won't just die." he sighed, Zubie noticed the dagger was pulled back in the slightest, "now for the next question, what are you doing here?"
Trying to come up with a lie, she stuttered out, "I'm- I'm visiting- my relatives!"
She was surely telling him of their plan to overthrow him, even if that plan failed, was a good idea. He quirked his brows, and Zubie gaped at how much he looked like Aurelius without the scowl.
"Right, even if you are lying killing you won't solve anything," he stepped back, dropping the hand holding the dagger by his side, "you were looking for Aurelius, Why is that?"
"Because... We are friends."
"Friends with a ghost? How peculiar," he spoke, his voice laced with sarcasm, "Anyway, I'll recommend staying away from him if you want your neck about yourself."
"Right, I'm planning on doing that," she muttered, not loud enough for him to hear her. Silvas stuffed the dagger in his coat's pocket, glancing at the girl, "Goodbye, I hope to never see your face again."
"Zubie, what became of those eggs?" Anaya came looking for her, and Silvas swaggered out of the store, "who was that?"
Zubie immediately composed herself, speaking in a phony cheerful voice, "Don't know, about those eggs! I can't decide if I want to take brown ones or white ones. Help me decide."
"Ma usually takes brown ones so I suppose we should take those but it doesn't matter because they all taste the same." Anaya provided her perspective on the eggs.
"Right," Zubie picked up the egg crate, "Did you get the rest of the stuff?"
"No, you should go, I'll bring the rest."
"Very well," Zubie sauntered to the counter, her thoughts muddled with the words of interaction with Silvad. She wondered what he was doing here, what if he decides to visit the manor? He will know she has been there and then he'll come for her.
She has to leave, immediately.