"Alright, there you go," Cyrilia said, patting my shoulders. "Scrubbed that wheelchair good."
"Thank you so much!" Sabrina exclaimed, taking the handles behind my back. "Now, we should get something to eat."
Still feeling a bit confused, my thoughts were in turmoil. Could the past ten years have been just a dream? Or was this some kind of magic Venidith used? Or perhaps Ayesha and her cronies were attempting to extract information from me?
Cyrilia led the way, holding the door open for us. I felt a slight jolt as Sabrina began pushing the wheelchair. I couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed being pushed around like this.
As we exited, the hospital corridor appeared to be empty except for the guards at the other end. If I remembered correctly, they were Scout Rangers, an elite unit of the Philippine Army — definitely not to be underestimated.
Admittedly, I couldn't recall much of my past due to an accident, as Gustav had mentioned. My thoughts were interrupted as Sabrina guided the wheelchair down another corridor toward the cafeteria.
"You know, Alexander, a lot of things happened while you were asleep," Sabrina said, her tone tinged with sadness. "Like those movies and games about demons and monsters."
Sabrina let out a sigh. "It all became a reality, and much worse... I witnessed so much firsthand, but I'll spare you the gruesome details," she said, her consideration evident.
"It's... okay," I managed to reply weakly.
I longed to remember the lost fragments of my past, especially moments like this. My recollections were mostly filled with the painful ones, like their deaths. But for some reason, I struggled to recall Sabrina's.
"Now that you mention it, have you seen Vicky? Since that creature tore apart her boyfriend and..." Cyrilia's voice trailed off, her words heavy. She paused, collecting her thoughts. "You know what it did to her. I haven't seen that poor girl since."
"You're right. She was one of the best seniors... It's just tragic what happened to her," Sabrina remarked, her voice filled with genuine sympathy.
As we entered the cafeteria, the sound of chatter filled the air. The aroma of various foods mingled with the room's scent. I saw a group of people in military attire, most of them adults.
"Hmmm, where should we sit?" Cyrilia murmured, her gaze scanning the bustling cafeteria.
I noticed a few glances in my direction, and as if on cue, a minor tremor caused some items to topple over on a table.
"Over there, near the window. Alexander loves to enjoy the view," Sabrina suggested, her voice trailing off. "Looking out to the seaside, of course. It wouldn't be much of a view if we chose the window overlooking the city."
Sabrina's comment about my fondness for views was accurate. If I recollected correctly, I used to spend summers at my aunt's property. I closed my eyes, visualizing the cliff that overlooked the beach and the bay below.
Sabrina guided the wheelchair towards a table with a view of the seaside. An iron table, slightly discolored, awaited us. She positioned the wheelchair at the end of the table closest to the windows.
Taking a seat to my left, Sabrina settled beside me. The window offered a clear view of the serene blue sea. Warships were anchored in the distance, with my attention drawn to the aircraft carrier.
It was the mothership, still undergoing some work as one of its wings was being installed at the dock. The other wing had already been attached.
"I'll fetch the food. Maybe with a smile and my charm, I can score a bonus for Alexander," Cyrilia remarked, giving a wink before chuckling.
Sabrina giggled in response. "You're too adorable. I'm sure it'll work."
Cyrilia headed toward the food service area, driven by her goal. Now, I found myself looking directly at Sabrina, who offered a small smile. She had been my friend through the years.
"What's new? Don't tell me you've fallen for me?" she teased, pretending to adjust her hair with a playful grin.
A smile tugged at my lips. "Maybe."
Sabrina's cheeks turned slightly pink, and she covered her mouth with her handkerchief. "Oh? So you just want to see me naked again, like when we were kids?" she flirtatiously quipped, accompanied by a wink.
I chuckled, though my laugh seemed almost devoid of emotion.
Sabrina tapped the table lightly. "Although it would turn into one of those cheesy dramas with cringy clichés."
Growing up in a household that embraced masculinity, Sabrina had identified as bisexual for a period before remaining single up to now. I often teased her about being a tomboy when we were younger.
I never felt any romantic inclinations towards her, and I assumed she didn't towards me either. We'd joke about how I could only touch her when she allowed it, or if she decided to remain single forever. She'd even playfully suggest that I could take her virginity and father her child, although that was quite the stretch.
"Here we go, mission accomplished as always," Cyrilia declared, placing the tray of food on the table, the clank of metal against metal ringing out.
The meal was essentially the same for all three of us: monggo with chicharon, two servings of rice, and two pieces of chicken. Mine had extra monggo and an additional piece of chicken.
Cyrilia took a seat beside Sabrina and wasted no time digging into her food. She spooned some monggo onto her rice and then took a mouthful, her cheeks bulging as she spoke. "Hmmm, not bad, I guess," she mumbled through a mouthful, her voice muffled by the act of eating.
Sabrina followed suit, replicating the same gesture on my tray. "Open your mouth, Alexander. We won't make fun of you, promise," she reassured, her spoon poised and ready.
I complied, allowing her to feed me a spoonful. The mingling flavors of the rich monggo broth, tender chicharon, and the comforting rice filled my mouth. It was undeniably delicious.
Hurry, Alexander. Find, a way, to unleash, it.
After munching and swallowing, I managed to murmur, "Delicious."
Then Shakur came into view, holding a tray. "May I join you ladies?" he inquired.
Sabrina turned to him with a welcoming smile. "Yes, of course!"
"Thank you," Shakur nodded, taking a seat at the opposite end of the table. He seemed to have noticed my affinity for the view.
Cyrilia resumed her eating, taking another spoonful. "So, Alexander is physically fine, but spiritually not?" she queried, a note of curiosity in her voice.
Shakur settled into his seat after placing his tray down. "Yes, that's correct. I believe that a couple more rounds of the procedure could fully restore him. And he'll be much stronger than before," he explained.
"Much stronger?" Sabrina echoed, pausing in her eating to look at Shakur.
Shakur tore a piece of chicken with his spoon and mixed it with a spoonful of rice. "Indeed, he's quite unique among humans. I believe he has the potential to be one of those exceptionally gifted individuals," he stated, taking a bite of his food.
Shakur paused to answer Cyrilia's question after swallowing his food. "Precisely. I'm certain of the type, but not the specific element," he explained.
Cyrilia took another spoonful of her meal before following up with another question. "So, what kinds of types are we talking about here?" Her appetite seemed to match her curiosity as she continued to eat at a quick pace.