Radiant light from the rise of the sun, cut through the thick cloudy sky, gleaming into a small sphere window that transmitted its sunlight.
A sharp humming sound of a plane glides in as the crowd of people gazes above as it's coming in for a landing. Screeching from the tires of the plane, it began to stop.
"Sir!" the flight attendant shouted, awakening him.
He groaned, sleepily before standing and grabbing his book bag.
"Enjoy your day," the flight attendant said as he made his way off the plane.
Walking amongst the crowd, he spots a woman waiting at gate four.
"Over here!" she exclaimed, cheerfully, waving her little green flag. "I've been waiting here forever!"
He smiles, inserting his hands inside the pockets of his black bomber jacket.
"Oh yeah? Well, I've got news for yuh. Looks like you'll be waiting till the sunrise to see me because I'm thinking about taking a nap when I get home," he says.
The woman rolled her eyes.
"Come on, we're supposed to go see Mom. That's the whole reason why I flew out here, remember?" she said.
"Alright, I'll take you, we should hurry before nightfall, Thiolana."
"Mhm-mhm," she hummed.
As they were walking out of the airport, Thiolana unzipped her small carrying bag, searching for an item.
"There's our ride," she said, cheerfully tip-toeing and clicking her heels a few steps before opening the car door of the vehicle.
Unable to get a clear view of the driver because of the tinted partition window, both Seran and Thiolana sat down quietly, feeling the soft black cushioning of the seats.
"Card," the driver casually said.
"I have it, just let me get it."
Thiolana nervously rustled in her bag again. She pulled the card out with a nice smile on her face, looking at the black card. It had a little logo of a woman with an upside-down face and a long outline of lipstick.
Seran glanced from the corner of his eye at the card with a concerned look of displeasure on his face as the partitioning window scrolled down just halfway.
Thiolana handed the card through the window to the driver, and she scanned it before handing it back.
"We're good to go." The driver said as the engine started.
Seran tries to get a glimpse at the driver but suddenly, the car accelerates quickly, making him jolt his head against the back of the seat.
"Hey, slow down!" Seran said, holding onto the seat, firmly feeling for his seat belt. Like precious red rubies, the eyes of the driver in the rearview mirror were a captivating sight Seran saw.
The tinted windows scrolled back up.
"My apologies for that. I thought our clients here were mentioning they were in a bit of a hurry to be somewhere," the driver says as the vehicle's speed reduced gradually and came to a smoother, slower cruise.
The two looked at one another in the backseat and remained silent for a time until Thiolana, feeling a bit anxious, spoke out, "Do you recall the little fast food place we used to walk to when we were kids Seran? "
She smiled at the thought of her memories of the two of them playing together and eating outside the restaurant. Although their clothing and shoes were in poor condition, they were still giggling while sharing a single piece of chicken.
"I haven't forgotten," he says, looking at the expression on her face that puzzled him but also made him sigh in relief.
His head turns to look out of the window at the viewpoint of pedestrians walking the roads of the urban street way of Winkinston Road.
The vehicle stops by the train station, and the two siblings vacate the car. Glimpsing at each other, awkwardly Thiolana sniffs the air, full of disgust and unfamiliarity.
"Eww, it smells like a bunch of polluted waste here now," Thiolana said, using her left hand to fan her nose from the stench.
Seran rustled his hands through his hair before replying." I mean, what did you expect? You haven't been here in over fourteen years."
"This place used to be so much more captivating and full of energy. What happened to it?" Thiolana sniffed the air, covering her nose with a sour face.
"Let's not pretend like we don't know the causes. Ever since Mamon started running things, people started giving up and turning into a bunch of damsels in distress. Mamon's so-called New Era project ran everyone out of business.
"How did we let some company influence the country that we need it to survive? Mamon owns almost everything that's a necessity to living. They're even on the way to changing our currency, but I can see you've already got a head start on that part! We've lost everything thanks to them. Now it's either you work for them like some kind of lap dog or die in the back of an alleyway." Her brother retorted.
"It's not as bad as you think Seran maybe if you-
Thiolana's statement was cut short in an attempt to convince Seran.
"What!"
Seran's voice echoed down the streets, his eyebrows scrunched angrily.
"Tuck my tail..huh.. become a pawn! Why do you work for them, Thiolana? They don't give a damn about you or anyone else!"
Her eyes twitched, feeling frustrated by Seran's words, she gripped her purse."If this is about me leaving again, I didn't have a choice. Dad did what he had to for us to survive. Dad paved the way for me to get enrolled in the schools in Japan. He had ..connections, Seran," Thiolana expressed, hesitantly.
Seran, having latched his eyes tight from Thiolana with his hands on his hips, spoke in an annoyed tone. "Just say it. You meant Mamon, right?" Seran inquired, tiresome of Thiolana's vague explanations.
She nodded her honey-brown eyes that began to fill with water.
"It was hard..so very difficult.. but now we don't have to ever struggle again. I understand how you're feeling. I'm just doing what I feel I was meant to...shield you... like he did for me. Dad gave his life for this!" Thiolana sobbed.
Seran's eyes opened slightly to look at his sister's face. Noticing the tears streaming down her cheeks. Feeling as though he had crossed a line of comfort, he turned his head away, he began to walk.
"Let's get something to eat. Must be the hunger getting to me from that long flight." Seran implied.
Thiolana tilted her head downward, the locks of hair covering her eyes, feeling disenchanted by her brother's words, she silently walked distortedly behind Seran.
Cold fog emitted from their breath as Thiolana hugged her own body, rubbing her shoulders.
Hearing the shivering from Thiolana, Seran tosses his jacket over her shoulders, carefree of the cold.
"Keep up, sis, we gotta get to Mom, right?"Seran said , smiling in her direction, she jogged to closely walk aside from him.
"Is it me, or did the climate change all of a sudden?" Thiolana asked curiously.
Glancing at the sun going down, the street lights and the tall windows of the city shops emitted light.
"Yeah, I guess we can add global warming to the list of strange changes," Seran kidded, lightening the mood.
Laughing aloud together, she stared in his direction as watching him in satisfaction made her feel reassured.
"So is it ok if I ask what kind of work you do for Mamon?" Seran inquired, placing his hands in his pockets.
"I'm a model. I advertise Mamon's new perfume and clothing
brands," Thiolana explained, under uncertainty.
"Okay, big shot! Look at you coming up like a mole stuck in a hole," he exclaimed, playfully nudging her with his elbow, making her stumble a bit.
Cackling the dimples in their cheeks grew bigger, as they laughed.
Hooking her arm around Seran's slender but toned arm. Her burden on her shoulders dropped ever slightly.
"Ohhh brother, can you at least not hold on so tightly, people are gonna think we're some kind of couple," embarrassingly red in the face, Seran stated.
"I don't care what people think. I know you're my baby brother, and I miss the little things we did back then." Thiolana conveyed, affectionately.