Chereads / exceeding my limits / Chapter 5 - finally

Chapter 5 - finally

Right after they left the place, not far away was Gustavo and Bia's house.

**Bia:** There, I see our house, bro. Let's go, I hope mom is already there.

**Gustavo:** If she isn't, I'll go look for her. She must have heard the explosion or the screams.

Zeki, right behind, thinks about leaving but finds it rude, so he decides to stay quiet.

They arrive at the siblings' house. Bia runs to open the door and starts yelling for her mom but hears a voice. It was her mom, who came running to hug her.

**Mom (Bianca):** Bia, for God's sake, what did you do? Look at the state of this girl! Don't tell me you were in the middle of that explosion!

Gustavo enters the house and their mom comes to him.

**Mom (Bianca):** And you, Gustavo? What happened to your arm? What are you two doing?

**Gustavo:** Relax, mom. It's nothing. We can handle ourselves.

**Mom (Bianca):** Relax nothing! Tell me now what happened! How did you hurt your arm?

Bia sees Zeki at the door watching and calls her mom's attention to introduce him.

**Bia:** Mom, save the scolding for later, okay? So, come here, Zeki. This is my mom. Zeki, come in and introduce yourself.

**Zeki:** Hi.

Gustavo's mom looks at Zeki, wanting answers about what happened to her kids.

**Mom (Bianca):** Who is he, Bia? Did he do this to you?

**Bia:** Mom, stop it. If he had done something to us, do you think I would let him in?

Zeki sees that he is causing trouble and apologizes, trying to leave.

Bia grabs her mom's arm and speaks to her.

**Bia:** We fought a giant worm and we're only alive because of him.

The mom looks perplexed at Bia, not believing her words.

**Mom (Bianca):** So that weird thing flying in the sky was because of you?

**Bia:** Yes, mom. Actually, it was Zeki who defeated it.

The mom looks at Zeki, who was trying to sneak out.

**Mom (Bianca):** Boy, come back here.

Bia and Gustavo look at Zeki.

Zeki walks up to their mom.

**Mom (Bianca):** I can't deny that I saw that horrible thing in the sky. My daughter must be telling the truth. Thank you.

Zeki staring at her.

**Zeki:** No problem.

**Mom** (angry): Bia, Gustavo, what were you doing at the explosion? I remember very well that you said you were going to the city!

**Bia** (scared, trying to explain): It's just that this idiot started the fight with the worm and I had to fight against my will, that's it!

**Gustavo** (nervous): You brat, lie! You were also heading straight for the explosion!

**Bia** (irritated): I was going because I thought it was at our house!

**Gustavo** (exasperated): I think you have amnesia, because I remember very well that it was the worm that attacked us and I just defended myself!

**Bia** (defensive): But if you had retreated, I would have too! After all, you are the older brother!

**Gustavo** (irritated): What a lame excuse! If it wasn't for me, you could have died!

**Mom** (worried): How did Bia almost die?

**Bia** (resigned): Damn, it's over now. It's definitely going to be three spankings.

**Zeki** (interrupting, calm): Excuse me.

**The three look at Zeki.**

**Mom** (grateful): I've already thanked you. If you want to leave, you can go.

**Zeki** (thinking): Now I know where Gustavo's personality comes from...

**Zeki** (calm): I would like to talk about the worm that appeared and that there might be others.

**Bia** (seeing a chance): Explain it to her, Zeki!

**Mom** (curious): Very well, speak.

**Zeki** (serious): Before we came here, I wanted to take a look at the worm's hole, but I felt that the three of us were being watched.

**Gustavo** (suspicious): I didn't feel anything. To me, you're making excuses.

**Zeki** (thinking): This boy just picks on everyone...

**Mom** (reprimanding): Gustavo, be quiet.

**Gustavo** (irritated, silent): ...

**Zeki** (continuing): Well, continuing... there's no way that worm could pierce metal while roaring, so another monster must have done it.

**Bia** (confused): But if that's the case, then why wasn't there any monster besides the worm? Didn't you say you didn't feel any presence besides hers?

**Zeki** (explaining): Yes, but you know there are intelligent monsters. Maybe it was a trap or they wanted to attract someone's attention. I'm not sure.

**Zeki** (decided): I would like to go back to that hole, but it's already surrounded by hunters. They won't let me through.

**Zeki gets up and goes to the door.**

**Zeki** (determined): I don't know about you, but I'm going to sign up for the guild registration happening tomorrow. You should go.

**Bia** (surprised): Wait, so you're not part of a guild? I thought you were.

**Gustavo** (dismissive): I'm out. I'm not going to work for snobbish people who don't have the courage to fight.

**Zeki** (understanding): I get it, but I hope you change your mind, Gustavo.

**Mom** (worried): Before you leave, you better eat. You must be hungry.

**Zeki** (grateful): Thanks, but I'm going. My mom will be worried.

Zeki then leaves and starts flying towards his house, thoughtful.

**Zeki (thinking):** That feeling was definitely monsters. But they must be different from this worm. After all, I would have heard or sensed something.

**Zeki (thinking):** But if these monsters preferred to stay at a distance, then they are definitely intelligent. I need to see if my mom is okay.

So, Zeki flies to the apartment and finally arrives. He enters, goes up the stairs, and reaches the door. Then, he opens it and enters.

His mom hears the sound of the door opening.

**Mom:** Zeki, is that you?

**Zeki:** Yes, mom.

**Mom:** Good. This time you took a while. Oh, and your dad is already coming here.

**Zeki (thinking):** Okay, it seems she doesn't know anything about what happened.

Zeki then goes to the couch and turns on the TV.

**Zeki (thinking):** I think this place isn't as safe as I thought. Even when we lived near the walls, no monster ever invaded our side.

Zeki was changing channels and sees a report about the incident.

**Zeki (thinking):** That was fast. They could have arrived a little earlier.

The reporter starts talking.

**Reporter:** Good evening. We are live with an urgent update on the incident that occurred tonight. A monster, described as a worm with giant claws, invaded the city, causing panic among residents.

**Reporter:** Fortunately, there were no deaths, only a few injuries. However, the question remains how this monster managed to breach our defenses.

**Reporter:** This is not the first incident of this kind. In Fortaleza, similar monsters have managed to enter but were quickly neutralized by the hunters.

**Reporter:** For more details, we will now talk to our journalist on the scene. Are you hearing us?

**Journalist:** Yes, I can hear you. Good evening. I am here with the hunters who faced the creature and some residents who witnessed the incident. Let's hear from one of the residents about what happened.

**Resident:** It was scary. I've never seen anything like it. The creature was huge, and those claws... it looked like it could destroy anything. Fortunately, it was killed.

**Journalist:** Could you tell me who managed to defeat the monster?

**Resident:** I have no idea Because when I was running I started to float. All I know is that the creature started to swell and then it went flying into the sky and exploded. It was all very fast.

**Journalist:** I see. It's a pity we don't have more details. Thanks to the efforts of the hunters who intervened.

**Reporter:** Despite the terror caused by the incident, the peculiar method of defeating the creature raises questions about the techniques and skills of the hunters involved, which are still unknown so far.

**Reporter:** The ability demonstrated by the hunters in handling this type of threat is essential for the city's safety. The way the monster was neutralized suggests deep knowledge and well-executed strategies.

**Reporter:** While authorities continue to investigate how the creature managed to breach the city's defenses, local residents express gratitude for the hunters' quick response, which prevented further damage to the community.

Zeki then hears someone knocking on the door, and it opens, revealing his father.

Zeki's father enters.

Zeki asks him how it went with his partner.

**Zeki:** Dad, did everything go well?

**Dad:** Yes, thankfully. But dear, have you prepared dinner yet?

**Mom:** Yes, if you want, you can come have dinner.

After the three have dinner, it gets very late and Zeki decides to go to sleep.

At dawn, Zeki wakes up.

**Zeki:** I'd better get ready so I don't be late to register at the guild.