INSIGNIAS: THE ABECEDARIANS
CHAPTER XVI: TESSA

But they were surprised like she was. They were catching their breath like they ran a marathon. The girl in green shirt and tattered blue pants looked like her age. She had black hair that fell in the middle of her torso. Her blue-green eyes blinked at her several times. The boy seemed older in black oversized coat and leather hat but his face looked young. A pair of light blue eyes looked at her like she was a ghost. Like Tessa, they didn’t expect to run into someone.

I wonder what I looked like to them.

“Who are you?” the three asked at the same time.

It was the boy who pulled away from the staring contest. He looked at the girl beside her and frowned.

“We need to go. She doesn’t feel like them,” he said to her. He looked back at Tessa then nodded. He was saying good bye.

“Wait!” Tessa shouted before they could take a step. For the first time after she saw them, Tessa felt the undeniable pull towards them. She thought it was ridiculous. They stared at her, maybe waiting for her to say something.

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For Tessa, it was a prayer.

A sound of the gunshot made them look at the direction of the explosion earlier. It was close. Another two gunshots were heard followed by running footsteps.

“You should come with us for now”, he said with a small smile. It wasn’t the frightening smile that Redhead gave her or the comforting ones from Olive and Lois or the sad smiles of her Dad and Steve. This smile said acceptance.

“We better hurry.” He started to walk south and the girl followed him.

“Where are we going?” Even if they didn’t seem bad guys, there was still the matter of trust. There were ‘what ifs’ haunting her mind.

The boy stopped but didn’t look at her. He seemed to be listening to his surroundings.

“We need to hide first. This place isn’t safe”, he said and continued to walk.

“Come”, the girl said. Tessa walked beside the girl while the boy led them. They seemed to be prepared for a long journey as Tessa eyed their bulging backpacks and hiking boots.

“I’m sorry if I need to ask but why were there explosions earlier?” She couldn’t wait for a safe place to know what was happening. She looked at the girl. She looked like she was considering her answer.

But Tessa knew better. She didn’t want to press them but she had been on the run for days and she needed a reason to trust them. And myself.

“I know that I’m a stranger but I need to know where I’m standing at,” she said with a low voice.

“It’s okay”, the girl replied with a smile. “Bad guys found us.”

“Mortemians,” Tessa affirmed.

The girl looked for a moment then nodded. She heard the boy chucked in front.

“We were hiding since yesterday until we fought them earlier. We set a trap so we are safe, for now, so we should leave this town immediately”, he said.

“There were 13 of them”, he continued. Tessa gasped.

“How did you...” she trailed then stopped. She wasn’t sure if it’s an appropriate question.

“How did we come out alive?” the girl offered. “We had a few tricks on our sleeves.”

“It looked like you were travelling.” The boy took a glance at Tessa.

My bag.

“Yes. El- Someone told me to come to the east woodland to be safe.” Tessa wasn’t ready yet to share the unfortunate incident back home. If I still have a home. It’s probably wrecked by now.

Her eyes burned but she told herself not to cry. This was no time for crying.

“I was attacked days ago and I just recently found out about my identity”, she continued. She hoped they don’t find her useless. They were silent for a moment before the boy spoke up.

“That’s why I can’t recognize your energy”, he said, more to himself than to Tessa.

“I’m sorry about that. But, you said someone told you to come here. Why?” he said in a louder voice.

She remembered the revelation days ago, her mom’s secret and Steve’s identity. She remembered her father’s words. But none of them gave her any idea on how to answer his question.

“I actually don’t know...” she trailed. “We were attacked... he, someone important to me, said to come her because someone is waiting.” What if they don’t believe me?

“That means he knows we are here.” She couldn’t see the boy’s face but he must be in deep thought. Tessa didn’t want them to think that she was led here by an enemy.

“Why do you think he said that? Is it safe here?” She thought that her question surprised him but he glanced at her with a knowing look.

“Now it isn’t. Someone was waiting here,” he said. Tessa noticed he emphasized the ‘was’. She glanced at the girl who remained silent. Her eyes were weary as she stared at the ground but she was gripping the straps of her backpack.

“You said you were attacked. There were multiple unexpected attacks this month in several towns in the country.” She wasn’t the only one but it didn’t comfort her. It only meant that there were more people suffering.

“Why,” she whispered more to herself than to her companions.

“Why are they targeting the ones outside of the Academy?” she heard the girl whispered beside her. Academy?

“Just like what Mrs. Emmy-” Tessa frown at his back. Why did he stop?

“They won’t stop until they find them”, he continued. His voice turned cold and accusing. Tessa was confused. They? Them? Who?

“What happened while you were travelling?” the girl asked. She was now smiling at her. She hoped that the girl was warming up to her. Maybe, just maybe, they would tell her everything, or anything about her new life, later.

Tessa sighed, recalling the most tiring and painful week of her life.

“A group of four cornered me and I was barely able to make it out alive.” The girl gasped at the revelation. Wait for story of how I got out alive.

“I just recently found out about myself so I got out with cuts all over my body,” she revealed.

“Are they Mortemians?” the boy asked.

“I know I’m new to this but I’m sure they are Mortemians,” she replied. The spine-chilling laugh, the frightening smiles and the wicked aura said it all. And their eyes, they looked at her like she was a fresh meat ready to be devoured.

She remembered everything as the familiar fear crawled on her body.

“Shit”, she heard the boy said. Tessa chuckled. It wasn’t the time to laugh but to be alive was something that needed to be celebrated.

“It was.”

The silence continued until they emerged from the forest and came face to face with a clear river. It was narrow but long and deep. The heat from the sun burned her flesh but she welcomed the warmth.

“Do you want a refill?” Tessa looked at the boy as he unbuttoned his coat and removed his hat. No. He was not a boy. He was tall and lean and as old as she was. Her head fell just above his chest.

“Did you eat?” the girl asked her. Food. Tessa forgot about it when she was running away from the men earlier.

“I take that as a no,” the girl said and dropped her bag on the ground beside the tree. “I’m gonna get some fruits.” She smiled then walked back to the forest.

“Ehem.” Her head snapped towards the boy who raised his right eyebrow.

“Yes?” Then he laughed. His smile was charming.

“I guess you weren’t use to having company.” She frowned at him. “Anyway, I will refill your bottle.” He tilted his head towards the river.

“Ah, thank you but I’ll do it.” She opened her bag and grabbed her water bottles. She straightened up and held up her hand towards the boy who was now sitting on a rock.

He looked at it for a minute before he laughed lightly and grabbed the bottles from his bag then the girl’s. He gave them to her. She walked towards the river, eyes towards the river but concentrated on the surroundings. The wind wasn’t calm. This was probably because they were still in Woodland. But according to her map, once they crossed the river and walked for a mile, they would leave the flower town.

Tessa crouched beside the river and opened the bottle. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the sound of the water as it flows. She breathed slowly. Once she felt the increasing weight on her hand, she opened her eyes and saw water filling the bottle from the river. She did the same to the other bottles. She still wasn’t used to using her power and it felt like everything was a terrible dream. But she knew better than not to do anything. She needed to strengthen her power.

She walked back to where the others were resting and saw them staring at her. The girl carried fruits - bananas and apples. She stopped in front of them and gave them their bottles. They accepted the bottles but still stared at her.

“What?”

“Water Elemental,” the boy grinned at her. Tessa bit her lips and gave them a small smile.

“Wait, we forgot the introduction,” the girl declared.

“Skhy Wright.” Skhy offered his hand and she shook it.

“I’m Lei Quinn.” Lei smiled and shook Tessa’s hand.

“I’m Tessa. Tessa Morgan.”

“Welcome to the group, Tessa Morgan,” Skhy beamed at her.

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