The Way Back Home's

Broken Down's

Milo shook his head at his brother. “Do not,” whisper slowly.

Farrell knew what Milo was worried about. “We don't know if it's the original bidder or not.”

“Full suspicion until the end. You are different from your uncle. Not at all surprising. You have no blood relation with them.” Denise lifted the bottle into the air. “So I thought I could barter smoothly. You prefer the rough way. It seems you are not aware of your current condition. Take look! You're just the two of you with your sister. Children are weak without magic. I can drop this antidote on the floor right now or I can use magic to snatch the certificate from you. Your choice.”

“It's not an option.” Farrell unknowingly clutches a green map containing Eden’s Lodge certificate. He was well aware that Denise was not an opponent who could be suppressed just like that. Farrell himself didn't want Denise to corner him. “I know it's a fake antidote. You want to kill us all.”

Denise laughs. Her shrill voice made her look more like a witch in fairy tales. He seems to enjoy his game. “Farrell dear.. It turns out that you are also smarter than your uncle.”.

“Please keep your promise, Denise! I'll give you the certificate if you actually release my mother and Christo! Please!”

“Good, good. This is the original antidote.” This time, Denise picked up another glass bottle filled with a clear green liquid.

Milo still can't believe it. “Where do we know that it's the real antidote? You may not have the antidote.”

“You think I'll bring a poisonous spider with no antidote? Well, because my heart is happy. I'll show you.” Denise took out a small bottle of black liquid where the tiny spider was caged. He walked up to the nearest table and let the black spider out in search of fresh air. At that moment, Denise poured a drop of clear green liquid onto it. The spider squirms in pain. Not for ten seconds, his body was upside down. Strange smells spread from the carcass of the poisonous animal accompanied by a thin puff of smoke that never goes out.

Milo hurriedly closed his nose.

Denise continued. “Satisfied?  This liquid will make the poison evaporate. My little pet body is made up of ninety percent poison. You see how this antidote's effect is on him, don't you?”

“Release mom and Christo!” Farrell still insisted. “Exchange certificate with bidder.”

“Good, good. Jim, Joe, let them go!”

Under Denise's orders, the two men released their hostages. Christo approached her mother, led her away from Denise and approached Milo. Both are going slowly. Christo walked slowly. He was not equating his steps with his mother, he himself seemed to walk limping with pain. Milo was eager to run at mom, but he was afraid in case there was an attack. So, Milo waited after mom passed Denise, then he helped mom get away.

Denise is waiting for the two to join the second son Eden. They kept their distance from him as well as Farrell. “How? I've released them, Farrell. Now, the certificate!” Denise raised the bottle higher so Farrell could see.

Farrell held out the certificate with his left hand. His right hand was ready to catch the bottle should Denise drop the bidder bottle on the floor instead of giving it to him. Farrell is wrong. Denise put the bottle into Farrell's hand while taking the certificate with the other hand. Farrell looked at the bottle in his hand. Still can't believe the transaction is too easy.

Denise turned to her two guards. Before leaving the room, the woman turned to smile one last time. “It's good to do business with you, Farrell.”

I don't know why, but Farrell knows that Denise has set up another hoax. “Running!” yells.

Farrell carrying mom. Milo pulled Christo running towards the exit. Just running in half, a great shock felt. Shortly after, a huge explosion occurred. The explosion caused the roof to gradually collapse starting from the side closest to the door. They're trapped!

Christo moved as fast as he could get close to the glass cabinet behind the long bar table. “From!” he said he barely made a sound. Christo's hand grabbed one of the cupboard's doorknobs. Not interesting, he just turned it clockwise. The closet shifted, opening a gap towards the dark hallway. A cold air flowed outwards.

Without being told, they went inside. Farrell is first. He was a little troubled because he was carrying his mother. Fortunately, my mother was so thin and light. Next Milo, last Christo. The secret door behind them closed. Next, the hallway began to be illuminated by torchlight on both sides of the wall. The walls look uneven. The size of the hallway is not too broad. They are wrong to think they are safe. Shocks are approaching. Behind Christo, the hallway began to collapse.

“Run! Fast!” Milo exclaimed in the midst of panic. “Denise says it will rebuild the North. He will tear down all these parts first!”

“Exit!”

BRUK!

Farrell jerks. Looking back, he saw Christo had fallen.

Milo was shaking his body. “Build! You can't fall here!”

Farrell approached. “Christo! Come on, we're close!”

Christo's body trembled when forced to wake up. He could only lean against the wall. His face looked as white as a corpse, his lips began to turn blue. “Come without me,” he said softly. “I. The poison... has already spread..”.

Milo. “Poisons? Did Denise poison you too? Don't worry, we have a cure.”

“Ngak. The antidote.. is just enough... for one person.”.

“Ki— We can split it in two. Right, ‘kan, Farrell?”

Christo shakes. “No, Milo..”

The shock began to feel again. Farrell could feel the ground start to shake. A grain of water down her cheek, either sweaty, or teary-eyed. “We can't leave you here.”

Christo nodded again. His hand took out a pocket watch and gave it to Milo. “This belongs to your father... Return it to him..”

“You're crazy!?” Milo screaming. “I don't want to hear anyone's last request today!”

Farrell repeated his words. “Christo, we will not let you die here! We'll go out together even if we have to drag you.”

“Aidtroj—”

“That we think about later.” Farrell hands Milo his mother. He knew he could rely on his sister at times like this. “Run to the exit! Don't look back!”

Milo according. He ran first, leaving Farrell to finish Christo.

“Why.... do so far... for people like me?” Christo whispered softly.

“Someone used to ask me. Do you think family relationships are always tied to blood relationships? No.” Farrell ignored all his fatigue. He could see Milo had already arrived at the end. The bright line in front had now turned into a dazzling square hole. “Christo, we will come out together because you are also part of the Eden.” family

“Farrell... You.. really... exactly your father.”.