Eleanor sat nearby the feet of her only twin brother. Her gaze shifted to Oscar, who kept a bow on his head as he glared at his phone screen.
"Busy?"
Their ash brown eyes never backed down from a staring contest.
Alas, he sighed. "Been trying to get some signal but to no avail..."
"Same— and low battery!"
Soon, the glasses nestled back on his refined aquiline nose from cleaning. "You were taking a picture of the boss monster outside. No signs of phone charging."
Eleanor rolled her eyes. "At most cloudy, in this fair weather. So— "
"Still possible." Him cutting her off merit a scrunch on her face. "But not in this instance."
"Instance?"
"Have you never wondered why it had been wolves, so far?"
Eleanor thought aloud, "... I have an Idea, but I'm not so sure."
"Whatever that is; think of it we are in a dungeon of the sort."
Since this disaster happening, more and more things beyond common sense started popping up.
She might've played a different game...
Perhaps read a different story...
But never a stranger to it, not with his twin— obsessed with novels and games at times. One might have a hard time with the uptake. That is, if she didn't knew any better...
"We cleared— that boss, right?"
"Maybe, maybe not." He shrugged. "Seemed like brother knew something more than it meets the eye, as usual."
Indeed, for they would never had gotten this far without their eldest brother's help.
To which she only ran her as disheveled hair between her fingers. "He hasn't finished meditating, even when sister came back from getting food and essentials outside."
"Thank goodness, nothing happened to her."
"What do you mean? I went to her and grab a handful what she carried; literally smelled like burnt."
"Is it?"
"The fuck—" she hissed, though to a hush, at him. "Why would I lie?"
"Her gloves never burned—"
A slight tilt towards her twin, responded, "Neither when she tried to save this idiot."
"Right. We still have more questions regarding this phenomenon."
In the meantime, Ethan's fingertips twitched against the mattress for a while now.
'Soft.'
His back relaxed; of what seemed forever he wanted to shift his body to the side when his ears perked from hearing Eleanor.
"Bro Ozzie, do you think we would become like them someday?"
"Maybe, maybe not." Once again, he tried to shrug it off but gave in when she didn't like his nonchalance. "I mean, who doesn't? But it's not like we can help it."
Ethan opened his eyes in slow manner. Unbeknownst to them, lost in their train of thought, he mumbled, "Why don't we ask them?"
Two of them jolted when their youngest tried to sit upright.
Eleanor leaned to help him right away.
"We can—" Ethan halted when his nose caught the drift of a savory aroma. "After we eat— No. Wait. We shouldn't cook!"
Oscar blocked him within arm's reach. "You don't have to worry about wolves. Sis probably dealt with it."
His twin then gave a not. "They can fuck around and find out."
Like a release on his uptight chest, he let out a sigh while giving his neck a scratch.
That time he could never forget.
In him, his heart welled up.
Awe
Pride
Anywhere and in between it.
Shifting his focus to them, they also bore the same sentiment as well.
"Elle, had we known about this coming. Would you still pursue in medicine?"
"Of course."
"... Swear it."
"Nah, no way."
"You crazy bitch—!"
"—Though I'm happy living the social media life as well. Had to post one about hours ago. Marked safe."
Ethan huffed with head shook from hearing her nonsense; now he leaned towards his brother.
"What about you, bro Oz?"
"I'm done with my life in as data scientist and software engineer. Streaming nowadays is better..." he trailed off, hesitant as he took notice on his bow lips pressed thin. "Didn't you want to either write or draw?"
His face flushed. "How'd you know?"
"I have my ways— Anyway, how is it?"
"Love both, but more on the latter. Unlike all of you, it seemed brother Damian paid much attention—"
Oscar cleared his throat. "Here we go again with that card."
"Didn't you all get help, in any shape or form, from him at some point?"
Both of them looked at each other and answered in unison, "And?"
"Well, I didn't."
"I did notice how he changed." Oscar furrowed his brows while giving a fix on his glasses. "What would he even done that would help us, right now, anyway?"
Their effort of reassurance only earned him a single thought.
'... Regressors usually invest if it benefits them...'
But then he shook his head in abrupt.
"Honestly, it didn't feel too bad. Like him, when would you change, Bro Ozzie?"
"You've been quite a sass, lately!"
Eleanor acted to a cower when Oscar feigned to raise his hand.
"Aren't youngest meant to be pampered."
"You're one to talk!" he snapped with squinted eyes. "You are one too!"
"I'm two minutes older than you."
Their bickers turned to a stop when Arlene knocked on door wide open while she carried a tray with three bowls of soup.
"Why not fill your mouths with these? Had to make something what we only have." Arlene went beside the nightstand as they scooted near her. Those satin gloves she wore now sat on his head to a pat. "I'm glad you're awake."
"Mhmm, what about bro Dee?"
"He just finished. He's at the kitchen. You three stay here." She dusted off her apron before leaving.
Three of them cheered with clenched fists.
Steam and aroma welcomed his face as he gulped from the thinly sliced pork meat on top of the sautéed veggies in this creamy stew.
It didn't take long for them to dig in.
Ethan, in particular, gobbled up.
After throwing up most earlier.
He needed it.
Neither snacks satiated his hunger since earlier.
Upon checking his bag, he noticed only one bottle of water left.
He got out of the bed on the other side and went to the kitchen.
It should've been quick for what he only needed but going there seemed to have time stopped.
Even worse as his heart sank
For he overheard what was beyond the walls.