Ares: Never Grow Up
Traumatizing.

"All right, I'm sleeping first. If there's anything, tell me right away?".

POV: Riot

Be the one who is awake here. Well, this isn't bad either. I've been having nightmares lately, too. And I miss my city too, when I was just a little away from there.

But I also had no choice but to follow them, my parents had already entrusted me to these children. And they also asked me to look after him. I believe there must be a reason behind it.

Since my father, is a thoughtful person, there is no way he would ask me to do something without a secret behind it. And my mom was the one with the strongest premonition, except when she met Ron.

Because of their desperation, they finally just resigned themselves and gave everything to Ron. But Kasian is also Ares, from then on he did not sleep and even watched.

If you remember, actually the most trying here is Ares. The preparation, execution, even the person who acts as the backbone of this team is him.

BRACKET!

I gasped when I heard the sound of something falling. My eyes immediately stared at the dark shelf at the end of the room. My heart did not stop beating fast, equalizing the rhythm of the turbulent fear.

"Ri ... ot, why ... did you leave us?" The voice became clearer. Become the person I fear the most.

He was my schoolmate, whom I had left to run away. With a body that was already out of shape, he walked while dragging his feet, approaching towards me.

"Huh .. hah .. huh." I started having trouble breathing, it felt like my lungs were blocked. I can't even move, but I really want to get out of here.

"Ri .. ot," he called again in that horrible voice. I started to shed tears, my breathing became even more irregular. In a few centimeters he'll touch me.

THE PLAQUE!

I felt my cheeks burning and hot. When I turned to see who slapped me, he was Vani. Because it was Vani who slept beside me. His face looked at me worriedly, his pale lips were confused as to why I was crying.

I turned to the black shelf once more, but the shadow of my friend had disappeared. I immediately cried loudly and hugged Vani.

Greb!

"Hiks hyks! Vani ...he was there, he was mad at me!" sob my tears while hugging her. Vani just kept quiet, she stroked my back gently.

"Don't be too tight .. My back still hurts," he said limply. I instantly came to my senses and let go of my embrace, could I even hug her wound?!

"Who's coming?" ask Vani in a soft voice. Maybe not to wake up Ares and Ken who are fast asleep. I took a deep breath and steadied my heart.

Before telling Vani, I glanced at the bookshelf earlier.

And the fallen wagon is there. That means that that wasn't my hallucination.

I began to tell about the trauma that had haunted me, rather than being hit by my parents' death because of Ron. I was more afraid of my friend who died without knowing anything.

"Sssst, relax. We're here, they won't be able to touch you" Vani said, pulling my head closer to his shoulder. He rubbed my head very gently and slowly, just like my mother defended me first.

I started to calm down, a while after Vani kept doing this. Finally I immediately distanced myself from Vani, and smiled at him.

"Thank you, go to sleep again. You have to rest a lot, I'll be back on my guard" I said in a slightly frightened tone. Vani looked at me suspiciously, her pale face still unable to hide that worried expression.

"Are you sure?" ask Vani while squinting. I nodded quickly while giving my right thumb to her.

"Wake us up immediately if anything happens again. Don't be afraid, even if your enemy isn't human anymore, we'll still help you" Vani explained and then he immediately lay down. As she began to close her eyes, my eyes were only fixated on her fragile little body. So too when I saw Ken and Ares, their 12-year-old bodies looked thin but felt big to me.

I don't know what they went through as a child, until his body was thin like this. I closed my eyes slowly, then refocused myself to keep watch.

"This time, I won't lose control" I said confidently. I started to stay awake and silent, but it turned out that the creature was not coming back. Until finally morning came up, and now I'm sleepy to want to die.

***

POV: Ares

I-i heard.

I heard everything. Turns out that's what Riot's been hiding? Because I haven't slept since.

And honestly .. I also saw what Riot saw. I was about to help her immediately, but Vani acted even faster. And just then, the ghost disappeared suddenly, like it was sinking into the ground.

But I'm sure it's not a ghost. Hah, I don't know .. I better still have to be on guard again.

***

Morning had arrived, I woke up with red eyes and tired, it was good that this did not leave dark circles under the eye area. If it does, it will be hard to cover it up.

Cring.

My eyes immediately turned toward Ken who was doing self-healing. Looks like he healed the wound from falling from the building that time. And the treatment was done gradually as it turned out, maybe this is so that Ken can share the rest of his chast to treat others.

"Oh, morning Ares!" greet Ken with a bright smile. Thank goodness he was healthy. Ken immediately stood up and ran towards me.

"Morning as well," I replied in an unintentionally limp tone. Ken immediately frowned, and looked at me confused.

"Why are you weak and useless like this?" asked Ken with a probing expression.

"I can't sleep well" I said, scratching my non-itchy neck. Ken immediately looked at me angrily, he pulled my collar and laid me on the carpet.

"Sleep again, we still have time until noon" said Ken seriously. I am even confused now, Riot said the journey is still long, if we do not leave since morning, it will be longer to arrive in the next city.

"We have to leave, right?" many confused. Ken just smiled as he shook his head.

"No, we don't have to hurry. We can use the car" said Ken, showing his arm muscles. I immediately realized what he meant, it turned out that he was completely healed and could drive.

"All right! I'm sleeping first!" I said enthusiastically, I immediately lay down and slept. I could hear Ken's footsteps drifting away from me.

"Excuse me Van, I'll treat you first" said Ken slowly. Even so I can still hear it. Apparently Ken treated Vani secretly, although the injury from the infic could not heal, maybe Ken just wanted Vani not to lose too much stamina.

Oh, I have to sleep first.

TBC.

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