8 Morning Shock

The City of Netherville.

It was a city of many buildings varying in size. There are small convenience stores to sit and eat, to relax as the masses went about their day. There are parks and wild spaces, a chance to have a walk with your dog or morning jog or enjoy the trails on bicycles. There are also public libraries, museums, and even art galleries where families and friends could have fun bonding together. A typical city if you look at the outside perspective but there's something mysterious happening behind that no one can imagine. How could I say that? Well, that's how just works in novels.

There was the highest and most luxurious building located in the middle of the city. It captivates anyone with just a glimpse of its superior futuristic interior design. It belongs to the riches conglomerate of the country, the InoGen -Tech Corporation. This is as tall as two Eifel towers that are placed together and as wide as ten soccer fields. There is a symbol of the golden smiling sun in the highest middle part of the building that symbolizes that their power and authority are the highest in the city and beside it is the huge flag of their country. The flag has five colors, which are blue, red, white, purple, and yellow. In the middle is a crescent beside a sun and it is surrounded by seven stars.

Their front gate was surrounded by silver and red pearl with gold coloring. It would really pale anyone if you just randomly walk there with some plebian clothes. The surrounding area is much busier too with different sources of livelihoods for many people.

While the middle part of the city is brimming with riches and developments. Some surrounding areas could be envisaged completely in contrast to this. This is the place, where dumps of the city were thrown. The surroundings are messy and the people who lived in this area are wearing torn worn-out or cheap clothes. One could clearly see the poverty-stricken faces of people here. Others look so torn out, hungry or their eyes are purely empty of emotions. Most of them don't have the ability to educate themselves because all their time was focused on how they will be able to eat and survive the next days. Houses build of woods and some patch-up bricks. Some people were shouting while some are already drinking even though its morning.

This place is what the part of the city we called slums or some call this the dirt of the city.

The higher powers don't really have time for them. Rich entrepreneurs stating with their corporate advocacies that they will provide ways to help the poor but never become consistent with this and most politicians during elections make promises but never fulfill them.

And I am closely living in this area, in some run-down apartment, I bought and owned now. I don't mind since this is where my mother lives before she disappears. I must say I'm lucky enough to have this place. Even though she left me, I still think of this place as an inheritance left by my mom. I live here, hoping that one day, she will come back and give me the reason for the day she left me in that park.

Besides, there is already a place that I kept visiting and looking at. And I must say that this is really become my favorite and the place I enjoy and love the most here.

What is this place?

Oh well, It was an old cafe, called Mr. Sunny's Drink that could be found two roadblocks within my apartment. This is also one of the famous cafe shops here in town. It gives a unique homey but refreshing nature's ambiance and even though you are still on the opposite road or near it, you could already smell the sweet-savory aromas of the drinks from the shop. My most favorite one of these is a bit expensive. It is because they use Kopi Luwa or Alamid beans from the Philippines. Alamid coffee has a pleasant and swack sweetness that has hints of chocolate and a subtle caramel taste. They lack bitterness compared to other coffees. Well, I love the Philippines. This is one of my favorite places around the world. I enjoy my stay there greatly in two of their famous beaches, the Boracay and Panglao, and got to eat some of their unique foods, Kwek-Kwek, and fishballs.

UGHH! I want to go there again with my Boo.

I walk every day there to have a cup of their Alamid Coffee every day. I never grew tired of it ever since I've got the taste of it. Their strawberry tarts are so well-made too that they perfectly blend with the coffee. It made my day completely!!!

That's right. That's what should my day supposed to be, enjoying my morning treat and drink. But I was awoken from my dreamland by a jolt when I heard the loud shouts of Fred and Tom outside from my apartment. I see that the sky is still dark. And when I look at my phone it was still freaking 3:00 am!

I begrudgingly wear my blue shirt and pants. I combed my ransack hair or else they will see what a real witch would look like. Well, I'm more comfortable having this kind of hair because this is who am I. I headed downstairs and opened the door. A very annoyed face is plastered on my face as I speak. "What is it? It's freaking 3:00 am for Pete's sake!" I try to say with my most calm voice but it still, end up with a shout.

"Calm down Liza. We are here for a good reason but before that, let's go first to Erin's place. Lucas messages us that she is in danger." Tom said with slight worry in his voice. As I hear the word Erin and danger, I hurriedly grab my new car keys, phone, and bag.

"Why didn't say so? Let's hurry now. Tell me every detail in the way." We immediately hopped onto my car and begin to drive fast as soon as possible.

"Speak," I said as I grab a bite on the strawberry wafer biscuit, I brought with me. We could not work properly if our stomach is empty you see. Hmm. And I do believe that our second brain is our stomach. If our stomach is empty so is our brain too. So even on this hectic day, I managed to eat properly as possible as I can.

"He sent us a message around midnight. And I've got to read it around 2:43 am. Since I need to wake up to finish my manuscripts." Tom said.

"I also received one. He told us to go to Erin because she is in danger. So we immediately went to you first." Fred said.

"Huh? Why didn't just go ahead without me?" Liza asked with a slight tint of anger in her voice.'If Erin is in danger they should not bother me first or call the police. Wait! Erin is the police, right? 'UGH! This is very confusing'

"Well, you are near to our place it's just one road walk. And besides, you have a car. We will reach there much faster." Tom said though his real reason was to save some fare fees since Erin's place was much farther from them. She's in the very opposite corner of the city.

"Fair point." Liza focused on driving to its maximum speed. Before they could reach Erin's place they need to travel two hours on the road. After almost an hour and a half, they could finally see the towering buildings of Netherville. Liza remembered that her two companions must not have eaten yet.

Here have some bis..." Liza was supposed to give some wafer to Tom and Fred when Fred suddenly shouted.

"Look out!" Liza's eyes widen as an incoming bus is heading straight to them without stopping at an incredible speed.

"Oh! Holy!" Liza fastly maneuvers the steering wheel to the right side. It was only an inch away when the speeding bus passes through them. Liza immediately hit the brakes as they make it safe to the side of the road.

*Boogsh*

*Shatters*

The bus hit directly towards some convenience store. It shattered the glasses of the whole place as a cloud of smoke is coming out from the broken bus. With the speed and intensity of it, the small store where damaged terribly. Most of the products were reduced to waste.

The three who almost died right now look as pale as a ghost. But that's not the end of it. They came back to their senses as they hear a hammering sound.

*Bam!*

*Bam!*

One sound becomes two, then three and it increases from the different side of the car. People, no crazy people are banging and shaking off down the car!