Chapter 9

'Hey, you okay? Why cant you leave?' Connor responds to my text.

I sigh, contemplating how to respond. I could always just tell the truth; but how dumb would it look for a government employee to say 'Oh uh, yeah my mom said no, sorry! Maybe we can go risk our lives fighting monsters another day!'?

I switch off my phone and lie in my bed. Its been quite a long few weeks, looking back. I still have scabs from the first gate, and i dont think I'll ever grow facial hair after the fireball. To make matters worse we still have to clear all the gates around the state, and lord knows what awaits us in those.

"Will we ever get a break?" I sigh to myself.

Im interrupted mid-pity-party by the sound of knocking at the front door. Who the hell would be here at this hour?

I reluctantly get off of my bed and walk down the stairs. Through the window on our front door I can see the distorted silhouette of a boy around my height.

"Ezra?" A familiar voice calls from behind the door.

This moron…

I open the door to find a concerned looking Connor outside.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I ask.

"What the hell are you not… not… doing here?" He poses a question, seemingly moreso to himself than to me.

"Its just… We have been fighting nonstop for weeks, researching in our offtime, and my family hasnt known where the hell I was this entire time. They're incredibly worried, Connor. I have to at least give them some respite, if not myself." I explain with a sigh.

"I see… well, if thats the case why not give them some insight as to what you actually do?" He asks.

"No, absolutely not," I groan, and step aside "At least come in, I'll go grab sodas."

I go to the kitchen and by the time I open the refrigerator I hear my mom's voice call from upstairs, "Ezra? Who's there?"

"Just Connor mom. I'm still not leaving, don't worry," I call up in response. I grab two sodas and close the fridge before returning to the living room.

When I return, I see my mom sitting in the living room talking to connor.

"So what is it exactly that you guys do?" She asks.

"I cant tell you that… You will have to ask Ezra, unfortunately," he responds.

I set the sodas down on the table, "Here, then. You two take these. Ill go grab another for myself. We have to have a discussion, it seems," I say before quickly grabbing another, steeling myself for the conversation I'm about to have.

I sit down across from my mother.

"Mom, you know about these gates appearing everywhere, right?" I ask, tapping my foot on the ground to calm my nerves.

"Yeah, I know. My question is why you keep going to these - LITERAL - hellholes?" She asks.

"Well, do you remember that break that happened a while ago?" I query.

"Yeah, what about it?" She responds, looking confused.

"Well… if we dont enter the gates, and kill all of the monsters inside within a set period of time, that's the result," I explain, bracing myself for the banshee-like scream I am about to hear, but it never comes.

"I see… but why are you two the only ones who can do this? Arent there any older people more capable of doing this?" She presses further.

"Thats… what the reason for the other half of my dissappearances is. I'm a researcher for the government now, studying gates and the power called Mana," I explain, "Though, there should be more players awakening soon. We just had the first registrant at the association recently."

"Oh… I see…" She responds, lost in thought.

"You arent… like… mad?" I ask, taking a sip of my soda. My throat is dry as sandpaper right now.

"Ezra, I was never mad. I am worried. Those are two very different things… but, if this is how it has to be, I can at least try to be a bit more understanding," She finally explains, "Just, try to keep me in the loop more, okay? I wont tell your sister anything for now, but promise me you will?"

At this point I feel the tears I'd been holding back from anxiety welling up, but they are instead released out of relief and guilt. "Thank you, mom. I promise, I will," I manage to choke out, before pulling her into a hug.