Three

"Thanks boss." My grandma slapped some bills on the counter before grabbing the three cup noodles and handing them to us.

"Eat up boys, this is the best cuisine a convenient store can give you." She said holding back a small laugh and sliding her chopsticks together. I sat between Olsen and my grandmother and we all began to eat. I burnt my tongue trying to drink some of broth. Aside from it being hot, it was savory with a balanced sweet taste. The noodles were smooth and easily glided down my throat. Despite the delicious cupped ramen I couldn't help but think about the situation we were in. I hesitated.

"Are we doing the right thing?" I asked moving the ramen noodles with my chopsticks before taking a bite.

"Well... What do you think Leon? Are you okay with what we're doing? Are we doing the right thing?" She asked before gluping down the rest of her noodles and downing the broth.

I couldn't answer that. I didn't really know what to answer. I couldn't decide which answer was the right one anyways. It lingered in my mind and it really bothered me.

"I'll be waiting for you boys at the benches. Take your time and just eat." She took her steeped tea and threw her garbage out before heading outside of the store.

I looked at Olsen and I could tell he didn't have much of an appetite. He was struggling to eat the last few mouthfuls of ramen.

"What do you think Olsen?" I waited expectedly for his reply.

"What do you think Leon? I think I'm horrible. I think this whole thing is horrible. I dragged you and your grandma into this. I should've just stayed back." He forced the rest of his noodles down and inhaled the broth.

"Don't be like that. I'm sure-"

"I don't know, Leon. It's hard to accept, okay? I don't know anymore. I have a lot on my mind right now." He tapped his index finger repeatedly on the table and sipped on his tea.

I stopped speaking to him, I know he needs some space to think. I finished the rest of my ramen and silently watched him leave the store.

I sighed and took my tea. The cup was still warm, this time it was the perfect temperature, but it still felt cold drinking it.

"The three have now disappear and are supposedly on the run..." The hologram caught my attention and my heart dropped to my stomach.

"Fugitive Olsen was last seen smiling. Upon investigation his best friend Leon along with his grandma Amelia have also vanished..." My hand started to shake as I nervously looked at the employee at the cashier. He didn't really pay any mind to the broadcast and just mindlessly scrolled on the computer. I carefully looked out the windows to see if Olsen or my grandma saw, but they were too busy finishing their tea to look back. I quickly got up and guzzled the rest of my tea.

"Oh good. Let's start moving." My grandma looked at my wide eyes and slightly leaned to the left to look behind me.

I saw the small horrified look in her eyes, but it was only for a moment. It only lasted a second before she placed her hand on my head and pulled us towards her.

"Come on, you two have the passes I bought right?" I touched the pass in my pocket and nodded.

"Good the bus will be here soon."

Once the bus arrived there were multiple people already gathered at the stop, we waited for our turn to proceed but the volume of people pushed and shoved it was hard to not fall over.

"How long is this going to take?" Olsen asked as we sat on the bus.

"Don't ask too many questions. Just pay attention." She said rummaging through her backpack and placing it between her feet.

"Get your tickets out." I followed her eyes and I saw a man looking at passengers passes.

I felt around for my ticket but it wasn't there. I pat around and shoved my hand through, but there wasn't anything, just dust.

"But it was just here." I got up and looked through my bag, I looked through my other pockets, I looked at the ground. Nothing.

"What's wrong?" Olsen asked.

"I had my ticket, it was in my pocket but it's gone now. I don't know where it is." I panicked and placed my hands on my head.

"I swear I had it." I turned to my grandma but she looked as cool as ice.

"Tickets." The man said and before I could say anything my grandma stood up.

She spoke a language I haven't heard her speak before. I didn't recognize it in language class and I've never heard anything like it. When she finished her words the man spoke back in the same language. His voice was soothing and he smiled and nodded at her. He handed her a ticket and moved to another section.

"Here." She presented the ticket to me.

"This time don't lose it." She sat down and closed her eyes.

"Leon." I opened my eyes and saw Olsen all fidgety.

"What?" I sat up from my slouching nap position.

"Hesteria. Is it really true? Are we really going there?" He asked in the lightest whisper I've heard.

"I don't know. As kids we thought it was just a legend. Until we get there or see it, we won't know for sure." I said crossing my arms and closing my eyes again.

"Leon." I heard my name again.

I opened my eyes once again and saw Olsen looking at my grandma's wrist.

"Dog, what are you doing?" I asked sitting up in defense.

"I've only seen digital clocks, but those, I've only seen them in old movies." He said pointing at a small clock on my grandmothers left wrist.

"What are those called again?" I thought back to history.

"Wrist clock." Olsen said.

"No, what the hell." I said, now thinking hardly.

"Small clock." He answered.

"That's definitely not it. I swear there's like a word for that type of thing." I said touching my forehead.

"I think it does have clock in it though."

"Oh so I'm kind of right." He pulled his fist in victory and hid his grin.

"Ugh, what is it. I'm so close." I cracked my knuckles and looked out the window in deep thought.

"It's an analog watch." Said an older man walking by, he grinned and disappeared to the body of the bus.

"A watch!" We lightly said in realization.

"Yeah, that's what it's called. A watch." I said looking at the smaller clock. Not many people keep watches anymore. They're replaced with their digital counterparts.

"I was close wasn't I?" Olsen smiled. I shook my head at his light hearted answer. That man also grinned and I looked around to other people in the bus. Seems like no one noticed.

I was jealous. I've been off the pills for a few days, yet I haven't smiled or grinned or laughed. It came so easily to Olsen, how come it isn't so easy for me? I thought to myself, looking at the darkened sky and the dim lights of the bus. The hushed silence of the bus and humming of the wheels lulled most people to sleep. Yet I was still up, thinking and thinking. It was late, but I wasn't sure what time. I looked over at my grandmothers watch, but I didn't know how to read it. I glanced at her sleeping face and thought back to earlier when she spoke to the man. That language she spoke... I know my grandma, I know who she is. But I don't know everything about her and it's troubling me. What does she know that I don't?

I patted my pocket and then my backpack and my face soured. I didn't have my phone, or tablet to distract myself from my drowning and hungry thoughts. It's odd, I always have something to distract myself from reality. Now that I don't have anything, I don't know what to do with myself and time seemed to move slower. I sat with my hand in my lap and looked around the bus. No one else was awake and no one else looked like they had their devices with them. I leaned my head back to close my eyes and heard the low humming of the wheels.

"Leon. Get up." I heard my grandmothers voice and opened my eyes to her pulling her backpack over her shoulders. I too did the same, Olsen was the last one to wake up. His face droopy and swollen looking.

It was too early to say anything, The sky was still a dark navy blue and I estimated to have only slept a few hours. Few passengers waited alongside us at the bus doors. They slide open and we got off on a darkened unlit road. A pole stood shortly indicating the bus stop and there weren't any other vehicles around, nor houses. Farmland, fields and tall grasses were the view along the horizon with the crisp, invigorating night air. The passengers that got off the same stop spoke to my grandma in the unidentifiable language.

"Leon... Olsen..." I heard ours names being vocalized and were the only things I recognized. They continued to speak for a few moments and she turned to us.

"We'll be staying with them for tonight." She smiled at us and I instantly looked at the passengers. They too, gave us a tender smile and I nodded back unable to smile. I frowned examining everyone's smile.

We walked for about half an hour before coming up to a small motel.

"These people own this motel and offered us a room to stay in, free of charge." She excitedly whispered catching up on the two couples, one of which had a small boy around a toddlers age. He tiredly rubbed his eyes and yawned.

The motel wasn't large. It had about 30 rooms. 15 rooms along the ground with 15 on the top. On the right was probably the office. The doors were emerald green, the stairs, pillars and building were covered in a clear white colour. The doors matched the surrounding greenery. It looked very well kept, unlike the stereotypical run down motels. Olsen and I stood outside of the office, my grandmother and the others spoke inside. She emerged out of the small room and held out a key card.

"We're in the third one." She said leading us to the room. The card beeped and the door opened.

The floors were dark wooden planks, the theme obviously being that of the environment outside. The room littered with matching browns, greens, whites and blues in various shades. They complimented each other well.

"Get to bed boys, today we will reap our rewards." She headed to the washroom. Olsen and I kicked off our shoes and got into the beds. The sound of the showerhead turning on was the last thing I heard.

"Leon, Leon! Get the hell up!" Her hand shook my shoulder, her voice shaking in anxiety. I shoot up and pulled my bag on, Olsen was already up unable to stay in the same position and constantly rubbing on his backpack straps.

"What's going on?" I whispered. She placed her fingers on her lips and pointed to her ears.

"Where are they?!" I heard voices outside while I tied my shoe laces.

"We don't know who they are." A voice replied.

"Don't lie! You got off on the same stop." Another said.

"That doesn't mean they're with us." A woman answered.

"We aren't play joking around here, if you know anything it's time to speak up." He said.

"After the bus stop they just kept walking straight down the road. I didn't ask anything. It's none of my business.

"Are you happy?" I heard the question.

I couldn't hear their words, I felt like belching, my head became dizzy. I held onto the bed but my grandmother gave me something.

"Smell this." It had a strong pungent smell like cat urine, and it stopped my symptoms. I just scrunched my face in disgust and held my breath.

She pointed to the window near the back of the room and we quietly rushed over. The voices getting louder and louder. She struggled to push up the window, her hands fumbling in panic. Seeing this I rush beside her and we push it up together. The window opened up with a slight pop. The voices were outside of the door and she shoved Olsen and I out followed by herself. She immediately pulled the curtains over and closed the window. I heard the front door of the our motel room open and my grandma started flailing her arms to run through the tall grass. We burst through the green thicket. I blindly ran trying to force my eyes to adjust to the darkness. The ends of the grass hitting my chin and face as I duck but I was too distracted, my heart hammering on my ribcage. I could hear the window open behind me in the distance and my lip trembled. I took a glance behind me and saw Olsen running, with my grandma close behind. She held her thumbs up and swung her arm continuously, communicating to keep running forward. I nodded and ran forward because my life depended on it.

"Leon! Slow down!" I heard her yell and came to a halt. A river close by echoed loudly. We walked closer and there it was. The moonlight gently reflected in places where the water was calm enough to be while in other places it rapidly ran allowing the sound to be picked up and launch it meters away. It was small enough to see the other side, but it was big enough to make it an inconvenience to cross.

"What do we do now?" Olsen asked trying to catch his breath.

"We cross it. What else is there to do?" She was breathing heavily and bent down to roll up her pants and tighten her backpack.

"Can't we go around it?" I asked trying to inhale as much air as I can.

"Go around?" She snorted.

"We'll be dead by the time we make it to the other side if we go around. She giggled like a child before taking in a couple long and deep breathes in and out.

"Lets go. Who wants to go first?" She asked bending down and taking her shoes along with her socks off.

Olsen and I stared at each other. I looked back at the water and noticed how dark it was.

"I can't see to the bottom." I said walking slightly closer and looking at the blacked out river. It must be too dark out.

"It's shallow." My grandma said before walking in front of me and hopping in.

The river water came to her lower calf. But I still couldn't see her feet in the water.

"Do you smell it?" She asked squinting at us. I leaned in closer, now at the edge. I heard Olsen cough.

"It smells sour." He covered his mouth and nose.

"This is what happens when you don't care." She carefully walked with a slight frustration in her voice.

"Hurry up. We don't have time." She made her way to the other end.

Olsen and I looked at each other again and we started preparing ourselves.

I dipped my feet in the water before fully submerging my toes. The water was oddly warm, the sour smell intensified.

"God…" I said to myself as Olsen and I crossed.

"It's warm because of the factories dumping their waste into here." She poured water over her feet before drying them off and putting her footwear back on.

"You two better hurry up. It's not good for your skin, you'll get rashes." She stood up and watched us.

I looked to my feet. It must be worse in daylight. I continued walking and felt something squish between my feet.

"Do you feel that?" I asked Olsen with a grossed out expression. He looked extremely focused.

"I'm trying not to get this on my clothes. It'll reek." He cautiously moved and I swallowed hard.

I knew the rivers were polluted but you don't really feel the effects of it until you experience it. I felt disgusted walking through the water and carefully made it to the other side. She poured water on our greyed feet.

"We're getting closer if that motivates you."

It didn't look like we were getting closer. We travelled along the grass for what felt like forever. Nothing changed, only the sun was starting to peek from the horizon. Grandma stopped in her tracks. I was too out of it and bumped into her.

"Leon, watch out." She laughed, I had almost knocked her small frame over.

"Oh, I'm sorry." My head was light. I must be too tired.

"Isn't it just amazing boys?" Her eyes gleamed at the rising sun, the colours vibrant and eye catching. It really was an amazing sight.

"What are you guys looking at?" Olsen stood in-front of us with a curious gaze.

"Look behind you dingus." I sighed and grandma just giggled. Olsen turned around shrugging.

"The sunrise?" He pointed to it.

"What do you think? Yes, the sunrise. Since when did you become such a dumbass?" I asked jokingly shoving him to the side.

"Since when did you become a hard ass?" He replied. Grandma chuckling on.

"You two…"

"We aren't getting anywhere." I complained. We were still walking. The sun nearly above us.

"I'm tired, grandma. Do you even know where we're going?" I restlessly said. At this point I'd much rather die or get arrested than continue on the path.

"Be patient." She said in a sharp tone.

"Grandma. There's no such thing as Hesteria. It's just a myth, and we're just fugitives on the run." I stopped walking in sweat and frustration.

"Leon. Don't you dare say that. We are not criminals." She stood infront of me with harsh eyes.

"It sure feels like it. I mean, look at where we are! The middle of fucking no where!" I raised my hands displaying the surrounding grass.

"Don't swear at me!" She pulled on my collar, hard. I'd almost fallen from her grip.

"Hey, guys. Let's just relax. We're probably all tired. Let's just keep going. The more we act like this, the more we waste time." Olsen hesitantly walked towards us.

Grandma glared daggers through the both of us.

"When I said to be quiet. This is what I meant." She looked at me touching her forehead.

"Look, Leon. I'm sorry. But we aren't safe at all. I know you're tired. You'll get to rest soon." I looked at her with boiling anger, but I tried not to frustrate her even more.

"I'm sorry grandma, I shouldn't have-"

"It's okay, Leon. Let's just go." She turned around but something caught her attention.

"Behind me." She said pulling out a small knife from her pocket.

"Behind me!" She hurriedly said, and we followed suit.

I waited to see what made her get pushed into her fight response.

"______" Someone spoke, but again. I couldn't understand the words.

My grandma lowered her blade and four people emerged speaking the unknown tongue. Three women and one man. They exchanged words with her and she placed her knife back into her pocket.

"Leon?" I heard my name being uttered and someone else emerged from behind the four.

"Luika?"