Let's Go Home

Not only Marlin, and Lora, but also Tina had to go through a hilariously absurd night. It was because Tina was totally unaware of Lora's greedy landlord and his superstitious mind. Even though she sneaked into her apartment quite easily in the early morning, it wasn't easy to take her leave in the daylight, at 11 am. That old man had his eyes in every corner of his cheap building.

Whatsoever, Tina managed to reach the hospital at 12:40 pm. Raven was awakened from her cat nap when Tina entered the cabin room. On the other side, Ed was a sleeper; Tina had to push him out from his deep sleep. Then, four of them had their very first meal of the day, prepared by Tina. Tina wasn't someone to cook so often, but she tried it to make them all feel home. Though her cooking didn't hinder her from getting her to the hospital early.

However, Tina couldn't resist her exaggerated excitement from asking, "How do they taste? I cooked them by myself." Her eyes sparkled for a compliment. Raven took her chance;

- It's below average. Did you put too much salt in it?

- What? Really? It doesn't taste that way to me.

- Yeah, I think you put too much salt in it.

Tina worried and cried, trusting Raven's comment. Lora gazed at Raven and asked, "Are you trying to tease Tina?" Raven didn't look up to her, she just grinned. Ed was still processing from sleep inertia. He just kept chewing his meal slowly and swallowed them to get rid of his hunger; it didn't need to taste good.

"I just used my mom's special recipe to cook this rice", Tina sobbed. "Oh my gosh! I was kidding. It tastes fine. Happy, Cinderella?" Raven quickly apologized to her, being irritated by her annoying sobbing. Ed could tell that the situation was getting hilarious but he just stared, he was not in a mood to laugh but enjoyed it. Eventually they began to get comfy, and then realized that one of their mates was missing; Marlin.

While packing up the leftovers, Ed tried his phone to Marlin. But it couldn't reach him, his phone was switched off. "Does anyone have any updates on Marlin?" Ed frowned. Raven checked her phone where Marlin hadn't seen her text yet. "Nope", she replied. "He said that he wanted to head home after dropping me off," Tina replied. "That's why he didn't come with you", Raven murmured, she remembered the fact they both were supposed to stop by Lora's apartment. "Did you try calling him?" Lora asked. Ed replied swiftly, "His phone is switched off."

Tina then recalled the incident of Lora's apartment and abruptly pulled out the conversation,

- Hey, Lora, why do you stay in that cheap apartment?

Raven chuckled and replied sarcastically, "Because it's cheap, bruh!" "What happened, Tina? Did the landlord bother you?" Lora asked Tina; Tina restlessly shouted,

- Does he do that very often? He's a narcissist!

- Holy Cow! What happened?

Recalling the incident, she was confronted by Lora's landlord and went through a hectic conversation because of sneaking into that apartment. Fortunately, she had an undisturbed nap and woke up at 9:40 am. After packing all the stuff for Lora, and cleaning her zooish rooms, while she was cooking their meal, she was startled with an uncertain doorbell. Opening the door, the first scene that appeared in front of her was an old man's enraged face. It was already 10:20. The old man was also surprised to see an unexpected face.

- Who the hell are you, mistress?

- I...

- I'm the owner of this flat, and I'm not that old to remember my renter's face. You're definitely not Loren Becker.

- Pardon, I am Loren Becker's friend, Tina Parker. She's actually admitted in the hospital so I came over to pick up some stuff.

Hearing her quick explanation, he looked away, sighing with his exhausted throat, murmuring to himself aloud so that Tina could hear him too;

- Youths now-a-days. They are all polluting the society. We all live in a decent society and you all should know it. I just had enough with you all, partying all night and losing all your senses. That put her in the hospital.

- But we weren't partying...

After her impolite reply, he frowned and shouted,

- That's how you talk to elders!

- I'm sorry…

Tina abruptly apologized and the man just kept raising his voice;

- I'm used to all the excuses kids use nowadays, miss. By the way, I usually see you approaching here. Do you live here with her?

- No. I usually come here to visit...

- I'm not that old to have sore eyes! I see you here too often, too much for a visit.

The owner just kept nodding his head. It was true that Tina stopped by several times. But she never saw him nearby, let alone confront him. Obviously because that man was shooting in the dark to have the rent rise up. Few minutes ago, he saw Tina's face for the first time. She was getting more nervous as the conversation flowed;

- That's not the case at all!

- You need to pay double for that or just leave!

- But sir...

- I don't want any more excuses! People are not going to spoil this society while I'm still alive.

- How are we spoiling society?

- 'We'? It sounds like you do live here!

The man grinned as if he caught her red handed, but Tina got more nervous as it no longer made any sense. Her words were getting used against her just to win the argument. The old man continued,

- She is always seen out of her home in the middle of the night. Is that a good thing for a girl to stay out like that?!

- It's not a crime to stay out late.

- Yes it is, kind of. You're spoiling your family name, miss. I won't spare this time!

- But...

- If you don't live here, then go home. Or else I'll call the cops!

Tina panicked on his threat and jumped out of fear,

- No, wait! I'll leave as soon as I finish cooking.

- You have an hour to leave my apartment. I'm a polite man, that's why I'm sparing you this time. Or else I'd have called the cops. You get it?

- Thank you, sir.

He nodded and left her to finish her chores. The clever man managed to have an accusation for an extra income, most probably if Lora wouldn't decide to leave that apartment which hypothetically seemed an unrealistic possibility; where else she had to go!

"Where did they cut your road, sir?" The officer on the desk almost leaned before him to ask this question, as if the cop was concentrating on his words and being serious about catching the thief. Most probably because Officer Stanley wanted a promotion as quickly as possible. So he eagerly heard Marlin's testimony. Marlin replied,

- While I was walking my way home, near the bus stand, on the 'z' street.

- Okay, we'll write a report and look for your phone. You have to do the rest of the procedures as told.

- Okay.

- Your testimony has been taken. Rest is on us.

- Thank you, sir.

- Follow our men there.

Thus, Marlin lost his cash saved for the month and a five-year-old phone. They didn't let him keep his watch either. There he was, constrained to ask the cops for a call to his home, and so he called his younger sister Angela. She answered the call abruptly;

- Hello?

- It's me, Marlin.

- Marlin! Where have you been? You said you were on the way and then didn't show up! Then your phone was out of reach!

- I've been robbed. I lost my phone there.

- Oh, no! All in one day!

Angela had to go through a hard time in her brother's absence, but she had no idea what her brother had to go or how he was going to react to her anxiety. She began to blabber nervously while Marlin had no energy left in him, "Mom wasn't responding. So I called the ambulance and didn't wait for you. After reaching the hospital, I admitted her to the I.C.U. as the doctor said. Please, help me here. I don't know what to do."

After stating her report, she collapsed with tears. The news almost dropped Marlin to his knees; he had to reach out to his family. So, exhausted & worried Marlin asked,

- What?! Which Hospital?

- The 'Y' hospital.

- I'll be right there.

- I don't have money with me.

- Don't worry about the cash. Just take care of mom!

Cutting the call, Marlin made his run with his wobbly leg. A family without a father loaded Marlin's life with responsibilities. Lora and Edward tried to stand by him most of the time, financially. Still, Angela and their ill mother were Marlin's responsibility and it seemed too wrong to take all the help from his friends. However, all he lacked at that moment was some cash and a phone, and both of them were a must.

- How much is the bill?

- It doesn't matter; it's been paid.

- Really? I could have done it by myself. How much was it anyway?

Lora repeated her question so that she could repay the bill to Ed onwards. Chilled Ed didn't need a refund. It was cryptic how he was loaded all the time by running a music band of his own. Ed figured out Lora's tricky question and grinned, "It's none of your business", Ed replied, "You should see your plate. I wonder what's gonna happen in your apartment after what Tina caused." Tina swelled with anger and shouted,

- I didn't tell him to double the rent. He's a bloody narcissist!

- Did I hear Tina curse the landlord?

Raven frowned sarcastically, and in the speed of the wind, a boy slammed-opened the door of the cabin. The boy had a horrified look on his face and messy hair, yet looking cute; he rushed to Lora and cried, just to keep her startled of how to process. "What happened to you? I heard that you were possessed by the spirit that lives there and attacked Marlin. Are you hurt somehow? You fainted!" the adorable boy cried.

It was Linden, Lora's younger brother. Raven had to call him here. They both knew each other since college; she was also a young team mate, but older than Tina.

Raven didn't tell him about the haunted mansion incident, let alone exaggerate it. She shouted to him,

- Hey, hey, hey! Shut the driller, will ya? Where did you hear all that nonsense? Nobody attacked no one!

- Linden, I'm fine now. Nothing happened to me. I just fainted out of LBP. Nothing paranormal happened there.

Lora couldn't tell him about their secret mission, at least not in front of the team. Assured by Lora, Linden tried to settle down. He was still feeling awkwardly tensed,

- O, is that so? I was really worried. I didn't know how to explain it to dad. So I told him nothing.

- Thank you. You did good.

- I'm glad that you're okay now.

Lora was relaxed to hear that Linden kept everything under control at home. But her relaxed era was disturbed by some startling footsteps and a greet out of the blue, "Hello, Haunted Round Five!"

Hearing the voice from the guy appearing to stand in front of the open cabin door, Lora flinched, so did Tina and Raven, after recognizing the person's fiendish smile; Mr. Stephen Darcy.

Only Raven and Tina knew that Lora was compromised by this man, and Lora knew how far he could go.

- Thank you all for taking such good care of my dearest friend. We'll continue our courtesy from here.