Chapter four

"It was there that the army was raised. She…"

"Wait a minute there. Rewind, please. Wasn't paying attention for a while there." Edna cuts in.

He sighs. "With many torturous years in her dungeon, hunger was the least of her problems. Old age and its effects were worse. On the surface, at the time wars of conquest were rampant.

"Numu was seen as a perfect execution site. War prisoners, fugitives, and many people were thrown down the hole. To this hag, this was a time to feast. Though old and fragile she had her ways to get food in her mouth.

"It was the bones of her leftovers that Death's grasp couldn't reach that evolve into the Army of the Dead. They became eternal servants of hers. Till now, they say she keeps sending them out whenever her stomach growls."

"Wow…that is a nice tale. I got goosebumps all over. Say…" Before she proceeds she stretches to take a glance at where Mr Brown sits. Fortunately, he was asleep. "Before you wanted to sit here right?" Adam nods in response. "It is settled then. Today, I feel like a philanthropist so let's swap." He shakes his head in disagreement.

"Here is fine." She gives a disappointed smile and then shakes her head.

"Just move already and dump all this chivalry sh*t!" She utters pulling Adam to the window side by the arm.

"Stop. I understand. Let's swap." They do so.

About two minutes pass and throughout that moment Edna is focused on surveilling the bus. The teacher is sleeping, students are engrossed in their chitchats, some also sleeping, others are soaked in their phones, etc.

Content with the atmosphere, she shifts her attention to Adam whose eyes are fixated on the faraway passing mountains. For some time in the silence, she keeps staring till the silence is broken by:

"What is it?"

"Nothing Adam. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable with my stare."

"In don't mi…" Before he can end, Edna jumps and take a seat in his lap. "What are you doing?" He asks, his expression unchanged.

"Why, are you uncomfortable?"

"No."

"Then it is done. I'm sitting here till we get back."

"No. You are heavy. Get off." She turns at him, looking him in the eyes. In a minxish manner, trying to push out her cleavage she says:

"Oh please, Adam….I feel much more comfortable here, in your lap. Pretty please."

"No."

"Tsk. Stop your yapping. The big guy downstairs says a different thing you know."

"It's a phone. Just get off me." He holds her by the shoulder and tries to pull her off. She also resolves to use force and holds the seat for support.

"Ouch! Adam it hurts!" She exclaims under tone with teary eyes.

"But I did not put any strength in it." He let go of her. She starts to wipe off the little tears with her index finger. Upon finishing, she smiles and sticks out her tongue at Adam. He looks a bit confused.

"If you try to push me off I will tell Mr. Brown you hurt me." She says with a smile which says 'touché'.

"But it is not true."

"Well he won't know that, will he?"

"Hm! Fox. Do you mind checking the time on my smartwatch?"

She complies.

"It is…4:15. Huh, shouldn't it be around three pm? And what is that red dot beeping on it?"

"Thanks. So it has been recording for the past four hours, huh? Are you still going to lie to the teacher now?"

"Wait…Wait. Record? You know I was only joking right?" She asks getting teary and panicking. "Come on. You are joking right…right?"

"Ahhh! So noisy. Never said I was going to present it, did I? Now stop overreacting."

"Okay…okay." She says taking in deep breaths to calm herself.

For a while, Adam keeps staring at her then sighs again.

"Just do what you want." She nods shyly.

"Then…I will resume my seat in your lap."

He pays no heed to her and resumes his site seeing out the window. He thinks to himself:

'At least now I know the live wallpaper works. The wallpaper I use switches the positions of the hour and minute and the blinking red dot makes it look exactly like a recording. So the time was 15:4 when she said 4:15. It is a…'

"What are you doing?" He asks Edna who is busy pulling down the armrest separating the two seats.

She goes ahead and picks up his arm and places it on the armrest.

"Perfect." She says whiles ensconcing herself on his arm. "What…? You said I can do what I want."

A few minutes pass and they just remain in that position in silence till:

"You might probably be having some ideas about me for doing this but they are wrong. The thing is… Adam, I like you, like a lot. I have for a long time now." Adam shows no reaction to her words and continues looking out the window. "Say something at least. You are making me look like a fool."

"Sorry. I can't accept you."

She smiles a shameful smile. "I kinda knew you would say that. Just thought 'why not test the waters'. You know, earlier I wasn't angry when you touched me or anything. If it is you, I have no problem. I was angry because you forgot me. But can't blame you, can I? I mean, I used to be that girl and now I'm this girl..."

"I see."

"That is all you can say!? Did that night mean nothing at all?"

"You mean...?"

"Tsk! What were you expecting Edna?" She asks herself. She starts to get emotional and then elaborates. "About a year ago, I was like you. The girl nobody liked. The one everybody looked down on and trampled on. But you saved me. That night, you..."

"All I did was threatened to call the police on a gang that tried to abuse you.

"So you don't remember this...?" She moves closer. Face to face. Gazing deep into his eyes. Though her eyes are quivering with fear, she gathers all the courage she got left and moves closer. Her lips gently rested on his. Adam remains as stiff as a tree for all those moments of glory.

"WHAAAAAT! " A male voice shouts standing. "Edna is..." The sharp brutal brake of the bus silences him swiftly as he falls over and hits his head on the steel floor of the bus. Some other students likewise hit their heads on the seats before them.

"Paul! Why the sudden stop?" Mr. Brown demands.

"'Why!?'" Paul echoes. "You mean to tell me you didn't see a giant bear cross our path?"

"Sorry. I was diverted by the student that yelled." He turns and sees the boy passed out on the floor. "Someone please wake him up. Paul, are you sure it was a bear? Bears are supposed to be extinct in Phora woods."

"I'm not sure myself. But with that size, what else can it be? But then again, bears are fast, 48km/h I think, but that was one fast hell of a bear."

"Gotcha!" Edan says teasingly. "You act stoic but you really do care. The moment you felt that sharp brake you shielded me tightly in your arms. Hm... You still are. I don't hate it but it is too tight. Let go." He lets go.

"It was instinct. Excuse me." He says pushing her off.

Adam slides open the window. He closes his eyes and takes in a breath. He thinks to himself :

'None of the bears at grandfather's zoo smell like this. This is a wolf.' He takes another breath. ' There is also a faint human scent. And... Blood.' He takes in another breath. 'And that smell. A scent I am ignorant of. It is also in many places in the city. What is it?' He sighs.

At the back...

"Hey, Maria...!"

"Yes, Lilith. I know. Let's report this to La Cueva immediately after we arrive."