New Family

Vermilion and Dr. Apgar walked with their luggage through the narrow street, heading towards their destination. The deserted street had an eerie feel to it. Dr. Apgar pointed out a tall building and said, "Look, your new home is located on the 21st floor, at the top of that building."

Vermilion whispered to herself, "My new home..."

The building appeared empty, with only their designated unit illuminated.

'Dr. Apgar mentioned that there are a few people around my age living in this unit, I wonder what kind of people they are.' Vermilion thought to herself.

Approaching the front door of the building, they entered and Dr. Apgar directed Vermilion towards the elevator. Inside the elevator, the flickering lights and the loud, clanging noise of the doors unsettled Vermilion. Some floor buttons were missing as well.

"Could you press the 21st-floor button?" Dr. Apgar asked.

Vermilion searched for the button and pressed it. The elevator began its ascent, but the shaky and unstable ride made Vermilion doubt if they were headed to their designated floor.

"Dr. Apgar, is this elevator really taking us to our floor?" Vermilion asked, voicing her concerns. "It feels like we're being taken to heaven..."

Dr. Apgar responded, a hint of annoyance in her voice, "There are things you shouldn't say, you know!"

"I'm sorry," Vermilion said meekly.

Dr. Apgar silently pondered Vermilion's dull and oblivious nature.

Everyone thought Vermilion had lost her family just two days ago, the only survivor of the tragic incident that wiped out her entire village. Nobody and even Vermilion herself were not aware her true identity.

The elevator finally reached their floor, and Dr. Apgar led Vermilion to a unit without a visible number. Dr. Apgar unlocked the door with a password, "1-7-0-6," and it swung open.

"Welcome to your new home. Say hello to your new companions," Dr. Apgar said.

As Vermilion entered the unit, she spotted a girl sitting on a sofa, engrossed in watching a television show. The girl turned around, saw Vermilion, and rushed over with excitement.

"Dr. Apgar, welcome back! Is she a newcomer?" the girl asked eagerly.

"Yes, she will be joining all of you from now on," Dr. Apgar replied.

"I'm so excited to meet you! What's your name?" the girl asked Vermilion.

"Nice to meet you... I'm Vermi...lion," Vermilion stammered, overwhelmed by the girl's enthusiasm.

"Carmella! Carmella Winton is my name. But Vermilion, with a name like that, I supposed you liked the color red!" Carmella exclaimed.

"Red... (Blood)? No, I don't like it at all," Vermilion replied.

"No? But your name suggests otherwise. Anyway, let's not dwell on that. From now on, I'll be your family, and you'll be my younger sister!" Carmella declared.

"I'm your younger sister?" Vermilion asked, surprised.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot to ask your age. Can you tell me?" Carmella inquired.

"Forget about it, Carmella. She doesn't know much about herself," Dr. Apgar interjected.

"I'm sorry," Vermilion apologized.

"There's no need to apologize. You did nothing wrong." Carmella reassured her.

"Let's not talk about that. Carmella, show Vermilion to her room," Dr. Apgar instructed.

"Sorry, Dr. Apgar, but there are no more available rooms," Carmella explained.

"What? There was supposed to be one empty room," Dr. Apgar said, puzzled.

"Well, Alex moved into it this morning. He couldn't stay with Lyon anymore, so they split," Carmella explained.

"Oh dear, those little troublemakers. It seems we have no choice. Will you mind sharing a room with Vermilion?" Dr. Apgar proposed.

"Sure, I'd be happy to! Finally, another girl joins us. I've been waiting for this day!" Carmella responded excitedly.

"Thank you so much, Dr. Apgar and Carmella. But who are Alex and Lyon?" Vermilion asked.

"They are our housemates from the unit across from mine. But things have changed today. Let's not worry about it now. You'll find out later," Carmella assured her.

"Alright...," Vermilion trailed off, sensing some underlying tension between Alex and Lyon.

"Follow me, and I'll show you around the house and our room!" Carmella said cheerfully.

Dr. Apgar bid them farewell, stating she had other tasks to attend to.

You are staying with us?" Vermilion asked.

"No, for some reasons." Dr. Apgar replied.

Vermilion questioned whether Dr. Apgar would be leaving them and if they would meet again.

"Don't worry, I'll visit you tomorrow. I have something to give you," Dr. Apgar reassured her.

"See you tomorrow, Dr. Apgar. Goodbye," Vermilion said.

Dr. Apgar gathered her belongings and departed. Carmella proceeded to show Vermilion the different areas of the house and their bedroom, eventually back to the living room.

"That's pretty much the entire house. Any other questions, besides the ones about Alex and Lyon?" Carmella asked.

"I think that's all," Vermilion replied.

"What do you think of this place?" Carmella inquired.

"To be honest, it looks worn-out from the outside, but the interior feels like a whole different world. The atmosphere, especially in our bedroom, is warm and inviting. The soft bed makes me feel so relaxed," Vermilion explained.

"I feel the same way! I've been waiting for a girl like you to join us," Carmella said with excitement.

"Can I open the window over there?" Vermilion asked.

"Of course! Feel free to do whatever you like. Just remember, we must never let outsiders know about this place. It could put us all in danger," Carmella cautioned.

"Understood. I wouldn't want anyone to be in danger... not anymore," Vermilion agreed.

"I'm going to bed now. Tomorrow, I'll show you what's around our home. Goodnight!" Carmella said.

"I can't wait! Goodnight!" Vermilion replied, a smile gracing her face.

Carmella headed to her own bedroom, noticing how cute Vermilion looked when she smiled.

Meanwhile, Vermilion sat beside the window, taking in the view of the enormous cannons outside again before gazing at the night sky. Slowly, her eyes grew heavy, and she drifted off to sleep in the living room, captivated by the new world she had entered.