CHAPTER 3


    They boys were very friendly except for the ck haired one, called Zaden ck. He is leading the


    way, the further in front the group, constantly checking the surrounding. The one with golden brown


    beard and man bun is Orion. The blond with blue eye who looked way younger than the rest is Sitka.


    They engaged in conversation through out the walk. Orion seem to approach Selena more, trying to get


    her involved but Selena was way too tired to give lengthy feedback. From the corner of her eye, she


    could see Zaden looking over his shoulder every now and then towards them or precisely, her. She


    swept the thought away with excuses such as she is too tired to imagine such thing. After about 45


    minutes, they arrived at their ce which is a vige at a valley, surrounded by hills, hidden from


    civilization.


    “THIS is your ce” Selena stressed on ‘this’ more then necessary, turning everyone’s attention to her.


    She was dumbfound for a moment


    “It’s just that….its so….primitive” she finally found her tongue and Zaden’s attention. He slowly walked


    to her through the now silent group, stopping too close, face to face with her. She had to look up in


    order to face him, since he was much taller than her.


    “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, baby girl” husky, deep voice with a hint of anger in his tone although


    his face showed nothing much, enough to send shiver down her spine. Selena made a few slow nods


    and pursed her lips shut. Her head down, looking at Zaden’s shoe. When he turned around to walk


    away, she pped her forehead due to her stupidity, downgrading those who helped them at worst


    situation. They all silenced up till they reach the vige.


    “Sweet dreams, chief”


    “Good night, chief” everyone they came across wished Zaden and addressed him as ‘chief’.


    He must be someone important in thismunity. Aaargh…you and your fucking filthy mouth, Selena.


    Selena mentally pped her own face. A small girl came running towards them and Zaden immediately


    crouched down, ready to grab her and she pounced right into his arms, as he ended up carrying her.


    “Zaden, Zaden. Mummy wants me to go to school. Could you please put some sense through her? Me


    still very little, me don’t want to go to school” she earned a chuckle from Zaden, as well as the whole


    group. Trailing behind her, another tiny and thin woman followed, the mother of the small girl


    “With that mouth, you should have been to school a long time ago. Tell you what, I promise to buy you


    one, I repeat, one chocte if you go to school” the little girl cheered up and nodded as she scrambled


    down Zaden’s arm and headed to her mother but stopped within a few steps and turned around,


    focusing on Selena. She then hooked a finger and wiggled it calling Selena front. Selena point at her


    own self with wide eye to receive a nod from the girl. She walked quickly towards her and crouched


    down with one knee bent to almost touching the ground. The little girl observed her facial features for a


    moment and winked her eye with a cute smile. In return, Selena winked and tapped her nose gently


    with her index finger. The girl giggled loudly and pulled straight one of Selena’s curly hair, then


    releasing it to make it bounce


    “You are prewty…” her pronunciation wasn’t spot on but made her point across and ran back to her


    mother. Selena remained in the position for a few second, smiling with a confusion before looking up at


    the cold face of Zaden. She quickly dropped her head to ground and swallow saliva down her throat


    before standing up and walking back to her friends. Sensing the gaze of Zaden following her, she


    grabbed the hem of Oliver’s sleeve and hid herself behind him. Zaden shook his head and turned


    around, resuming his walk. A few minutester, they came to the end of vige and headed to a darker


    path which was hedged with roses and tulips, which ends at a row of tall trees. They walked pass the


    tree into a clearing which was lined with fire torch, heading towards a 3 story brick building. The outer


    view of the building was made out of red brick and lined with white wooden frame for the doors and


    window and white roofing, giving the house a vintage but clean look. Zaden didn’t bother to invite


    Selena and the gang, he walked straight in and climbed the stair heading upstairs. Inside, the walls


    were stered and painted white with a firece, visible from the house entrance. 2 staircases starting


    from the sides of firece, curved and disappeared to a corridor, where rooms after rooms were lined


    up in a row, giving a hostel or dormitory like vibe. The neers looked at the ce in awe when


    Oliver finally spoke


    “Not so primitive huh?”


    ************


    Sitka led the way, showing the friend to guest rooms. Jewel normally wouldn’t fall asleep easily at new


    ce, so the girls decided to stay together in one room and boys in one room. The girls took a hot


    water shower and headed to bed. That night, Selena had the most breathtaking dream. A man whom


    features were blurry, white button up shirt and light blue jeans, standing with his back to Selena in a


    rose garden. Selena walked up to him as he turned to look at her. He held his palm out for Selena to


    take and she did, gently cing her palm in his. He then pulled her closer to him, sliding his other hand


    to hold the back of her waist. He ced Selena’s palm over his chest and covered it with his, radiating


    warmth all over her. He then took his hands off Selena’s hand and held her chin between his index and


    thumb, guiding her face to look directly into his eyes. She could tell that she is looking into his eyes, but


    no real eyes were seen in the dream. He then run his thumb across her bottom lips, slightly pulling it to


    open


    “Mine…” a low, sensual and husky voice, imprinted deep into her mind. He then leans forward and


    kissed her lips ever so softly, sucking her lips while his head moved to sync his action. His hands are


    now behind her head and her back, as he enjoyed every bit of the kiss. Every single touch felt real to


    Selena, as if she was really living the moment. He pulled her roughly closer to him even more, if it is


    even possible, continued to enjoy her. In a snap, they were both in bed, naked under a silky ck


    duvet and sheets. The duvet was pulled up to her neck, hence hiding the man perfectly. He on top of


    her, his hands entwined with hers as he pinned them to her sides, sucking and nibbling her jawline,


    neck to ears to his pleasing, letting Selena moaning with pleasure. Her feet felt cramped as a tonne of


    different feeling exploded through her body. Then, from a far vision, the duvet started moving up and


    down, around midway of their body. She is aware that she is being prated, her virginity being


    invaded. But to her surprise, it did cause a bit of pain but at the same time a pleasure that ovees


    pain, as her eyes rolled behind her head. She grabbed on to the man’s hair as he buried himself in the


    crooks of her neck. His groan and moan itself was enough to drive her crazy, added with her gasp for


    air at each thrust as her system refuse to breathe normally. A soft flute was ying in her mind, tying


    the whole situation to the dreand. Her mental image snapped again and now sheid on the man’s


    hard robust chest, while he ran his fingers across her exposed arms. Her neck is flushed pink and she


    looked calmer than ever. Her fingers were circling on his abdomen when her eye caught a cue of who


    this man is. He was wearing a ne with leather strap and turquoise stone, finished with a pair of


    feathers dangling at the bottom. The ne that she found at the waterfall. Her eyes snapped open.


    It was early morning as she could hear the birds chipping. She checked her watch and indeed, it was


    7.30 am. She sat up on her bed, rubbed her hand over her face and then moved the palms to grab her


    head. She sat there in daze for a few more minutes, processing her dream. The chain was by her side


    on the bed, must have slipped out of her pocket in the midst of her sleep. She took it and held it in her


    fingers, as tenderly as possible


    “Who are you? What are you doing to me?” she mumbled low to herself. She stood up and walked to


    the windowsill in her room, eyes still on the locket. She sat on the windowsill, pulling her legs to her


    chest, the hand holding the locket on her knees while she started at it with a frown. A low sigh escaped


    “That is an exceptional piece” a voice snapped her out of her daze. She looked up and her light grey


    eyesnded on Zaden, who is now leaning on the window frame from outside with his arms crossed


    over his chest


    “Excuse me” Selena asked with confusion. He pointed at the chain in her hand


    “That is a precious stone, a special stone because itbines both turquoise and gold” he took the


    chain from her hand and wrapped it around her neck.


    “Two odds from two world bind under 1 mass, it rarely happens but when it does, they shine together.”


    He then uses his whole index finger to flip out her hair between the chain, making it slide perfectly fit in


    her cleavage.


    “It suits you and your eye” his lips curved to a corner forming an almost smile. If Selena wasn’t this


    close, she could easily miss it. Without realizing, she was staring deep into his chocte eye and when


    she did realize, she snapped out of it and cleared her throat.


    “Ummmm… I’m sorry about yesterday…about calling you” she got cut off


    “Primitive cave man?” he raised his eyebrow at her


    “I did not say cave man” clearly annoyed, but he just nodded


    “Forgiven… you want to join us for a morning run? That is if you civilized people have the stamina to


    run with us” her eyes wide opened to apany her jaw. She pointed her index finger at him and


    shook it like a warning


    “You wait right here” she then stormed to the bathroom allocated for them, brushed her teeth and


    changed into another pair of sports attires, a ? Adidas legging and a loose, pink sleeveless shirt, hair


    high in ponytail and she strode out to the front door while mumbling curses through her breath. She


    was greeted by a group of people including Jeffry, Oliver and some other new faces. A woman who


    was bombshell, caramel skin tone and green eye stretched out her hand to Selena


    “Hi, Make”


    “Selena” she shook hands with her. Then 2 more guys followed her introducing themselves as Sultan


    and Xavier. Orion and Sitka were also there, already stretched and ready to go


    “Shall we” Orion motioned to begin, and they started with fast walking, to jogging and then to running.


    Within 30 minutes of running Jeffry already stopped, holding his stomach as he bended down,


    motioning that he gave up. The group let out a low chuckle, except for Selena who gave him a death


    re as they resumed running. She was able to keep up with them until they arrived at the mountain


    peak, where the whole valley with mountain peaks around them came visible. Selena stopped at the


    view and walked slowly closer to cliff edge, looking down from it. The vast blue sky over a nket of


    green trees and mountains with a speck of humanity evident at the middle of the valley.


    “That’s not the only vige. We have another 2 over the mountains” Orion stood beside her as he


    exined.


    “How did you guys manage to establish anything here? Electricity, water supply, food and medical


    attention. And wow, the house that we were in yesterday. I don’t mean to offend, by the way. Just


    curious” Selena


    “We were not always so well equipped. It takes a lot of effort and vision. Ever since Zaden took over,


    he made it possible. There is a sr station and wind turbines enough to supply us with electricity year


    round, but we still try to keep it to minimal. We have a farm for each vige where a group of people


    work to produce food. And there is ake right between those hills, you see?” he leaned his head


    closer to Selena as he pointed to her left. Selena narrowed her eye and nodded


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    “All the vige residents are free to go fishing or swimming anytime they wish”


    “And in terms of education?”


    “We have a preschool and primary here. For secondary and higher studies, the kids have to go out of


    this mountain and survive on their own. They will return weekly once, and the chief will go visit them


    once a week or so” Selena remained silent for a while before Orion motioned towards the others who


    are now at least 300meters away from them. They turned to walk towards them.


    “How did you guys get funds for such big projects? I mean, wind turbines or sr system are not


    cheap” Selena tilted her head to side, focusing on Orion


    “Some of us work in the city, some of us own properties which is rented out in the city. And chief here,


    has a few businesses in city, managed by humans”


    “Humans???” Selena went nk


    “I mean… I meant to say friends” Orion stuttered before clearing himself. Selena swept it away as


    mistaken wordings.


    Her inquiries about their lifestyle went on until they reached home. They seem to be self-sustaining and


    well equipped. When they arrived at the house, all the others that went for a jog and Selena’s friends


    were gathered up at the entry and she slide to sit next to Oliver.


    “We have a….suggestion. Make offered us to stay for the whole week, we have no issue. But Jeffry


    and you…” he shrugged his shoulders


    “Then Jeffry and I will go back, you guys can return home whenever you wish” Selena shrugged back


    “What if Jeffry wants to stay too?” Zaden interrupted from behind the group, earning everyone’s


    attention but his eye focused on Jeffry with a re, as if he is threatening him. Jeffry threw a hopeful


    look at Selena as he pouted his lips, making her threw her hand in the air


    “Jeffry, Matron is going to kill us. Unlike you, I wish to work there for a long time, possibly the rest of my


    life”


    “We can ask her…if she says no, then we two can go back, deal?” Jeffry stretched out his thumb. After


    some thinking,


    “Fine” Selena pped his hands away.


    “But there is no phone connection here, we have to go to mountain foot to make call. I will get the four


    wheeler and we can go in 15minutes” Orion said as he left those two speechless.


    They got to mountain foot on the other side, made a phone call and to their surprise, Matron agreed.


    They then proceed to inform their family about their extension in stay, did some shopping since they


    didn’t pack for the whole week and went back to brick house. It had turned dark when they arrived and


    it looks like the whole vige had gathered there, with bonfires and barbeques, with a long row of table


    just behind the tall tree hedging. Each house contributed a dish to the table, and it was an extravagant


    buffet, popping out the friend’s eye. They felt bad not being able to contribute anything but Xavier and


    Make managed to coax them.


    “Come, eat something” Orion held Selena’s hand as he pulled her to the table and all others followed


    them. Noah was a bit overwhelmed and got carried away with the delicious food choices. The others


    also treated themselves to a hefty meal except for Selena. She took a small piece of tuna sandwich, I


    slice of chicken strip and adle full of fruit sd. They sat by the bonfire, on a rock. Zaden walked out


    of the house as he greeted some people and walked to the table and got himself some food. He then


    searched around for his team and walked to them. He sat opposite of Selena, next to Orion.


    “ Is there any special asion today? Any reason for this gathering?” Noah asked


    “Yeah, it’s dinner time” the friends exchanged look to Xavier’s reply


    “You mean this is how you guys eat every day?” Noah, with a narrowed eye and raised eyebrow


    “Yeah” Xavier, Sitka and Orion answered unanimously together.


    “It’s how primitive we are” Zaden’s statement made Selena choked on her food as she started


    coughing and Orion stormed near to hand over a ss of water as he tapped on her back.


    “I said I’m fucking sorry” she burst at Zaden when she was done coughing. At this point she started


    hating him.


    “ I didn’t say that out loud” Zaden said in confusion only to be walked out by Selena.