CHAPTER 11

Theia

Before I could do anything to prevent something bad from happening, Mr Colorful eyes had opened the door and my mother had stepped in.

"Theia? What's wrong?" She asked, patting my head.

I looked around, hyperventilating and only managing to calm down when I didn't see him in the living room any longer.

"You look stressed out, are you......oh my goodness!" Her hands dropped my my arms where she once held.

I already knew what had caused such a reaction from her.

"I can explain." And once again, my hyperventilation returned.

I still looked around for signs of Mr Colorful eyes. Now was not a time for him to make an appearance.

"Theia, how did this happen?!" She rushed to the Television, observing the pitiable state it was left in.

"Did it burn? That part of the television is burnt." She pointed over to a part of the screen and I could only ball my fists in anger.

How could someone with so much Powers not know what a Television was?

He had so much colors on him and still not the slightest idea about a television. What's it like where he's from anyway?

"Did you get attacked by a theif?" She suddenly turned to me and asked. I was too stunned to speak.

"Erm......." I gulped, still too stunned to produce words from my mouth.

"A friend of mine from the field, she spoke of how her children were attacked on one of the nights she left them for night jobs on the field. Apparently, it was a robber and according to her, a lot of things were looted. She couldn't report the case to the police station as her children could only say little about what happened that night but you do know that you can talk to me about absolutely anything, Theia." She held my arms again, waiting for me to tell her about the mysterious theif that never even existed.

"I know that you were terrified but that's okay. I'm your mother, you can talk to me about absolutely anything at all." She said and I only felt more horrible that I had to lie to her.

She deserved to know everything, she deserved to know that there was a chance that we could find my father but I couldn't bring myself to tell that to her, not after everything she's been through.

"I didn't see you in my room as usual when I woke up so I came out looking for you....." Tears filled my eyes as I lied to her.

"Hey, you don't have to cry, that's okay. Let's have a seat." She guided me to the nearest couch.

"I searched the whole house but you were nowhere in here." Our house wasn't big anyway.

"By the time I returned to the living room, there was this man dressed in all black trying to loot the television. I screamed loudly and he dropped it and ran away. I only got to see his eyes and it was only for a second so I couldn't even tell what color they were. I felt unsafe all alone in the house so I decided to come look for you in the field." When I was done lying, I felt like the worst person in the world.

I had gotten her so worried, over a lie that I had told her. The truth was at the tip of my tongue but I couldn't dare say it. I couldn't tell her about it for fear of seeing her disappointed once again when even Mr Colorful eyes wouldn't be able to help us find my dad.

"I'm here now, come here." She pulled me in for a hug, patting my back.

"I shouldn't have left you all by yourself, especially after your father's death. I'm sorry for that." Her apology cut through my chest like a dagger and I only felt more like a monster.

"You left because of me, you wanted to save up enough money for my College fees. I should be apologizing for putting you through so much." I hugged her even tighter.

"If it helps, we can talk about College some other time. Right now, let's just focus on cleaning up and helping you get better." I badly wanted to decline her offer.

I needed to go to College for clues about those Underworld things or anything else that I could find that would lead me to my dad. But right now, it was best to stay by her side.

"Thank you so much, mother." I kissed her before returning to my room.

For some minutes, I just laid on the bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about everything that had happened since my father left.

I usually did this but something about doing it this time felt much different. I know it was only a hunch that Mr Colorful eyes could lead me to my father moreover, I had no idea if he was still alive. But thinking about him now only made me feel like I was closer to finding him.

I just hope I found him before any of those Underworld things hurt him, if he wasn't already dead.

I smiled to myself but soon stopped when I realized that the wristwatch was still ticking. I took it out of my pyjamas and saw that it wasn't a figment of my imagination but it was actually ticking.

"What the hell?" I gasped.

"You said it wasn't a good idea for me to leave, didn't you?" I heard his voice behind me and jumped immediately but thankfully, without a scream.

"You didn't leave?" I asked him after managing to recompose myself.

"Why did you lie to your mother?" He asked, folding his arms under his chest but this time, without a serious look on his face.

"Why would you listen to our conversation? And how didn't I see you anyway? I thought you had disappeared into thin air." I was the one who frowned this time.

"Where I come from......" He took his seat on my bed, ignoring my question as usual.

"Where I come from, lying is a punishable offence. Personally, I would tell the truth regardless of what anyone thought." He said.

"Well personally, I would rather lie to my mother than hurt her with the truth. You would know that if you had someone to protect." I regretted it immediately those words came out of my mouth.

"I'm sorry..... I didn't mean to...." I stammered.

For the first time since I ever saw him, there was a different look on his face, a soft one. If he were human, I would think he was about to cry for what I had said to him.

"I have had so much more to protect than you ever would, Theia." The way my name sounded with his voice only made me feel much more guilty.

"You shouldn't have lied to your mother but it was my fault anyway. The least I could do is help you find your father. You might be of help in my journey on earth anyway. You found a part of the time piece, you wouldn't be so hard working with anyway." He smiled in the end but only for a millisecond.

"Part of the time what?" What did he mean by that anyway?

"Looking forward to working with you, Theia." He said before vanishing.