Chapter 152 - The Twitch

“Tell me, Alastor. Do you have any place considered as home?”

Alastor closed his eyes, soaking by the moon’s cooly light and feeling the breeze flushing over his face. The wind gently brush his long hair back, and he inhaled deeply before turning his face back to Timber who had asked the question.

“There is. The glade.” Alastor answered.

Timber was perched atop the cliff, his nosed buried deep down observing the forest below. His eyes close for a second, listening intently and open with a prepared thought.

“But you don’t think yourself as one of them now, do you?”

Alastor raised a brow. “What do you mean by that? I grow up there. They thought me everything I know.”

This is going to be long before he realizes. “So, you consider them as your family? Have you ever given it a thought that maybe they’re not what you think you are? Have you been skeptical about them?”

“I live in that place for many years. I think I know how things work on our little community.”

“Really? You never had any doubts? Not even a bit?”

Alastor’s brows furrowed. “What’s the point exactly?” His voice slightly raised. “You can’t possibly understand what glade is since you’re just an outsider. What gives?”

“You are right. I don’t know anything much of the glades, or the directors, even the people who grew up there.” Timber continued and moved on. “Al… can I call you ‘Al’? People, who we think care for us sometimes the reasons why we feel hurt, betrayed, and alone, you know? You can admit that it’s only a mistake, but what if it’s not that way?”

“What are you getting at? Are you telling me that the Glade will betray me?”

“I don’t know, Al. I can’t tell. But I do know that those directors of yours are keeping a lot of secrets from you guys. Secrets that might destroy the bond between you two.”

“That’s utter bullshit.”

“You wouldn’t know Al.”

“What’s the point of all of this bantering?”

Timber sighed. “I just want to make sure that you are aware of your surroundings, but it appeared that you alluded by the haze. You see, we hunters have this preliminary symptom. A stepping stone in other words. Born from our repressed thoughts and emotions that boil our guts and had us on our knee.”

Alastor's face turns stoned.

“The twitch,” Alastor responded to the unspoken question.

“You are right. This twitch we experience is part of our awakening, but it also born the hostility of our unconscious thoughts. The causes may be different, but it is also proof the influence of external disturbance.” Timber continued. “The twitch can also be the proof that there are people who abuse and did awful things to us without us consciously knowing it, but our unconscious can. You may say that this is a meta, non-sensical load of shit, but it has repeatedly happened before and proved to be right. The more it repressed, the more the twitch hurts and is hostile.”

“Then how to stop it?”

“The only way to calm is by resolving the issue.” Timber responded.

“You didn’t answer my question. You said that resolving would calm the twitches, but it won’t go away that easily, right?”

“Yes.” Timber replied. “As I said, the twitches are part of the awakening of a hunter’s ability. Even if it would only appear sometimes, it doesn’t mean it would fade away.”

“So it’s hopeless.” Alastor folded his arms dismissively.

“How about you? I take that you already experience twitching.”

Alastor looked away and stared at the moon.

“Yes.”

“What does it feel like?”

“It felt something inside of me is trying to get out, rapturing, and the hostility overwhelms me. The dread, it seemingly never cease.”

“How many times has this happened?”

“Last month, was like two or three times. Well, yesterday, it occurred for like three times a row in one day.”

Alastor’s last word had snapped Timber’s curiosity. “Three times in a row in one day?! That’s awfully unnatural.”

“Well, I guess that makes me unfortunate.”

“How did it happen? Has this happened before yesterday?”

“No. Actually, it only occurred when I was in a battle, like when we fought back in Vesoga Plain.” Alastor explained.

“This is certainly something. I never heard this kind of case in my whole life.”

“Does that mean I’m fucked?” Alastor asked.

“Not actually. There is no telling what or why is this happening to you. But these occurrences prove that pointing your kind to be difficult.”

“So, what now?” Alastor question.

“There is nothing we can do for now. Time is the only thing that can tell. Time will tell about your truest self.”

Alastor rose to his feet, stabilizing against the ground.

“Another dead end.”

Timber agreed. “Yes, it’s another dead end.”

Sleeping peacefully in her bed, Caroline was cradling the pillow to her chest. She yawned. She’s already aware that it’s morning. The sun was beaming through the blinder. Usually, waking up is a simple task for Caroline, but due to the recent events, she had apparently developed an unwanted behavior.

Still, with her eyes closed, she best ignored the door that creakily opened.

It must be Al waking up early… wait, or so did he? I didn’t notice him coming inside last night.

Caroline felt something poking her cheeks three times. Her eyes twitch. She didn’t budge. She’s still eager to pretend asleep.

She heard a yawn.

“I know you’re waking up, Caroline. Breakfast is ready.”

How did he know?!

“You might be probably wondering why I know.”

Caroline listens to him explaining.

Alastor continued. “Usually, the person who is asleep had their eyes gently closed not tightly scrunched together. A sleeping person had a more regular, slightly slower breathing while faking person will almost always try to imitate a slow, irregular pattern, but it takes so much concentration, the pattern will often change a few minutes which you clearly did. When I poke you earlier, your eyes twitch, which indicates you’ve woken up minutes before I came. So, are you still going to pretend you’re asleep?”

Caroline had to go that far. She’s definitely not a morning person and she’d wanted to extend as much her time to sleep, but the latter proves that it’s not going to happen.

“If not, then I don’t think you’d mind if I peek what’s under your shirt.”

It wasn’t a question. He’s actually going for it.

Something whizzed fast and had Alastor’s expression in shock. His face turns around with his cheeks arousing in red.

Caroline crawls out on her bed. She rose to her feet. She hit him with a cold glance.

“I know you’re only joking, but if you had any funny idea, then forget it.”

She started to walk into the bathroom and had a warm shower.

Alastor quickly snapped out and grin. “Yes, ma'am.” He replied to the woman who had already gone to the bathroom.

Before leaving, Alastor opens the door, which, surprisingly she has forgotten to lock.

Caroline shrieked and took a hold of the doorknob, locking it.