CAZADO: BOOK ONE (WATTYS 2023)

Chapter 11

"This place is so beautiful," Maverick screamed.

I placed the pillow over my head to drown out the sounds my friend was making downstairs. I did not think they would get here this early.

"What smells so good?" Carlos exclaimed.

"I could get used to this, Ezekiel," Shaki cried.

When I heard her voice, I sat up and got dressed. I could not let her see me like this. I fixed my twists and put on some clothes I usually wore around the countryside. I grabbed my guandaos and planted them firmly across my back and looked in the mirror as my reflection looked back at me. "Looks good", I thought to myself.

"Jared! Where are you?" I heard Maverick yell.

I ran downstairs and gave Maverick and Carlos a hug, ending with Shaki who brushed me away and just nodded her head.

"How did you guys get all the way here?" I was confused.

"The bus dropped us off here. He was going this way. Well, not all this way but he decided to come by and buy some meat from your dad. That smoked elk you have in the back was bellisimo." Maverick said enthusiastically as he licked his fingers.

We all looked at Maverick, including my father who had no idea what he had just said. I was somewhat disgusted.

"It tasted good, guys. You Northerners are not cultured at all," Maverick said, annoyed.

"Yes, the Elk was muchos buenos, Ezekiel. Thank you so much," Shaki said, gratefully ignoring Maverick.

"There is some soup left as well that you guys can eat. It has been cooking since yesterday if all of you would like some," Ezekiel spoke in earnest.

"We would love that. Thank you, sir." Carlos replied as he bowed then stood up.

"A 'thank you' will do Carlos. No need for all of that. When you are here, you are all like my sons and daughters," Ezekiel responded quickly.

"So, can we go hunting, hermano? I have never seen a live animal - I've only eaten dead ones. I want to learn how to kill and skin an Elk too!" Maverick cried excitedly.

"Relejarse, Hermano. We can do all that tomorrow," I replied. "Today we can go eat some soup and then begin cleaning up the guest house. My father will be sleeping there, and we will have the main house. Shaki! You get the main bedroom."

Shaki just nodded her head and walked over to the couch to sit down. I looked at my friends and motioned for them to come to the basement and they followed me. Even Shaki stood up and followed us as well. My father seemed uninterested in seeing what we were doing, and he stepped outside. Or so I thought. He may have gone to check on the farm animals, but I did not ask him. When we finally reached the basement, we were in the weight training area and M-4536 was already transforming the room into an area that we could train in. Everyone looked excited, especially Shaki.

"Hermano. I have been meaning to ask you something," Maverick said sternly.

"Mav, be quiet!" Carlos said as he tried to hush Maverick.

"No, hermano. We have the right to know. How is it that you do not have Pariah blood but can open portals in the air? Carlos saw it and I glimpsed it as well. Are you holding back on us?" Maverick spoke, a little too loudly for my liking.

"Wait! What is this about?" Shaki said, fuming.

"Mr. No Powers seems to have been holding back," Maverick said without hesitation.

"I told him not to say anything," Carlos mumbled.

"I...I...UMMM...I..."

All I could do was stammer. I did not think anyone, even Carlos who was staring at me the whole time, had truly noticed the portals open around me. Let alone figured that I was the one who was doing it. I had supposed he only thought what I believed at the time, that some other student had opened the portals for me. I guess Carlos and Maverick were not that foolish. It was only because Shaki had lost consciousness when facing Malich that she had also not noticed it as well. Suddenly, I felt my body being lifted up and slammed against the side wall of the dojo. I looked down and saw Shaki's face underneath me. She looked like she was going to kill me.