HIDDEN

Chapter 12

"Are you sure there are no hidden cameras here?", Mia asked looking around, "Because this sounds as ridiculous as a kids TV show".

Roxanne looked perplexed. "Look, I'm being serious. It's impossible for you to not know about this by now. We all have..."

"Hey. Are you sure were meant to be telling her all this", Dale interrupted, "As you can see from her face, she's clearly oblivious about it. Maybe, we have the wrong person."

"What about my face?" Mia thought glaring.

"That can't be right. There was no one else around the vicinity when Nathan and I came", Roxanne explained.

"Let me check something", Nathan said as he walked towards Mia which made her flinch.

"Seriously?" Nathan sighed then said, "Look, I'm not gonna do anything. Plus Roxanne will probably kill me if I do.... Just stay still."

He then grabbed her face gently and looked into her eyes.

"W-w-what is going on", Mia said really flustered.

After a short while, he let go of her face and took a few steps back with a really confused expression on his face.

"So what is it?" Roxanne asked really curious.

"Ummmmm-.... I'm not sure", Nathan said still looking confused.

"What do you mean you're not sure?!" Dale asked distraught.

"I-I don't know? I mean I had my doubts the first time we met.... But, there's one thing I'm sure of-"

"And that is..." Dale, Roxanne and Mia surprisingly asked in unison. Mia was curious because of how he looked into her eyes.

"- She's definitely... not normal", Nathan concluded.

"Okay, I've had enough of this", Mia said standing up, "Har, har, are you guys done having your fun, because I'm going home."

"Mia, wait, we're not joking here, plus it's only been 5 minutes. You agreed to give us 20 minutes to explain", Roxanne said trying to change her mind.

"I'm sorry but I'm not going to sit around and here someone say that I'm not normal", Mia said trying to leave.

Dale and Nathan were perplexed, waiting for Roxanne to do something.

"We're confused about this too but if you sit down, atleast we can come to a conclusion", Roxanne still tried to persuade her.

"I just want to go back home", Mia said about to reach for the door.

"Wait, just listen". Roxanne realized that her pleas were falling on deaf ears. She then scoffed and said to herself, "(tch) Forget this...."

Just then two swords appeared before Mia in an X position, as if to block her from touching the door. Mia moved some steps backwards in shock.

"What is this? Where did this come from?" Mia thought as she was in shock. She looked back and saw that Roxanne's arm was outstretched.

Dale glared at Roxanne immediately the swords appeared.

"Are you now going to let me talk", Roxanne said fiercely.

Mia stood there paralyzed.

"Wow, she brought out her scary side", Nathan said quietly, "So much for not scaring her".

"Have a seat", Roxanne said to Mia. Mia immediately went to the bed and sat down, as if she was being controlled.

"You know you can be really reckless sometimes", said Dale to Roxanne in disapproval.

"She may be one of us. Right now, she's confused. We all know that something isn't right here. She deserves to know since she's surprisingly unaware", Roxanne said sternly without looking towards Dale's direction.

"And what if she isn't one of us", Dale shot, "you may end up giving her info that she isn't supposed to know, changing the way she looks at her reality. And I know if you find out that she isn't, you guys won't immediately erase her memory since Nathan claims that she's not normal."

"Erase my what now-", Mia thought.

Roxanne was silent, not uttering a word.

Dale glared at her, then looked at Mia and said, "(tch) Whatever. I'm not going to stay here and pretend to be okay with this. I'm going to my room", he said then went towards the door.

"He's room? Do Roxanne and Dale live together?" Mia thought.

He then stopped near the door, let out a sigh and called out, "Roxanne..."

"What?" she answered turning towards his direction this time.

He then pointed at the two swords floating at the entrance of the door.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, then reluctantly waved her hand which made the two swords disappear.

Dale left the room, closing the door behind him.

Mia was deep in thought. "So, she can just make swords appear and disappear out of thin air. I-I doubt that's a kind of special effect.... So this is actually for real.... Does that mean I can get killed at any moment...."

"-mark"

"What?" asked Mia coming back to reality.

"I asked if you have any birthmark", Roxanne repeated.

"U-um, kind of. Well... it looks more of like a tattoo- th-than a birthmark", said Mia really nervous.

"Can I see", asked Roxanne softly.

"Oh, umm. Ok", Mia answered.

"Hold up", Nathan interrupted, "Its not in any indecent place right."

"W-WHAT?! NO!" Mia exclaimed while holding her body.

"Why are you making it look like I'm harassing you", Nathan said agitated, "I was just asking."

"ANYWAY...", Roxanne interrupted, " Can you show me?"

Mia hesitantly pulled up the short sleeve of her shirt and showed them the birthmark on her upper arm.

They both looked amazed.

"I knew it. She's one of us", Roxanne said happily.

"Well looks like your hunch was right", Nathan added, "But this just makes things even more complicated."

"Uhhh. I don't get it", Mia said confused.

"Any true descendant has the mark which, shows that you wield their power", Roxanne explained, "Like mine is on my middle lap", she said raising up her skirt.

Nathan looked away while using one of his hands to block the side of his face.

"Did you really have to show her- now", Nathan asked still looking away.

"Yes", Roxanne said swiftly.

Mia saw the mark. It looked like a sort of Spartan helmet. She was taken aback because the mark was oddly specific like hers. Roxanne then lowered her skirt.

"You said something about this mark wielding a power or something", Mia asked curiously.

"The mark on your body... wields the power of a god", Roxanne explained.

"A god?" Mia asked feeling uneasy, "I already told you I'm a Christian, I don't believe in the gods. I only know one God."

"We're Christians too. We believe in one God, since we know better than anyone that the other gods are dead", Roxanne clarified.

"Dead? Now you're contradicting yourself."

"It's a long story. That is the history about this mark, why we possess such powers and the gods in general."

Mia had so many questions. Why did these people have powers, why do they have a similar birthmark and what does she have to do with anything. She finally came to a conclusion.

"I'm listening".....