Hope of the Dying World

CHAPTER 41 - THE HERB

Ferran got out from where he was hiding then went to the front of the rusty gate to watch Trestan entering the creepy building.

'What now?'

He had nothing to do in that place so he would have just left but he saw a paper that he stepped on. He took it and read the writings but he could barely understand anything. Pure science equations are written and strange formulas.

It looked important so he folded it and put it inside his pocket.

'Who could explain those formulas? Think... Think...'

On his way back to the station, he remembered someone that could help him to understand those equations, so Ferran immediately turned and went to the place where he could find that person. If his gut was right, thank God. But if it is wrong, better luck next time.

He parked his car on the side of the paved road then inserted his gun on his side before leaving. He started climbing the mountain, and stayed alert for some danger he might encounter on the way.

Good thing, he memorized the path to Tata Carpio's house, the old man who treated him so well when he got shot, and also the old man who's mad at the police and doctors for unknown reasons. He still questions the old man's madness but he knows that there is a deep reason for that.

Ferran still has a long way to go but he felt as if someone had come after him. He stopped and looked around but he did not see anything or anyone. Just to make sure that no one's tailing him, he walked quickly and changed paths. He goes everywhere until the person who followed him lost his track.

' I knew it!' He clenched his fist.

"Sh*t! I lost him!" The man cursed. Ferran peeked behind the bushes where he was hiding and his eyes widened..

It's a man with a tribal tattoo!

He wants to capture that p*nk but he doesn't want to fight for now 'coz there's more important things he needs to do. When the man named Harvey left, he continued walking until he reached the house.

"Sir!" Hailey exclaimed who saw him first. She even saluted him and he saluted back.

Henry stopped chopping wood and looked in the direction where Ferran was. He wondered how Ferran knew the trail to their house. He thought that the policeman was really observant and didn't easily forget paths.

"Kid, don't come near me. I encountered lots of infected people. I'm not sure if I'm infected too. It is better to be sure." Ferran said to Hailey who was about to hug him.

"Hm... Okay." Hailey smiled sadly.

"What are you doing here!?" The old man who just came out of the house. "Do you want us to get infected too so you came!?"

"Pa, calm down. Your heart is already weak." Henry softened his voice, trying to calm his father.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to see your face again before you leave!?" Tata Carpio always loses his temper every time he sees the police or even doctors. He slammed the door out of annoyance.

"Again, I'm sorry for what my father did." Henry apologized.

"Uhm... May I know why he's so mad at us?" He was really curious.

"Come. Let's have a cup of tea." Henry told him then walked to the back of the house. "Hailey, don't go anywhere. It's dangerous."

"Yes, papa."

Ferran removed his mask and sat on the bamboo chair while he watched Henry preparing the tea.

"Truth to be told, I'm not his real son." Henry gave him a cup of tea. "He just adopted me."  Ferran was stunned but immediately recovered and sipped a little tea.

"I think it's been eight years since I lived with him on this mountain. I don't know his whole background but I gave my whole trust in him 'coz he's like a father to me. Then I met Heleina, Hailey's mom but sadly she died after she gave birth to her." Henry's voice sounds like he was longing for his beloved.

"Tata Carpio helped me in many ways and one time, I asked about his family. He just told me that his whole family died because of policemen and doctors. He told me that if they had helped his family, they would still be alive today."

"That's why he has a grudge against us?" Ferran sighed. He knows how important family is. "I can't blame him if that's his reason."

"But I heard that he has one family member left but he doesn't know where he is. That member is his youngest brother." He stared at his tea.

"Do you know their family name?" He asked hoping he'll recognize him.

"Sorry, but I can't tell you that. Papa strictly commanded that no one should know their family name." Henry shook his head.

'What's up with his family name? It caught my interest. I want to know.' Ferran sighed for the nth time.

"I understand but," He doesn't know if he has the right to ask what is in his mind.

"You may ask anything but I can't assure you that I'll answer it. It depends." Henry said then sipped his tea.

"Why do Tata Carpio collect wild herbs? For what reason?" Ferran asked because he's really hoping that his guess was right. He thought that maybe... just maybe, Tata Carpio is a former doctor.

"Ah... Well, about that..." Henry hesitated but he still answered. "He was a doctor before, according to him. It became his habit to collect that kind of herb."

"I knew it! That's why I'm here to ask him something." Ferran had hope that his question would be answered.

"Don't waste your time here. I won't give you my precious time to answer your nonsense questions." The both of them looked at the old man who had been listening to their conversation all that time.

"I just want to ask you about this." Ferran showed the piece of paper he saw in front of the rusty gate behind the school. "M-Maybe you know about that?"

The old man grabbed the paper full of equations and formulas. His forehead creased then shook his head. "There is a wrong equation and there are a few missing formulas. Pen."

Ferran felt hopeful and immediately handed him the pen. Tata Carpio sat on the bamboo chair and he placed the pen and paper on the wooden table.

"Paper."

He gave him the pocket notebook he always brought everywhere.

Ferran was very amazed while watching what the old man was writing. Tata Carpio copies some equations and formulas written on the piece of paper but most of what he writes comes directly from what he remembers when he worked as a noble doctor.

He stood up and entered the back door of the house carrying the pen, the piece of paper, and the pocket notebook.

"He's..." Ferran could not say what his reaction was to the old man's unbelievable intelligence.

"Amazing, right?" Henry asked, then smirked.

"Yeah." Ferran uttered as amazement was clearly visible in his face.

"Let's follow him," Henry said and that's what they did.

They found Tata Carpio looking for a specific medicinal plant in his collections of wild herbs. He picked up an herb that has pale green leaves and tiny white flowers.

"This is it." The old man mumbled.

He wrote the name of the herb on the notebook with the equations and formula. Also, he put some herb in between the notebook then gave it to Ferran.

"Don't come back." Tata Carpio said who seemed indifferent but contrary to his actions a while ago. He entered his room and slammed the door again.

"Please tell Tata Carpio, thank you very much. I gotta go. I need to send this to help." Ferran said while smiling at the things in his hand.

"Don't worry. I will."