Early morning of Semdis. Sun was climbing up the horizon slowly. The time shown was exactly at 8:04 in the morning. Whil was still struggling on the bed trying to wake up. He heard the front door downstairs being opened. “We’re leaving now Whil.” Whil heard his grandmother’s voice shouting from downstairs. Esmer and Phillias were going to the Joycelm Square for a very special occasion in Joycelm. It was the annual carnival that Joycelm held for everyone to go. They left and locked the door. A piece of paper was on an end table in front of Whil’s bedroom. It was a little note saying, ‘breakfast is in the oven’, left by his grandmother for him.

After everything became so quiet, Whil knew that everyone was gone and he was the only one in the house at that moment. He opened his eyes slowly and got out of the bed. He looked outside by the balcony and saw his grandparents walking to their neighbour’s house to hitch a ride to the Joycelm Square. Carrying his heavy lazy legs slowly, he walked out of his room. Straight away he noticed the note that was left for him. He smiled and continued his journey to the kitchen downstairs for breakfast.

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At the end of the street was Polly Canner’s house. Polly lived with her sister Shia Canner and her foster child, Alpherd Shield. She adopted Alph since eight years ago when he had no one else to live with. She couldn’t let him live in any orphanage so she decided to take him as her own.

That same morning, Alph was busy checking his packed backpack making sure that he didn’t forget anything. He even made a list to help him keep track of everything he needed. He was getting ready to go to a holiday trip with Whilliam Rubbit and Sheila Haze. One by one he ticked in the list as he check though his things. Up till the last item in the list, Alph was absolutely relieved to know he was set to go for the trip with all his necessities.

LIST OF NECESSITIES

Cerulean torch X 2

Candles X 3

Plastic bags X 3

Match box X 2

Spare shoes X 2

Shirts X 9

Pants X 9

Toothbrush X 2

Toothpaste X 2

Shampoo X 2

Body wash X 2

Underpants X 14

Socks X 14

Cerulean energy marble X 10

Everything was up to his satisfaction. He woke up since 6 in the morning checking everything in his backpack again and again. The items in the list was crossed several times and was ticked everywhere. He inhaled deeply and exhaled loudly. Proud of himself, he gave himself a pat on the back and then carried his things to the front door. Polly saw him from the kitchen and called him for breakfast. Alph went to the mirror and checked his pale face and fixed his well combed lushes black hair, then, he went and sat at the dining table and gave a wide smile to Polly and Shia.

“Morning, Mum. Morning, Aunt Shia.”

He greeted them both. They smiled and replied him at the same time. “Morning, Alph.” Polly served breakfast and the whole family ate together. They smiled, they joked and they laughed that morning. Everyone had their own stories to tell. Alph expressed about how excited he was about the vacation, Shia talked about her clumsy boss and Polly shared about her hyperactive kindergarten students that she was teaching in Drees’ Playgroup, a couple of blocks away.

After breakfast, Alph took his backpack and went off to Whil’s house at 8:30 a.m.

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At the other side of the town of Drees in Joycelm, was the town of Irveen, where there lived a girl from a rich family. Golden long brown hair, beautiful light blue eyes and skin as pale as snow. Her name was Sheila Haze. The fifth princess of the family out of six princesses. Starting from the eldest there were Rebecca Haze and Edna Haze; twins, 24, Rania Haze, 20, Melissa Haze, 19, Sheila Haze, 15, and Ginger Haze, 10. Her parents, both Edmund and Ellen Haze inherited their families’ business corporation and wealth and have lived in such an easy life since.

Sheila was well known for her observant and perceptive nature. She saw the world around her in such details and were able to memorise nearly everything easily. Such a gift she had. The first time she met Alph and Whil was seven years ago. At the age of eight, Whil and Alph was sent to school as first year students just like any other eight year old children. There, at that moment, on the first day of school, she approached Whil and Alph. As Irveen and Drees was a neighbouring neighbourhood, the children there went to the same school every year. Sheila nearly memorised everyone that was her age both in Irveen and Drees. Not to say that she absolutely memorised, but she would know familiar faces. Of course, she didn’t recognise both of their faces. So, with the curiosity of an eight year old, she approached them and became their best friend since.

It was not just her amazing personality and good looks that have gotten her to be an absolutely interesting gal to be with. It was also because of her very own creature, Gallant. Gallant is a hybrid of a lion and somewhat of a polar bear. White fur and a whole body like a polar bear, but have the tail and the bushy hair of a lion. Gallant was a creature that was known as a Grymloft, an ice elemental creature; able to command ice at will and also a creature of speed and strength. For Whil, it was such an honour to befriend someone who have their very own creature. But with such honour, came a hint of jealousy within Whil in particular. Since he was young, he craved for his own creature. He had Rover for a while, but Rover left him seven years after Ygmod. Buried at the back of his grandparents’ house, Whil was left with nothing to make pretend as a creature anymore. Even so, such jealousy came in a very small amount that sometimes he barely bothered.

On that same Semdis morning, Sheila had her early breakfast. She put her small backpack in the trunk and got herself ready to leave. In her bag was only a couple of clothes and pants, a toothbrush, a toothpaste, a head-to-toe shampoo and body wash, and some of the things that all girls need. As obvious as it is, she did not packed too much things. Mayhap, it was even too little. Well, it was nothing to be shocked about especially when it comes to the Haze family. With a monthly allowance of a fortune, she can just survive in any city even with not packing her bags with any necessities.

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Whil had his wonderful breakfast left by his grandmother. It was just what he would usually have. An omelette and a couple of his grandmother’s homemade bread. Amazing how something so simple can fill up a boy for a whole morning. Obvious he was not the kind that eat much. After he got himself ready, he took the journal from his room and stuffed it in his bag and got ready for the trip.

At 8:36, there was a knock on the door. So early, Whil thought in his mind. He could already guessed who it would be. It was the boy with ‘OCD’; the only boy that he knows with ‘OCD’; the only boy with over exceedingly many OCD that anyone would ever know. It was Alph. A perfect guess it was.

“The door is not locked,” said Whil aloud from the kitchen.

“It is locked, Whil,” Alph repudiated as the door wouldn’t open when he tried the knob.

Whil ran to the front door and opened it. He looked at Alph and with a mischievous grin he said, “I know it is.” He looked upon Alph’s large backpack. Whil was rather surprised. Such a big heavy looking bag for just a three days trip. “Is it heavy?”

“No, not really,” replied the naïve boy.

“Really? ‘Cause it seems very heavy. Like it weigh possibly a ton,” Whil continued interestedly; wanting to know how heavy it really was. “You know, sometimes I think people don’t know how strong you really are,” thought Whil aloud to Alph.

“Doubt it,” Alph suddenly replied.

“Doubt what?”

“Doesn’t matter. I think we’re running late. Sheila might be waiting for us already,” Alph quickly said.

“Late? Haha! We promised to meet at 9. It’s just 8:40 at the moment. Relax a bit will you, Alph. I’m afraid you’d get a heart attack one day if you get too edgy.”

“Hey! Don’t jinx it!”

Whil grabbed his bag by the door and exit. He locked the door and tried to open it to reassure himself that he have locked it properly. The breeze was blowing harder and harder like a hurricane as they walked straight for the front entrance of Drees. It was about a five minute walk from Whil’s house to the front entrance of Drees, one of two only gates into Joycelm City.

“Look at this, I got a Grymloft trading card. Haha! Sheila is so going to be surprised.”

“Sure she will, Alph,” countered Whil sarcastically.

“Hey! I don’t need that patronising tone of yours. You will never understand the importance of these trading cards in learning the origins and characteristics of the creatures.”

“And I’m pretty sure that Sheila won’t either.”

“There it is again! That thing you’re doing with your voice. It is really not fun to hear.”

“You do know that trading cards are for playing purposes. They are for fun and games. None of what they wrote on the cards are true. Gallant himself said it already remember?” Said Whil trying to convince Alph.

“Meh! I don’t care. It’s just cool to collect them all and put it in one book. Then I can look at them again and again in pride.”

“Just like reading the ‘Creatures: Their History’ text book in class.”

“Dear lord! You did it again!”

“Shush! Shush! Look.”

Right in front was a beautiful shiny scarlet hover parked perfectly by the side of the road. Probably Sheila’s, they guessed. Then, approached a girl of shiny golden hair softly blown by the wind. She walked calmly towards them. And yet again, another perfect guess.

“Well, you boys took your time,” said Sheila.

“See! Told you we’re going to be late,” ranted Alph to Whil.

“Calm down. We still made it didn’t we? Sheesh.”

“Come on, put your bags in the trunk. Let’s go for an adventure.”

“Wait. Where’s Gallant?” asked Whil.

“Oh! Don’t worry. He’s in the wielder’s bracelet in my purse in the car. You didn’t think I’d leave him did you?” answered Sheila.

“Haha! Of course not.”

“Well, get in the hover. Life waits for no one.” Ended Sheila.

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