“Okay, for groupings, you will all get a paper from this box,” Rein said, after pulling the small blue box behind his bag, “Each paper contains the number, of course, those who have the same numbers will be on the same group,”
“We will be all grouped into seven, each group has eight members, you will be with your group for the next three days, do you understand?” Jena asked like she was some kind of strict proctor.
We just nodded in response, some shouted their yes answer. We’ve been at the team building site two hours ago, and we already build our tents, and did the groupings, so far, we rested for a bit, but the traveling hours are hell, we took a twelves hours trip with only two stopovers, and I’m not a fan of long rides.
We started the groupings, I got into group four, along with Rabiya, Ally, Allian, Anika, Yana, Caleb, and Jace.
Each group has their own tasks to do, like preparation of the food, continuing building tents, washing the dishes, and we are now preparing for a bonfire since the sun is about to set. This was my first time attending a team building since I always refuse to be part, of my previous job.
“Do you know the legend about these woods?” Rabiya spoke, while were collecting tree branches, to use for later activity.
“What’s that? It was our first time here,” Caleb jokingly answered, which made Rabiya scoff.
That wasn’t funny, Caleb, shut up,” Rabiya answered back, “Anyway, it is said to be a cursed place, it was twenty years ago, when a couple found a child in the middle of the forest, some said he wasn’t just found, it was handed to the old couple, that child was said to be an omen, so the parents have to send her away, until she turns into the age, where she will get her power, as the offspring of the tribe leaders,”
“Why would they send the child who will inherit their position and wealth? I mean, why is that child turned into an omen instead of a blessing?” Jace joined Rabiya while fixing his shirt button.
“Well, I heard that in their tribe, having twin off spring with different sexes means bad luck, and the elderly from their tribe entirely believed it, so either they kill or take away the child, I heard the girl was taken away,” I broke the branch I saw since it won’t fit on the sack I was holding, “Then, the tribe leader’s wife, which is the Luna, was said to be a witch, that whoever tries to go here and find an evidence to their child’s existence will be killed,”
“Wait, why did they choose to take away the girl, instead of the boy?” Anika asked, she joined us late, good thing, we have spare space for her.
“The boy is the next leader, they called it Alpha,” I almost choked when I heard that, a familiar word, however, I didn’t know why it has such an effect on me. I’m not interested in those fictional stories, I mean, yes, I read fictional novels, but not a fan of legends and stuff.
“How did the Luna make sure her daughter will be safe, and also, can a witch be a Luna? I heard, most Luna came from humans,” this was the first time, Yana spoke, since we went here, she seemed occupied, and I don’t want to bother her.
“Hmm, if you wake up in the middle of the night and heard a bell, you shouldn’t follow the sound, it’s a trap, that will drive you to go into the middle of the woods, and you will face a monster, that said to be an eating soul, meaning, you will die when you follow that sound,”
“And who the fuck will wake up, just to follow that sound? What kind of crap is that?” Allian spoke, and of course, what do we expect? I promptly rolled my eyes, and follow them silently, I still feel drained, and I planned to consult a doctor, about this, there is surely a reason why I feel this way.
After picking enough amount of wood for the bonfire, we decided to go back, while walking, my attention caught something in the mud, it was a shining object, my brow furrowed, and tried to pick it up, however, I didn’t know it was buried to the ground, and it causes scrape on my forefinger, “Aww,” I mumbled, my colleagues didn’t notice that a couple of blood drip to the ground before I was able to stand up, and wipe it with my thumb finger.
We came back when the sun is fully set, and we have to hurry up, to make a bonfire, Jace seemed to have experience making it since he volunteer to do it, Caleb helped him, and my group mates had the time to wash their faces and change into a more comfortable, thick clothes, the whether in this woods is chilling—well, for me.
Two groups prepared our dinner, most of us, voted for rice, and different sea foods, and hotpot. The team ate gracefully and cheerfully, they are having the time of their life, it’s both a break and travel for most of them, as for me, I didn’t regret that I join, although, it’s required, this place feels like a refuge to me, I suddenly felt the urge to breath freely, from all the things I have on my shoulder.
After dinner, they decided to have a getting to know each other, well, they said in a deep manner, I have nothing to do, so I just sat and decided not to join them, I just want to hear their stories. They played the answer true, the title said it all.
“Oh, come on, me? Ugh,” Katrina, one of the pioneers of the company, “Okay, shoot,” she defeatedly said, so people around her cheered, “Uhm, my husband cheated on me—with another guy,” I heard different reactions from the team, “However, I already knew it, before we got married, and had a son, I let him go with the guy,”
“How about your relationship with your son?” Diana asked she’s a mom too.
“We’re co-parenting, and I already moved on, every time I see how happy my ex-husband’s eyes are every time he’s coming over for my son, made me realize that I made the right decision,”
“Okay, next!” Jena shouted, trying to break the heavy atmosphere, “Ohh, Anika, the buzzer beater,” she jokingly said which made everyone laugh, I chuckled, upon seeing Anika’s red face.
“Uh, what should I say..” she mumbled, but since she was near me, I heard her, “Well, I’m uh, I’m bisexual,” she said, the whole team looked at her. She looks up, “I mean, that’s the truth about me,”
“It’s not even a secret, we knew that!” Anika’s eyes widen when she heard Liza.
“Huh?! How?! I didn’t tell that to anybody!” she said, with a trace of panic in her voice.
“Duh, you’re not the only Bi here, you must be trying to hide it to avoid criticism and stigma, but hell, this is a free and advance country, you can be a puppy if you want,”
Everyone agreed, and I saw how Anika’s eyes became teary. After that, everyone had their turns to share a piece of truth about them, and I won’t deny, I learned a lot from them.
“We haven’t heard anything from Vera,” I was startled when I heard my name, and that’s when I notice that they are all looking at me, “You want to share anything, Veras?”
I blinked twice, and scratched my forehead, “I’m not planning to join and share anything..” they are still looking at me, I sighed, “But uh,” I’m not sure if I should share this with them, “When I was around fifteen or sixteen, I was usually got picked by other kids, there this one time, that I got really hurt, I didn’t know what happens, some students said that I just choked the kid, that she almost died, I transferred to a different school, and after that incident, I had this,” I pulled out my left arm from my coat, and rolled up my sleeves, “This scar, I didn’t remember when and where I got this, it just appeared there,”
It’s a bow and crescent moon-like scar, it’s been a while since I told anybody about this incident, that happen, years ago. I turn up my gaze, but as soon as I met his eyes, I halt, his eyes, flicker, from black to gold.
What the hell was that?!