Josh seemed out of shape since their first class. He was not moving from his seat. He was just sitting there with his eyes closed. Their classmates and teachers were asking him from time to time but he was not answering. If someone dared to touch him, he would angrily stare at them, as if he would knock the life out of them.

Before their last class had ended, he excused himself and said he would go to the clinic.

When the bell rang, Sierra was stuck in her seat, torn between checking up on Josh and leaving him alone.

He kept on saying that he’s fine. And he already went to the clinic. Nurse Janice will take care of him. I should stop worrying.

She finally decided to go to the rooftop and have lunch with her friends and their newfound “friends”. She could also tell Dan and Renzo about Josh. They should be the ones checking up on their friend.

But when Sierra arrived at the rooftop, no one was there except Josh. He was sitting on the ground with his back against the wall. He was drenched in sweat. His eyes were closed and his forehead was creasing, as if he was in pain.

“You should be in the clinic,” Sierra approached him.

“I’m fine. Please leave,” he said, without opening his eyes.

“You don’t look…”

“I’M FINE! LEAVE ME ALONE!” even when he yelled, he kept his eyes closed. “LEAVE!” he raised one of his hand to cover his ear while his other hand clutched his right abdomen. “LEAVE!”

“Okay, I’ll leave!” Sierra yelled back in annoyance but when she turned towards the door, Josh collapsed on the ground, writhing in pain, both hands holding his right abdomen.

She ran towards Josh and the moment she touched him, the locket dangling from her neck glowed brightly, like in her dreams.

“What’s happening?” Sierra asked, confused and anxious.

Josh grabbed her hand and breathed, “Please… stay…”

“You’re burning with fever. Get up. I’ll take you to the clinic,” she tried pulling him up but even when in great pain, his strength remains.

“I can’t,” he said through clenched teeth and his grip on Sierra’s hand tightened.

“Josh, get up! You need help!” Sierra yelled impatiently.

“Nobody… can help me…” he was catching his breath but he had finally stopped writhing in pain. His eyes were still closed but his forehead was not creasing anymore and he had let go of his abdomen.

“Dan and Renzo can surely help you. Where is your phone?” she asked but Josh fell unconscious before he could reply. When his hand slipped from hers, the locket stopped glowing.

“Josh! Wake up!” Sierra tried waking him up but to no avail. She checked his pockets and quickly found it.

When he dialed Dan’s number, the door to the rooftop opened and her friends entered together with Dan and Renzo.

“Sierra! Are you okay?” Ella asked, checking her friend from head to toe.

“I’m okay. Josh isn’t. He’s unconscious,” Sierra looked at Dan and Renzo, “We need to bring him to the clinic.”

“We need to bring him home,” Renzo touched Josh but quickly let go, as if he had been electrocuted.

“Is he doing it again?” Dan asked and Renzo only nodded.

They were both staring at Josh with fear and worry.

“What’s wrong with him?” Sierra curiously asked.

Instead of answering, Renzo stared at Sierra with hesitation.

“What is it?” Sierra asked in confusion.

“Can you hold his hand?”

“Why?” Sierra asked, getting more confused.

Renzo grabbed her hand and put it over one of Josh’s hand. Her locket glowed the moment their skin made contact.

“What’s happening to your locket?” Kate asked in awe.

“We will answer all your questions later,” Renzo promised. “Right now, we need to take Josh home. Don’t let go of his hand until we get home. Understand, Sierra?”

“Okay. Let’s get him home first,” Sierra agreed.

“Thank you,” Renzo sincerely uttered before carrying Josh at his back. “Stay close. Don’t let go of his hand,” he reminded and after Sierra nodded, they hurried out of the rooftop and to the parking lot.

^######################################^

Sierra was sitting at the backseat of Dan’s black sedan. Josh was sleeping beside her, his head resting on her lap, their hands intertwined.

After thirty minutes of driving on a straight and wide road with moderate traffic, Dan took a left turn and drove on a road where no car was passing. After a hundred meters, he took another left turn. After another hundred meters, he turned right. He took different turns after every hundred meters or so, until he reached a road passing through a woodland.

Sierra was in awe. She could not believe that there is a road big enough for two cars to pass in that dark and thick woodland. She could not believe that Josh, Dan, and Renzo were living in the very heart of that place.

That must be the same woodland where Josh had taken her yesterday.

It took them nearly an hour to reach the end of that road which was a high-fenced mansion. Its gate automatically opened when the car was only a few meters away from it and automatically closed after Dan stopped the car in front of the mansion.

“You live in the same house?” Sierra curiously asked as Renzo opened the door of the car and carried Josh inside the mansion.

Sierra followed closely, careful not to let go of Josh's hand.

“Yes,” Dan answered as they ascended a spacious spiral staircase with a green carpet on it. "We grew up in this place."

On the second floor, Renzo and Dan turned left, walked through a corridor and stopped in front of the only door in there.

Dan opened it and inside was a spacious room, bigger than Sierra's apartment.

Beside the entrance to that room was another door, probably the bathroom.

On the right corner of the room was a king-sized bed with big pillows and thick blanket. On the left corner, opposite the bed was a huge monitor and a couch that was big and soft enough to be a bed. Over the rounded glass center table were different kinds of remote control and a tiny flower base filled with wild flowers that she had seen on their way to that mansion.

There was an air conditioner and plenty of lights in that room but the open window beside the bed was wide enough to ventilate and illuminate the room. Beautiful ruffled curtains were neatly tied at each side of the window. They had the same navy blue color as the bed sheet, blanket, and pillows.

Beautiful glass lamps were sticking out of the walls but since it was broad daylight, Sierra could not see how bright and beautiful they glow.

Renzo gently laid Josh in the bed and asked Sierra, “I know how much you hate skipping classes, but please, stay with him for now. We’ll talk to your teachers.”

“You don’t have to,” Sierra said, uncomfortable with the thought of being left alone in a stranger's house with unconscious Josh. “I’ll take care of that tomorrow. Can I let go of his hand now?”

“NO!” Renzo and Dan chorused, as if terrified.

“Why?” Sierra curiously asked. “What’s wrong with him? Why is he suddenly like this?”

“No one knows,” Renzo admitted.

“But today he turns twenty-one,” Dan said, creasing his forehead, thinking hard. “It must have a connection to what’s happening to him. I’ll try to brew an effective medicine for him. But until I can’t, you’ll have to stay with him, Sierra.”

“How long will it take?” she anxiously asked. “I can’t stay here forever.”

“Dan is an excellent medicine brewer. He’ll quickly find a medicine for Josh. Just wait here, Sierra. Don’t let go of him.”

“You’re also leaving?” Sierra asked when Renzo followed Dan out of the room.

“You’re friend needs to train for her upcoming competition. It’s both important to us. Please understand.”

"Isn't your friend's condition more important than a competition?" Sierra asked, wanting Renzo to stay.

"If I can do something to make him feel better, I will stay," Renzo seriously uttered. "But unfortunately, I can't. My presence here might be a burden to him."

"Why is your presence a burden to him and mine isn't?" Sierra asked, getting more confused and curious.

"Only Josh can answer your questions, but obviously, your locket had something to do with it," Renzo curiously stared at her glowing locket. "Where did you get that?"

“Sister Cecil told me that I'm already wearing this before I was taken to their orphanage,” Sierra sighed. "No one could take it off me, even myself," Sierra tried to pull it off her neck but the leather lace was not moving farther than an inch away from her neck. It was as if an invisible force was making it stay there.

Renzo tried to pull it out with all his might but the necklace remained immovable and unbroken.

"You can't remember anything from before you arrived at the orphanage?" Renzo asked, getting more curious.

"Sister Cecil and everyone from the orphanage told me that whatever it is that I can't remember, must be something worth forgetting," Sierra honestly replied.

"You can't tell us anything about that necklace?"

"Sorry," Sierra sighed. She could not force herself to remember. People forget memories that was too much for them to bear. She was living a good life. Next year, she will be obtaining a college degree. Why ruin her life by remembering something unbearable?

She could not do that to herself.

"It's okay," Renzo said. "The important thing is your locket helps Josh. Stay with him, Sierra. I'll return soon. I'll be bringing Ella and Kate with me."

"Okay," Sierra finally allowed Renzo to leave.

“Thank you,” Renzo sincerely uttered before leaving the room.

Sierra had no better choice but to sit on the bed since she could not find any chair beside it. Fortunately, the bed was wide enough to maintain a safe distance from Josh.

After settling herself in the bed, she glanced at Josh, thinking hard, trying to come up with an answer to all her questions, but her stomach growled before she could think of any proper explanation.

She skipped her lunch.

Sierra looked around and searched for a clock. She found one at the bedside table. That was the only thing on his bedside table. No lamps, pictures, or books.

It was already two in the afternoon.

Her stomach growled louder.

She opened her bag and took her lunchbox out. She also checked her phone that was vibrating.

Kate was calling.

Sierra plugged her earphones and answered the call.

“I’m fine,” she said before Kate could utter a word.

“Sorry, Sierra. We could not come with you,” Kate said, sounding guilty.

“It’s okay. It’s better for you to study. I also heard from Renzo that Ella has an upcoming match. She needs to practice. Don’t worry about me. I can handle myself.”

“I know,” Kate sighed with relief. “See you later, Sierra.”

“See you later, Kate.”

Sierra opened a music app and listened to ballad songs while having lunch.

^########################################^