The Primordials: A Joyless Life (Book Two)

Chapter XVII: Green

      I was supposed to try finding the next Primordial that night, but I couldn't get a wink of sleep after everything. My mind wouldn't turn off.

      So, there I was, groggily sitting near the kitchen in our dining hall at 7 AM, waiting for the others to come down. I helped myself to a few cups of black coffee to help give me the boost I'd need to get through the day.

      Trik was the first to come down.

      "Morning," he said as he passed me to find something to eat.

      "Morning," I said back.

      "Didn't sleep well?" he asked, having briefly looked at my face.

      "Didn't sleep at all," I responded, a little despondent.

      "Not over the argument, huh," he concluded as he turned to me.

      "Guess not. I'm kind of dreading him coming down and pressing the matter again," I admitted. "I don't think I have it in me to argue again."

      "Well, let's figure out a way to give ourselves something to do today," Trik suggested. "Since you didn't get any sleep, you weren't able to find the next Primordial, so we'll have to find another way to be productive to get our minds off everything."

      I groaned in response as he patted me on the back and resumed figuring out what he wanted for breakfast.

      Shortly afterward, Naomi and Michael entered.

      "Morning, everyone!" Naomi beamed as she entered. "What's for breakfast, Trik?"

      "I'm not sure yet," he answered as he contemplated what to make with the ingredients he had laid out on the counter.

      Enough time went by for Trik to settle on making French toast and eggs with blueberries and orange juice on the side and for everyone except Michael – who abstains from eating – to finish their plate before we realized Tymon and Za'Fia hadn't come down.

      "That's weird. Are they still asleep?" I asked aloud.

      "If they are, it's not here," Trik stated. "According to my sensors, they're not here or anywhere within a thousand miles."

      "Seriously?" I exclaimed as I put my fork down and bolted up the nearby stairs to their rooms a few floors up.

      When I reached Tymon's room, sure enough, it was empty, like no one used it.

      I turned on my c-chip to call him and realized I'd received a message from him last night while it was off.

      It read:

Decided it's best if I left and did my own thing. I may not be able to see into the future, but I have a good idea of what'll happen if we don't start acting soon. While you all continue to focus on gathering everyone, we're going to ensure that my prediction doesn't happen.

– T.

      I sat on the empty bed in silence.

      Trik and the others had been behind me and read the message.

      "I can't believe they left," I said in stunned disbelief.

      "It seems they have plans of their own," Trik commented softly.

      "But the point of all this is to unite everyone to survive. Not split up," I complained as I looked at them.

      Naomi sat beside me and rubbed my back in consolidation.