Chapter 5 | MI AMOR

The Calamity had swallowed Mr. Bones into the sand.

Sophie grabbed her brother’s hand and ran back to the base.

Mrs. Bones, still on the roof, stood frozen—her eyes and mouth wide open—as she watched what had just happened. Tears streamed down her face. She left the balcony and returned to her room.

Tony, who had been looking at Sophie at the moment the Calamity had erupted from the sand, hadn’t seen Mr. Bones being swallowed behind him. He had no idea what had happened.

When they reached the base, Sophie—crying—was met by Tony, who, seeing her like this, asked in sign language:

— Why are you crying, Sophie?

— Was it my fault…? If it’s my fault, I’m sorry…

He began to cry too, without knowing the truth.

Sophie tried to comfort him:

— It’s all my fault… If I had been there, none of this would have happened…

— What? he asked.

She replied:

— Nothing, don’t worry about it.

Then, suddenly, he remembered:

— But I was playing with Croquettes! He must still be outside… We have to go get him or he’ll get lost!

And he added:

— And Mr. Bones… I’m sure he’s the one who pushed me… We have to go get him too. It’ll be dinner time soon.

Sophie, unsure what to say, answered:

— Croquettes’ family came to get him, so he’s gone.

— As for Mr. Bones… He’s got a lot of work, like Mom and Dad, so we shouldn’t bother him. Do you understand?

He nodded:

— Alright.

Then he added:

— I’m a bit tired, Sophie.

— Go rest in your room and don’t leave the base. Later, we’ll play.

He left, still signing:

— Thanks, Sophie.

Katy finally came out of her room:

— Is all this commotion not over yet?

— And where’s Croquettes? It’s time for his bath!

With tears in her eyes, Sophie answered:

— Croquettes… was eaten by a Calamity… him and… and… and Mr. Bones…

Shocked, Katy walked toward Sophie, stopped mid-step, then left for another room.

When the supply group returned, Sophie explained what had happened.

Rick retreated to his quarters, his eyes cold.

Sally asked where Tony, Mrs. Bones, and Katy were.

Sophie replied:

— Tony’s fine, he’s resting in his room. Mrs. Bones stayed in her room… and Katy’s on the balcony.

Sally went straight to Tony. She found him lying down and said in sign language:

— Hey, how’s my hero?

He replied the same way:

— I’m fine, Mom. I’m just a little tired.

— Then rest a bit, my hero. I’ll come see you later.

— Alright, Mom… but call Lamar and Eden! They were going to show me something.

— Alright, I’ll call them right away.

Eden and Lamar entered the room and began dancing the logobi.

Seeing them, Tony got up and joined in. David came in and joined too.

Tony, Lamar, and Eden were stunned by his moves—he was the best dancer of them all! The four danced together.

Then David left. Tired, Tony lay back down.

Lamar then performed a magic trick, cheered on by Eden and Tony. Tony even showed off the cool scar he had on his leg, earning more praise.

When Tony fell asleep, they left and headed back to the control room.

Sally was still trying to contact the agents of the Order of Doctors, to no avail.

That’s when David asked:

— Any news from Katy?

Lamar replied:

— Yeah, Rick went to join her on the balcony.

Eden added:

— And Mrs. Bones?

David shook his head:

— No. We didn’t want to bother her in her state…

Lamar frowned:

— You’re not telling us everything. Tell us the truth. Now.

Sally was about to speak, but David cut in:

— Okay… we’ll tell you everything.

— The truth is, we weren’t sent here.

Some time ago, Sally and I developed a drug capable of making Calamities less aggressive, gentler… better.

— A drug like that… can you imagine? It could change our relationship with Calamities… maybe even allow us to live alongside them.

— But others didn’t see it that way. To them, the drug was useless—they only wanted to kill Calamities, over and over again. But before killing, you have to understand. A human who kills without reason is no better than a Calamity.

— So we came to this base with one goal: to prove we were right.

— At first, our research went nowhere. No specimen survived more than two days. But we persisted: two days became one day, then only a few minutes… It was devastating news. We wanted to give up many times, but we kept going.

— And finally, results came: from a few minutes, we moved to weeks… then to months!

— We were happy, almost proud as gods… not realizing we were nothing but dust before the true Creator.

— We tried to make them more resilient, stronger, more alive and more human… And out of forty-seven specimens, only one survived.

— But to our shock, it burrowed into the ground and contaminated all the other Calamities before disappearing from our radars.

— After that, we wanted to leave… forget… but we got stuck here.

— Because of us, this area now has three fearsome underground Calamities, constantly growing because of the contamination.

— The Order… we can’t contact them anymore. They must think we’re dead.

— It was Mr. Bones who told us about you and your results against Calamities.

Sally fixed her eyes on Eden:

— Alright, answer us now. We hired you for this. Can you kill these creatures? Yes or no?

Eden lowered his eyes:

— No… sorry. The Calamities I fight are smaller and don’t come out of the ground… Sorry.

Sophie burst out:

— It’s all my fault! If I had watched Tony better, Mr. Bones would… would still be here!

David shook his head:

— No… it’s my fault. If I had listened to the Order’s warnings, we wouldn’t be here…

Eden replied:

— No, it’s mine. I’m not strong enough to defeat every Calamity.

Tony came in at that moment. He was wearing a device that allowed him to hear some of the conversation, but it was almost beyond repair and couldn’t be fixed here.

He signed:

— Mom… Dad… so… we’re going to die?

His parents tried to answer, but Rick entered and blurted out:

— Yes, kid. Yes, we’re all going to die. Because no one here can wipe out these Calamities.

Lamar wanted to stop him, but Eden signaled him to let Rick speak.

Rick went on:

— Yeah… yeah, I said it. I warned him. I told him to rest. What didn’t I do to make him listen? But no… We young ones are never listened to. We can shout, scream our lungs out, but it’s no use. Old folks think they know everything, but once again, here’s the result! He’s not even here to talk about it anymore…

— Honestly… you exhaust me…

He left, tears in his eyes.

Tony’s device fell and broke. He collapsed, but his “fatigue” wasn’t fatigue at all: after examination, it turned out he had been contaminated by the Calamity.

Sally declared:

— If we don’t find a cure, he won’t last another day.

After first aid, they settled him into his room.

Lamar asked:

— There’s nothing we can do?

David and Eden answered:

— I think there is…

A few minutes later, David shouted:

— I found it!

Lamar:

— Come on, tell us!

David:

— To save Tony, we need… the core of a living Calamity.

— Calamities are ranked by grade: platinum, silver, gold, and rainbow. All below rainbow rank have a core. But underground Calamities… they’re not even part of that ranking. Only elite specimens are listed.

At this news, everyone was devastated.

Sophie asked:

— And… Mrs. Bones?

Eden replied:

— Yeah, you’re right… I think it’s time to go see her and give her some support.

Everyone looked at Lamar.

He said:

— What? Did I do something wrong?

Then, realizing, he added:

— Oh… I see. I’ll do it.

Eden said:

— So you thought someone else would volunteer in your place?

Sally chimed in:

— Don’t listen to him, you’re their favorite.

— Really encouraging… Lamar said dryly.

He pushed the door, but no one was there.

Everyone panicked, thinking the old woman had cried so much she had evaporated.

But Alya tugged on Eden’s sleeve and showed him she was in Tony’s room.

At that moment, she was sitting in a chair beside Tony’s bed.

Tony signed to her:

— Are you okay, Mrs. Bones? You look a little tired.

And Mrs. Bones replied in sign language:

— Yes, I’m fine, my little Tony. It’s just that… Mrs. Bones is a bit old, so a bit tired.

Tony answered with a big smile:

— But to me, ma’am, you look young and beautiful. Even more beautiful than my sister and my mom.

The two outside the door, along with the others, felt targeted.

Mrs. Bones burst out laughing and thanked him.

Tony then asked:

— Ma’am… is what Mr. Rick said true? Are we going to die?

She reassured him:

— No, it was just a joke from him to scare you a little. But… did it work? I guess not, right?

— Yes, yes! I wasn’t even scared! Tony replied proudly.

The others, relieved, left the doorway.

Eden had gone up to the balcony, and Lamar was supposed to join him after a quick bathroom break.

Still in the room, Tony asked

To Mrs. Bones:

— Ma’am… Where is Mr. Bones? It’s getting late and he’s not here. He was supposed to tell me a story.

Mrs. Bones hesitated, then said:

— Oh… For Mr. Bones, my little Tony, he…

— He’s fine. He said to stay well-behaved and that he was going to give you a surprise.

— Oh, oh! OK! I’ll be well-behaved… super well-behaved even!

— Alright. Well… For the story, I’ll ask someone to tell it to us. And I suppose you must be hungry… So I’ll prepare something for you to eat.

She went to get Alya and headed to the kitchen.

On the balcony, Eden was sitting. Lamar joined him and Eden asked:

— Lamar, can you tell me why you decided to stop your hunter adventure?

Lamar replied:

— Honestly… it’s not because Elena asked me to. It’s just because…

— Come on, don’t be shy! Spit it out! — said Eden.

— Elena is pregnant, that’s it. She’s expecting a child, said Lamar.

— Oh… but congratulations! said Eden, surprised.

— Thanks. You see… Fighting Calamities is fine… But staying home and taking care of your family is even better.

— Sorry for dragging you into this mess. You’re far from your family because of me… said Eden.

— No, no, don’t worry. As a last mission, this is the best. We’re even sitting on a balcony, and if a Calamity comes… we’ll beat it up!

— What would’ve happened if we hadn’t come here?

— Maybe they wouldn’t have even lasted this long. On the contrary, I should thank you… Without you, I wouldn’t have met all the people here… and even Mr. Bones.

— All you have to promise me is to protect Elena if something happens to me.

— What? You had a vision or something? replied Eden.

Lamar, with a serious look:

— Eden, promise me.

— OK… But you have to promise me you won’t get married before me, said Eden.

The two made that promise.

Then Mrs. Bones called:

— Dinner’s ready!

Everyone gathered in the living room, even Rick and Katy.

Mrs. Bones asked:

— Who could tell us a story?

Eden pointed at Lamar, who protested that he was bad at that kind of thing.

But Tony asked him how he had lost his arm.

So Lamar sat facing everyone. Alya brought a white sheet and they set up a machine that projected light. With his hands, Lamar created shadows that took shape on the cloth, and the story began…

One day, when I was at the peak of human strength and courage, I began a journey… A journey in search of someone stronger than me, with only one goal in mind: to kill him. I was young and naïve, and I didn’t yet know what awaited me. And above all, I still had both my arms.

I was on a ship, alone, under a raging sea. The wind was blowing, and the water was hitting so hard that upon impact, it could shatter diamond. And then… Calamities came out of the water and stared at me with dark eyes, spears in hand.

I held the boat, with a dagger on me. I took the dagger to wedge the boat and faced the Calamities. And then, the fight began: them with their spears, me with bare hands.

They charged at me, and one by one, I smashed them, even going so far as to grab one to hit another. Others charged while throwing their weapons; I deflected them and sent them back to their owners. Since they were weak, they called their leader.

He was tall… taller than me, and above all very muscular. He stood facing me with two sabers. He threw one to me as a sign of respect, but I tossed the saber with one hand toward one of his allies: that one began to melt upon contact with the blade. Which meant that if I had taken it, that would probably have happened to me too.

We were surrounded by his allies. He also threw his saber, and the fight began: the two of us with bare hands. I was dominating him easily… until he opened his mouth. And when he closed it, the falling water no longer touched us. He could reach the speed of sound with his jaw. That’s when things started to get complicated: he kept doing it to be able to hit me and destroy the ship.

And it worked. But after understanding his game, I stopped. So did he. This was the final move. He opened his mouth wide — probably an attack that would exceed the speed of sound.

So I closed my eyes. He rushed forward at full speed. When he reached me, before even closing his mouth, I switched arms and thrust it into his throat. The impact blew his head apart.

At the same time, a figure stood behind me. I turned around, but saw nothing. Then, hearing a noise behind me again, I turned… nothing. All the enemies had disappeared, even the corpse.

That’s when I went to the controls to remove the dagger… and I felt something on my back. When I turned around, everything was black… except for two huge red eyes staring at me.

And then I understood: it was him… the CALAMITUS.

Rick said:

— Nonsense, the CALAMITUS doesn’t exist. Everyone knows that.

Lamar replied:

— I’m not asking you to believe, only to listen…

He continued his story:

— I couldn’t even see his body. All I could see was that he was staring at me. It’s the kind of moment that paralyzes some… but not me. I started climbing to reach the top of the ship, and I jumped, me and my fists, with only one goal: to kill the CALAMITUS.

— And did you succeed? asked Sophie.

— Oh dear, my little one… That day, I truly came across someone stronger than me…

Because I woke up in a city… with one arm missing.

Everyone applauded Lamar, and Tony said:

— I want to become as strong as you, sir!

Everyone’s expression darkened, because the antidote was out of reach.

Eden said:

— Tomorrow, we’ll go to the second base. I just got an idea.

— Still ready for an adrenaline rush, old brother?

Lamar replied:

— Yes, always.

And Tony fainted again… His condition was getting worse and worse. Part of his face had changed in appearance, as well as his eye.

The next day, Mrs. Bones, Katy, Sophie, Sally, Tony and Rick stayed at the base. Sophie and Mrs. Bones were making noise while Eden, Alya, Lamar and David had gone to the other base. Eden and Alya on the same bike, Lamar on another, and David carrying something in the vehicle.

Everything was going fine… until Katy knocked out Sally, Sophie and Mrs. Bones in the kitchen. She took a bike, tied up Tony, took him with her and left. Rick, who was in the shower, rushed out after hearing the noise of the bike. He got dressed quickly and told Sophie to contact Eden and his group.

She hurried to do so. Seeing her mother lying on the floor, knocked out, she shook her, but nothing. When she announced that Tony had been kidnapped, she woke up and called David to tell him.

At the same time, Katy, on the bike with Tony half-unconscious behind her, was being chased by Rick.

Rick shouted:

— Wait, Katy! Are you crazy, have you lost it or what? What are you doing?!

She replied:

— My wolf, you’ve figured it all out… and you followed me, you’re too good.

— Come on, come on… Put the kid down and we’ll forget about it, said Rick.

— No, no. It’s his fault all this happened. So, if we see one of those Calamities, we’ll hand him over and get out of here!

— Really, Katy, you’re going to make me mad… Put the kid down gently.

— So that’s how it is, my wolf… You only have eyes for this kid, you don’t even touch me anymore. Do I disgust you that much? said Katy, tears in her eyes.

— Since that’s how it is… here’s your kid.

And she threw Tony, burning with fever, at Rick. He caught him, stopped, and Tony, now wide awake, had Rick point him in a direction. Tony started running while crying, thinking:

"I must not cry about this… Sophie told me not to leave the house, so I’ll hurry to get back."

Rick continued on his way toward Katy.

— Katy, stop this and let’s go back!

— In the end, you’ve become like those people… Now, you talk like them.

She sped up. Rick, still chasing her, shouted:

— Katy!

— Then, if you’re not like them, say it… Say it: Katy, I love you! said Katy.

A Calamity chased them and destroyed Katy’s bike, throwing her into the air. With a good maneuver, she landed on Rick’s bike, and he told her:

— I don’t love you… because what I feel for you is more than love, Katy.

She, thrilled, hugged him very tightly. But the Calamity also destroyed Rick’s bike, and both he and Katy ended up in the air.

Rick then said:

— Te amaré más allá de la eternidad, incluso si la muerte intenta separarnos, mi amor.

(I will love you beyond eternity, even if death tries to separate us, my love.)

— Me too, mi amor, she replied.

The Calamity positioned itself under them and opened its mouth wide. Rick pulled out grenades and said:

— As long as we’re dying… now would be the time to tickle death a little, mi amor.

— And how? she replied.

And both of them exploded with the grenades, taking the Calamity with them.

Meanwhile, Tony, who was running to get home, finally saw the building. He stopped, out of breath… and then, a huge Calamity mouth burst out of the sand toward him. Tony saw it and fainted on the spot.

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