Do you know?
If you are from outside Vermont, there are three important bits of information before you decide to legally become a local. It's best to take a piece of paper and a pen and take notes properly.
First. Although not as bad as in India, the number of adult cows here is more than the number of humans if calculated in ratio. So don't be surprised if there is a famous violinist who is summoned only for a concert in front of cows that are chewing grass who, in fact, cannot even tell the difference between Pablo de Sarasate and Pablo Escobar. The cows don't even know them! But, the good news is, you don't have to worry about a shortage of meat in this region.
Second. There is an old saying; 'You're not Vermont if you don't drink Maple syrup ten times a day'. Yeah, even if it means inviting the threat of diabetes, but there's a reason why there are lots of maple forests in this place. Vermont is the home of maple syrup, dude.
Third. Vermont is home to three thousand moose, six black bears and fifty thousand wild turkeys.
And now the thing was, what Luke saw in that forest full of Maple trees, each of which had a pair of glowing eyes was not a turkey. Not even a moose. Not a black bear. Moreover, a group of cows who were watching a concert while chewing grass.
No.
Not all aspects that Luke has informed above.
Different.
Luke also wasn't sure that it was what kind of tribe the criminal boys next to Luke believed. But remembering what Luke saw from the gap in the window curtain, Luke thought; maybe all those pairs of glowing eyes are them. Maybe they were still here, and maybe what Luke heard in a whisper that seemed to come from a distance was them.
“ We found you… finally, we found you, the Imperfect One…”
And the female officer's call echoed, breaking the tension Luke felt. It had probably only lasted a few tens of seconds since Luke was staring at the area within the Maple forest. But it felt like Luke had been staring at it for hours.
“… everyone get into the van. Your destination is not far from here. So, it's fine to ride this van for just two miles."
Luke had seen something else. The teenagers who will be taken to Saint Juvenile blah-blah-blah. Luke thought they would run away or refuse to go up. However, it seems that the fear of what is in the darkness of the Maple forest is far greater. So it seems that Luke and the kids also know which one is safer for themselves . i.e. climbing back into the dented van with one rear tire to keep going to where they will live next.
***
Luke is relieved.
Luke has arrived.
His body is still complete and his life is still there.
Ah… a long and terrible journey. Even to get to this place requires a struggle, yes. I feel so tired. Actually Luke wanted to describe everything that was here as soon as Luke set foot. However, the incident had really drained his energy so that when they all arrived at this place, they were immediately taken to a clinic room with creaking iron beds and now Luke was laying down on one of the creaky beds.
"Is anyone injured, son?" asked a caretaker with a friendly face.
"Wound?" Luke, who almost closed his eyes, opened them while feeling his whole body. Remember whether you were injured or not. “Erm… I don't think so, Ma'am .”
"Is that true? May I examine your body for a moment, son?"
"Yes, please."
So while inspecting every inch of Luke's body—of course Luke had to undress in front of him—he seemed to want to find out what happened to the children of these prisoners.
"The officers didn't hurt you, did they?" He asked with a probing and curious glance.
"Oh, no. Of course not," Luke replied.
“But why are you all like this? And even the car…”
Luke hastily interjected before he could assume otherwise. "There was a terrible incident earlier, Ma'am. But the police who were nearby immediately came. That's what I heard."
"What incident?"
"That…" Luke scratched behind his ear. Confused too. How come Luke has to say that they're being chased by a group of people in fur coats who can turn into wolves? It doesn't sound logical.
Ah, just answer this. "That's… a bit of an accident on the road, ma'am ."
"How so? Isn't the route to this place deserted?"
Luke could only grin. It seems that the caretakers here haven't been told anything about what they all experienced, that's why this kind fat lady has a lot of questions.
"Yes, that is so." Luke just answered instantly. Luke was tired of prolonging the chat.
Then after making sure that Luke didn't have any significant injuries, he told Luke to wait a while before getting a room. Luke agreed. And sure enough, before Luke could close his eyes, a man called his name and several other names in a fast rhythm.
“Hayley Smith, Luke Bright, and Josh Roslyin . Come and follow me.”
Hurriedly, Luke and two other people got out of bed and grabbed their bags to follow the person. Ah, even though Luke is very tired, but he has to go down this long hall before leaving the building, past the rocky path that is directly adjacent to the sports field, then enter another building, then up the stairs and up the stairs and up the stairs and up the stairs -Damn stairs that made both of his knee joints feel like they were being crushed by an axe. Luke was annoyed and almost swore when they finally stopped on the fifth floor which had a hallway with rows of bedroom doors.
Again, with a fast rhythm, the person who escorted them spoke again.
“Hayley Smith, you're in room number B-511. Luke Bright and Josh Roslyin , you're in room B-513. Uniforms, books, and several other equipment have been provided in each bed. Get some rest, then tomorrow morning you have to get up at six to start the picket and take breakfast. they do not tolerate delays for any reason. For complete rules, you can ask your roommates or the guidebook that has been provided. Understand? Any question?" he said, then in a second slipped away before they even asked a question.
Luke and a person named Roslyin—apparently that was the name of the boy sitting next to him—entered the room together. It turned out that there were five other guys who greeted them with cold stares. Some even seemed not to care about the arrival of the two of them . Yeah, Luke didn't expect any welcome, even if it was just a greeting. Was too tired and wanted to just lie down.
Then their bed , Luke and Roslyin , was in the corner by the window. A bunk bed whose layers are starting to peel off. Also as said by the caretaker who likes to talk fast earlier, some equipment is already provided on the bed. It's kind of like going to Hogwarts, but the difference here is that most of the kids are with problems.
Without so much as a word, Luke climbed into the bed above. According to the nameplate listed. Luke hung the bag on the iron of the bed and pushed the things to the corner of the bed and lay down. Directly facing a window without curtains that views directly into the backyard.
Oh, apparently there's a small farm too. No wonder Luke thought he heard the sound of cows when passing through the side yard while walking on the path earlier. Just as I was trying to figure out what kind of animals there were on the farm in the back yard, the bell rang twice and then someone got out of bed and turned off the light.
He said coldly, " Time to sleep."
***