Tasting

411–The Creator

Nora:

I kept watching the weeping guardians, and as I had expected, they started to walk away in a cluster. I took a deep breath and moved away from the door, heading in the direction of the exit and towards where the brothers were having a meeting.

“Guys, I’ve figured it out,” I said happily, feeling proud of myself.

They all turned to me and shared a glance, looking confused as they saw me smiling so brightly.

My smile grew wider, and I rushed forward, almost skipping. I didn’t expect Cain to step forward and spread his arms, as if he thought I was running into them.

“Yes, we figured it out too,” Cain muttered, a strange mix of emotions crossing his face. I dodged him and hurried to the center of the group.

Nash snorted a laugh at Cain before turning serious and giving me his full attention.

“The weeping guardians–” As soon as I said that, Cain narrowed his eyes and slid his hands into his pockets, looking grim.

“I know what’s causing them,” I looked at each of them, waiting for their

response.

“What is it?” Silas asked, looking interested. I don’t know what they had been talking about all this time. They must be coming up with plans to get answers from me. I wasnt that stupid to not realize that had become the

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mission of their lives.

“Sadness,” I shrugged, causing them to look less than impressed.

“Oh! You think because I’m sad these days, the–,” Ryker somehow made it about himself, but I shook my head at him with a pitying expression.

“Not you—the victims. When they come across the weeping guardians and either stare at them for too long, let them get too close, or walk past them, they get infected. The minute their sadness deepens, they’re killed.” I knew I wasn’t making much sense because Cain had a look on his face like he was about to sneeze.

“Okay, let me explain it better,” I took a deep breath, but Silas glanced at his brothers and shrugged.

“Those were simple words. I understood every bit,” he said, slipping his hands into the pockets of his hoodie and glancing at his brothers.

Nash turned to him, folding his muscular arms over his chest. “Sure, then how about you explain it to us instead of her?”

Why were they always turning things into a competition?

But part of me wanted Silas to explain. I wasn’t sure why, but their banter was amusing. Oh no, I shouldn’t get carried away.

“So—sadness attracts the weeping guardians, right?” Silas looked at me, his beautiful eyes shining from behind his glasses.

“Yes!” I nodded. “It’s like—when I was sad, I encountered them. But I turned away and didn’t let them take over me. The others, however, gave in to their sadness, and that’s why they died from illness. Fevers, flu, cold–,” I watched them nod in understanding.

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“No wonder there weren’t any marks or torture wounds on the victims‘ bodies,” Ryker concluded.

“So, does that mean we’re pretty much screwed? The only thing we can do is make sure nobody gets sad?” Nash asked.

As soon as I nodded, Cain pulled his hand from his pocket and gently pinched my shirt between his fingers to get my attention.

It was done so subtly that I couldn’t help but feel my heart flutter, which I hated.

“I’m sad—make me happy if you want this cycle to stop,” Cain stepped forward, facing me and demanding this in the calmest tone imaginable.

“Hey, you’re not sad. I saw you laughing at one of my jokes earlier,” Silas complained from behind him.

But Cain kept staring into my eyes. “Why? Are you not worried about the mission anymore?” he asked, pouting as if waiting for my reaction.

“I’m dying from sadness,” Ryker chimed in. Their desperation reminded me of myself. Was I this clingy too?

But there were too many of them, and I was just one person.

How could I handle all of them when they were demanding so much attention?

“This isn’t how it gets resolved,” I stepped back from Cain, then moved to

face the others as well.

“She’s changing her statements,” Cain grumbled, turning to complain to his brothers, but stopped when he saw me glaring at him.

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“I know where these weeping guardians are coming from,” I said, watching as their faces grew pale. “There’s someone responsible for their

creation.”

They narrowed their eyes at me before Cain sidestepped. “I didn’t do anything,” he raised his hands in surrender.

“I knew it. I knew this guy was trouble,” Nash’s comment made me slap my forehead.

“But he’s our brother. We can’t get rid of him. What do we do?” Silas asked, genuinely concerned but clearly mocking Cain.

“It’s Daphne,” I finally explained, and they all turned serious. “Daphne is the reason these things are created. Every time she gets sad, these

creatures are born.”

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