120 WELCOME TO THE CITY OF TERRA

"Zoe… Zoe…"

Zoe jerked up from her bed and clutched her chest. 

"What a terrible nightmare!"

She managed to utter after gulping. 

Her hand flew to her throat. It was as dry as the desert and her skin was clammy from perspiring profusely.

She glanced at the person who just woke her up.

It was her best friend, Erin.

"Oh my gosh, Erin. I'm so glad you're here!"

Her arms squeezed her tight as she closed her eyes. 

"I had the most horrifying dream of my entire life. I…"

She was about to narrate the story when she noticed the room where she was in. 

It was a small space with nothing on it but a bed, a closet, and a table and chair. 

Everything is made of high-quality wood.

Her tight embrace turned loose.

"I hate to break the news, girl. But it was not a dream."

She went back on her bed and covered herself with her blanket.

"Seriously now, how long are you going to do this?"

Erin flipped her blanket away and dragged her up.

Her body was like a comatose victim as it just goes with Erin's flow.

Except for her eyes, which seemed like they have minds of their own.

"I understand how dreadful it was for you."

Erin wiped her trickling tears with a wet towel. 

She rinsed it in a basin near her and wiped her arms next.

"But it's been exactly three months, five hours and 45 minutes now. You need to get a hold of yourself or you will definitely lose it." 

Erin combed her disheveled sticky hair into a high ponytail. 

"Is it past three months now?"

Zoe repeated out loud.

At the speed of light, she stood up and threw the windows open.

Her sudden action surprised the dry leaves that were holding on the branches of the giant trees. 

They immediately fell on the furry animals scurrying on the forest floor.

Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!

The birds sat on the open window and peck on its wooden edges.

She searched the forest as if she was expecting someone to come.

Erin heaved out a deep sigh. 

"And she was the one who told me that expectation hurts."

"Help! Help!"

"Did you hear that?"

Zoe immediately swiveled to Erin, who was also startled as she stood up from the bed.

"How could there be another human here?"

She was used to just them being alone in an abandoned house in the middle of the forest. 

And she was not expecting a guest to come, much more ask for help.

"Stay here!"

Erin went out of the house and checked on who was asking for help. 

Zoe didn't go outside of the house but she opened the door so she could peek at what's going on. 

Erin hasn't gone too far when she screamed. "Zoe!"

Zoe threw the door wide open and ran to where Erin was. 

Beside her was an unconscious little boy holding a piece of a strange-looking red berry. 

"Pick him up!"

Zoe commanded Erin like a bolt of lightning, in which she immediately obliged. 

Then she knelt at her feet and placed the heel of one of her hands in the middle of the body between the navel and ribs. 

She then put the other hand on top of it and gave a gentle but firm thrust upward and inward. 

But the lad was still unconscious.

"His lips are turning purple now, Zoe! What should we do?! Hey, boy! Wake up! Wake up!"

Erin yelped.

Zoe continued to perform the Heimlich maneuver until finally, he spewed the fruit out of his mouth. 

"Phoo!"

She then checked on his breathing and pulse if everything was normal. 

"He still needs to go see a doctor."

In a fraction of a second, she carried the boy in her back and walked forward.

"Where are you going?"

"To the hospital."

"But I've never been outside of this forest just yet!"

"Now you'll be."

Zoe responded as she dashed through the enormous wild plants carrying the little boy in her back.

Erin grunted. "If only Dr. Gao Zemin is here. We don't have to leave. Where is this kid's mom anyway?"

Zoe did not answer at once as she was breathing heavily. 

Her body is still frail from being shut in an old cabin for three months. 

But she noticed that she was not limping as she trudged through the forest.

"I agree with you on that one. Gao Zemin is good."

Zoe recalled how he treated her as soon as he met her with her gunshot leg. 

After the unfortunate event that happened in Lord Howe Island, they have managed to get through the secured barricades of the City of Terra.

Azra guided them through the secret tunnel that Zoe first went into. 

However, they separated at the opening so he could bring Raigon to the Royal Infirmary immediately. 

But before leaving them, he gave them instructions on how they could get to Gao Zemin's territory in a way that will not expose them to other Terranians. 

"And he said he will come back for us, but he didn't."

Zoe thought out loud.

It is the reason why she has never left or decided to leave the house.

She thought that if they would leave, Azra would not see them.

And she would not know if Raigon was alive or not.

"There's no use crying over spilled milk now." 

Erin replied as she assisted her to lessen the heavy weight of the boy on her back. 

"The faster you accept it, the easier it will be for you. And for me."

Erin commented. "Come on now, I can see the opening already."

It didn't take them long before they reached the clearing where they could see the Capital.

"Where exactly are we?!" 

Erin blurted out as she saw the most magnificent location she has seen in her entire life.

It is unlike the cities she has seen with its beautiful skyscrapers and luxurious cars lining the streets. 

But it is radiating in different tints and shades and boasting of unique architectural designs that she has never seen before. 

"Welcome to the City of Terra." The little boy smiled at them.