85 CHAPTER 84 HUBO

"Ham, is this really you?" Pinna stood looking at the boy who still had his back on them. The red light on the Air Tripler was dim, but despite the fact, Matt could see the intensity and the radiance that burned in Pinna's eyes. Her chest was rising and dropping, like the bulb of a simple pendulum.

"How are you doing, girl?" Came the curt reply of Ham from the control sit. Matt slowly rose to his feet. He clearly did not know what was going on between the two, and he was not ready to find out. If he learned anything over the past three years, it was the keep off from people's personal affairs.

"I trust you are doing fine," Ham said again, still not turning back to either of them.

"You will not talk to me with you back, Harmzold Sylvester. You will look at me when I am talking to you." Pinna groaned. The veins on her neck were bulging out. She was furious. But why was she mad?

"I that will make you happy, Pinna. Then fine." Ham said. The yellow face of the dashboard turned green, with a constant beeping sound. Matt waited for Joci to announce the activation of the autopilot, but the programmed girl seemed to be angry too with Ham as it did not make a sound but beep.

Ham unbuckled himself from the seat and turned his attention to Pinna. He was beautiful, like always. The dyed hair that fluttered behind him was the perfect match to the sunglasses that covered his eyes. it was three years since they last saw each other, but his features remain unchanged. He still had that baby innocence about him, with those bulging muscles that could chase a demon from their lore. 

"I think I will sit in the back seat," Matt said, hoping to get away from the two who were into a staring competition at the moment.

"You are not going anywhere, Matt. You will remain where you are or I will shove you out of this plane." Pinna threatened, still not breaking her gaze from Ham.

"Yes, Mam" Matt licked his lips, hoping to gulp the amusement that was lined his brow. Three years was not enough to change the girl. She still wears that ego and pride on her shoulders and that pomposity that could boss anyone around. Matt hates it when people give him orders or tells him what to do. But he hated it. The case of Pinna was so different.

"Where have you been Ham?"

"Hello to you—

Ham wanted to say but thrilled off when Pinna landed two hot slaps on his cheeks. The amusement on Matt's face increase and it felt as if he was going to choke in his own laughter. Ham's face had already turned red, even though he hadn't held his cheeks or showed any signs of pain. His face was also swelling, but not as great as Pinna's injured face.

"I ask the question. You answer," Pinna said and nodded. She licked her upper lips this time and seemed to let her thoughts wander as she looked out into the window. The dark cloud had covered them, blending their Plane with the night. It was a good camouflage even though Matt had not thought about it until now, he just could not imagine what would have happened if the people that were after them had decided to pursue. 

"Let's do this again, shall we," Pinna continued. She had returned her attention to the other boy who was still watching her with his rising face.

"Where have you been, Ham?"

"Saving the world," Ham said silently.

"Saving the what? Who told you that the world needed saving? You left me standing in the graduation party and here you are telling me you are saving the world."

"That is three years ago, Pinna," Ham said, but he kept quiet when Pinna landed another slap on his cheeks.

"I can't believe you, Ham. You are a goddamn liar." Pinna slammed his face again, "Just tell me it's not true, just tell me it's not true." 

"Here" Ham whispered and pulled her into his arms.

Matt's brow furrowed as he studied the two. Pinna's voice had broken into a sob and Ham was holding her now, patting her hair gently. She was a little taller and Ham would not have managed to hold her if she hadn't bent her head and buried them on his shoulders. Something about the two rang a bell at the back of Matt's mind. The way they had acted initially, he just could not help the feeling that was crawling in his stomach.

"Can you two tell me what is going on?" Matt said. He didn't mean to break the reunion, but he needed to know what was wrong. Ham was also his friend.

"You might want to seat down," Ham said as they pulled away. He unscrewed the button on one chair and turned it so that could face Matt. He sat down on them and Pinna sat took the seat beside him, facing Matt too.

"Good to see you, Matty," Ham said. Matt nodded but remained quiet. He took the seat, still trying to place his hands on what was going on. Ham's face was no longer glowing red or swealing, but there was something dark about him. Something vague and strange. It was as the boy was veiling his emotions with the smiles that he was wearing.

The thunder struck outside, making Matt look out through the window. The city was still alive, with colorful light, giving grace to the dark world.

"I had a minor accident." The voice of Ham resonated through the body of the vessel. Matt returned his attention to the body, who exchanged some confused gaze with the girl beside him.

"Show us, Ham, I want to see it," Pinna whispered. Matt brow creased with lines. The narrowness of Pinna's face was sending an icy chill into his hot bones and muscle. What would have been the accident that they were too reluctant to say? Was it worse than waking up in the middle of the night to find out that you have murdered the girl you love most in the entire galaxy? 

"I lost my sight," Ham removed the sunshades he wore, "Lost them on the day of our graduation"

"By the heavens" Matt's stomach tightened. Losing his sight was a misnomer to what Matt was seeing at the moment. From the boy's cheekbones, down to his eyebrow, down to the side of his head. The smooth skin that usually clothed them were all gone, replaced now with some metals that contrasted the color of his skin. Two blue eyes fitted into his socket, looking too machinelike to be human.

"What happened to you, buddy? Who did this to you?" Matt gnashed his teeth. He didn't care if the person responsible was hiding under the surface of the earth. He would surely find them and bring them to justice. How could someone with all sanity disfigure their fellow man like this? 

Pinna's sob had renewed themselves. She was weeping now, despite the comforting arms of Ham that patted her back. The injury on her face did not help improve her appearance too. She looked now like the face of a punching bag that had just been used for practice.

"Like I said before," Ham continued, still trying to calm the weeping girl, "It was an accident. After the graduation, I had followed this girl who promises to buy me a drink in the bar that was beside the teacher's block"

Pinna lifted her head when she heard that. Matt could see the jealousy and the tincture of betrayer that lined her eyes as she studied Ham. The boy did not notice, though. If he had, it didn't show in his expressions.

"She was a Candanian, and she spoke my language fluently. She said she knew how to glow and could heal any ailment, no matter how severe."

"And you believed her?" Pinna asked, still trying to conceal the anger that was burning behind the tears.

"I didn't" Ham defended, "Not until a boy fell off from the step and twisted his ankle. She had held him and had healed him as though healing was the simplest thing in the entire universe."

Pinna tears resumed, and she went back to sobbing. But unlike the first time, it was not so intense. She wanted to hear the full story, and it was as if she knew that her sob was interrupting Ham.

"She took me inside the bar, and that was when I saw them. I saw those creatures we had seen back in Ema's apartment. That creature was called the Damned army." Ham heaved, "I thought I was going to die. Ah, all my life, I have never been so helpless and afraid. There were two of them, and they were the ones that had eaten the flesh on my face.

Matt closed his eyes as the goosebumps clothed his skin. At that moment, he wished the boy could stop. He just could not help the dread and the horror that was overwhelming him.