chapter 11

Suddenly a scream could be heard and shooting. Clara suddenly had a bad feeling.

She rushed inside and saw a boy of somewhat fourteen or fifteen and two girls running away, while the whole bunch of Deatheaters rushed towards them.

"Stop right there!" A female voice could be heard. Both, the children and Deatheaters stopped.

By closer look, she could see a gun in boys hand and one of the Deadeaters limping. "Foolish child, they eat only dead and one cell creatures. Get here right now. And you, come here. Brian! Go get Liam, I need healer now!"

"Mom, I'm faster!" Ian's voice could be heard from behind.

"No. Brian should just call him over. I can't open any more gates for today. Ian, bring me the medicine box. Quickly!" She passed the children and went straight to the creature that was hurt. "Please forgive him. Many of our kind are not aware of your help. He is a child and I hope you can let it go. He tried to protect the little ones and shot at you in fear. Soon I'll explain your kind why do humans have fear of you, so I hope you will understand."

The creatures just started humming and the one just blinked at her and rose his paw. The blood that thicked was as red as their own so she sighed and turned her head to the boy and the two girls.

"What are you standing there, come over and help me. If you know how to break, you must know how yo repair it as well. Hurry, don't stand there." She yelled, making the boy pale in fear. "You are no more a baby child, come here. These creatures are actually extremely peaceful and helpful. But you would get angry if someone attacks you as well for no reason. Right?"

One of the girls took his hand and started dragging him her way. "I got scared and it's my fault. You shot him, so it's your fault. So we both must help now."

Robert stood by the gate and just looked at the situation and then the surroundings. Few gates were open but he suddenly had a strange feeling as he looked at the nearby windows. He walked a step closer and realized why was it weird.

The whole place from the other side was filled with hundreds, or maybe even thousands of the one cell that just stood there, frozen as it was quite cold.

He slowly stepped back and came closer to her group. "Clara, hurry up!"

She looked up and then at the direction he pointed at and inhaled deeply. "So many. No wonder they were running inside here."

Mia and Tessa came in and saw the situation. Mina peeked through the door and blinked. "Mom?"

Clara started having a headache. "Mia, take the girls to our place. Tessa you and the boy will help me with the wound and go right back as soon as you ate done. And you..." She poked the creature and waved her finger angrily. "Why are you running after alive ones? No wonder they got frightened to the death."

The creature started humming and as it seems explaining, but Clara shook her head. "Let me finish this and then we will see what happened."

She helped with the wound and then pointed at the floor. "Stay here and don't move. One of your people can explain, slowly. I can't understand your language. It seems I need to learn it, for the future. And now slowly, what actually happened?"

She first looked st the boy and he pointed at the door. "We were hiding here in the mall for quite some time. One of the rooms has gas heating so it was OK. We have food and drinks. But I need new clothes so I planned to get dome for girls as well, we were about to open that door when they appeared. That one jumped at me and almost hit my hand off when I tried to open the door. So I shot at him."

Clara sighed. "Its misunderstanding. He..." She patted Deatheaters head as he wrongfully looked at her. "... or better say they all tried to stop you to enter that place."

She rose her hand and pointed at the nearby window. Of course, he didn't know what she was talking about. "Why?"

Clara took his hand and got closer. "Do you see these seethrough eggs that are wobbling?"

Indeed frozen cells looked like see-through eggs. He blinked at her and then at that. "It's just a strange prop from the store."

Clara became serious. "Didn't you see dead people inside?"

He nodded. "Yes, I dragged all the dead people over there. But now they are hone."

"They are not gone. They turned into one cell creatures that destroy living things. All living things. Only Deatheaters are their natural enemy. If you went in you and girls would have been dead now. They tried to save your life. Go and show your gratitude. Now!" She pushed him towards the wounded Deatheater.

The boy went there and rubbed his head. He truly felt uncomfortable but knew that she really spoke the truth. "I'm truly sorry. My actions were too much. Sorry."

He couldn't believe that he is talking to this strange animal. The one that was wounded limped towards him and just nudged his hand.

Clara chuckled. "He forgave you."

The boy carefully rose his hand and looked at Clara that nodded. Then he let his hand on creatures head and patted him softly.

How strange. Even tho he had crocodiles head, he still seemed to be as cuddly as a cat.

"How strange. They seem to be quite soft." The skin under his fingers was as soft as humans and only had the look of a crocodile. How strange. He looked at Clara and smiled. But then froze.

A crack appeared on the window and he rushed towards Clara. "Run!"

.....

Tessa was already near the gate and rushed in, Robert saw Clara grabbing the astonished boy and almost flying towards the door.

When she passed the gate to the room she let boy there standing and Tessa just grabbed his hand to pull him away.  He could see and hear the glass breaking and the strange balls started rolling around.

Deatheaters literally started swiping them. Almost like hundred of vacuum cleaners, they sucked the one cell creatures in, that disappeared in their mouths. Literally.

Before, they would munch on dead ones, but with these creatures, they just inhaled them. Just like that.

The frozen balls rolled everywhere, but luckily there were hundreds of Deadeaters with great appetite. Like the army of vacuum cleaners, they went into the store and rushed around.

She realized it was impossible for them to be careful. Their large bodies would just unintentionally touch here and there and stuff would just break or fall.

They stopped as they saw the mess and she shook her head. "It's not food, it's fine."

Almost like relief passed the and they continued running around the huge clothing store while Clara turned towards Robert.

"Alex will come with Liam as well. You and Brian can go with part of the Deadeaters upstairs and Alex and Liam will go check the storage room. If we can clear the place, the poor creatures can sleep in peace for a while." She just finished talking when the door opened and the other three came in.

From the other side of the door, she could see children curiously looking at them. She smiled at Liam and pointed at one of the Deadeaters. "Go heal him. Robert and Brian can ho with part of Deadeaters to check upper floors and Alex and Liam the doors and storages on the first floor. And please, be careful. I need to check on kids."

They nodded and slowly went in. Clara was about to go out but hit her head. "I didn't tell the creatures."

She came out and loudly called. "Make two groups and follow my friends please."

Without even thinking about the creatures split into two groups as she said.

She went to the living room where Tessa and Mia prepared food for the three newcomers. She smiled at them as they curiously looked at a bunch of fresh food.

"We grow our own food. Now tell me your names." She saw Ian and Mina putting freshly baked bread on table and salad, while Mia already came with a hot stew that she just reheated.

Looking at the tasty food in front of them the kids started suddenly crying. Even the boy was crying. She understood why, but the other four didn't.

Mina came near to the girl and wiped her tears. "Why are you crying? The food mom cooks are amazing. And it's from our garden. Is it too hot?"

Ian patted boys shoulder and pressed his lips. His eyes became red. "You are safe now, stop crying. You have us and the most important thing you have a mother. She is a good person."

Clara saw Mia and Tessa trying to calm down the kids as Mia and Ian started crying as well.

The pressure if everything that happened was so great that they never dared to cry. But seeing others cry the door of the wounded and pressured child souls opened. And the rain of tears started.

Clara just calmly brought tissues and patted their heads. She let them cry. They needed to relieve pressure. Children could still cry if they are annoyed, pressured or feeling depressed about something.

Grownups forgot how to do that. Or just plainly forgot as they had numerous duties that numbed their feelings.

Ten minutes later the kids went to wash their faces, while Clara took the chocolate cake out the second fridge and started cutting it. When they came back they saw the cake and a bunch of snacks waiting for them.

Clara hugged them each and pointed at the table. "First eat some food and then sat down to eat something sweet and play dome games.  I need to see with boys about beds."

Mia shook her head. "The girls can sleep with us in beds. Our beds are big enough. Mina can sleep with you and These two can sleep in that room."

Clara pinched her cheek softly and shook her head. "The boys will get their own room and the three girls will get princess room. We have enough space for everyone."

Mia smiled. "I know. But why carry it around. When you rest you can open doors to that big store over there and we can choose all the stuff directly. Now that you can open gates..."

Clara sighed and looked at Tessa. "Is that fine with you?"

Tessa nodded and Mina went to the boy. "You can sleep in my bed tonight. I will sleep with mom. Don't worry, mom is very powerful and strong. She will protect you."

The boy rose his eyes and saw warmth emanating from the woman and nodded. "I understand. By the way, I'm Jacob and girls are Megan And Anabella. I... I'll do anything if they can be in a safe place."

Ian patted his shoulder in passing and pushed him towards the table loaded with food. "You are on the safest place you could think off. But nothing comes free. There are duties we must finish to survive. I'll explain everything later. Mom, I can see you being anxious. Go, they will be fine with us."

Clara poked his head lovingly and chuckled. "You little grown-up person. Fine, help them relax and if they are bored, show them our farm."

Ian nodded and smiled brightly. "Will do. Be careful."

Clara just nodded and closed the door while Ian turned his head and seriously looked at the boy. "Now let's talk."