44 Earthquake (1/2)
”I see.” His voice grows cold all of sudden as he asks, ”What if this city gets covered in red?”
”Huh?” I can only gaze at him in confusion as I hear that. Covered in red? What does that mean?
”Why are you so confused? I mean exactly what I said, Ms. Roswaisa.” His smile grows wider and his hands start trembling, seemingly from excitement, as he says, ”It's time to Colorado.”
*****
”Hey, you two!” a voice calls out, seemingly to the two of us. This voice is of a tall, old fruit-seller sitting in the shade of his tent while still wearing sunglasses despite not needing to. His appearance reminds me of evil-old-men from American cartoons of more than two decades or so ago.
”What are you staring at? Can't you see that I am talking to you? Come here!” With a grumpy voice and an uncharacteristically energetic hand swing, he calls us towards him. ”What's wrong!? Start walking already.”
Even though his words are forceful and his voice kinda annoying, it feels like he has something important to say. The two of us take one glance at each other and then go to him.
”Good, good! You finally listened!” He says with a smile, ”Youngsters these days seem to be so slow for whatever reason.”
While that definitely annoys me to much extent, I feel like there's something really important this guy has to say so I should probably keep my impulses inside me.
”Now, would you hold on to these for me?” he says as he gives one carrot to both of us. ”Good, good!”
For what it's worth, the carrots seem to be pretty normal. And even Danny, who is capable of detecting magic and all, doesn't give any warnings. But then,
”Now you two die!” he says with a grin and suddenly, the ground starts shaking.
”What the heck!? An earthquake!?” Danny wonders as he holds on to the fruit-seller's cart. I too think of the same possibility but,
”These things don't go away!”
”Huh!?” Danny wonders what I am talking about and so,
”Danny, try to throw the carrot away!” I shout even though he is only a meter or so away from me. He nods and does as I tell him to, and the same thing that happened with me happens with him. The carrot does not leave the hand! It's stuck to our hands!
”Hey, old man. What is going on here?” Danny asks as he turns to the fruit-seller but, ”Where'd he go?”
He wonders, and I do too. The old fruit-seller who was sitting here just a moment ago is nowhere to be found.
”Just what kind of trouble did we get ourselves into now!?” I say with a dejected voice.
*****
”Ms. Roswaisa,” the doctor straightens himself up as he asks, ”Can you give an estimate on the number of Diamond Angels there are? Or do you actually know the accurate number?”
While the question is a bit unexpected, I do know the number and I don't think there's anything wrong with answering.