Solflare: The Painter's Secret-Chapter 36: Follow Me!
Staring at the entrance through the window was like staring at the eyes of the fair nurse who turned skeletal after the blast.
Shallow breath erupted from Leon and moved in sync with the torn newspapers that swirled up to the length of the window.
"Leon,"
Leon tilted his saddened face toward Mr. Lee’s direction after his name got mentioned twice.
The sky rumbled, sending blue- and red-colored lightning across the sky when Leon’s eyes locked on Mr. Lee’s.
Mr. Lee’s lips lingered for a while, then sighed. "You won’t be entering straight into the academy." He paused and tilted his head toward Feng’s direction.
"You will be sent to a place where you will undergo a psychological test. If you pass, you will be able to join the academy. But, if you fail—" Mr. Lee paused and turned a sharp gaze to his front.
A car headlight shone bright on the front of the Mercedes they were in, causing all three of them to cover their faces.
In the holes of his fingers, Leon saw the huge rear view of a huge military truck through the eye-blinding light.
"They are here."
Feng’s voice echoed the moment the headlight of the truck turned off.
Cold air gushed into the car the moment Feng opened the door on his right side.
Leon sat there and watched both Feng and Mr. Lee exit. And when he tried to exit, he saw Mr. Lee’s left arm gesturing for him to remain in the car.
’What’s going on?’ Leon whispered low in his thoughts as he obeyed and did as he had been instructed.
He followed Mr. Lee and Feng to the truck, stared at their hand movements and head movements.
Seeing the face of a man with blue hair, Leon lowered himself into the back of the driver’s seat and hid himself from whoever the person was.
...
Outside the Mercedes, splashes of water spilled on the side of the car and drifted downward.
The harsh rain slammed on Mr. Lee’s shoulders, soaking him wet.
His white hair softened and remained glued to his cheeks as drops of water kept falling from his face and landing on his blue shirt.
Although three people were standing in the rain, two had their outfits wet.
"Is he the same boy who fought against the unbeatable Kang, T?" Hayes stood there, his arms folded at his broad chest.
"Yes, sir, he’s the same boy." Mr. Lee replied, then turned a swift gaze backward.
A smile tore on his lips when he saw the slight movement of the boy’s head moving upward in the car.
"Is he ready for the psychological training?" Hayes said, his voice slicing through the rain like a blade.
Mr. Lee turned back with a smile and nodded.
Seeing the still look on Hayes’ face, Mr. Lee turned toward Feng and gestured to him to get the boy.
...
Sliding himself upward, Leon blinked and shifted aside the moment he saw a face staring at him from outside the window.
Saliva snaked down Leon’s throat before he could see the face to be Feng’s.
The cold wind slammed on Leon’s face when Feng opened the door and peeked his head inside.
"Come with me." He pulled his head back and stood by the door like Leon’s personal bodyguard.
"Take a hoodie from the bag and wear it; it will keep your body warm." Feng’s voice boomed when he noticed the boy exiting without wearing any waterproofs.
Unzipping the bag, Leon pulled out the black hoodie, put it on, and zipped it back.
The rain struck Leon like tiny shards of glass, soaking his face as he placed his first step on the wet ground.
As they neared where Mr. Lee stood, Leon’s heart stopped. Stopping by Mr. Lee’s side, Leon shifted his gaze between the man standing at the front of the military truck and the truck itself.
"Leon Storm,"
Leon shifted his gaze from the truck and stared at the man after hearing his name.
Locking eyes with the man, Leon saw a strange smile tear on the man’s face, followed by a nod.
"Follow me,"
Leon followed after noticing both Feng and Mr. Lee’s gazes falling on him in an instant.
"Get in the MRAP,"
Stopping behind the man, Leon moved to the back of the truck after hearing Mr. Lee’s voice.
Slowly, Leon lowered himself as he entered and sat in the metal chair strapped at the center of the tiny space.
His body shifted sideways as the van’s engine started. A deafening sound pierced through him and snaked through his bones like lightning, yet Leon forced himself to adjust to it.
He placed his head at the circular glass at the back of the van immediately after it moved past Mr. Lee and Feng.
Leon stared at the two men waving at the van and waved back.
...
In the rain, Mr. Lee sighed and shook his head, and turned a silent stare at Feng. "Do you think he can survive the psychological trial?"
"No matter what, he has to." Feng brushed his arms across his face and smiled. "If not, then his mother and little sister will be at greater risk."
Mr. Lee sighed in confirmation of Feng’s words, then moved toward the Mercedes. "Can’t we do something about the incident that happened at the hospital?"
"...Even if we can, that doctor will never forget Leon’s name." Feng shook his head and joined Mr. Lee by the car.
The door slammed shut at once as they slid into the seats.
Mr. Lee turned the key, letting the engine sound erupt again, then turned a confused face to Feng.
"Wait, isn’t he the same doctor who always takes care of the boy’s mother?"
Feng’s expression changed when he saw the date on the dashboard: 15/07
"His mother also needs to go for her weekly medication." He turned and stared at Mr. Lee. "And the boy’s sister—Lily—will be the person to take her there."
Silence fell in the car as its tyres rolled sideways, pushing the gravel backward.
A rumbling sound erupted as the tyres rolled hastily on the ground, letting the Mercedes move like a flash.
...
Inside the MRAP, Leon kept his gaze locked on the road as the van moved forward.
He stared at the same circular window through which Mr. Lee and Feng waved at him.
The raindrops outside hammered against the armored hull of the van like a relentless drumbeat that matched the frantic rhythm of Leon’s heart.
