Odyssey Of Survival - Chapter 172

Chapter 172: Chapter 172 Three Months Later
Three months had passed, but for Nate, it felt like three years.

Coming back home should have been a relief, but instead, it turned into a marathon of chaos. Every single day, his mom clung to him like he was going to disappear again at any second. From the second he woke up to the minute he tried to step outside, her arms were around him.

“Nate, where are you going?”

“Nate, you’re not leaving the house without telling me!”

“Nate, I missed you so much!”

Every. Single. Day.

Nate couldn’t exactly blame her though. After all, he had vanished for months without a trace, leaving his mom to wonder if he was dead or alive. Still, the endless hugs, the constant hovering, and her refusal to even let him take out the trash alone were driving him insane.

But that wasn’t all.

Living with two people from another era made things even more hectic.

Sera and Cleo were now part of his daily life, sharing the same roof, eating the same food, and staring wide-eyed at every piece of modern technology. From microwaves to light switches, everything was foreign to them. Nate had spent the last three months teaching them about the world they had been thrown into.

He had to start with the basics—how to use a phone, what a TV was, why cars weren’t beasts of burden.

Luckily, both Sera and Cleo were fast learners. Sera, especially, had quickly picked up on English. While her accent was unusual—soft but with a strange cadence, like she was speaking an ancient dialect of the language—she could now hold short conversations with surprising confidence.

Cleo, on the other hand, was still young and playful, always running around the house and occasionally pressing random buttons on remotes just to see what would happen. She laughed when the TV turned on and clapped when the toaster popped out toast.

As for Nate’s mom, explaining Sera and Cleo to her had been another challenge. He didn’t dare tell her they were from the past—no way she’d believe that. Instead, he simply told her that he helped them out of a dangerous situation and that they would be staying with them for a while.

His mom was surprisingly understanding. After all, she had always been kind-hearted and open-minded.

Cleo quickly grew attached to Nate’s mom, often sleeping beside her at night like a child would cling to their grandmother. It seemed to help Cleo adjust and provided her with some sense of safety.

But Sera… Sera was different.

Ever since that day—the day her people were slaughtered and the day she herself was forced to kill innocent people in a haze—she had been haunted. Nightmares plagued her every night, leaving her curled up and trembling in her sleep.

And tonight was no different.

Nate was resting peacefully until Sera suddenly sprang up from her bed, clutching her knees tightly, eyes wide with fear as she silently gasped for air. Her body shivered under the faint glow of the bedside lamp.

Nate groaned softly and sat up, running a hand over his face before moving to her bed. He didn’t say anything—words never worked. Instead, he quietly climbed into her bed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

At first, her body was stiff as a board, but after a few moments, her breathing slowed, and she relaxed into him. Eventually, her eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted back into sleep. Nate stayed with her, holding her in silence as her breathing steadied.

This had become a nightly routine. He knew it by heart now. Calm her down. Let her fall asleep. Then sneak back to his own bed.

But just as Nate was about to ease himself away and head back to his bed, his phone buzzed on the nightstand.

Frowning, Nate reached over carefully, trying not to disturb Sera.

Buzz.

The screen lit up.

Jack.

Nate blinked. It was late—what could Jack possibly want at this hour?

Assuming it was Madison or Alice or even Bella, who had all kept in touch regularly even while on vacation with their families, Nate hadn’t expected Jack of all people.

The girls had promised to call him once they got back, and considering school was starting again today, Nate figured they’d be home by now.

Yawning quietly, Nate answered the call. “Jack…? What’s up? It’s the middle of the night.”

Jack’s voice came through excited and urgent. “I did it.”

Nate rubbed his eyes. “Did what?”

“I found a way to help Sera,” Jack said, voice low but filled with confidence. “I found a solution to her nightmares.”

Nate’s eyes shot open, fully awake now.

His mind replayed Jack’s words again. After all this time, after all the sleepless nights watching Sera suffer silently, someone had finally found a way?

“You’re serious?” Nate whispered, careful not to wake Sera.

“Dead serious,” Jack replied. “Meet me tomorrow after school. I’ll explain everything.”

Nate’s heart pounded. Finally… Finally, there was hope.

The nightmares might end.

Nate ended the call and stared at his phone for a few more seconds, processing the news.

He looked down at Sera’s sleeping form, her face finally peaceful in the dim glow of the room.

“Just hang in there,” Nate whispered softly. “We might have a way out of this.”

—

Liam woke up with a groan, rubbing his eyes as sunlight poured into his room. His body felt heavy, and his mind foggy as he sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the clock on his nightstand.

9:13 AM.

“School started at eight,” he muttered, rubbing his temples. “Great.”

But truth be told, he didn’t care. Not today.

Ever since returning home, Liam hadn’t even thought about using his powers. Not once. After everything that had happened on the island—the battles, the near-death experiences—he just wanted a normal life again, or at least something close to it.

Standing up, he shuffled into the bathroom and took a quick shower, steam filling the space as he leaned against the tiled wall. His thoughts drifted to the others. Nate, Madison, Alice, Bella, and even Jack.

Were they trying to be normal too?

After finishing up, Liam grabbed a pair of baggy jeans, the dark wash and perfect fit giving them a clean, modern look. He pulled on a fresh, high-quality round-neck shirt that hugged his frame just right, simple but undeniably sharp. His sneakers were limited-edition, crisp and spotless, adding a touch of street-style flair to his outfit.

He glanced at himself in the mirror, adjusting his shirt slightly. The laid-back clothes still managed to bring out his strong features and lean build, making him look effortlessly cool and put together. The sharp lines of his jaw and the quiet confidence in his eyes only added to the charm.

“Yeah, that’ll do,” he said quietly with a smirk.

Sliding his premium headset over his ears and grabbing his sleek black backpack, Liam headed out, ready to handle whatever the day threw at him.

The headset was key—his way of blocking out the noise. Ever since everyone returned from the island, people at school were buzzing with questions and rumors. He didn’t want to be caught in any of it. The attention wasn’t his thing, and blending into the background sounded like the best plan.

Skipping breakfast entirely, Liam slung his bag over one shoulder and headed out the door, making his way straight for school.

—

Meanwhile, on the school grounds, things weren’t going as smoothly for Madison, Alice, and Bella.

The trio walked through the bustling courtyard, where students gathered in groups, whispering and throwing glances their way.

It was awkward. More than awkward.

Ever since they stepped foot back on campus, eyes followed them everywhere. Conversations paused mid-sentence whenever they passed by. It was like the entire school couldn’t stop staring.

“Damn, are they hotter than before?” one guy muttered under his breath to his friend.

“No kidding,” another added. “Bella’s always been out of reach, but… Madison? Since when did she look like that?”

Madison, who usually wore her wild, dark brown curls like a signature, now sported sleek, straight black hair that fell elegantly down her back. The transformation was stunning. It made her stand out even more—like a movie star stepping onto a red carpet.

Madison walked with calm confidence, but she couldn’t hide the slight twitch of discomfort at the unwanted attention. Every few minutes, another guy would try to get her number or ask if she was free after school.

She waved them off each time, not even slowing her pace.

Alice, walking beside her, sighed. “You’re like a magnet now.”

Madison rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it.”

Bella, keeping a step ahead, frowned as she overheard the whispers. Being one of the most admired girls in school before the island ordeal was nothing new to her, but now… now even she noticed how Madison was drawing more attention than usual.

The three stuck close together as they wandered the halls, keeping their focus sharp, but it was clear what they were doing.

They were looking for him.

Alice crossed her arms and whispered, “Madison, are you sure Nate’s even coming today?”

Madison nodded confidently. “He told me he’d be here.”

Alice let out a quiet sigh, brushing her silver-white hair out of her face. “He better. This is getting ridiculous.”

Her gaze shifted to Bella, who was quiet, eyes scanning the hallway.

A mischievous grin appeared on Alice’s face as she asked, “Hey, Bella… are one of your parents Asian by any chance?”

Bella’s head snapped around. “What?”

“You know,” Alice continued, grinning wider. “You look a little Asian today.”

Bella’s face flattened with exasperation. “Buzz off, Alice.”

Before Bella could step away, Madison snuck in with a teasing smirk. “She’s not lying, you do have that vibe.”

Bella groaned, facepalming dramatically. “I’m surrounded by idiots.”

Alice chuckled softly, clearly enjoying Bella’s reaction, while Madison just grinned and playfully nudged Bella’s shoulder.

Despite the joking around, they were all just trying to distract themselves from the fact that Nate was nowhere to be seen yet.

The hallways felt emptier without him. And though they wouldn’t say it out loud, there was an unspoken agreement between the three of them—things just didn’t feel complete without him around.

Somewhere in the crowd, Nate had to be hiding.

They just didn’t know he was still on his way, headphones on, walking with zero rush like he didn’t have a care in the world.

—-