Who is the Real Zetta?

Who is the Real Zetta?

     “So, that’s where Zetta lives?” Rachori pointed at a house. Then quickly pulled her hand back to her side.

     Mortin stopped himself from laughing, but he couldn’t stop from smirking a little. “What are you worried about? No one has seen her in years.”

     “Me and my family only moved here a few months ago, and one of the first things we were told about was Zetta. I have heard at least twenty different versions of what happened to her. What is wrong with Zetta? Why is like that?”

     “No one knows for sure. Like you just said, there have been a lot of theories about Zetta. All anyone knows for sure is that almost fifty years ago Zetta got terminated from where she was forced to work. There’s about a million reason why that happened. Zetta entered her house, and she hasn’t come out since then.”

     Mortin and Rachori and three other young ones about the same age, eleven to thirteen, stood in front of that house. Rachori and Mortin were in front of Brandom, Olieve and Vonc.

     “How has been living in that place? What has she been doing for food?”

     “According to what everyone has been saying over the years about a month after she became a loner a man brought several thousand Units of Food Cubes to her. She has been living on them ever since then.” Rachori turned her head toward who said that. It was Vonc.

     Rachori aimed her sights at Brandom who spoke next. “As for how she’s been living there, no one knows. She has a sister, but she has never come by to see her.”

     “The only one who has ever see her beyond those doors is that man, and it’s been so long ago no one can even remember his name. That goes for the sister too. No one knows if either one of them are even alive anymore.” Rachori turned her head sharply back toward Mortin.

     “There hasn’t been any indication she’s even there. You would think seeing a bunch of kids in front of her place she would say something. Are you sure she’s still alive? She could be dead. Didn’t you say that no one has seen her in years?” Rachori glanced in every window, all eight of them, for several seconds.

     “That’s why you are here. If you want to be a part of our group, then you have to find out if she is still alive – or not.” Rachori spun, almost literally, toward Olieve.

     “All you have to do is go up there. If she says something like ‘get lost’ or ‘I don’t want any’ etc. then you will know, but if there’s no reply at all then you will have to find a way in there to prove it.” Rachori completed her spin. She grabbed hold of Mortin before she fell.

     When she straightened up she looked at Mortin with anger on her face. “You expect me to go into that house just to get into your group of friends.”

=====-====-=====-====-=====

     It’s been several hours since they got there. The sun was low before Rachori accepted the challenge. They soon found out she always loves a good challenge. Now the sun is gone and the night sky appeared above them. “I can’t believe she’s doing it.” Brandom finally broke the silence.

     “It took her long enough make that decision. She complained for over an hour before she agreed to do it.” Vonc continued after Brandom didn’t.

     “She’s almost to the door now, but it’s taking her forever to do it. It’s getting late. I didn’t think it was going to take this long.”

     “Stop complaining Olieve. It was your idea to give her this challenge. You only did it because you didn’t think she would go through with it, but she has so you have to accept it.”

     Rachori used two trees, one on each side of an overgrowth of wild grass on an unseen path that led up to that house, and several small trees to sneak her way up to the door. When she got to the steps Rachori hugged the side cracking rail until she reached that door.

     After getting to the top of those steps Rachori choked her head to the side for about a minute. Then she went to the door and placed a hand on the hand print next to that door. A buzzing sound could barely be heard by Rachori. After another minute Rachori shook her head. “There’s no movement at all.”

     Turning toward the other kids Rachori shook her head ‘no.’ A few seconds later she started looking through the windows on the first level. “I can’t see anything in there.”

     Rachori headed around that house. Mortin, Brandom, Olieve and Vonc had to walk down the street a little to see her round the corner to the back of that house.

     “She’s really going to go in there – isn’t she?” Mortin asked.

     About fifteen minutes later Rachori came racing out the front door. “She’s dead. You found her dead – didn’t you?” Mortin asked when she practically collapsed into his arms. Rachori couldn’t stop without help. She ran that fast.

     “No, she’s not dead. In fact, she’s still about the same age as she went in there. If not a little bit younger.” Rachori said one word at a time - catching a breath between them.

     “That can’t be. She would have to be an old lady in her late eighties by now.” Mortin said.

     “I don’t know how she does it, but from what I have been told about her age when she entered her house for the last time she is the same age. If you want to go check it out for yourself go right ahead. I’m not going back in there.”

     Rachori looked at Olieve. “I’m in the group now. Whether you like it or not. I proved she is still alive.”