Just want to share this story written by me with the help of my sister for my English class way back 2007. ENJOY! he-he o_o
Illusions
-MACE-
The road was long and the place barren. There were mixed emotions as she drove her way down. She had nobody to talk to about what is worrying her. It had been three long hours of traveling. Glancing at her watch, it was already past nine in the evening. Twenty-four kilometers more and she will be at Weiblich. Candice’s job as the distribution manager of the B and G Corporation entails a lot of traveling and meeting many clients. They sell textiles nationally and internationally; they put up for sale silk, linen, cotton and others.
Despite the tricky road, Candice’s mind toured somewhere else. The event that happened that morning in their house bugged her. She had a fight with her mom about her work. Her mom wanted her to resign since the work is too risky and laborious. Nevertheless, thinking of the four years she had stayed in the company and the effort and time she conferred, Candice cannot let go of a job she treated as a hobby and happiness.
“I told you mom, I can handle these things. I have been to this work for four years! You see, I am old enough to handle myself!” she said with wide eyes open.
“But you are all alone when you travel. I am just concern for your safety. Why not just resign and work for your uncle’s company. Your job is too risky for you!”
Her mind traveled to that event. She just cannot let it go.
She took a deep breathe and toss back her long blonde hair as it swayed along with the wind. The air conditioner did not function that time, so she opened the window beside her. She understands her mom’s concern for her, but she also wanted her mom to understand her too, and be proud of her situation right now. All she ever wanted was her support for her job.
“Why can’t you just understand me mom? I am not only doing this for myself, but also for you. Sigh.” She thought to herself.
The moon was shining fully, giving additional light to the darkness on the road. As she slowed down her way for a blind curve, she noticed a vacant lot on her left side about 1000 square meters, and a pine tree on the left side.
“Wow! A vacant lot here in the middle of the—argh—forest? Who could have owned that? Ohh, it has a pine tree! How captivating!” That was the only pine tree she saw, and it fascinated her. “It seemed weird having the only, so far, pine tree, I have seen, in there.” she thought.
When she gazed back to the road, she was alarmed seeing that she was about to hit a wall of big rocks. “Oh no! –argh! Why don’t you stop!” she shouted as she was pressing on the break. She kept on pressing it, but it did not work. Her car ran faster as though something is pushing it towards the wall. Sweat fell down her forehead and at her back.
“Oh Lord, please stop this car.” she prayed while she keep on pushing the break.
Her heart was pounding very fast, making her nervous and afraid. “Thug dug! Thug dug!” She could feel her hands were turning cold. This time she felt like gasping for breathe. “Haaah! Hmmmmmmp! Haaaaaaaa!” She turned the wheels but before she could do it, her car hit the wall.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!” she shouted.
“Boooooooooooooom!” A loud crashing sound echoed in the stillness of that night.
Then there was silence. She could no longer hear the fast beating of her heart. Her head was on the wheels, and then she tried to open her eyes.
Darkness… she could see nothing but darkness. She open and close her eyes, until slowly she can see vision from the shadows of the night.
She raised her head and saw broken pieces of glass. The hood of the car was damaged. It was deformed and there was smoke coming out from it. She touched her forehead, and there was blood. She did not know how long she had lost her consciousness since the time she crashed. She stretched her arms and looked around. She was still alone, no car passed by. She tried to start the engine, though she already knew it would not work. Nothing happened. She had no other option but to seek for help.
She got her attaché case on the front seat and moved out of the car. “Why? I cannot even feel any pain!” she thought to herself. She could only feel dizziness and trembling of her body. Even the bruise on her forehead felt nothing.
She took hold of her cell phone but there was no signal.
“Oh no!” she thought to herself then looked around.
“I have to seek for help. There must be signal somewhere here.” Then, she started walking, hoping to find a house and someone to help her.
She walked going to the direction where she came from. From a distance, she saw yellowish light. She could not distinguish what it was; her vision was blurry. She forced herself to walk and took a closer look. When she was nearer, she found out that it was a house. She looked around it. There was dim light all over the house. It had an old-rusty fence, with grassy ground of bermuda. It was an old-fashioned two-story house made of wood. Beside the house was a tree she could not clearly see.
Her vision doubled and she thought she would collapse. She hurried to the gate and started calling for somebody. “Hello? Good evening! Anybody home? Hello?!” she shouted with all her strength. She moved forward to the main gate so that her voice would be heard clearly.
After her calling, she saw the curtain on one of the windows swayed as though strong wind blew it. But, she could not feel any wind. After a few seconds, the main door opened revealing a young woman about her age. She was wearing a white night gown, and on her left hand was a lighted candle. She had a long black wavy hair and had a dull look.
She smiled at the young woman and said, “Uhm… Hi! I am so sorry to disturb you tonight. But, I just had a car accident few meters away and maybe you could help me.” Candice explained as the woman was going near her. She just looked at her blankly and then abruptly opened the gate, as if she did not hear Candice’s purpose.
She was mystified. She did not even say a word, and yet this woman seemed to know. As she entered the gate, Candice touched her forehead trying to feel the bruise. This time, the blood dried up.
She just followed the young woman as though she was hypnotized. They were not saying a single word.
“Squeak!” The door creaked as they come in.
“I am Nora, please come in.” the young woman finally talked and introduced herself, giving her a deep and cold stare as she directed her in. “Thank you, Nora. I am Candice. Nice to meet you!” and Nora just gave her a blank smile.
She stepped upon the carpeted floor silently as she could. The only light that illuminated the living room was a grand chandelier of candles in the high ceiling. She wondered how those candles would be changed when they melt. Stairs leading to the second floor was in the left side. The house smelled like dust; thick cobwebs covered the huge portraits and the military gun hung on the wall. Antique jars of different sizes in every corner flourished the living room.
“Please, have a sit.” the young woman said. “Thank you!” she replied with a smile on her face as she let herself sit on the bamboo chair and placed her case on top of the table in front. Then, there was mysterious silence, and she is not used to it. The only thing she could do in remedy is to talk and explain.
“Uhm, Nora, I just…”
“We shall be calling a bus. Do not worry.” Nora broke in the words she was about to say.
“Oh, yeah… Thank you”, she just says with a shocked look.
“That was strange! How could she know? Why call a bus?” She was thinking that they will be calling a car-fixer or something. However, Candice just assumed that the woman saw what happened and she knew what is best to do.
“Oh, okay. Thank you!” That is all she can say, relieved as to what she said. “Okay, I have to make the call. Just make yourself comfortable here.” and she was gone.
The place dimmed more when the light from the candles lessen and bend to one side as though a wind blew it. She just stood stiffly feeling as if somebody is watching her. She tried to look around.
Only silence. Then from the corner of her eyes, she could see as if the medium-sized porcelain jar beside the chair moved shaking. When she looked at it, she felt anxious because of the two pairs of red eyes looking straight to her.
She was about to shout when that something suddenly moved out from the jar. She was surprise to see three big black rats moving one by one.
“Haaaaaa!”, she jump up to the chair because of her nervousness and shock. She hates rats for they look so disgusting. She was shouting and jumping on top of the bamboo chair, as if she thought she was just in their dirty kitchen.
“What is that noise?!” a load roar of an old woman plus the sudden boom of thunder and strike of lightning suddenly stopped her hysterical attitude. She glances up the stairway and saw a big old woman coming down.
She felt ashamed of herself and went down to the floor when she realized where she was. She tried to look at the face of the old woman just to distinguish her reaction.
She could not clearly see the face because of the dim light, but she could see that the woman’s eyebrows were almost connected to each other because of her questioning look. Her long silk nightgown she is wearing swayed as she walked her way down.
When the old woman was almost face-to-face with her, she saw a wrinkled face and dull look. Candice thought she might be somewhat in her seventies. The white hairs were almost covering the black ones and they were untied. The long silk nightgown she is wearing swayed as she walked her way down.
“Who are you? Why are you here?” The gray deep eyes looked at her with curiosity.
“I am sorry Ma’am for the disturb and for shouting here at this late evening. It is just that I –eerr-- hate rats and I saw three of them moving out from there.” Then she pointed to the direction of the jar.
“Those are just rats! They are not to be afraid of, it is them who should be afraid! Who are you and why are you here?” repeats the old woman.
Candice thought to herself, “Oh! yes, why should I be afraid of them. They are just rats and besides, I am taller and bigger than they are!” and she smiled while lowly shaking her head.
“What is funny?” the old woman gave her a wondering look. Then she was back to her senses. “I am so sorry for acting like insane.” she apologized. “My name is Candice and I just had a car accident few meters away from here. I tried to walk and seek for help, then I saw this house”, she stopped and saw the woman looking straight at her. “It was Nora who let me in here”, she continued.
“Oh, I see. Did Nora do something about this?” The old woman asked.
“Yes, Ma’am. She is now calling for a bus to fetch me up in here.” She responded politely.
“That is good. Just sit and wait for her”, the old woman said while nodding her head. Then she walked towards the near room without even introducing her name. She walked very lightly and disappeared as she entered the room.
“Who could that woman be? Maybe she is Nora’s mother.” She wondered and guessed. “This house is giving me goose bumps! Very weird”
Then she sat down and looked outside to see if it is raining. But, it was not. The sky is full of stars and the moon is shining brightly.
Then, Nora came with a worried look saying, “I am sorry, the place is too remote for any bus to pass by in this late of the night. But probably, buses would pass anytime tomorrow.”
A worried look painted on her face too upon hearing that. Candice grew bothered and nervous. How could she ever get to the meeting the next day and where would she spend the night? Nora understood the anxiousness in Candice, and said, “You can stay here tonight. There are guest rooms upstairs.”
“Oh thank you! I will just pay for my stay here tonight.” she said in a happy voice. Hiding the nervousness and scary thoughts, she had about the house. “Do not be afraid, Candice. You will just be staying here for a night. The house is just full of rats. This time, you have to face your fears”, she thought to herself to fight the growing sense of scary thoughts.
“No, never mind paying! It is our great pleasure to have you here as our guest tonight.” Nora said with a mysterious smile.
“No, I have to pay and thank you so much for your kindness. By the way, a woman about in her seventies was here a while ago. Is she your mom?” she asked to divert the topic.
“She is not my mother. She is my master. Her name is Alicia. She owned this house and lot and I have been working here for many years already.”
“Oh, I am sorry. I thought she was your mother.” she apologized blushingly. “But, why did she choose to stay here. I mean, it is far from the city and it seems so quiet in here.” she asked out of curiosity since there is no sign of technology in the house. There was no fluorescent light or television to inform them about the latest news in the world.
“We are used to the silence and we find comfort through it. We escaped the complexity of living in big noisy places by living here.” was her only reply.
“Ah, yeah. I see you are comfortable in here.” she just replied. Compared to her busy and hectic work life, these people were a lot different.
“I guess you are hungry, you looked so weary from your trip. Plus the accident you had just met. I will go get some food.” But before she could refuse, Nora had already went to the kitchen. Anyway, she is indeed hungry for she could feel her stomach grumble.
While waiting, Candice reflected about those two people she had met in this house. She felt so welcomed and honored to be their guest. Though her meeting with Alicia was a very shameful one. Despite the mysterious and quiet approach, she appreciated their concern and help.
“Who else could be living in this house? It is a big antique house, but it seems only two people are living in here”, she thought to herself. For her, if she only had a big house, she wants to have many people living in it. She would invite her relatives so that the house would look happy.
“Maybe there are pictures or portraits somewhere”, and started searching for some. Here eyes caught three huge portraits on the wall.
“Oh, there it is!”, then she stood up.
She went near them and studied them. The first one was a beautiful young woman in floral white dress. She wore a light smile with her eyes gray deep. She is sitting in a couch with her hands fixed cross in her legs. Candice recognized the young woman in the portrait as the woman she saw a little while. The familiar eyes drove her to that conclusion. The next portrait was a family. A bearded man in military uniform stood beside the young woman from the first portrait, and this time she is carrying a baby boy. With hair neatly fixed, eyes deep set and broad chest in uniform, the man looked with authority. The woman beside him drew a smile as she held the sleeping child. The baby looked more of his father’s features, as Candice assumed that the man is the baby’s father. The last portrait was also a family. A man in military uniform too stood beside a sitting woman in long brown gown and a child beside her around four to six.
She cannot anymore guess who the people in the last portrait were. She was at that condition when Nora came carrying cookies and milk in a tray. Nora glanced at the direction where Candice is looking and then she knew the curious look in her face. “That is Ma’am Alicia, holding her 3 month-old baby Danilo. The man standing by her is Sir Joachim, a soldier. The man in the last picture is the baby on the second one. ”
“Oh, I see… The last portrait is Danilo’s family, right?” asked Candice while receiving the tray of food. Nora just nodded as a sign of agreement. She sat again and ate the food in front of her. Nora sat on the opposite seat.
“I just made milk for you so that you could sleep soundly tonight. Is that okay?”
“Oh yeah, it is just fine. I am also used to drink milk before bedtime when I was young.” then she smiled.
“How about you, where is your family? Do you have any connection with Alicia’s?”, she asks while eating her cookies. Then got the milk but it was too hot, so she set it aside first.
There was silence between the two. Nora looked away and there were tears gathering in her eyes, attempting to fall. Nora wiped them off which made Candice look worried.
“Oh Nora, I am so sorry. I never intend to make you cry. Never mind my question.” she said while moving towards Nora and started rubbing her back.
“No, it is okay. it is just that Ma’am Alicia is so good to me. She is my family, all of her family for me is also my family. She adopted me when I was 12. I was a runaway child because my father would always beat me up though I did not do something wrong. It is as if I am a stuffed toy that he could use to beat whenever he is drunk! and he have many woman”, she said.
Candice could see the anger in her eyes. She does not know what to say.
“My mother! How I hate her, she left me when I was 3 years old. She left with another guy. My childhood life was very miserable. That is why I runaway and found new home here. I am very happy to meet Alicia, she had given me another chance to see that life is beautiful. That is why I am very dedicated to her and I will serve her forever.” She said and wipe off the last tear that fall. In response, Candice continued to give her some comfort and a tap at the back. Then there was silence.
“Ding-dong! Ding-dong!” The grandfather’s clock stroke twelve o’clock. Its ringing sound echoed in the house, verifying the stillness and silence of the environment. Time passed by so swiftly, she did not even predict it. She could not imagine the events and the people she have met all in just a matter of three hours.
“Too much of my emotions. You have to take some rest now.”
“Oh, you can share to me anything. We are now friends”, she just said.
Candice just smiled then she remembered her meeting for tomorrow and thought that she must leave early.
“Thank you for the food, Nora.” She said while arranging the utensils on the tray and was about to go to the kitchen. “Do not mention it. Just leave those in there, I will be the one to clean it up. Come with me, I will show you your room for tonight.”
She took a candle and then directed her upstairs. As she walked behind Nora, Candice can hardly see the steps.
“Why don’t Alicia just do some repair on this house? It looks so old. Why doesn’t she put some electricity here?” she asked.
“Ma’am Alicia would not like that idea. This antique house is full of memories for her. This house is part of her life.”
“Where is her husband and her son, Danilo? I wonder.”
“Sir Joachim died in a war. That event was so painful for Ma’am Alicia. It took her years to recover. When Danilo grew up, he also became a soldier. But he also died during the war. It was really painful for Ma’am Alicia’s part to loose two important person in her life. But she found new hope from the face of her only grandson, Daniel.” said Nora. They were already on the second floor and there were several rooms were in there. It was too dark for her to count them. The candle’s light would even seem to die out.
“Where is Daniel’s mom?”
“Ma’am Margot, she got sick because of cancer when Daniel was 7. Then she died two years after that.”
“Oh… that is so sad. My dad too died when I was 13”, she commented while Nora opened the door in the first room. She settled the candle in the bedside table while she places her attaché case too. Then Nora started arranging the bed cover.
“Let me help you.” she lends a hand.
“Why did he die?”
“Because he is a chain smoker until he got sickness in the lungs.”
“Oh… smoking was never a good habit. Tsk! Tsk!” Nora commented.
“Yes and I do not know why some people would indulge themselves in it. That is what I always asks myself and to my father when I was young. But he will just laugh at me and shoo me away”, she said and sigh deeply then slowly shook her head.
“Well, you have to change your attire. I have some unused garments for you. You looked fatigued and worn out.” said Nora.
“I am?” and looked at her attire. She did not detect how disgraceful she looks, not until Nora told her. She wandered her eyes searching for a mirror, but no mirror was on sight. How could she ever see her awful look if there would be no mirror? She thought for a while.
“Wait, I will go get some pair of pajama for you.” and Nora went out.
Unaccompanied in that dim room, Candice was uncomfortable and annoyed by the silence. Her nose itched, as she smelled the dusty air. She sat on the bed, and she felt the soft linen---“An expensive type”, she thought. Still, it smelled dusty. They have been living here for several years and yet the house and the furnitures seemed uncared plus the rats downstairs.
The curtains swayed despite the close windows. “How could that be since there is no presence of the wind?” She wondered.
“Hi there again! I got two pairs for you. Just choose which one fits you better. I also brought a sundress for tomorrow”, she said handing her the pairs of pajamas.
“Here are candles for you, in case the old one will completely melt away.”
She took what Nora gave her and said, “Thank you so much, Nora.”
“You have been thanking me for how many times now, and I will say again, you are welcome!” and she smiled.
“If you need some more help, just knock me downstairs. My room is beneath the stairway”, then she wink.
“Thank y----“ but before she could finish, Nora interrupted her saying, “Oooppss, once again, you are welcome!” and moved out.
Again, she was left alone. After dressing up, she felt like going to the toilet. Unaware of where the toilet is, she went out of the room and was about to go downstairs to ask Nora. But she had helped her too much and she will be disturbing her already at this night. Therefore, she just looked for the toilet all by herself.
With the candle in hand, she walked in the corridor slowly and silently. She could hear the floor squeak in her every step. She passed by four doors and saw a door at the end. She thought that maybe that was the comfort room and turned on the knob. She was relieved to see that it was really the toilet room. Then she went inside to comfort herself.
After flushing the bowl, she looked for a mirror to check herself, but she cannot find any hanged on the wall. She just thought, “They maybe are not fond of putting mirrors in the comfort room. I’d better go back to the guest’s room.”
“Aaaahhh!” She screamed when she saw somebody standing behind her just after she closed the door of the comfort room. He was a tall man about 6’5”, with brown eyes paired to his tan complexion, golden brown due to the candle’s light. He had long nose and his hair was fixed properly at the back. He was indeed a handsome man, looking so masculine with a black overcoat with white long-sleeve, and black khaki pants. He was smiling at her, a tender smile not revealing his teeth. Then she looked at him with a questioning look.
“Good evening! Who are you? What are you doing here? How did you get in here?”, but the guy just continued to smile back at her.
“Why is he just smiling? Is he deaf? Oh, I have to shout for Nora’s name!” she said to herself. “Norr---hmmmp!” She was about to shout for Nora’s name when the gorgeous guy covered her mouth. “Hey! I am no trespasser. I am the grandson of Alicia, the owner of the house. My name is Daniel. Stay calm, okay?” Then he slowly released his hand on her mouth.
Then Candice remembered the third portrait. “You must be the young boy on the third portrait I saw downstairs.” she said. “I am sorry for what I did. I was just shocked to see somebody standing at my back in the middle of the night! Anyway, I am Candice.” She apologized and show her hand for a friendly handshake.
Then Daniel accepted it. “Ah, so you are our guest. Nora told me about you a while ago. You must be very tired, let me accompany you to your room. I am sorry if I scared you.”
“Nah, it is okay. Thank you for having me here in your house.” she said while they walked to her room.
“It is a pleasure to have you here.” Daniel opened the door for her. She gets inside and looks back at him.
“Sleep tight and just feel freely comfortable. Goodnight, Candice.” he smiled at her. “Goodnight.” she replied and then he moved away.
She hardly had enough sleep for she is not used to the atmosphere of the place. Moreover, she cannot sleep because the candle light might consume and she cannot sleep in the dark. She used to sleep with the lights all turned on. She closed her eyes yet something disturbed her. She changed positions in sleeping, still it did not work. She closed her eyes again and tried to think about happy memories so that she can get a nap. Maybe she slept for a while, but after several minutes she will be awake again. This went on and on, until natural light finally entered the window. She decided to go out, went to the kitchen, and saw Nora cooking. “Good morning, Nora! What’s cooking?” she greeted her.
“Good morning too. Want some coffee?” she asked while mixing the hot water with coffee. “Sure! Thanks. I already met Daniel last night.” she told Nora about their meeting. “Yes, he is a nice guy. Isn’t he?” she asked while handing to her the cup of coffee.
“Yes, indeed! I met him when I had closed the door of the restroom. I was shocked to see him standing behind me. I thought he is an invader. Hehe.”, and sip the coffee from her cup.
“He is often like that. He loves to scare people, making them shock! Haha. But he is nice.” and she continued to cook.
“By the way, I wonder were I could borrow a mirror because I cannot find any, even in the restroom?” she asked glancing at Nora.
“Sorry, but you cannot find any mirror in this house. We do not use mirrors because Alice does not want to. How is the coffee?” Nora replied and shifted the topic.
“Oh really?”
“That is really strange. How could they see and check on themselves if they do not use any mirror! Very weird.” she just thought to herself.
After taking a bath and changing her clothes, she got her cell phone and went downstairs, passing the living room where she saw Alicia crocheting.
“Good Morning Ma’am! Have a nice day.” She greeted her. The old woman just smiled back as a response.
She got a chair and waited outside for the bus to come. A few minutes later, she heard a serene and she went near the gate. She saw two police cars and an ambulance pass by. She just stared at the back part of the slowly fading patrol cars.
“What could that be? Hm… I hope they would come back here.”
“Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnngg! Riiiiiiiiiiiinnnngg!” Then she heard her cell phone ring. She saw that it was a co-manager calling her. She click on the accept button.
“Hello Sir?” she said.
“Good morning Candice! Where are you now? Our client is waiting for you! Go back home immediately and explain to the head manager what happened. Do you hear me? Hello? Hello?” the co-manager said.
“Hello sir! Yes I can hear you. Do you hear me? I had an accident last night… please fetch me up here … Sir? Hello?” She tried to explain her part, but the voice on the other line seemed to hear nothing and just keep on murmuring why she is not responding.
“Candice? Are you there? Why are you… Is there something wrong with my phone? Hello? Hel--- Tooot! Tooot!” Then the call suddenly ended.
“Arrghh! No signal!” Then she started searching for the signal.
“It got to be somewhere here. Argh!” she said in an angry tone.
“Why can’t he hear my voice? I guess, maybe because of the low signal in this place.” she just thought after calming herself.
She was at this status when Nora called her for breakfast. Then she just went inside the house and did not think more deeply about the call, as long as she knew that she have to go home soon.
After taking her breakfast, she went out again to wait for a bus, but lunch came and there was no sign of it.
“Candice, lunch is ready!” Nora called her once again to eat. Then she went out again to wait and wait. Until she felt bored and tired, so she decided to get inside the house.
Entering the main door, she noticed again the big portraits and decided to look at it clearer in daytime. Looking at the third portrait, she noticed a blurry writing in the lower right corner of the painting. “1956, it might be the date when it was made. So 2007 minus1956… the painting is 51 years old!” she was shocked with her discovery.
Unknowingly, she sat down slowly to the bamboo chair and thought, “If Daniel on the painting was around four to six years old, then why is he still looking around twenty something last night? He must be fifty something already. But why? How about the grandmother? She should be a hundred or so. They cannot be---“ Her eyes enlarged and her hand was on her mouth.
“Could that be?” She gasped at the mere thought. Then she remembered that her attaché case was left in the bedroom.
It scared her. “This is pure mystery and this smells danger! I have to go away from this place.” she decided to herself. She is now in great panic. She went upstairs to get her attaché case, before she could enter her room, she noticed the door next her room was opened ajar. She caught sight of the old woman standing by the window facing the sun, but there were no shadows reflected on the floor. Moreover, looking at the floor, she saw the woman’s feet not touching the ground. She was floating!
Her eyes widened with anxiousness, her legs trembled, and she could feel her hands becoming colder. She have to leave this place as early as possible as she thought. She silently went into her room and got her bag.
She directly went downstairs, “Aaahhp! Go away from me!” she even gasped when she meet Nora in the living room and because of her nervousness, she shouted at Nora.
But instead, Nora blocked her way looking at her fiercely which made her more nervous. “You cannot get away from me. You will be with us, forever! Hahaha!” Nora said while laughing out loud crazily.
“Nooooo!” She got nothing to do but to run as fast as she could. She was surprised to pass across Nora’s body! She moved as fast as she could, she opened the door and run along the bermuda grass to the gate. Exactly when she was there, a bus came, and she rode on it.
Looking at the antique house form the bus’ window, she then noticed the pine tree on the left side of the house with the sun on its top. Goosebumps were all over her, “It was the same scene I saw the night during the accident.” The familiar pine tree, the vacant lot, everything seemed to flash back to her. But there was no sign of any house when she passed by there last night! She felt electrified, her hairs were standing.
“Please drove faster!” she cried at the driver. All she ever wanted that time was to get away from that place.
It was almost six in the evening and she noticed that she was the only passenger in the bus, but she did not mind. She was even more thankful that the bus stopped her in front of their gate though she wondered how the driver knew she lived there. She paid her fare to the driver whose face is covered with a hat made of mat.
Opening the gate, she saw people crowding in their front porch. “Why, seems like there is a party going on in here. Guess they really prepared for my coming back.” she thought to herself. It was just so happy to be back home.
Their house smelled like flowers. It was a familiar smell of an explicit flower. She recognized the guests were her co-workers in the company, and some of her relatives were there.
“Hello everybody! I am here!” She shouted but nobody heard her. She stepped more closely to the crowd for her to be noticed, but nobody saw her. She even come face-to-face with the co-manager who called her that morning. But it seems like she is invisible, and the person is teary-eyed.
“What is happening?” she thought. She saw yellow lights on their living room, and heard her mom howling. Two of her brothers were brushing their mother’s back, comforting her. One was on one side, crying.
“Mom! Why are you crying?” she shouted. But her mom did not look up. She moved closer to their living room to see why she is crying, and in her astonishment, she saw a huge portrait of herself surrounded with yellow lights and white flowers. She feared of what could be happening. In great fright, she jumped back upon seeing who they were lamenting to. Herself. Terror was all over her.
“This could not be! I am not dead! Can you hear me, mom? Guys! I am here!” she shouted at everybody, trying to get their attention. But it is worthless. She does not know what to do. She wanted to cry, but there were no tears.
She turned around and saw outside their house was the bus. Nora, Alicia and Daniel, with the mat hat, waved happily at her.
She wanted to scream. But she did not. Because she knew nobody will hear her anymore. Not anymore.
