Chapter 2: Mystery Girl
When Jun opened his eyes. He heard the sound of a rushing river surrounded by trees towering above him. The cold and gentle wind blows as if whispering a secret in the silence of the night.
From a distance, two figures appeared, their steps were orderly and slow, illuminated by the dim moonlight, they walked closer and closer to him. Jun's eyes focused on one of them, she looked like the woman he had been missing all this time. Jun could hardly believe his senses. ("Is that.. dad?, who's next to him.. mom??") He uttered, filled with mixed emotions, stunned at what he saw.
The memory in the school toilet at afternoon before hit his memory. The hopes and expectations that have been awaited all this time have happened unexpectedly. He saw signs in the sky during class a few times but only ended up waking up from a dream. He hopes this time will be decisive and would be the end of the illusion.
Without uttering a word, the two people approached and hugged him tightly. Jun's voice trembled in a silent wail, realizing that he didn't feel like he was really touching them yet he continued to deny the feeling.
"Mom, I want to apologize for that day.." He said while sobbing. His lips quivered as he remembered the unfortunate fate full of regret. He felt guilty for not trying hard enough to find his mother who disappeared three years ago, until his father also had an accident during the search and it stopped just like that. Jun believed his mother was still alive but the situation and his miserable life after that made him have to survived himself first.
Their eyes, filled with unspeakable sadness, they both stared at Jun. His mother's mouth moved as if she was whispering something that was meant only for him, but he couldn't hear it at all.
Suddenly, like a wisp of smoke, they just vanished, leaving him in a sense of emptiness that formed an ever-deepening hole in his soul.
..Once again..
*****
Jun opened his eyes and looked up at the swaying ceiling fan. He could see the sunset's light rays shining through the windows.
He squeezed his dizzy head and sighing deeply. " So that is, just.. a dreams" he uttered,
He take a glances around, and see a familiar surroundings.
("Am i at the nurse office? Why the didn't turn the light on though? Is it a waste of the bills for the orphans?") he complained as he slowly remember what happened before.
He briskly looking at his watch, rubbing his blurry eyes, he exclaims, "What! It's almost 7pm!"
While he tried to get up, he unintentionally caught a glimpse of a head slowly moving up and down from the corner of his eye at the side of the bed where he had been lying down. It has a long hair covering the face and a white pale clotch shrouded in the dim light of the wall edge. He glances at it cautiously. His heart raced with a mix of curiosity and unease.
As he tried to approach it, he was stunned to see it was the unknown girl earlier, she was sitting and asleep in the chair next to his bed. Curiosity struck, ("Wasn't she the one who found me there?") he thought.
He stepped closer and analyzed her. He noticed that her skin had a captivating, glowing white appearance, but somehow it also looked rough. He stared at her for a minute, and suddenly an important question popped into his mind. ("Oh wait, what's her name?...") he dislike to be an ungrateful human.
Jun shift from the bed and try focusing his eyes at the name tag on her left chest. " Airie ..M-Myo" he uttered, while rubbing the eyes to clearly read the odd name of her.
"Where are you looking??"
(!!!)
The sudden voice hitting his nerves, as he stepped back to his bed. "No, I just want to ... I'm sorry..." Jun startled and instantly apologize to avoid the misunderstanding.
Her gaze was filled with a mischievous glint, she looked at him with a sly smile. Slowly, she rose from her chair, her step are quiet as Jun's mouth when she approached his bedside. She stood before him, her presence seemed to fill the room as she stare on his face.
"What?" Jun shuddering, his voice tinged with nervousness, as he watched her became more closer. His introvert self swing over the top, an act to escape darted through his mind, tempting him to flee from his bed.
While he still busy thinking, she suddenly bent her body forward and raised her right hand toward Jun's and touches his forehead, and stare his eyes for a couple of second. He was just blinking. The scent of her hair triggered memories in his mind. Her hands felt warm, like a mother's embrace, and her blue eyes looked captivating up close. He suddenly becomes more awkward as this is the first time someone were so close to him, more so a stranger girl. He thought inwardly, ("I wonder if I know her" ) He didn't dare to ask her directly either.
("And why she even acted so familiar and casual with me?") Jun suddenly senses a fake migraine instead for a second, as he keep digging his memory.
*A few seconds later..*
Airie: "Okay, you're good now." She straightened her posture and put her hands on her back.
Jun : "What are you..? Nurse to be?
Airie : "Nah, I just want to touch it."
She said, with poker faces and continued,
" You're suddenly fainted in front of me, your arm chillingly cold, you didn't breath either, i thought you were dead.. I just get panicked and immediately dragged you here instead."
"So..? Jun, unintentionally make a suspicious face.
She raised her eyebrows and said, "So? Do you want mouth-to-mouth breathing? I already skipped that, and it's still early for you though." She teased on him while sitting casually beside and tilted her head as she gaze at his eyes.
"What?? No, I mean.." Jun horizontally shift his gaze towards the windows, avoiding direct eye contact with her.
He uttered "Did you bring me here? Alone?"
She chuckled, amused with Jun's reaction on her lame joke. "Of course not." Then she added, "But you're so light, you know. Didn't you eat for months?" She said, as she swung her leg that hanging under the bed.
Jun, " I didn't know about that… "
"Where is the real nurse by the way?" he try to change the topic.
"Ah, she's already gone home, after she checked that you're still alive and gave you some medicine for the migraine, then she left. Why did she have to wait for you?"
The statement banging on his ear, make a force reboot to his blank mindedness, "I admit that last part, but.. why are you waiting for me here"
Airie : "Duh... Instead of thanking, you're interrogates me? You're really.." she suddenly held her words, and swiftly glance at the outside.
"Whatever.. You can walked now right? We're late, so I'll get going now. The gate will closed soon."
Jun : "Owh, alright.."
She get up, make her way, and when almost reaching the door suddenly Jun uttering.
"Uhm, Thank you.." Jun speeches with slow and flat voice but still echoed in that quiet room.
Airie smile slightly without glancing " Alright, see you next. " then she get out, leaving her scent behind the sunlight that comes in at the door.
Jun : ("haa, I really want to ask which class she is.."But what if she's from my class and i didn't notice her?") he thought, concerned about his lacking interest to humanism.
Curiosity clouding him, and he feels like he doesn't shown enough gratitude to her, thanks to his awkwardness.
Then, after a few minutes, Jun also move out of there as he feels refreshed that he never felt before. With a new spirit, he left the school after he took his things back in the class.
=======
*5 days ago*
At Ozil House : 10:34 pm
Everyone was already sleep after brief dinner.
After showering and grab a muffin he buy at the convenience store near the school.
He goes to the desk at the corner besides the third rows double-decker beds and continues scribble something on his book.
He clicked the pen, turned the page and without wasting time he began to scribble..
[ " I was alone in a cold hospital hall engulfed by the smell of medicine and sorrow, It's not like this is the first time i have been in this situation, but the great differences now is, i'm at the hallway of the mortuary room."
When i'm 7 years old, my dad is a very busy person, so busy, until he once not visiting my sick mom in hospital for a half years, so if we didn't see him for a week is a normal.
I know the reason he did that is because of our condition, after all, my mother always told me not to hate him. So I decided to take care of my mother in his place. I have managed home and school activities quite well.
That makes me feel great and proud. But that feelings sometimes felt like it doesn't appropriated. So I ignored it.
Just like any other feeling. My priority is our situation.
But, the clichéd things that I have only seen in the story that i watched while spending time with my mom before, happened to us like "miracle" but it's unlike-able miracles. And we just didn't know who's the protagonists.
My dad was caught up by loan.., a big loan, enough to make our only house as a collateral, all the money is for hospital payment bills. My dad once says " it's okay to lose our precious house than losing our precious family"
Fantastic word isn't it? I feel a bit touched at the time, but it doesn't throw the fact that our life now has been in a collateral of possibilities to live under the bridge if it'll get worse.
My mom very surprised to accepting this fiction thrill story from my dad, and with a smile, she gladly remembered to asked for help from my grandmother and going to stay with her instead, but my dad became totally shivering after hear his wife say like that.
Why not? Because my grandmother had passed away a month after i was born. And dad really understands the means she says.
So my dad promised that this will never be too long. My mom trust his strong willed. And i, as an eight years old kid can only give a supporting smile.
It's not like we even have any other options though. Plus, we don't have any relatives to turn into.
The reality hit us so hard than any stone and diamond. Leaving our family with a new 'achievements' in the life. That can be 'Framed' on the wall of Fate.
Few years later, our life has became quite bright like ray of sunshine. And live happily ever.
At least that's what i was imagined, but it didn't happen.
The good 'miracle' thingy doesn't work in reality. The only things left is a Cage of Dullness and suffocates, this world created not for us to be relaxed and happy but, yeah, I'm a bit relieved..
At least something i read in the book really happens to me. It makes me feel less lonely at least.
As, to support myself without dragging my parents, I've working part time at a couple of places ..
Because of not many jobs i can get for a 15 years old decent citizen. I've faked my school ID's telling that I'm age 18 to get a wider job opportunities and gladly never get caught up both by my parents and my boss, and it last for months.
The feelings and thrill when I've got some buckets by myself, and lighten up their burden, it's very satisfying enough for me.. It's not bad to live like that as long as we're together, and….]
Before Jun could finish his writing, a sudden jolt of noise shattered the silence.
The unmistakable sound of a key turning in the lock echoed through the room, followed by the ominous shadow walking behind the windows.
Frightening creak of the door swinging open. There, in the doorway, stood Eric.
He moved slowly and with unpleasant looking. A gleaming stainless-steel knuckle fully adorning his right-hand fingers.
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Luiz_67 Mystery is her Name >_<
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