“G-Grip, do you still remember the spell?” I glued my eyes at Amara’s direction. Few more seconds and she’ll entirely absorb Gugu. “What are you thinking, Serra? It’s forbidden.” I could feel his eyes at me. “Even if I still remember the spell, I won’t tell you.” His resolve was fixed. The decrease of Gugu’s presence was crushing my heart. I couldn’t bear watching. I shouldn’t just stand here. I have to do something. This happened before. Something was telling me not to loss her again without saying goodbye. I curled my fingers molding them into fist. I took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. “Serra, don’t,” he warned. “I don’t know why but I can bear to loss everything just to save her,” I said without looking at him because if I did, I might hesitate. “Serra, look at me.” His voice was firm but begging. “Do not anger the heavens–” I shook my head and fixed my eyes at Amara. “The heavens could turn me into a cat forever, strike me with lightning, I will accept anything. I will ac
She stretched out her hand. I ran to her. The ball of light behind her moved forward swallowing her fast. I grabbed her hand but I grasped nothing as the light vanished together with Gugu. I was a little too late. “She was just inches away from my fingertips,” I muttered pulling my hand on my chest. She was following me for eighteen years, protecting me, guiding me. She was the love that I didn’t see but I felt. I knelt on the ground sobbing. That day when I was sick, when she cooked porridge for me, it wasn’t a dream. “That day, she asked me to take care of you. Do you remember what I did at Bruce and Amara’s place? I cast the same spell to have her a temporary shell so she could take care of you when I couldn’t.” Grip showed up in front of me. He knelt in front of me grabbing my nape and embraced me tightly. “You are her mission, Serra, her flesh and blood,” he said brushing my hair. “You knew. All this time. Why didn’t you tell me? I haven’t got to say goodbye.” I tried pushing
SERRA “Seriously, Grip? You look for her right after you opened your eyes? Her?” Cozen sneered looking away. He was acting like a jealous girlfriend. “She put you on that painful state. If you keep on doing this you’ll loss your chance.” He pointed at Grip, scolding him. “What happened to the initial plan? Use her to get to the other side? Are you really going to give up your reincarnation after the long years you’ve waited?” he added. I froze on the spot. For a moment the revelation deafened me. I wanted to speak but I couldn’t even part my lips. “Use? Reincarnation?” Confusion consumed me. “I-I don’t understand,” I continued. I do understand. I was just in denial. I just didn’t want to believe what I’ve heard. They both looked at me, shocked. Cozen glanced at Sham who was leaning against the wall and whistling, feigning innocence. “Sham,” Cozen glared at her. “What?” she raised her palms on her sides still faking impeccability. “I know you did it on purpose.” Cozen gritted his
“Home?” I repeated in question. Home. I lived from one orphanage to another. I didn’t really have a permanent place to stay. I was alone but wasn’t lonely. I didn’t have a shelter of my own but I was home. For eighteen years, wherever I went, I was home. At first, I find it weird being comfortable with a new place at an instant, feeling home, but now I know why. It was because home was following me. Home doesn’t refer to a thing with doors and windows. Home is a person or even a ghost. Sadness slowly crept in my system. I just lost that home. Recently, I discovered that I got myself another home, Grip, but I lost them both right after another. “I guess I have a lot of explaining to do.” Governor chuckled. “But first, let’s get going.” He picked up one of my baggage while the rest was handled by Garzon who was silent the entire time. We head on the parking lot and Amanda kept on clinging in my arms on the way there. We were followed by stares from the students we passed by. We stopp
Lying down my bed, over the rumpled sheets, I shut my eyes forcing darkness to sweep over me. My eyes were deprived of light but my ears heard the surrounding, ticking of the clock, the rustling of the branch of tree against the glass window, sound of crickets, loud and clear, and my mind could picture them out vividly. I grabbed a pillow and covered it against my face. I rolled on the side of my bed groaning. It has been forever since a sleepless night visited me. I threw the pillow between my legs and stared at the ceiling letting their words after that grand welcome, at the dinning area, dive deep in my head for the nth time. “You’re a Silverio,” said Governor Arthuro. “We are sissies by blood!” Amanda squealed. “You are the late Mistress Sierra’s daughter,” the old woman added. I am a Silverio. Four words that were enough to keep me up the entire night. I have always dreamed of having a family, a happy complete family. Now that I have, I don’t know how I feel. It was odd. I s
I opened my eyes and roamed my sight spotting for Gugu. I sighed deep. Here I go again. I gathered my things and get ready for school. It took me minutes before reaching the door. I still haven’t got used to my huge room. I felt like I might get lost anytime. I went out and looked on my right expecting a handsome man leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets and his head tilting in my direction, hair dancing above his shoulder, but instead, I saw three silver maids coming out from Amanda’s room. The maids looked both confused and terrified. “How could she even do that by herself?” said the maid on the right. “What made her so furious to wreck everything in the room?” uttered by the one on the left. “It was the return of the next mistress of the Silverio’s mansion,” the middle maid answered. “What’s going on?” I interfered that made them took few steps backward in shock. “G-Good morning, young mistress.” It took the three of them some time before greeting me with a bow
The car stopped in front of a huge white house, the Harrison’s. Nothing has changed. It still looked sinister from the outside but the aura of lost souls increased. The man in the garden, the woman in the window, the kids on the terrace, and the old man at the racking chair were all still there. “I’ll be the one to pick you up. Call me anytime, Serra.” He handed me a box. I accepted and opened it. It was a newly released brand new phone. “Amanda’s number and mine are there,” he said. I nodded and went out of the car. “Thank you for this.” I raised the box. “And for the ride too.” “No need to thank me, Serra. You are my daughter.” His expression remained the same, flinty. I nodded again and closed the door. I waved as he drove away. My lips automatically curved a smile. My daughter, two words but were enough to make me happy. What Amanda told me about his father, our father, was different from what I see. She said that they have a little time together, that they rarely eat together
“It’s time to leave.” A man in black coat suddenly appeared in front of the room’s door. “Xyrus...” She stretched out her hand to her grandson. “Yes, grandma?” He swiftly took her hand and sat on the bed beside her. “Take care of yourself. Stick with Serra. She’s your only hope.” She grabbed my hand and put it together with Xyrus’. He was confused but looked away with reddened face. Grandama’s grip in our hands loosened. She already closed her eyes. Her soul went out of her body. She looked at Xyrus then at me. She was leaving her grandson to me. The reaper sliced in the air with his scythe and a line of light followed creating a door to the other side. She glanced back at us one last time before crossing over. “Rest well, grandma.” Xyrus lend over and kissed his grandma’s forehead. The ghosts inside the mansion started leaving through the wall, window, ceiling, floor, anywhere. I felt different emotions from them but one thing was the same, fear. “Why are they leaving?” I asked