Chapter 6

NOLAN

“Hmm, I really think that you must find her.” There she goes, every day is like that.  I looked at Orlene, irritated. She didn’t stop persuading me.

“I said I’m not yet ready. Give me some time to think.” I said. 

“Isn’t a few days enough for you? How much time do you need more? Months? Years?” She asked bluntly. I didn’t respond to her. Instead, I opened my notes and started studying.

She sighed at me, “You know what? If you’re like that, I don’t think that you deserve her.”  I was stunned at her answer. I looked at her, I tried to open my mouth but no voice came out. 

I can’t answer her, a moment of silence ensued between us; until our teacher came. 

I can’t focus on the discussion. As if I’m here in the classroom but my brain was somewhere else. I was occupied with the thought, ‘I don’t deserve her? Is that true?’

The first class ended with me not learning anything. I placed my head on top of the table and covered it with my two arms. Am I really worth it? Seconds have passed when the next teacher came. We greeted her then she proceeded with her discussion.

I didn’t notice, but that seconds turned to hours. Until I just realized that I was going to the cafeteria, together with Amansinaya. Orlene didn’t come with us, she said that she’s not hungry.

While heading to the cafeteria, I turned to Amansinaya, “Hey,” I started. She turned her head to me.

“Do you think I can find her? Do you think I am worthy enough to find her?” She then smiled at me. My questions are not even funny!

“You know, the reason I picked you is not that you have the strength, but because of you and the mermaid both have a special bond that was created long ago.” She stopped; she took a deep breath before continuing. “I didn’t say that you’ll succeed, but if you try; you might come with the possibility of succeeding. Because life is all about gambling, you’ll make risky decisions even if there’s no assurance that you’ll get something in return.” She continued.

I was amazed by what she said. I didn’t reply to her. 

We continued to the cafeteria, I ordered a salad while she ordered a sandwich. I didn’t even finish my salad. I kept thinking about Asherah. I suddenly thought if she was okay wherever she is. If she eats three times a day. If no one’s making her suffer. I clenched my fists unconsciously; if someone is torturing her, I might kill that person.

I looked at Amansinaya who’s enjoying her lunch. “Is Asherah okay? Is no one hurting her?” I asked. She stopped eating and looked at me as if I interrupted something important to her.

“We wouldn’t know if we wouldn’t find her.” She answered. I sighed because of it. I badly want to find her, but something is stopping me to do it. As if I would destroy something because of it.

Three days flew fast; I finally decided what to do. I got up from my bed. I looked at the time. Luckily, I woke up early. I went to my bathroom to fix myself.

After a good bath, I looked at the time again. Huh, am I seeing things or the clock actually stopped? Curiously, I went to my table, where my phone is located.

I opened it, I cursed when I saw the time. “I’m going to be late!” I hurriedly wore my school uniform. I went outside my room to our dining room. “Good morning mom!” I greeted mom, who’s now also eating. “Good morning Hyno!” She greeted back.

I quickly ate my breakfast.

I didn’t have the time to greet dad who’s in the living room.

After a few minutes, I finally got to school. I looked up, gray clouds covered the whole sky. It looks like it’s going to rain huh. As I opened the door of our classroom, I was greeted with the unpleasant noise coming from my classmates.

I quickly head to my seat. I saw Amansinaya and Orlene talking to each other. Their conversation was interrupted when they saw me. Orlene waved her hand at me. I smiled in return.

As soon as I got there, Amansinaya spoke. “So, did you make up your mind?" She asked. 

I smiled at her, showing a sign that she will be happy with my decision.

“Why’re you smiling?” Orlene and Amansinaya both asked. I was about to say it when “Good morning class!” Mr. Nicholas interrupted.

I didn’t have the chance to say it to them. Until finally! Lunchtime came.

“Hurry up!” I said to them, geez they’re so slow! Minutes have passed until they were finished on whatever they’re doing.

They went outside the room, where I am right now. “I made up my mind.” They looked at me. They’re waiting for my answer.

I took a deep breath, “I will find her.” Their eyes widened. “Oh, my gosh!” Orlene exclaimed. And as I expected, they’re very happy with my decision.

When we finally found a table to eat, we sat down. I volunteered to get the order. We all picked porridge soup for lunch. When we got our orders, we started eating.

Minutes of deafening silence occurred when Orlene finally broke it.

“So, when will you start finding her?” She asked. “As soon as possible.” I simply answered.

“We can start today,” We both looked at Amansinaya. I nodded at her, “But, beware...” She stopped. I held my breath, “We’ll be going to another world; a world where magic exists. So, expect that you’ll see horrific creatures that could try to kill you.” She continued. She saw my reaction when she said that. She laughed a bit.

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you throughout your adventure.” She said. So she’s gonna help me?

Orlene clapped her hands, she might be enjoying our conversation. “I want to come too!” We looked at her. Minutes passed when Amansinaya sighed and said, “Okay you can come.” My eyes widened when she said that. What will happen if she’ll get in danger?!

Amansinaya laughed when she looked at me. “Don’t overreact Nolan. I will both give you weapons to protect yourselves.” She explained. ‘But…' I was about to speak when she spoke again. “Don’t worry, the weapons I’ll give you can be handled without any experience.” She just answered the question I was about to ask.

I can already feel that this will be one hell of an adventure!

We quickly finished our lunch and headed back to our classroom. As soon as we got there, students that seemed unfamiliar to me looked at us weirdly. I awkwardly laughed when I realized that we went into the wrong room. We apologized to them.

After seconds, we finally arrived in our classroom.

Hours of boring discussion when finally, “Good day class, see you tomorrow!” We hurriedly went outside. Me, Orlene, and Amansinaya went together.

“So, where are we heading now?” Orlene asked.

“We’re heading to the place that connects this world to the other world.” I understood her, but where could that be?

I stopped walking when I realized something. “If we went to another world, what will happen to our lives here?” I asked. “I mean, our parents would be surely worried when they know that we are missing.” I continued.

Orlene nodded as if she was going to ask that too. We both looked at Amansinaya who’s now also looking at us. “Don’t worry; the time here will stop once you enter the other world. They wouldn’t know that the time would stop because our whole adventure would only take a millisecond when converted into this world’s timeline.” She explained. Ohh, that explains it.

We nodded in return. We took a taxi to drive us to that place. Orlene and I both have no idea what’s that place.

The sun was setting when we arrived. My jaw dropped when I realized the place. I remembered the time I was selling rice cakes here, the place where I first met Asherah.

I think I have an idea of where we are heading. “So that sea connects this world to your world?” I asked, surprised. She nodded at me, whoa.

Orlene didn’t seem to hear our conversation because she was too occupied by the delicious foods she’s seeing.

When we arrived at the sea, my head started to hurt again.

“I’m sorry, I have to go now,” Asherah said. She seemed like in a hurry.

She was about to jump off the water but the young Nolan didn’t let go of her hand. 

“You leave, why? (Why will you leave?)”  Nolan asked. Mermaid didn’t answer his question. Instead, she gave her a calm smile.

“I promise I’ll be back,” Asherah promised to her. The young Nolan only understood the word 'promise' and 'back'. He smiled, he slightly understood what was the mermaid wanted to say.

B-But you never came back.

I didn’t realize that my eyes were flooding with tears. “Why are you crying Nolan?” Orlene asked. I shook my head, “N-No, it’s nothing.” I replied.

“It will be much better if you will not ask him more,” Amansinaya said. Orlene seemed to understand it so she just kept herself quiet.

“Let’s go?” Amansinaya asked; we nodded at her. The setting sun was the last thing I saw as the time we went underneath the sea.

We followed Amansinaya, we also stopped when she stopped. She closed her eyes and cast something. Then, pieces of the crystal-like structure appeared in front of us. Until I realized that, it was making a portal for us.

After it finished, Amansinaya gave us a signal to enter the portal. She was the first to enter, followed by Orlene.

When it was my turn, I took a deep breath before slowly letting my whole body get eaten by the portal.   

End of Chapter 6