Chapter 18: Regained

Sarah Codache

Carefully stepping on the stairs while going down, my mom's angry and loud voice echoed all over the house as she scolded my sister about the hole that broke the wooden walls inside my room. At least, that was what I understood when I tried to analyze mom's actions.

They kept blustering each other.

"-Why did you leave your sister alone in her room?!" 

"I am busy! I still have school works to do!"

"Homework can wait! I told you to look for her when I am not around! Isn't that hard for you to understand?"

These arguments approached my ears as I went nearer to them in the living room. Their voice became higher and higher as I stepped in to see them. 

"I-I even visit her room to check her-"

"No! You didn't! If you did that, then why is the wall broken?!" 

I stopped beside the doorway. In my perspective, my mom was facing back while my sister was facing in front of me. And because of that position, my sister saw me first. Her eyes were in tears, looking at me in frustration. She bit her lips like she wanted to scream and blame me. My mom saw her glancing at her back, so she immediately turned around to see me.

When my sister saw what our mom did, she also turned away and made her arms crossed while looking at nowhere.

My mom's face went calm as she wiped her tears away. She was not angry anymore. 

She grabbed my fists and checked all sides. "Sarah, is your hands alright? Did it hurt?" She panted with her folded eyebrows.

I smiled and shook my head as a response. She then sighed in relief when she saw my reaction and, at the same time, seeing my hands without wounds.

"Thanks, God!" 

She combed my hair, using her bare hands as she smiled. "Don't do that again, okay? You'll hurt for sure." She implored. 

I smiled even more. Then, my mom immediately hugged me. 

I saw my sister staring outside the kitchen's window. She looked stilled and did not even make a single move. I wondered what was happening to her.

"Mom..." My sister muttered in silence. But because our place was too quiet, we heard what she said.

My mom stopped hugging me, faced my sister, and asked her. "What?!"

Mom is still angry, eh?

"L-look at this..." My sister responded. Her eyes were looking straightly at the one she was pointing from the outside of the window.

My mom narrowed her eyes as she walked gradually towards my sister's direction. I followed her from the back.

When my mom stopped beside my sister, I did the same. I glanced at them and saw their eyes became wide as they were looking outside the window. And because I was curious about their reaction, I also focused my attention on the direction they were looking.

My eyes were smiling, and I felt like floating in the clouds even though the window was closed. Our backyard was full of new, growing plants with different hues! The river became more lively, and the sunlight became more stunning! 

My mom initiated to go outside first. When she knew that what we saw was real, she instructed us to come with her. I was expecting my sister to guide me, but she just went ahead. 

"I miss this kind of morning..." My mom expressed as she was raising her hands to feel the sunlight. 

"Woah..." My sister's mouth was hanged open. "Finally, the sun isn't painful in the skin anymore!" She continued as she rejoiced to step to those green grasses.

From a distance, we glanced towards our neighborhoods' backyard. They were also enjoying nature like us. Although we can't fully see them because the trees and plants covered the border, we can still hear their pleasing voices.

"The air becomes fresher! Yoho!" Mrs. Writes shouted. Her house was right beside ours. 

The birds were chirping. The familiar sound distracted my attention. I was not sure if I heard this kind of chirping before, but I knew I did. I mean, ah!

I just neglected my thoughts and glanced towards my sister. She was touching those colorful flowers beside the lake. "Woah... The color is so vibrant..." 

My mom, on the other side, was staring at the tall mango tree. Its leaves were lively, and the fruits were bearing a dark yellow. "This looks extra delicious!" 

After which, I went towards the lake for an unknown reason. I cannot figure out I was captivated by that lake, but it seemed like my mind pushed me to do that.

I sat on my knees, just enough for me to touch the flowing waters. When my hand can finally feel the coldness of the current, I felt more comfortable. My thoughts became in order. It was my first time having the feeling of being in the real world.

The waters surrounding my hand glittered in tiny white. It was the same thing as what I saw in those green butterflies. It was my first time seeing this kind of reaction between the water and me, but it did not feel any new. I was kind of conscious about the way I reacted. It seemed like I had already encountered this thing before, but I do not know when.

All I knew right now was, it felt so familiar.

I shook my head and enjoying more about what I was doing. At this time, I used my two hands to touch the water. Omg! This moment is so fun!

"Sarah, what is that?" I looked at my sister. She was standing beside me. I never knew she was here. Her eyes looked startled while staring at my hands. 

I was unsure what she was referring to, but I think she referred to that glittering reaction between the water and my hands.

She enjoyed what I did? I think so.

I tapped my hands above the waters, encouraging her to do the same. The water drops splashed unto our faces. 

"My goodness Sarah, stop that!" She convinced me while covering her face, but I kept on doing the same. 

"Alright! Alright!" Yay! She finally agreed! 

She sat in front of me, fixed her sleeves up, then touched the waters. But, it has no reaction that happened. There were no shiny, tiny bubbles that appeared around her hands. It was just a plane transparent white.

She looked at me, full of questions. Her eyes were querying while staring at my hands and to hers.

"I-it did not happen to mine?"

I did not mind what she said. Instead, I focused on looking at mine. 

"Think of a mud."  Suddenly, a mysterious male voice whispered inside my mind. It made me shivered a bit. I roamed my eyes around us, but there was no one there except mom and my sister. 

My sister was curious about what I did, so she also looked around. 

"Don't be afraid. It's me." The voice spoke once again. At this time, it was more comforting and calm. It took a long time for me to realize who he was.

I finally remembered him. 

And just like what he did, I responded to him through my thoughts while leaving my sister's reaction behind. 

"A mud?"

"Yes."

His response was too fast, but what is mud?

"It is a speck of dirt you can find in the land." He surprisingly responded even though I was talking to myself.

I did not respond to him anymore since I already understood what he meant. Even though I was wondering why he asked me to think about it, I still did.

In my mind, I imagined the dirty mud I saw in the county. My mind automatically brought me to a memory where people stepped on a public facility without wiping their muddy shoes. One lady and a man in uniform holding a long, thin tube with braided cloth at the bottom were wiping those dirty footprints away. 

That memory wasn't continuing. It was trim because of my sister's voice. 

"Hey! What have you done?" Her voice sounded unusual. It seemed to be disturbed and astounded. 

When I opened my eyes, the scene surprised me.

The water became chocolate brown. It looked dirty. 

I lost self-control. I looked around me to find that man talking to my mind. I wanted to ask him some questions. I kept asking on my mind, but he wasn't responding. 

My sister was panicking as she ran to my mom, probably telling her about what was happening, but I care less. I was more concerned about that man instructing me to think of mud, which brought me to this situation.

From the vicinity behind those two large Narra trees, I saw the man I wanted to see. Green butterflies were flying around him. His face looked delighted. He gently smiled, looking at me.

I just remained in my position while my hands were holding the grasses beside me.

I smiled back.