E m b r h e a AFTERLIFE

Chapter 64: The Dream Of Death

"Damn things are so expensive here." Maple said as he picked up potatoes from the vegetable isle in the super market.

"They are in rupees, dumbhead, much cheaper than USD." Loraine said and handed Maple a calculator. "You can do the calculations now." Maple put his hand into his jeans pocket and took out his phone.

"Why are you carrying a freaking calculator?"

Loraine felt embarrassed and left.

"Geez and you call me dumb." He laughed and roamed around the isle until he found a lady who seemed to struggle with something. "Hey, ma'am, do you need any help?"

She got startled, seeing the blonde haired.  "You should be the one who needs help, dear. Are you from the US?" She smiled.

"Ah, yes." He laughed nervously. "But I can still help if you need."

"Actually today is the death anniversary of my late fiancé." She looked at her basket.

"Wha-"

"So I want to make something for dinner. His favorite dish. He's everywhere. I feel. He'd be here for dinner." She said quite emotionally. Maple gulped and helped her pick the ingredients she needed.

"She reminds me of the girl they talked about in the news." He said to Loraine as they watched the lady leave the supermarket.

"Nonsense. Indians look the same."

"No, I've only seen her who looked exactly how they described her. And Arorhea too, since they mistook her." Maple said seriously. "And that lady told me that today was her late fiancé's death anniversary. I believe it's her. But she seemed depressed about it. I don't think she did any-"

"Innocence. If she's the one, you were fooled by her innocence."

"No, I wasn't. Hey wait-" He paused. "What if it was Arorhea?" Maple ran out of the building to ask her name.

"Arorhea is a school girl, silly!" Loraine facepalmed and ran after him.

* * * * *

"Life is weird. You have a great childhood, you have an annoying younger brother, you go to abroad, you meet a guy, you start liking him and then your life is turned miserable by his admirers. And in no time, you're blamed for a murder. When you're just 15."

Arorhea lied on her bed, staring at the ceiling fan. "And then you're back to the country and feel uneasy with another boy from school. Life is weirddddd! Why can't I just pass on?!"

"What are you yelling for?" Jessica comes in with some snacks.

"You're not my mom, don't ask me to behave. I had a bad dream and I feel tired now." She spreaded her arms on the bed.

"What did you dream about?" She asked, placing the tray on her bedside table. Rhea looked at her and then back at the ceiling fan.

"I can't tell you. It's weird."

"Uh, just tell me. Did you see your crush in your dream?" She laughed.

"I-" She got up. "I played back my memories in my dream. And also, some glimpses of memories I don't even know exists. I witnessed death, someone leaving me, sweet autumn clemetis, suffering, losing memories and...another death-"

Jessica was stunned by her words. The one who was so into the 'meaning of dreams' topic was now completely out of words as she listened to Rhea's.

"So...w-what was common in both of your memories and those weird glimpses?"

"...Ember..." She said as a teardrop escaped her eye. "I used to dream of someone like him constantly until I finally met him." She wiped her eyes. "And I dreamed of him again. In the weird dream. Again." She stared at the carpet blankly.