Hello, Mr. Umbrella

Chapter Eight

The terrifying sound of the thunder shook the earth eerily and blinded her sense of hearing for a minute. Numbness roamed free inside her body, from head-to-toe, she felt nothing; she was just soaking lifelessly inside the wet, muddy ground. Her eyes felt heavy and won't even open an inch; the only best explanation she could acquire was that she was given a tranquilizing shot. The wet soil soaked her and covered her numbed body as rain continued dropping on her—even hailstones. She felt the agonizing pain she had never felt before even though she couldn't feel any pain.

She knew she needed to open her eyes, but the adhesiveness on her eyelids prevented that from happening. After much trying, it opened; right in front of her eyes she could see the darkish gray blanket that had covered the sky and some glint of light were sparking at the corner. Rainfall like black tacky oil fell from the sky; before they could make their way into her eyes, she shut them again.

It was her limbs that first gained consciousness, then her whole body. She stood up shakily and examined her vicinity gradually with no knowledge of what she was doing on the cold ground and in the rain.

Something had changed though.

Many things had changed; normally, she was supposed to wake up in an operating room, and be welcomed by alcohol-based hand sanitizer, but now she woke up in the rain: something that had never happened before. She was fidgeting, not because she lacked confidence but because her legs were cold. She was still unsure of where she was; she didn't see anybody, not even birds, for once she forgot she was in Dearborn.

The sight of the Mayor's Manor reminded her she was still in Dearborn. But the Mayor's Manor was different—it had changed into something spooky and whatnot. It was dark and looked like it had life in it, like it had a heart. Aliyah's heart started thumping like she just ran a marathon. Adrenaline gushed through her spine as she gazed at the new Mayor's Manor. The only thing she could think of was her family; where were they?

Her frights were cut short as she heard her name being called, she turned to look at the owner of the voice. She saw the silhouette of a boy; the boy was wearing a blue hoodie and in his right hand was a pink umbrella. Aliyah longed to be saved by him; she struggled to walk but she noticed she couldn't.

Glaring at the floor was a worst idea; she saw her legs had been swallowed by the ground.

The unknown boy walked closer to Aliyah. Like she hadn't faced hell enough; the boy had no face. She glared at the faceless creature in front of her, longing to scream, but nothing came out of her mouth—her throat was constricted and painful as she tried yelping.

"You will be okay now." The faceless creature grew a mouth and said unexpectedly softly.

This was too much for Aliyah to accumulate, her chest felt stiffened—she struggled to breath, claustrophobia took over and she passed out instantly. The only voice she could hear was the faceless creature's, calling her name frantically.

The calling became loud and unbearable, from the soft voice calling her, it changed into a psychotic stalker's. Gradually, the voice distorted into the air and Aliyah opened her eyes also, but this time she was welcomed by what she was familiar with; bleeping sounds and the smell of heavy hand sanitizers. A prayer of gratification (alhamdulillah)  escaped her extra chapped lips.

It was a dream all along.

Tearful mamá and emotionally depressed papá were the first faces Aliyah saw. Aliyah's mother was broken: she resembled a widow who just lost her only child; her eyes were bulgy and red, out of tears. Mr. Santos on the other hand maintained his calm; he looked worried also but he hid his worrisome face behind his smile, but it was certain he was broken, emotionally. His old mother was sick and his obnoxious teenage daughter was in a coma—it was too much for him to process; not even when the mayoral election was around the corner.