GUESS WHAT? (ONC 2024)

Chapter 3 Part 6 Speech Therapy

I freaked out.

''Where is mine? Where did I leave it? Did I lose it?" I asked.

I panicked at the thought of losing the only thing that could bring my grandmother back. Everyone tried to calm me down, but only Ashley managed. She placed the artifact in my hand with a smile on her face.

''You left it next to all your makeup. Thought you might need it on this trip,'' Ashley said.

The embrace I gave her was much needed. Cannot lose my best friend in all of this. We all got rooms to sleep in, as the journey back would be too long. I sat outside admiring the artifact and the fireworks still lighting up the night sky.

I went to bed a little later, when everything had quieted down, and found my best friend fast asleep, cuddled her because she looked so peaceful while my spirit was raging.

Screams from the house next door woke us. We got dressed and were on our way to investigate. Upon opening the door, Jin was already waiting for us like a shield in front of it.

''What happened? Are my parents okay?'' I questioned.

''Three people were found dead in their beds and your dad told me to come fetch you guys," Jin responded.

While we continued discussing the matter, there were more screams nearby, people running past us. I heard a child weep that moved my heart like it was hiding itself behind something.

It was strange that there were no tears yesterday at the funeral of my grandmother. Today, the tears and screams were everywhere.

Someone ran past us screaming that more people had died on the other side of the village. Ashley held my hand. I felt the twitching in her fingers that sent shivers up my spine. Chaos had ensued in the village, and no one had any idea.

''Can you please take us to my parents? I am scared,'' I asked.

Jamie came running with more news as we turned the corner.

''A great number of people got sick overnight, some are even vomiting,'' Jamie said.

People lay in the street with no visible physical damage to them but clenching their chests like a knife was being pushed through them. We attempted to help one of the elderly women but she lost consciousness. 

She regained her consciousness after Jin used water to cool her body down and she grabbed my neck, which revealed the artifact. I struggled to get loose, with my heart also frozen in place and not doing it's job, pumping blood to my body to be able to move.

She immediately screamed, ''please heal us.''

Jin removed her hand from my neck, and in the distance, I saw Luigi also assisting more people.

He came over to us and picked the elderly woman up and whispered in her ear. She just went quiet and walked off with him and many others that he whispered to along the way. They all followed him to the temple where all the sick ones were lying on beds.

''Everyone, listen to me. He who has ears let him hear.

Be ever hearing, but never understanding; Be ever seeing, but never perceiving.

Dream a dream that makes you smile, knowing it's only for a while.

Sleep now and be healed,''Luigi shouted.

He silenced the cries and screams in an instant. Everyone that was sick went into a slumber.

His artifact was glowing as he spoke those words. That calm presence I felt before, clouded the temple's atmosphere.

''Let us go to your parents!'' Jin said.

We made our way to my parent's room to share the news about what had happened in the village.

I opened the door and found my dad sobbing on his knees in a corner of the room. Literal tears streamed down his cheeks, I had never seen my dad cry before. Without a word from him, two droplets made their way to my lips as they fell from my brown eyes. Everyone froze in the room, but my mother was not there to comfort him.

''Dad! Where is Mom? Mom! Mom!" I yelled.

He just pointed to the bedroom with bloodshot red eyes filled with more tears. I could not bear to look into his eyes. I glimpsed, and it shattered my heart. His eyes told a story. Not a love story, but a very sad story.

I found my mother on the bed, panting. Like she was running out of air.

''Someone please call the ambulance! Dad! Jin! Ashley! Jamie! Please! Tears streamed down my face. Not my mother, please!'' I shouted.

''My only daughter Seulgi, please do not weep like those that have no hope,'' Bae said.

"It must be the food we ate last night. Everyone needs to see a doctor," I said

''We all ate it and we are not sick. It is something else,'' Jin added.

 ''It is not the food from last night. The artifact is taking it's power back after your grandmother passed on. Seulgi it is up to you now to help the village. I was not strong enough to wield the power of the artifact and never found the right words to say. My child, you are born from the Tongi clan, an ancient Korean tribe. You can possess the power of the tongue, anything that departs from your mouth will come to pass. You are the wielder of the word artifact,'' Bae explained.

She closed her eyes.

Chapter 3 completed

Thank you for reading ONC 2024 GUESS WHAT?

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