BEYOND INFERNAL: The Divine Soldiers of The Living and The Dead

2 - My Family

[Althe Braza's Photo] ----------------------------------->

I stepped in the shower, put on whatever shirt I grabbed first, and picked up my school bag heedlessly, trying so hard to not think about my dream until I got out of the house. I ran down the stairs. Darn! This will really freak my parents out.

And I wasn’t wrong about that.

“Thea, is everything alright?”,papa George asked in his very calm tone. I turned around to look at him. He sat in his usual chair holding his usual daily newspaper, across the living room where I am standing. He lowered his newspaper and raised his right eyebrow at me.

I smiled. “Yep, perfectly fine!”, my voice is higher than my normal and I knew that I failed to convince him and my mama who was standing right next to him holding the teapot. She stood still and her face is pained, scared and worried all at the same time.

I sighed.

I tried to lower my tone, answering her unspoken thoughts. 

“Mama, really there’s no reason for your worries.” I explained wanting her to calm down.

“You only behaved unusually when you were dreaming about those…” mama continued without even acknowledging what I tried to say. 

“Ma, please!”, my voice was a bit loud. I saw papa’s hand hold his newspaper tighter when he heard me and I knew that I was stepping the line.

I was a little irritated but not at my mama, never. It's just that I don’t want to talk about these with them anymore. I don’t want them to worry, to panic or to be anxious. 

I don’t want them in danger.

I took a deep breathe in. 

“Running fast down the stairs isn’t unusual ma. I.... have to attend a project meeting before classes start and I don’t want to be late, that’s why…. That’s VERY usual for a student. And now, I’m sure that I’m late because you are holding me back with those non-sense worries.” I blurted out insouciantly.

“Non-sense worries? Young lady..” mama Elena was really shocked of what I said. She narrowed her gray almond eyes and put down the teapot she was holding. She took a step towards me and I stepped back then she stopped. I saw it in her eyes, she knew that there is something bothering me, and I hated myself since the day I decided to keep everything from them and shutting them out completely. But I don’t know what else to do; this is the only way I know. 

“I really need to leave mama”, I pleaded.

She frowned and exhaled heavily. “Honey.. Can you just give me a hug before you leave?” 

  

                The truth is there is no project meeting, it was just my excuse so I can get out of the house and out of my parents unnecessary interrogations. I stepped out of the door and stood for a moment.

Today is gloomy and I think it is going to rain. The wind is blowing harder and it is cold. Our neighborhood is surprisingly quiet, the cars passed by without honking at each other, I don’t see children playing in their front doors or running around the village, I don’t hear the scream and cheering of people watching the early morning basketball game in the court beside our house. They’re playing, aren’t they? I took a quick glance and no one’s playing. Hmmmm, that’s new. Our village is really lively in the weekends. 

As usual, I am not taking the bus; I prefer to walk to school. It will take me an hour to get there but I don’t mind walking for that long because it is really early and besides walking will give me all the time to analyze what I dreamt of last night.