My Fates, Your Dreams

Prologue

"Can you see the threads?" my grandfather asked.

"What threads? You mean these?" I said and showed him my yarn-haired doll.

"No, what I mean are these" he said and pointed at the thread-less air.

"Gramps you're crazy" I laughed and he laughed in response.

As I opened my eyes I realized it was only dream, a fragment memory from back when I was four. Still to the days those words still echoes in my head like phantom pain which still lingers and plays in my head once in a while.
Gramps...where are you.

Today is Saturday and I am still in my bed. I don't want to get up but I know I have to, because I have to do my chores.

"Marie! Wake up!" Aunt yells from downstairs.

"OK. I'll be there"

I got up and opened my curtains and window. I can smell the breakfast, fried eggs and rice my favorite.

I went the bathroom and slammed the door in a hurry.

"Sorry" I shouted so that my will Aunt know that it was an accident.

I brushed my teeth as fast as I can until it feels like the enamels are gone. Went back to my room and changed into a T-shirt, denim ripped shorts top everything with my adidas hoodie jacket. Then, went downstairs to eat my meal.

"This looks good!" I exclaimed as I took a sit while she drunk her first cup of coffee of the day.

"I've improved and your welcome!" She said as she took another sip.

I looked at her and I realized that she reminds me of my mother, who I never seen for a very long time. I remember the nice long hair and the lean physique but can't see the face...

I ate my breakfast and noticed that the weather today was very nice and decided that I might try to take some pictures for souvenirs.

*****

While running down the hill and passed by a lot of houses and people. I realized that I am exhausted and decides to walk more slowly. As I look at my bear-charmed iPhone I was reminded of the bear charm matches my childhood best friend whose currently residing in the Philippines.

We bought when we were in elementary school, in one of our school fieldtrips in the adjacent city. It looked really new at that time but now the paint seems to be worn out, but I still love it. Suddenly a glistening string caught my eyes...

"A spider web...no, a thread" I muttered as I looked at my right index and almost shouted with fear.

I tried to close my eyes and blink.

Hallucination...Hallucination...

As I opened my one eyes slowly, expecting it to disappear, I was greeted with disappointment.

The thread looks shiny under the sun and radiating its golden color. I raise my index finger, planning on pulling or breaking its connection, but instead nothing happened.

"Mom what is that girl doing?" I heard a little boy tugging his mom's pants and pointing in my direction, as they climb up the hill.

"Don't point at strangers" the mom told him and smiled at me in apology.

After I escape their gaze and realize that they're gone, I looked at my finger again. Maybe I will become a spider girl and save the world; I thought and laughed inside my head. Let's face it you are a mutant, I added. In the end, I decided to touch it but nothing happened. It feels like floating on empty air but the color is still there like a rainbow in the sky. When my curiosity grew stronger, I followed the thread like the yellow brick of Oz. In an instant the thread disappeared.

Suddenly, I felt my head ache and memory that I wanted to forget occupied my brain.

"Grandma, look" I wore my grandmother's handmade dress and twirled for her to show that it fits me perfectly.

"Oh, yes. It does look good on you" she responds and claps her hand, "Where is your friend?", she added.

"I don't know maybe visiting his other friend in the neighborhood" I replied and walked toward the patio.

As I approached the patio, I saw my grandfather smoking while looking in the distance.

"Hey gramps, what are you doing?" I asked with curiosity.

Smoking can kill you, mom said so.

"Smoking, I guess" he replied without meeting my gaze.

"Smoking is bad" I said.

"I know. Can you see it?"

"See, what?" Maybe my grandma was right when she said grandpa is crazy.

I remember him mumbling for a long time and only stare at the distant. Followed with a long pause he finally answered.

"Nothing, I guess", he said with a hint of tiredness in his tone. I remember him, going to his friends' house drinking, smoking and talking. But now, he only stays at home and stares all day. He only eats when someone told him it's about time to eat. Sometimes he leaves without telling anybody and then comes back like a thief. Years later in the end, he decided not to come back permanently.

"Where are you? Gramps...?"

The throbbing in my my head began to increase and the pressure fells like it's squeezing my head. I tried to squat down hoping that it will help with the pain, which only made it worst.

We remember seeing his lifeless body in the middle of the forest. He seems happy, sleeping there...lifeless. He was covered with black blanket as if suffocating him when he was laying there.

"Why is grandpa covered with a blanket?" my fifteen years-old brother said.

"What blanket?" my grandma asked. I can see it. A blanket, no, it's a...

"Thread...a black thread" I mumbled I the pain from my head caused me to be swallowed in darkness.