THE ROAD

NEXT DAY

Well, what a day can change in a person's life. If I say, it's my life, then a lot can be changed. The next, day I went to Roisin's house. I ranged the doorbell and her dad opened the door.

'I'll get it.' He said. Well, I could hear his voice from within.

'there's my pizza..' Rose shouted.

'again pizza. Eat something healthy...Fine. I'll get it.' Mr. Evanora said while opening the door.

'oh, hey, Eabha.'

'were you expecting someone else?'

'Yeah, no one, Rose ordered a pizza...So... anyway come in. Roisin is in her room.'

Well, Mr. Evanora, has always been a confused one. I have always wondered how he took town's decisions, then I realized he has my dad.

'Hey honey, how are you?' Aunt Jennet asked. 'I am good. How are you?' I replied.

'Roisin's in her room, take these cookies along.'

'oh, I love your cookies.'

'I knew you would come. I was making cookies for Sarah – Roisin's cousin - so I made your favorite too, butterscotch flavored.'

' awh, thanks so much. I'll check Roisin.'   Well, She's an amazing baker. Rather than being a teacher, she should have a bakery. So, I went to Roisin's room. I knew she's gonna get mad at me. I was late, an hour late. I had to deal with something. I told you what a day could change in someone's life.

' hey, punctual or not, so punctual.'

' what was that?'

' it's 3 pm and you are here an hour late.'

' is it like I only allowed on the exact time as I am asked for.'

' shut up. Silly. I thought I have to leave without meeting you. Where were you?' she asked. To be honest I didn't know what I should say. I was just thinking about the incident that happened while I was on my way towards her house. It was 8 pm last night and my phone beeped displaying Magnar's message, well, it was the first time he texted me. I was nervous, but we talked the whole night and then he asked me if I would meet him. It was the first time a boy asked me out, and that too when I knew I kind of liked him. Well, deep inside I knew things were going too fast, but you know this stage of your life, you are a teenager and new to this feeling so somehow everything makes sense. I went to meet him before going to Roisin's house and the reason I was late was him and something that rather shocked me. 'what's on your mind?' Roisin confronted me.

' it's nothing.'

' com'on look at your face. It says you wanna tell me something and I know there is a reason you're late.'

' so, you are a face reader now......what?........... okay, so the thing is I saw an old man there... umm.. I mean I am sorry for being late.'

' what's the matter?' she asked me.

' Okay, listen.'

Last night I got a text from Magnar, just a random conversation and he asked me if I could meet him today. So, I wanted to, and yeah, also had to take some novels he had as I wanted to read this summer. So yeah, I went there at 10 Am, The garden near the school, We talked a lot and yeah he's nice. That's it.

' okay. Then?........God, Eabha. I know he is nice and he likes you. But, I know it's not only about Magnar. Tell me the truth. And, What about that old man?'

' okay, so his home is near the school, so, we decided to meet in the garden near the school. And after spending some time we headed towards our homes. You know that road....'

' you went there. I told you...'

' no, I didn't, I was just coming home.'

' shut up, the garden is near our school ...wait it's not a garden it's a public playground and who the hell takes a girl on her first date to a playground....okay anyway what so ever it is,  it's not the backside of our school near that road.'

' okay, I thought to give it a glance, so I decided to come to your house from that way. I didn't go near that big gate, I was far enough, I promise. I saw that gate for a while, turned towards the other side, and started walking to your house. But while walking, I got distracted by footsteps. And when I looked back, I saw an old man coming from that side.'

'what? So, you mean you saw that old punk was leaving the gate?' 

Well, I exactly didn't know from where that man came. But I was scared. I replied saying, 'not really, but there's no other place from where he could have come. He was too close to that gate and I saw him coming from that side. So I suppose he might have ....'

' came out alive from a place ...from where there's no coming back.' Roisin interrupted and then added, 'he was coming towards the town from that side, Holy shit! Are you serious, Eabha? You ain't kiddin', right?'

' Nope Roisin I am not joking. It wasn't normal. Not only, that he came from that side, but of what he said. I mean, he came, stopped near me and with a big wide smile, he said something weird. He said;

"Its godly way of selection, the wise shall pass and rise,

The insatiable ought to be dammed, no forgiveness given and no apology accepted".

And within seconds he disappeared.'

That is what happened, I didn't know from where and how he came from a place, none escaped. He escaped the clutches of death. They say there's a turning point in everyone's life and I suppose this was mine. I asked her to come along and check but she had a different look on her face, a look that I never saw before. I have always felt she knew something but she never talked about it. I was about to ask her, but her mother called her.

'Roisin, come down honey, it's time, dad's waiting in the car.'

' yeah, I am coming mom.' She shouted and then added, 'Now, listen to me. Whatever happened I don't think if we'll tell our families they would believe us. And on the upside, we'll be grounded. See, forget what happened, and we'll talk about this after I come back.'

'hey, we need to check. What if closing the door was nothing. It might be a myth or anything. And there's no such thing as people actually never returned.' I replied.

'Cool down Eabha...I believe you but I am outta it. I am not interested to go on a treasure hunt like you. And you too ain't gonna go there. We'll talk about it after I come. Promise me, you won't do any nuisance.'

I promised at that moment. However, I had something different in my mind. I wished her a happy journey and went home. Roisin was my best friend and it's been 17 years since we were together and she cared about me. But I am a person if I decide something to happen it would definitely occur and I had already decided to travel through that so-called big haunted gate, through the road, and bring out the lie of "the treasure of immortality". Whatever it was, I was determined to find out. I knew and I could feel there was no such thing. If that road had a secret, it was the other way round. I went into my room and laid on my bed and tried making a plan to sneak in.

'Eabha... Eabha...'

' Yes, mom?'

'The dinner's ready honey, come downstairs.'

' Yeah, mom...coming....'