Chapter 4

NOLAN

W-Wait what?!

I was stunned, can’t utter a single word. ‘I-Is this another d-dream?!’ I asked myself. I looked at her; my mind can’t process what’s happening. Her arms were covered in water, so is her legs. Her top was also covered with fluid.

The water that ran through her legs eventually became an aqua blue net that looked like a long skirt that covered her two skinny legs, just like what I saw in my dream. Then, the water ran up to her body and it made her semi-transparent cloth. The same water ran above her legs to her two arms and covered it with a net in a darker shade of aqua blue. A blue ball of water went up to her head and made her a beautiful shining crown. Lastly, the water drew something on her right arm; it was a wave, the waves of the sea.

S-She’s a goddess.

After she transformed, a pile of water went to her hand and formed a spear. I looked at her still stuck in my place. She looked at me then she smiled, “Do you believe me now?” N-No, this i-is a dream! 

I can’t move, t-this can’t be real! Myths are only fictional, they can’t exist! That’s why it’s a myth! “Argh!” I slapped my face and it hurts. No, I still wouldn’t believe that it’s real! A light laugh came from her, I can’t respond. I still won’t believe it!

“Nolan, this is not a dream. This is reality, accept it that we exist.” She spoke, heavenly.

“How can I make s-sure that this is r-real?” I asked, nervously. “There’s no need for assurance. You just need to believe.” She answered. Okay, this is just a dream, don’t panic. Just go with the flow.

“Ok, so you appeared because you want to?” I asked. Remember Nolan, this is all a dream. 

“I want you to realize that this is real! Because every time I appear to you, you’ll say that it’s a dream and it’s frustrating for me!" She said then she stopped. "What's more important is that you need to complete the mission. You need to find the mermaid.” She continued. Upon stating the word ‘mermaid’, my mind went blank. I remembered all of my memories with Asherah. It also came back to me, the feeling I’ve felt long ago. The feeling of missing someone.

But, “But what if I can’t do it? What if I don’t have enough strength to do it?” She just smiled before answering my question.

“It seems like you don’t have enough will to do it. I’ll wait for when you’re ready.” She said to me. So, this is the end of the dream?

I’m expecting for that force to come again, but there was none. I closed my eyes, hoping that if I open it, I would wake up.

After a few minutes, I finally opened my eyes. I saw Credail looking at me. “As what I’ve said. What you saw is not a dream. I’m a goddess.” N-No, s-so it’s real?!

“S-So it’s real?” Her eyes shone, “Finally, you’ve realized!” She shouted. “Yes, it is real. Do you want me to transform again?” She asked.

“No that’s enough,” I said to her. I believe it now.

“So, what? Will you find her now?” She asked, excitedly. I frowned, “Give me some time, I’ll think about it.” She looked at me with a face of disbelief.

“Is she not important to you!?” My eyes widened when she burst out of frustration.

“N-No, it’s not like that. She’s important to me! I like her when we were still young. B-But, I’m afraid…” I can’t continue my sentence. She looked at me, clueless.

“Why are you afraid?” She asked me. “I’m afraid that…what if I can’t find her because…” I took a deep breath. I can’t say it. “Why? Because, what if she’s long dead?” She asked. There she said it.  

I nodded at her answer. She became serious, “But, we wouldn’t know that if we wouldn’t find her, right? And it’s just a ‘what if’.” She said, trying to convince me. 

She got a point, we wouldn’t know if we wouldn’t see it. I also think that I can’t sleep thinking about the mermaid. I also miss her, her gentle voice and her gentle smile but still, “Let me think about it.” She smiled as if she understood it.

“All right, I hope that it’s not too late when you decided what to do.” She said to me, I just nodded my head at her.

“By the way, who really are you? I have a hunch that ‘Credail’ is not your real name.” I said to her.

“My real name is Amansinaya, the goddess of the sea.” She said and smiled.

I was spaced out on the way home. So that just happened, I just met a goddess named Amansinaya. Now that I got my memory back, I can’t help but think about the mermaid. Whenever I think about her, my heart throbs fast.

I open the door of our house. As the time I opened it, mom greeted me, “Did you passed out again? Are you alright dear?” Mom said. I looked at her and nodded.

“Yeah mom, I’m alright,” I said to her then hugged her. I walked towards the living room. “Welcome home son.” I saw dad watching a Volleyball match on the television. I walked towards him.

“Thanks, Dad,” I said then head towards my room. I quickly changed my clothes. I walked towards the mirror. I looked at my handsome face. I’m bothered by the thought of not finding her. But am I enough to find her?

I tried to erase that thought in my brain and relax for a while. Because every time I think of her, I want to find her, I want to be with her and I want to live with her. However, do I have the strength to do that?

Few days passed, still, I haven’t decided what to do. Credail or should I say, Amansinaya is patiently waiting for my answer. I badly want to find her. I miss her. Though, I don’t know if I have the courage to find her.

I looked up; the sky is clear today, with no signs of rain. I walked towards our building. We have three tests today, Friday. I head straight to our room.

What I first saw are my classmates roaming everywhere. They’re noisy as heck! I sighed and quickly went to my seat. To my surprise, I didn’t see Orlene. Where is she? 

I faced Amansinaya, “Hey, do you know where’s Orlene?” I asked. She looked at me before she answered.

“She said that she can’t go to school today. She’s sick.” Upon hearing that, I can’t help but be worried. We have multiple tests today; I hope she gets well tomorrow to take a special test.

I nodded at her, “I hope she gets well soon.” I said. 

Few minutes passed when finally, our teacher went inside. We were all nervous about the test, aside from Amansinaya. It seems like she’s playing a game rather than taking the test.

Throughout the test, I couldn’t help but to think about Asherah, I hope she’s alive. I hope she’s okay wherever she is right now.

The test was a bit hard for someone that didn’t study. Unfortunately, even though I’ve studied overnight; I didn’t pass the exam. My mind was occupied the whole time we’re taking the test. My brain was full of ‘what-ifs’.

I was stressed out, what’s happening to me?! I am not like this before! 

A few minutes later, our next teacher came. We’ve ready ourselves for another test. I hope I can pass this one.  

An hour has passed; I have passed the test but my score’s at the exact passing rate. I couldn’t concentrate, what’s happening to me today?! Am I sick?

After two more subjects, we finally had our lunch break, I was about to go and buy myself some lunch. However, as I stood up, my head started hurting. It was not as painful as before but it surely hurts. Therefore, I decided to use my lunchtime to sleep.

“Is it masakit? (Does it hurt?)” Asherah asked then pointed at the wound on the young boy’s hand. Nolan looked at it; the wound hurts but he can still handle it.

“No,” Nolan answered. Asherah gave him a face of are-you-sure-?

“Sandali, I’ll heal it. (Wait, I’ll heal it.)” Nolan didn’t understand some parts of Asherah’s sentence. He just nodded, clueless at what’s about to happen.

Asherah sang a beautiful and slow song. After a while, a pile of water at the sea rose. It danced on Nolan’s hand. Until he realized that the water was healing his small wound.

He was amazed by the magic he saw. “Wow!” He stated.

Nolan looked at her, he saw how Asherah smiled at him. “Thank you.” He said to her. 

“Wake up, our next teacher is coming.” I woke up when I heard one of our classmates. I looked at him; I believe he’s our classroom president.

I responded with a nod. I dreamed of a part of my memory. Just seeing her in my dream calms the whole of me.

I looked at my watch, five minutes left before our next subject begins. I can’t help but think of her every time. 

But, what should I do? Am I enough to find her?

End of Chapter 4