Rana looked at Ethos then immediately shifted her sight questioning Shane with her eyes.
Shane rose from his seat instead and turned to look at Amara.
“Aunt, we’re leaving now, as Rana is already here. We’re going to help her find furniture makers for her store,” he said talking to her mom.
“Alright, then,” said Amara rising from her seat, too.
Ethos also stood up and they were all sent to the doorway by Amara.
“Take care in the way, kids.”
“Will do, mom.”
Rana said and they went out of the gate of her house.
The trio started walking.
“Where do we go first?” she asked.
“My friend Leo lives in the next neighborhood. We can see him first,” Ethos suggested.
He led them the way to Leo’s house. It was close to the sea and they had to walk up a sloped road and curve a street before they can reach his
Rana and Ethos started eating. Rana happily chewed on the meat as she savored every bite.“I miss this place, Ethos,” she said with nostalgia. “I’m so glad we dropped by here after we went to Karitt. I didn’t realize I’m already starving.”She picked more meat and noticed Shane’s plate was still left untouched.“Shane, are you okay?” Rana asked before she energetically chewed more meat and picked some more from the grill to her plate. “Are you not hungry? We’re already past lunch.”Shane looked up at her. The golden orbs behind his glasses looked at her passively. Rana was oblivious to anything but the meats that were being grilled at the center of their table.“You’re not eating at all. If you’re not taking any meat, I’m getting them all,” she said with a naughty smile on her mouth.“No, don’t hug them all to yourself, Ran
“Ethos, you’re a terrible meanie,” Rana whined like a child as she held on his arms. “How come you baked the pie without me?”“Oh, be quiet, Enara. You’re too loud,” said Ethos as they walked to the side porch of their house.Rana followed him and Ethiara to the seat. Shane a forgotten existence behind them.“But I said I’m helping you out to make them.”She said as they settled down on the seat.“This isn’t for the Harvest Festival, woman.”He said looking at her.“Still…” Rana said pouting.Ethiara gave her a saucer and a fork while Ethos helped himself first.“Ethiara, would you please shut your sister up?” he asked turning to her. “She is so noisy.”“Why don’t you silence her?” she asked back as she filled her plate with the peach pie.“That’s why I
Two kids were found sitting idyllically on a bed of wildflowers stretching as far as the horizon. The sun was bright and warm under their skin. The sky was bright as blue with sparse clouds floating by. Butterflies fluttered everywhere. The bees buzzed among flowers flitting from one bloom to the other. A grasshopper jumped from a red petal flower to a clump of yellow blooms.A young boy who had just finished putting the flowers together in a big ring stood up and went in front of the girl."I'll marry you Enara once we're eighteen," Enos said placing the ring of flowers on top of Enara's head. "Then, we'll always be together forever."The eight-year-old boy said happily to his childhood friend named Enara who was sitting in her bright lemony dress on the field of flowers while they fooled around and played with the blooming wildflowers under the bright summer sky of May. Tangles of hair fell across the side of her face while the mild wind blew her caramel hair.
Twenty years after…"Enara."He mumbled in his sleep.He stirred waking up but still kept his eyes closed. He dreamt of her again. Enara. Her soft and straight brown hair being blown by the wind on that summer day of May in the wide field of wildflowers blooming in the desert. He was her childhood love when he was still living in Lunara, the City of the Moon before he fell under the moon sky one full moon twenty years ago and woke up in an unfamiliar city he now lives in called New York."Shane, will you please get up? We'll be late for work."A woman's voice roused him up and he opened his eyes to see a woman whose blond hair was done in a high ponytail wearing a blazer and pants in ivory while doing her make-up in front of the vanity mirror."Oh, no, I have to go ahead of you."She said looking at her phone. She turned around and faced him looking at him with her blue eyes."Chris just texted me to come e
He wouldn't believe his eyes.It couldn't be.She wouldn't be here.Enara was alive in Lunara a million lifetime ago.But those eyes were looking back at him.This is New York City. She couldn't be here.He looked back at her closely focusing and studying everything about her appearance—her hair, her stand, her figure. She stood with her straight back, her form was slender. She was wearing a bright yellow summer dress and a pair of cream sandals. A gold purse bag was slung on her shoulders. Her long brown hair swept past her shoulders. They gleamed like caramel under the lights of the afternoon sun. It reminded him of the way her hair shone under the May summer sky then.He blinked.She looked away and walked on.The unknown stranger continued walking until she disappeared before his sight."Enara. Enara!"Shane said and shouted when the woman was no longer around."What are you saying, Shane?"
"Rana!"A woman's voice was bright as the sun called to her.The woman called Rana jerked her head towards the woman who just called her by her name. Shane turned around to see a woman with short wavy blond hair wearing navy blue shorts, a white t-shirt, and a pair of denim tennis shoes. A violet jacket was tied around her waist and a thin golden necklace hang on her shirt. She had a backpack on her shoulders and was carrying a picnic basket."Why are you so late? I've been waiting for you for the past thirty minutes now."She said looking at her watch then back at Rana darkly."Please don't tell me you've lost your direction again.""I was trying, Julienne. I'm sorry. Don't be mad at me.""You're such a child, Ran.""It can be so much trouble finding the direction to be here. And besides, I found cute deers as I was walking on my way here. And I needed to use the toilet.""You were feeding swans," said Julienne rolling
Rana went down as she heard a couple left the store with the bell chiming upon being closed.She was walking down the stairs when she heard a voice of a man and a woman who appeared to be undecided whether they would buy the bracelet or not. She would have gotten down fast to see how it was going but stopped herself when she heard the shy voice of Noreen, her young assistant trying to persuade the customers to buy it.She hid a smile to herself.Working over a month now at her A&V Shop, Noreen has shown wonderful progress. She started the job being a very silent type of assistant and Rana was quite worried because she needed someone good at selling her antiques and vintage items. Her previous assistant Ariadne who was twenty-five years old was a brighter and more talkative sort who could easily sell to customers but she was eight months pregnant and decided she needed leave for her pregnancy so Rana decided to give her one last month.Rana could do th
"See you, Monday, Ran." Noreen said as Rana closed the door of the shop. "Have a great weekend, Noreen," said Rana looking briefly at her and raising her hand in a wave. "Bye." Noreen turned her back and walked on. Rana locked the door with her key and hid it back inside the inside pocket of her bag. She closed her shop at five when it's Saturday. She walked in the opposite direction Noreen took and headed along the streets deciding to buy cakes as she passed by a patisserie shop to give herself and Julienne a sweet treat. It was Saturday after all after a long working weekday. She knew that Julienne would feel elated seeing it. That woman loves cakes more than her. It's her behemoth addiction. What amazed Rana about Julienne was despite her best friend amassing a large quantity of sugar in her system she didn't get fat easily. Julienne has a beautiful curvy body which Rana envied while she could only be either slender if not so skinny. She passed a meat shop and bought roasted
“Ethos, you’re a terrible meanie,” Rana whined like a child as she held on his arms. “How come you baked the pie without me?”“Oh, be quiet, Enara. You’re too loud,” said Ethos as they walked to the side porch of their house.Rana followed him and Ethiara to the seat. Shane a forgotten existence behind them.“But I said I’m helping you out to make them.”She said as they settled down on the seat.“This isn’t for the Harvest Festival, woman.”He said looking at her.“Still…” Rana said pouting.Ethiara gave her a saucer and a fork while Ethos helped himself first.“Ethiara, would you please shut your sister up?” he asked turning to her. “She is so noisy.”“Why don’t you silence her?” she asked back as she filled her plate with the peach pie.“That’s why I
Rana and Ethos started eating. Rana happily chewed on the meat as she savored every bite.“I miss this place, Ethos,” she said with nostalgia. “I’m so glad we dropped by here after we went to Karitt. I didn’t realize I’m already starving.”She picked more meat and noticed Shane’s plate was still left untouched.“Shane, are you okay?” Rana asked before she energetically chewed more meat and picked some more from the grill to her plate. “Are you not hungry? We’re already past lunch.”Shane looked up at her. The golden orbs behind his glasses looked at her passively. Rana was oblivious to anything but the meats that were being grilled at the center of their table.“You’re not eating at all. If you’re not taking any meat, I’m getting them all,” she said with a naughty smile on her mouth.“No, don’t hug them all to yourself, Ran
Rana looked at Ethos then immediately shifted her sight questioning Shane with her eyes.Shane rose from his seat instead and turned to look at Amara.“Aunt, we’re leaving now, as Rana is already here. We’re going to help her find furniture makers for her store,” he said talking to her mom.“Alright, then,” said Amara rising from her seat, too.Ethos also stood up and they were all sent to the doorway by Amara.“Take care in the way, kids.”“Will do, mom.”Rana said and they went out of the gate of her house.The trio started walking.“Where do we go first?” she asked.“My friend Leo lives in the next neighborhood. We can see him first,” Ethos suggested.He led them the way to Leo’s house. It was close to the sea and they had to walk up a sloped road and curve a street before they can reach his
"Rana, why are you once again receiving flowers from Ethos?” Ethiara asked as she came from the hallway holding a bouquet of fresh flowers in her hands. She just met a flower delivery guy on her way out for work walking by the gate when she was stopped by the guy. It’s the third day Rana had been receiving flower deliveries from Ethos. Anisa was the one who received them in the first two days but unfortunately this morning it was Ethiara who had to face the delivery guy. She stretched her hands giving it to Rana who had just come down from her room to take her breakfast. Rana took it from her and found the nearest vase in their living area and took it with her in the kitchen to put water in it. Ethiara followed her in the kitchen and watched her in the sink. “Is he courting you again?” Ethiara asked with a raised brow. Rana continued what she was doing and replied to her. “I don’t know. Maybe.” She said with a noncommittal repl
Rana and Shane stared at the spot Ethos left after he went out of the room without saying another word. A tense silence hung around the room after he left. Rana moved and took a glass of green tea. “I don’t believe that guy,” said Ethiara as she picked a biscuit and put it in her mouth. “He doesn’t even have the gall to congratulate you but rather opposed to your upcoming wedding. What an insolent man.” She shot a look at Rana but shifted her gaze to Shane. “Do you have the date set already?” Rana looked quizzically at Shane. Shane turned his gaze back at Ethiara and shook his head. “We don’t have a date yet,” he informed her. Helios took a drink before speaking. He put the glass on the table. “When do you plan to hold the wedding?” “We haven’t talked about it yet,” Rana said as she held the glass in her hands. “We can hold it in a month,” Shane suggested as he bit into a biscuit. Rana looked at hi
Rana and Shane were standing before the wildflowers of the desert looking ahead of them in the wide flower field where they used to spend so much time together playing when they were still children. Rana had a straw hat on her head while wearing a comfortable floral dress and a pair of cream sandals. Shane wore a moss green shirt, a pair of khaki pants, and a pair of slippers.“Feels like a lifetime since we’ve been here,” Rana said as she admired the blossoms of wildflowers that span as far as her sight could reach.The wind around them blew gaily. The ground smelled of wildflowers.Shane expelled a soft sigh from his lips as he looked at the scenic view before them. The mountains could be traced from the horizon.“Yeah, you’re right, Enara. It’s been so long ago. I now wonder what it feels like to be a kid again.”Rana laughed at his statement. Her cheeks were turning pink as she laughed with mirth.
The next day came with looming anticipation. It wasn’t precisely a bright day like the weather was empathic of the day to come and what was about to happen. It was partially gray in the skies. The blue sky was covered with the glum white clouds. There was no sun at sight. Rana was dressed in white robes as she walked to the high ground where she would be executed. Her arms were bound by tight ropes behind her. Two guards walked beside her as she was brought to the ground. She looked at the tall blade that hung above her. Rana felt surprisingly calm as her head was raised above. She looked everywhere around her. The townspeople were gathered at a far distance to watch her. The jury and the Elders of the Council were gathered at a closer distance. The Elders sat atop a raised stadium. At least ten guards watched the post where she would be executed. She looked down at the ground below her. The ground was roc
“Why must Enara be punished for my crimes?” Shane asked angrily. His fists were clenched. One of them was on the table, the other on his side.“It’s not your fault that you were lost in the portal when you were eight years old,” Rana said trying to assuage Shane’s anger. She sat opposite him inside the wide living room. Her eyes were looking outside at the bright beam of the sun in their green-trimmed yard.“You’re not a criminal, Enos. You were a kid when that accident happened. It wasn’t your fault.” Rana said looking back at him.“But you are to die here because you tried your best to search for me and you even lost your memory because of it,” Shane said with tensed jaws. “In the end, you must die because of it?”He asked feeling incredulous and murderous at the verdict of Enara’s fugitive action ten years ago.“You don’t have to die for m
Rana stared at Helios for a full minute before she collected herself. She removed her hands from Shane. “That doesn’t surprise me,” she said trying to sound calm. “Maybe a bit. But I haven’t really expected it.” Rana looked again at Helios and asked him. “When’s the trial?” “It’s scheduled next month,” he answered directly. “It’d be the fifteenth.” Rana expelled a deep breath. “Guess, I have to pay the consequences of my thoughtlessness,” she muttered to herself and looked down at her blankets. “I’ll be there with you, Rana.” Shane automatically said trying to hold her hands again. Rana clasped her hands and looked at him and gave him a smile. “Thanks, Shane. I really appreciate that.” “Don’t worry, Enara,” said Helios putting a smile on his face to ease up the situation. “We’ll all be with you. We’ll do our best to help you out.” Rana mustered another smile on her face as she loo