Chapter 5

On the long journey, they reached the hut of the old lady doctor.  A doctor whose treated are those disturbed by the wild soul.  Their town is far from the city and the people here rely entirely on herbs or just pray because of poverty.

The face of lady ghost possessed in Eloise mind.  Whatever, she's not paying attention to it but didn't disappear from her mind.  She could clearly describe to anyone the scary face, but she didn't even want to pay attention and couldn't get it out of her mind.

 As they descended the motor, they could see the hut surrounded by the trees.  From there, an old woman descended the narrow staircase. Her hair white, long and hung down.

 Eloise's hand was cold when George touched her. She obviously nervous about what might she known, and there was also her eagerness to know the truth.

 "Relax, you'd better get treated right away before your situation gets worse," George said calmly.

 "George, what if after this, the soul still don't stop disturbing me?"  Eloise asked confused.

 As they approached, the old lady doctor happened to notice them.  She looked at them intently, as if she was still looking at something with the two.  Eloise inevitably looked back to see if there were still people following them.

 Eloise searched all around but saw no one.  It was only then that she marveled at the old lady doctor's reaction.

 "Good day, Mrs. Sola!" George's greeted her smiling.

 The old man did not move, and her gaze was on the back.  Her face was serious, and she just quietly looked straight ahead.  Eloise spoke next to greet her.

 "Good day!"

 There the old lady stabbed.  It seemed surprised that Eloise spoke, which in turn stirred her spirit.

 "Oh' my God!"  she exclaimed.

 They were both stunned because they did not expect the old lady to be surprised by what she saw.  She even waved the cross sign as if to drive away the evil spirit.

 "Mrs. Sola, I'm sorry if we're with anyone weird. We're here to ask for your help,"

 "Never mind! Come inside my house," Mrs. Sola invited.

 Eloise and George follow the old lady, but Eloise sees many strange creatures.  She tried to ignore them.  It will only add to her burden of trouble when she pays attention to it.

 The old lady's house was simply and made of bamboo.  According to George, many people are to approach the old lady for treatment.  She is also considered a good doctor to people who have problems with lost spirits.  If other doctors go for serious physical ailments, then others are peculiar, just like Eloise. She wanted to know the of her issue.

 “Sit down, and I’ll just get my stuff ready,” she said.

 The old lady turned her back to them, and she was walking slowly towards the kitchen.  Inside her house were mostly herbs lying on her table.  Perhaps this is what the patients she uses to treats. 

 Eloise and George sat on the bamboo chair.  Eloise couldn't help but be nervous.  She felt like she was being gripped by fear.  She's afraid that the wild souls might not let her go because of her eyes.  The eye which is unusual.

 When the old lady returned, she was carrying a glass with full of water.  Black basin with red candle inside.  But Mrs. Sola's gaze was on Eloise's forehead.

 Even until the old man sat down, he did not separate her gaze from Eloise, not even a single blink of an eye.  Even before they said the purpose, the old lady immediately predicted Eloise's problem.

 The old lady doctor laid out the black basin and began to light the seven red candles.  Eloise got hold of George hand because it was the first time she had seen such a practice.

 "What's her full name," said Mrs. Sola as she pointed to Eloise.

 Her eyes focused on the candle.  George immediately answered the old lady's question.  Eloise should have answered correctly, but George stopped her.

 "Ahm, Eloise Ventura!"

 The old lady doctor nodded as her mouth twitched.  Perhaps she was praying for the start she would.  Mrs. Sola stood up and approached Eloise.

 Mrs. Sola tapped her palm to Eloise's head as she spoke a language they did not know what kind. Eloise's force to close her eyes, she felt the warm palm of the old lady, weakly trembling as it rested on her head.

 Eloise suddenly startled when a strong wind hit them.  In the force of the wind, the seven lighted candles turned off.  They could not understand where the strong wind came from, even though they were inside the house.

 Mrs. Sola sighed because her prayers interrupted.  She knew the soul was trying to prevent her from knowing everything, but there was no other way to solve Eloise's problem.

 Mrs. Sola lit the candle again and resumed the interrupted prayer.  After praying, the old lady doctor took a candle and gave it to Eloise.

 "Hold it for my last prayer!"

 Eloise no doubt obeyed the old lady command.  But as she prayed, Eloise gradually felt the shape of the candle change, and it slowly moved like a worm.  To her, scared, she threw it away. Her hand shaking and she can't control it. 

 "I'm scared!"  Eloise screamed because she was scared and disgusted with the worms.  For her, all the insects that crawled is her weakness rather than seeing the frightening faces of wild souls.

 "Be steadfast. Don't be fooled by what you see. Your third eye is deceptive, and it will take you to the world of darkness. Fight them!" the old lady said bravely.

The old lady picked up the candle and lit it again.  George supported Eloise to be strong, whatever the souls do to her. The red candle was handed to her again to resume the interrupted practice.

 Even though Eloise's hand was shaking, she accepted it. She just closed her eyes to block out the things she could see. She endured the things she heard and felt just for Mrs. Sola to finish praying.

 It was as if wild souls were tickling her, and they whispered to her. Strange laugh and cry. Some voice was strongly creepy. All she heard was an illusion that need to ignore. She even startled every time she heard a loud noise.  After half an hour of the old lady's prayer, they were finally able to breathe in relief. 

 Mrs. Sola seemed tired because she sat in the chair exhausted.  Eloise couldn't stop herself from worrying about the old lady. Is not easily to get them away from mortal body. 

 "Are you all right, Mrs. Sola?"  Eloise asked.

 "Yes. I'll just rest for a while, and I'll explain everything to you," she replied breathlessly. 

 After a while when Mrs. Sola got some more energy she extinguished the lit candles and set aside all the belongings. She sat down again and seriously faced Eloise and George.  Eloise is eager to hear and know everything.

 "Mrs. Sola, why is a soul bothering me?"  Eloise asked.

 "That is what we are going to discuss today. But first I will ask you some questions and I want to hear the whole truth," said Mrs. Sola.

 "What are those?"

 "When did a soul start bothering you?"

 Eloise thought about the old lady's question.  The only thing she remembered was seeing her father burning papers and pictures.  From the fragmented picture, she picked up and kept for no reason. There that the time she began to dream of a woman and ask her for help.

 "Since I found a half burnt photo on our garbage!"

 The old lady nodded and thought deeply.  It seems like a puzzle that connects the events. 

 "Where and who burned those picture?"

 "I saw my father burning papers that day, and they went with my mother to the town. There I saw the headless picture. It was half burned, so I had the curiosity to put that aside because of the shape of the woman's leg is not my mother features in the picture."

 "Aha! So do your parents know your problem?"

 Suddenly, Eloise's face became sad because she hoped that her parents, who were to help her and would be the first to know about her problems. And also would go with her for treating her, but she didn't know now where they are.

 Eloise shook her head at the old lady.  If she had wish for anything, is they would have come back to help with the difficulties that come to her . She was already struggling with their situation, especially and only George helped them.

 "I don't know where the two of them are. The day they returned from town, they quarreled and led to separation. Until now, they haven't returned since leaving the house," Eloise said. 

 "Okay, now I've confirmed that my prediction is true. Prepare yourself because you will be going through many trials. Now, all I can help you with is to let you know that you are cursed."

 Eloise and George's eyes widened.  They did not expect to hear such a fact.  The big question for Eloise was how she was cursed, even though they didn’t aggravate anyone.

 "How come I was cursed?"  Eloise asked in astonishment.

 "Your parent's past is the reason you were cursed from the past. While you were in the womb, it was your parents' fault that pushed the person to curse you!"

 Eloise, held to her chest as if she was running exhausted. She doubted that her parents had a dark past, and she is the one who suffers now.

 "Mrs. Sola, how can Eloise get rid of the curse from her character?"  George asked seriously.

 That's what Eloise would have asked the old lady because they both wanted to get rid of the curse that surrounds her personality.

 "There is only one answer for that. The soul seeks justice and you, Eloise, is the ones she chooses because you are the one she is waiting for to help her," Mrs. Sola replied.

 "Huh! How I do this and where do I start?"  Eloise asked confused.

 "Start with your family. Find out what your family's past is, so you have an idea to help the soul," she said.

 Eloise's problem now is that her parents haven't come home yet.  How could she ask them if she herself did not know where to find the parents.

 "I'm willing to help with the soul,, but I'm feeling scared. And one more thing, I don't know how I'm going to start even though my family isn't whole!"

 Eloise was holding her forehead in hesitation as to what she should do.

 “Think first before you decide, and when your decision is complete, you can let the soul know that you are willing to help her by lighting seven red candles,” Mrs. Sola said.

 Eloise nodded.  What mattered was that she had knowledge about it.  If she desires peace in life, so does the soul that seeks justice.

 "All right, and I'll follow your advice,"  she agreed. 

Furthermore, she thinks that an easy if she followed what the old lady said. Many consequences she may not know before helping the souls. 

 "Good then. But I just have a reminder. Please be prepared for what will be in exchange for helping the soul. One of your family life will take the soul because that is her last word for all that has been done to her!"

 Eloise stopped and almost pierced her heart with fear at the old lady's repeated reminder. She still could not bear that one of her family would sacrifice the curse that she did not know what the root and end of the incident was.

 "Is there no other way?"  Eloise asked sadly.

 "That's all I see from the past. But it changes when one of you is willing to sacrifice the own life," the old lady replied.

 Eloise was even more confused about her decision.  How else can she build her family if they have someone to say goodbye to?