Emily's Diary of Dreams (Wattys 2016)

The Immortal Doctors

I'm in a taxi. Following my mother-in-law. She had been secretive on what she's been doing these couple of weeks. There were times where she had been disappearing for more than one night. By the time i ask her, she will always denied it.

Then i saw her car came into a halt towards an abandoned part of a petrol station. I knew it. Something is wrong with her. I ask the taxi to drop me a couple of blocks from where she has stopped. My mother went inside the building and disappears.

I am beyond terrified now. Where could she have been. Is she being abducted? Strangled? Killed? Oh please god.. don't let anything happen to her.

I was walked on slowly inside of the building and see what i would not expect in a million years. I saw my mother-in-law with my husband. The shocking part is that my husband died a year ago. He saw me and we look at each other for a moment.One little moment. As is the world stops and lingers in that second where our eyes have met. My mother saw me and startled with my presence. As she tries to open her mouth then, it came to a blur. I am not here on that spot anymore.

"Beep....beep....beep"

The sound of the heart monitor has been echoed in my ear since i was awake. Great.. i was attached to one. I open my eyes. I see my mother slouched on a chair next to me. Then, she saw me open my eyes.

"Thank God. You are fine"

I know that voice. The voice that i miss for a year. The voice that i thought i wouldn't hear it again. Tom, my husband. He is alive. He is here. In front of me. Wearing a doctor's coat. Wait. He's a lawyer. Why is he a doctor now?

"Where are we? Why are you here? I saw you inside a coffin in front of me. Care to explain mother? Why is my beloved still alive when i thought he is DEAD?"

My mother is still loss in words. Then,she said "I want to tell you. Trust me, I wanted to. How it meant the world for me to tell you what is going on. But, only Tom can explain it to you."

I look at Tom's face for an answer. He was quiet for a moment and look at me. He took the biggest breath that he can take then let out with the biggest sigh. Oh God. He IS alive.

"Well, for starters. I'm in a secret society called 'The Immortal Doctors'. And i'm not 39 years old but 298 years and the girl beside you here is not my mother but my nephew's granddaughter."

After hearing that, my mouth make the biggest 'O' ever. My husband is not my husband and my mother turns out to be my great granddaughter if he is my husband. That is a lot to take. I meant A LOT.

I sat there on the bed. With my head looking at the blanket. I cant even see his face and her's as well.

"I have to stage an accident due to your question on our last night together. 'Why I never looked old?' I cannot let our secret leaked."

"There is more like you out there?"