Haven in the Dark

Prologue

             The moment the plane landed, I felt that I was in cloud nine.

 It’s good to be here! I shouted from the tip of my lungs. I get embarrassed afterwards. But nobody really seems to care.

            My dreamland……Engrika… Who could imagine that I would be here? SHANNA MARIE DELA MERCED a province girl, who neither is pretty nor smart, will now be breathing the air of this place.

            It’s a place for the free thinker and liberated people, who can do whatever they want without being afraid to be prejudice and criticize by others. At last, I could live my life the way I dream it to be.

            I was waiting for my chat mate in the arrival area. I just met him in a dating network and saw him thrice in Skype and we had been friends for 5 yrs.

            SHANNA!!! A man standing in 6’5 approach me.

            RICK? Is that you? I was surprise to see a very good looking, young man in my calculation he is just 24-26 years old.

            “Yes my lady, I am the one and only, RICKEN ANDREWS SMITH.”

“I thought that I was going to be fetched by an ugly old man.” I jokingly told him.

 When I was in the NAIA, in the back of my mind I was really anticipating that the man in the chat room was just a scam. And I was about to see a BEAST.

“You’re over imagining things. How was the flight?”

“It was good, even though I was a really nervous and scared at the same time. You know it was my first time to ride a plane not to mention that I was alone.” I replied.

Outside the Airport, I was about to call a cab but he stop me.

“I brought my car. Just wait for a second.”

There were plenty of cars in the parking area; a red, CHEVLOTT, sports car stopped in front of me. I did not mind the car, thinking that it was the driver of the beautiful woman next to me. I almost dropped my jaw when I figure out that, Rick drives the car. OH GOD! THIS MAN MUST BE A RICH! I suddenly felt uncomfortable with the idea of him being a WEALTHY.

He opened the door and told me to hop in.

“Where would I put my luggage?” I asked him.

Just hop in and I’ll take care of your luggage. He meaningfully told me.

When he was driving, I was just simply quiet. So he tried to make a conversation, by telling me more about the landmarks of the place. After an hour, I felt that my eyes were about to close and unintentionally I fall asleep. When I open my eyes it was dark outside and only the dim light of the car illuminate us.

I’m sorry I fell asleep.

I understand, you were just too tired of the 28 hours flight.

When I step out the car I saw a two storey mansion as big as MOA and an Olympic size pool. As I further room my eyes, I even got more puzzled with the dimension of a highly architectural master piece garden. I was amazed of the distance of the gate from the house, more or less 10 kilometer. The design was a state of the art and the material used were primer class in my calculation it would cost billions of dollar to be able to construct this home. And when I enter his house, I was thinking that I was inside a world class hotel in Dubai. Inside was a fully furnish interiors with expensive ornaments that you’ll be frightened to touch and afraid to scratch any items in his house.

Welcome, to my humble adobe! He cheerfully said.

I finally realized OH GOD HE IS REALLY DAMN WEALTHY! My eyes widened but I tried to stay cool and smile.

Why did you not tell me that you came from a well-to –do family?I ask casually.

And so, is there a problem? He innocently asks.

Nothing, I was just surprised.

 I was mocking myself for being so damn stupid. How could I ask that kind of question? He took only a day to process my document and the embassy did not question any of my papers. He paid for my ticket from the Province to Manila and Manila to Engrika. What should I expect?  But he told me that he lives all by himself, a self-employed man and he earned just enough for him. Where did he get all the funds to sustain this kind of life style?            If I were to judge him I am probably thinking that he might be a mafia, a drug lord or a syndicate. Oh, God spare my life!

Reminder the next chapter would confuse you   if you will not follow the guide.

Times New Roman- Present

Lucida Calligraphy- Past