Serenade of Scars (Unedited)

Chapter 10

Miss Jane and the doctors had begun with the preparations of sending my father abroad. I told them that I wanted to personally meet the woman that was paying for my father's treatment. In this wicked world, only a few good people existed and she was one of them. The scripture Exodus 14:14 was manifesting right in front of me. When I started focusing on other things like my job, spending time with my friends, more praying and less worrying...everything came together. I became still and stopped fighting God's battle. He told me to stop fighting on more than on occasion but it took my father's words and action to make me realise that. I had been chasing a chicken while I had a cow right in front of me the whole time. A funny way to put it but, yeah, I hope you get it.

I took time from staying from my house to staying with Claudia for the mean time while I was braving myself for my father's departure. I also wanted to create a relationship with God. I was truly lacking in that department. Her youth group was truly helpful, honestly. I just wanted to let go of my father and allow God to work in my life like he was doing for everyone around me.

"How does it feel being surrounded by so many people?" I asked Claudia, concerning college.

"I barely notice those people, to be honest. I'm always busy or at the hospital. Being surrounded by patients is truly the best, taking care of them and making sure they are well is everything for me. I guess I got it from taking care of my small sister."

Claudia's family was involved in a car accident that took her father at the scene, put her mother in a wheelchair and later took her small sister. Claudia at the time had gone to her grandparent's house for the weekend. "You know, I blamed myself for not being there with them," she said in a broken tone. "I couldn't live with myself. Magrath was only 9 when she died." She paused and walked towards her bedroom table and reached out for a photo frame that contained a picture of her and her little sister. They were all smiles on a beautiful sunny day.

"I'm so sorry," I responded in a low tone.

"You don't need to apologise, Chloe," she broke out in laughter. Her laugh sent an awkward silence in the room. "She was alive for about 3 weeks before we laid her to rest, just enough to tell me what my mother couldn't. My relationship with my mother was a bit strain, you know, rebellious daughter and a believer of a mother. Most of my childhood I thought she hated me because she prevented me from going out with my then problematic friends. I wanted to go everywhere and do everything but she wouldn't allow it not knowing that she was only protecting me from the unknown."

"Such as?" I asked out of curiosity.

She stopped and faced me as she drew in deep breath. "Do you believe in demons?"

I narrowed my eyes at her as I nodded. "My father talked a lot about them. He told me that they were supernatural beings associated with evil in religion and things that I forgotten, why?"

"Well, I wanted to play a lot of demonic games, you know, the likes of Charlie Charlie, the Ouija game, Spirit of the Coin, Closet Game, Three Kings, Elevator Game, Bloody Mary...just to be a few. Peer pressure played a really big part in my life. I lost 2 friends from one of those games, tragic," she explained.

"My father warned me against such games. There had been many cases of deaths and demonic activity. Frankly, your mother raised you well. She brought out the best in you."

She sat on her bed and played with her fingers. "As they were in that car after the accident, she said my name after my sisters' and after told her that she loves us. My father recalls seeing a smile on her face after saying that as she faced him and died."

"The most regrettable moments are the ones left unsaid."

"I still hurt till to-date but as years go by, I heal and understand that it was her time. Her time on earth was up."