The Pursuit Of Genesis

3 : Auntie Sophia

"Not sure if you remember this... but we have arrived, William," Maya said with a genuine smile. She glanced towards William and back at the women standing in front.

There was a small moment of silence. William kept looking at the woman in front. Maya had a faint smile on her face as she looked back and forth between William and the lady. William was quiet, his mind processing the situation.

"So... phia?" William said to himself, in a low voice. "Auntie Sophia ."

As the name came out of his mouth, the woman dropped the small sickle from her palms and grabbed her mouth. A faint smile made its way on her face accompanied by some tears in her eyes. William, his eyes still stuck on the woman, opened the doors and got out of the car. As his feets touched the ground of the area, a strong sensation of the abnormal laylines flow ran through his body. His body was able to feel the flow of natural energies, which was abnormal, and disturbed in the region.

This abnormal flow of energies, often, creates illusions using one's memories. These illusions differ from person to person. That is: If one person sees an Illusion, it's not necessary that the other person would see the same illusion.

William, at first, doubted his eyes and questioned himself if the thing his eyes were showing was real. Or if it's just a part of his memory, manipulated by the abnormal energy flow. But his affection towards the woman in front was stronger than his doubts. He, ignoring the doubts about the laylines flow, released his hand from the car doors and walked some steps forward, towards the direction of the woman.

Auntie Sophia ... please tell me that's really you. He said to himself, looking towards the woman, who was standing still, looking at him.

Auntie Sophia ... please tell me, it's not a laylines illusion. His eyes fixed on the lady. please tell me it's you.

As these thoughts rushed inside his head like a turbulent flow of a stream, his pace increased, and his steps fastened. The woman looked at him coming closer, she rushed forward and, before William could realise, wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him. William stood in her arms, flushed and surprised. Few tears gathered in his eyes, and his eyes closed.

"It's you... right?" William asked. "Auntie Sophia ."

"Yes Will," the woman said. "It's me."

Her hug loosened a bit and then got tighter again. "You're still alive, sweetheart... and you still remember me."

~~

The woman, Aunt Sophia, opened the doors of the shelf in the kitchen with a swing and removed the square-shaped mugs out of it. William, Maya and Rita rested themselves on the chairs, aligned to the table in the dining area. Sophia cleaned the cups with a wet cloth and then dried them with a clean white cloth.

"There is no need for anything right now," Maya said.

"Why, of course, there is," Sophia replied and turned toward William. "William, what was Mary's rule for welcoming the guests?"

"Welcome them and treat them with hot beverages?"

"Exactly," said Sophia. "And you know, it's not optional in my house."

She said in a dominating voice and Maya rolled her eyes. Sophia walked inside towards the kitchen and Maya quickly followed her.

"In that case, you can't stop me from helping you."

"There's no need dear."

"Just like you said, It's not optional."

William chuckled a bit and waited in the dining area with Rita. The house was fairly big but looked quite older than its potential age. But it was maintained well and clean. This part of Assyria welcomed very minimal guests due to it being located very close to that big wall of toxic cloud, the cursed belt. The air present in the area was not toxic, but very few people outside this area know that. That massive cloud wall haunts anyone who sees it, preventing them from coming close to the area.