Towards the Farthest Side: A Collection Of Sci-Fi Short Stories And Novelettes

"Abomination Part 6"

"Are you okay dear?" the old woman inquired, there is concern in her voice. "You startled me."

"I'm fine," I can't blame her. I myself was surprised at what she just said. "I just remembered something."

"I hope you're truly fine dear, because I think you just gave me a heart attack," the old woman smiled while stroking her chest.

I agree. I would have me scared to death for screaming like that, but I am really lucky to bumped into her since I got here.

"Dr. Terona's children," I said, trying to drag the conversation back to the topic. There is a sudden flash of memory in my mind's eye, and I just acquired a subtle feeling of touching a child's skin, I could hear soft voices of children laughing.

"Yeah dear, what about them?" the old woman inquired, resuming her cooperative mood.

"Do you happen to know where they are now?" I asked, trying hard to hide the longing in my voice.

Please say you do, please, please.

While inside my jacket's pockets I balled my hands into fists in anticipation, and I could feel my knees growing weak.

"Oh. Alison and her younger sister, forgot her sister's name," the old woman's forehead tensed in trying to recall information.

Yes. Alison. My sweet child Alison.

Flashes of her smiling face, the deep brown of her wavy young hair, her eyes amber like mine, all came rushing in my mind's eye like some old movie on screen. A deep longing gripped my chest, a mix of sadness and hope.

"Sorry dear. I have no news about them. It's been five years since they left New Jacinto," the old woman said apologetically. Hearing this made me want to cry.

What the hell is happening? They're just leaving me crumbs of clues about my loved ones, but still I wasn't able to find even a single one of them, like they're being held away from me.

I wanted to beg this woman, to beg her to tell me more, the same way I wanted Jen to explain me things. I don't know how I am alive if I did really die, and I don't know how long will this second life of mine last. What I did learn from my death is we are always out of time.

I am running out of time.

Tears was starting to form at the corner of my eyes and my cheeks becoming warm against the morning cold, when the old woman expressed that she remembered something.

"But I did recall some gossips that the children ran off to the town of Santa Briga days after their father died," the woman said, sounding unsure. Hearing this made my heart leaped.

This lead is more than enough.

I hugged the old woman tight that made her chuckle and tap me on my back.

"Thank you! Thank you!" I whispered to her. "You don't know how important this is to me."

The old woman rubbed my back and pointed to the town center. "The bus stop is right there. Go, find the girls."

I nodded while wiping tears in my eyes. I could see tears forming in her eyes too. I can't stop thanking her before I waved goodbye and ran to the direction of the bus stop.

The money I borrowed from Jen was just enough for the bus ticket, and I just realized I was not able to have something to eat since I left Leronda.

It doesn't matter. I'll figure things out when I get there.

The ride to Santa Briga was uncomfortable, though the bus had few passengers the road was bumpy, and along the way my mind was restless. I just stared at the places we passed on the bus window, but I was not really looking at them, my thoughts were elsewhere.

Hopefully my children still remember me. Hopefully they're doing okay. Hopefully--- they're still alive.

The thought pained me.

It will be very ironic for me to be alive when all my family is gone.

The ride was long, and it took the bus almost four hours to arrive at Santa Briga. It was almost dusk when I arrived at the town. The town is unlike New Jacinto, unlike Leoranda, it's nearing the atmosphere of a city; neon lights advertise establishments and offices, there is the smell of damp sewage and garbage hanging in the air, and everywhere I look there are tall skyscrapers.

There are many people, where will I start looking?

The bus stop had its own diner, so I went inside. I have no money left to make it back to Leoranda, and for other things, so supper will have to pass. I approached the waiting counter and a young gangly crewman first stared at me curiously for a while like there's something on my face, then he flashed a smile and greeted me.

"Hello ma'am. We are almost closing but we could still entertain you," he said kindly, and smiled enthusiastically.

"It's okay. I'm not making some order," I said. "I just would like to ask some questions."

The young man shrugged his shoulder, adjusted the visor of the Diner cap he is wearing and smiled. "Sure. Why not?"

I don't know where to begin.

"I know this will be ridiculous, town is large, and I am only looking for two girls," I explained reluctantly. The young man looked interested as ever, curious even. "Do you happen to come across someone named Alison Terona?"

The young man looked surprised at the name. "Family?" he asked. I nodded.

"That explains the similarity," the young man said, grinning. "I knew it that you could be related. The features are very striking."

"So, you know her?" I asked, sounding pathetically begging.

What are the odds, first place to ask and this. I might be plain lucky.

"It so happened that I do!" The young man exclaimed giddily. "Alison worked here! She just logged out a few minutes ago!" The young man said happily.

For the first time since I awoke from that dumpster, I felt genuinely excited.

"Could you take me to her?"

"Of course!" the young man said excitedly. "My shift is almost over. I'll just log out. Wait for me outside please."

I did what the young man said and waited outside the diner. I know that it is not wise to trust strangers, but this time my gut tells me otherwise.

Moments later the young man exited the diner and told me to follow him. We hopped on his scooter and drove our way to where, according to the man, Alison is said to be staying. We stop at an old worn-down three-story apartment, and we climbed up to the second floor. We halted at the front of a room with a metal plate at the door that says "14" and the young man knocked.

The door slowly opened and a young girl, in her sixteenths cautiously peered out. Her face familiar to me.

"Alison!" the girl called to someone inside the room. I heard a woman's voice inside the room answered.

"Mark is here, he's with someone."

Alison went out from behind the young girl, looking pissed. "What do you want no---" her expression transformed into a scowl of surprise.

"Hi Ali," I said, my lips trembling, I could feel the warm tears building up at the corner of my eyes.