The Red Candle

Chapter Three

After I took a bath and prepared before Lucy would pick me up, I visited our backyard. It was the same, nothing with traces of blood dripping from the orchids. There was no sign of tombstone and red candles. I inspected the surroundings and nothing was really strange. There was still time, so I would water the orchids. I went to the water hose and sprinkled its splashes onto the lovely petals of my grandma. Later on, I glanced at the trees and saw a mark of a blade's slash on the tree's surface. I recalled that it was also the same spot where the dagger had landed. The dagger that almost hit my face. That was weird. I took a step back and tried to brush off that thought off my mind. I poured my attention back to watering the orchids yet I heard footsteps approaching behind me. I turned off the water hose as my thoughts froze. I closed my eyes and whispered a silent prayer, wishing that my dream wouldn't come true. I turned around and stepped away. I sighed in relief. "Oh my God, What are you doing here?"
Lucy's face was also surprised by my reaction. Her mesmerizing blue eyes widened. "Woah! I'm sorry! I was about to surprise you." She smirked.
"Lucy, this isn't a good time for surprises." I replied, a faint frustration flowing through my thoughts. "You came early, eh?"
"Yeah." She gave me a concerned look. "Sandra, are you okay? Seems like you saw a ghost. Your face is so pale. Have you eaten already?"
"Yes, yes. I'm good." I touched my face. I was feeling just warm and good. But when she said that I was pale, I thought it was normal because my face was always like that whenever I got scared. "You scared me. Don't you ever do that again. Please."
Lucy nodded sympathetically. "Okay, fine. I'm sorry." She gave me a concerned look and held my shoulder with comfort. "Has something happened? Looks like you're really scared."
She may have noticed it through my face."Yeah, I really was. I'm good now, thank you."
There was a trace of incredulously in her eyes. She already knew that there was something I hadn't told her yet. "Looks like you had a nightmare, don't you?"
I sighed. "Yeah, about the ghosts again."
Lucy forced a dry smile and squeezed my hand. "Hey, it's okay if you don't want to go to the museum today. You may rest if you want to."
By just staring at her charming eyes, it seems like she always knows what I was thinking. Seems like she can read my mind. Lucy was my best friend since highschool as we both graduated from Jourman Academy. She was attractive, where no one can resist the beauty of her long red hair and beautiful pointed nose with her freckled white face and kind blue eyes. Her smiles and laugh could melt anyone's eyesight. She was a few inches taller than I was. It was no surprise when we found out that some of our classmates have a crush on her. Anything like that was all normal for Lucy Swinster. In fact, even I had a... nevermind.
I smiled at her and replied. "No, I'm fine." Even though I wasn't feeling very well while standing in this garden. That nightmare gave me trauma. The only good thing was that it wasn't evening nor dark outside. "I'll tell you everything in the car. Just take me out of here. Going somewhere else will help me feel better."
Lucy nodded. "Okay then. Shall we go and, by the way, where's grandma?"
"She's doing the laundry. I already told her about our trip today."
"Well, then. Let's go." She glanced at the sky, which was gloomy by then. "Ugh, I wish it won't rain."
"Yeah, I hope it won't." We both walked our way out of the lawn. For the last time, I glanced around but nothing was strange. I looked back at the tree, where the dagger had landed, yet by then there were no marks on its bark. The oak tree was neat from any hints of flying daggers. I was certain that there was a marking of a dagger. I saw it clearly with my own eyes as I stood right before it. And now, it was gone, as if the tree bark healed itself. I shook the thought off my mind. Perhaps, I just needed to rest.
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"Woah, that's really creepy." Lucy replied, her head shriveled lightly as she felt the same way I was feeling when I told her about my dream. We were on our way to the Lang Vran Museum, twenty minutes away from our house. Looking side-by-side, we passed through the fields near our area. Vast fields of rice on our right, and cornfields on the other. The crops were ready to be harvested but the vast space was crowdless. No farmers wandered to inspect the field, which was sensible because it might rain at any moment, judging by the clouds above. However, there were some people strolling around, the familiar faces around our neighborhood.
"Sorry for surprising you there." Lucy said with her eyes fixed on the road while driving. She smirked and continued. "I could have given you a heart attack earlier."
"Yeah. You remember the first time I told you? When it blacked out while grandma and I were having dinner?"
Lucy raised an eyebrow, trying to recall what I just said. "Wait... Oh, yeah. Oh my God, I cannot imagine. I really don't know what I would do if I was in your case."
There was a moment of silence as she drove and as my attention lingered on the outside. It was getting windy. My eyes watching the barks of trees dancing by the blows of the wind, brushing its leaves like what comb does with hair. The traffic was not heavy, and I knew that we were getting to the museum sooner.
"Come to think about it..." Lucy finally spoke. "Why do you think that those spirits are taunting you? Didn't your grandma say that it happens in your family?"
"Yes, she told me that." I sighed. "One time when we talked about this, she said that it was some kind of a curse on our bloodline..."
"A curse?"
"Yeah. Grandma told me that one of our ancestors did something, like a crime, against a rich family. She believed that the ghosts of those family members were hunting us, especially once we turned nineteen."
Once more, Lucy curved her eyebrows. "Your ancestors? What could it be? Did grandma tell you how long since that happened?"
"More than a hundred years ago." I replied. "Her parents didn't tell her anything. But in particular, I remember that it was something like... our ancestor has stolen something from this rich family."
"Hmm... If it was a hundred years ago... and a rich family... they could be royalties. Kings and queens? Perhaps landlords?" She paused and glanced at me. "Do you know whose family that could be? At least tell me their name."
Their name. I remembered the tombstone that I saw in my dream. "Unfortunately, I forgot. Remember the tombstone I saw in my dreams? I read someone's name on it but I forgot." I looked at Lucy sternly. "It could be them."
"Hmmm... okay." Lucy glanced both right and left before causing the road ahead us. I hope you'll recall it soon. But why do they... you know. Why do these ghosts visit you once you've turned nineteen? And wait, tomorrow is your birthday, isn't it?
My heart sank. I just remembered my birthday by then. Tomorrow will be the twenty-fifth of June. Even grandma told me that once their nineteenth birthday awaited, these things also happened to them. I shook my head. "I don't know. My grandma doesn't know either."
"I'd hate to ask, but what about your mom?"
Okay, I did not know what to say but... "Well, we barely talked. Yet grandma said that she also had visions of these ghosts following her across her dreams."
"How did your grandma and mom overcome it?"
"They asked for uncle Henry's help. He is a priest and he knows how to deal with evil spirits."
Lucy nodded. We finally arrived at Lang Vran Museum. Fortunately, there weren't so many people around here, which I'd like better when we visit the museum. My friend glanced around to look for a parking space. "Have you already asked your uncle about that?"
I nodded. "But, I haven't told him about my dream earlier. I even kept it from grandma."
Her face was drizzled with confusion. "But why? You must tell them so they can help you-"
"Yes, Lucy, of course. But I just want some time to forget about this. I need some air to breathe in, okay?"
Lucy sighed. "Fine. As you wish."
"I'll tell them later. Don't worry."
"As you must." Finally, Lucy turned off the engine of the car and grinned at me. "We're here. Do you want something to eat first?"