One More Day (H.S.) #wattys2016

Fourteenth Day

Dolly

   
"Dad?"

"Hmm?"

"How did you and mum meet?"

"Well, I don't think I'd give that story justice if I'm the one to tell you." He smiled. "But I can tell you one thing, Dolly."

I focus my whole attention to him and waited.

"Yuan fen."

Huh? I doubled over, gurgling in laughter.

"I don't... understand?" I say in between fits of laughter. "Is that even English?"

"It means, a relationship by fate or destiny; the binding force between two people."

His words made me get over my giggles.

"You don't just become friends or get acquainted with someone just because. Everyone has their own purposes to your life. And so are you to someone else's."

Am I dreaming? I ask myself as I take a look at my palm.

"Dad?" I say. He hums in acknowledgement but I can't see anyway how to ask him my query.

My hands... They aren't this small.

"Is... Is this a dream?" I ask. "This is a dream, right?"

I know because my Dad is never coming back.

"You can wake up if you want to." Dad chirps, heaving up to his feet.

No. I don't want to wake up.

As I indulge myself to this timeless place where my dad looked the same as the day he left us, something, somewhere, blasts a blow by blow sound. But I couldn't care less. I don't want to wake up.

Just not yet.

In spite of my attempts in blocking out the vexing sound, it insisted its way inside my ears, making my ear mufflers' efforts futile.

I open one droopy eye and as I do so, I got a glimpse of my clock on the night stand. Evidently, it was the source of that aggravating beep, beep, beep. And the time is,

[ 6 : 0 5 ]

"Are you kidding me?!" Realising the time, I fall out of my small bed with a thud. "Ow!"

"Ten minutes... Ten minutes, Dolly. You can do this." I heave a deep breath before beginning my daily morning routine like a bullet bouncing from wall to wall.

"Dolly?" Someone with a deep velvety voice groans my name, startling me to freeze.

Because the clouds seem to have blocked the sun's rays, it was still dark in my room. As my eyes adjust, I see a shadow move from the floor.

Oh gosh! It must be a thief. How the hell did a burglar got inside my apartment?

Mustering the courage left in my thumping chest, I swallow the big lump in my throat before groping my way towards the kitchen because there, I have a lot of options to protect myself with.

The sparkling sharp dagger catches my attention, so I grabbed it.

And then I thought that even with this weapon on hand, will I be able to swing it or dig it down the burglar's flesh once he attacks?

Just thinking of those suspense and horror movies that are bloodied up to boot, it made my stomach go upsidedown already.

Abandoning the dagger, I let it drop on the floor and took the huge pan instead.