Lovers of my Heart | #Wattys2016 |

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Finally we landed. Paul and I was standing and the entrance of the airport. I took out my phone and called Aunt Kelly. Paul was trying to get a taxi but I told him not to.

" Why not...?" He puzzled.

I moved the phone away from my ears and said,

" I'm calling my Aunt..."

" Oh okay then...." Paul agreed.

I kept calling and on the third ring she picked up the phone.

" Finally...!" I sighed.

" Hey Lucy... How are you..?" She squealed.

" I'm good...." I said.

" Did you know what happened...?" She questioned sadly.

" Yeah..." I replied.

" I'm sorry for your parents Lucy.... It must have been difficult for you...." She sounded.

" Emm... Aunt Kelly..."

" I'm at the airport now....."

" Can you pick us up....?" I asked.

" Us....?" She asked surprisedly.

" Yeah.... I'm with Paul..." I said.

" Oh Paul.... I know a bit about him... Your dad told me...."

" How I wished they were alive to welcome you guys...." She sounded with a cry voice.

I was trying to control my emotions at that point.

" Lucy....??"

" Are you there...??" My Aunt called.

" Yes... I am... I'm sorry....." I diverted.

" Alright... I don't want to stir up your emotions... I'll be there around 15 minutes..." She confirmed.

" Okay..." I ended.

I walked towards Paul who was engrossed with his phone.

" Looking busy..." I started.

" Nah... I'm just chatting with Larry..." He said.

" Aunt Kelly will be here in 15 minutes..." I informed.

" Want to sit..." I asked him.

" Yeah... Sure..."

" That place looks good...." He pointed towards a bench that was beside a tall beam.

We waited for my aunt to arrive. She came exactly in 15 minutes. She was a time keeper.

" Hey Lucy... Good to see you..."

" Hey boy.... Good to see you too....." She wished.

On our way, Aunt Kelly suggested,

" Lucy I think it's better for you guys to stay at my place because it's not safe to stay somewhere near the quake locations. The after shock is still happening until now..."

Paul and I agreed to her suggestion.

As we were traveling on the road, I could see certain areas were like a dead town after the earthquake happened. My aunt drove the car by my neighborhood.

She purposely drove the car slowly because she knew I wanted to check out the surroundings.

Everything was crushed and damaged. Cars were like an upside down turtle. As we travelled, my eyes caught something familiar. A palm tree.

There was only a single Palm tree at my neighborhood and it used to be right in front of my house. That was our landmark.

But what I saw beyond the standing palm tree was blocks of broken bricks and cements. The house which I grew in was now just nothing but dust.

My imagination started doing its job. I imagined how my parents would have suffered. Those horrific sounds and vibrations. How they would have felt when they knew they wouldn't survive. To know that they will not be able to see me anymore.