Charlie and the Travellers

Episode 1: The Light

The Light

Charlie Estevez woke up with the sun's rays glaring his eyes. Seeping through the window was not only the ray of light but also a welcome of a new day, seeing his life in a new perspective. Because now, he has come into terms with himself and into what he really wants. The day of doing something old in a different way. Heading to the same destination through a different path.

He limps through the corridor of his mother's humble abode in central Bern. The walls are not tall but they are neither low. Just apt for his almost towering, slender figure. Lanky, others may say, and fairly yellowish, nearly pale. The hair on his head signifies long hours in bed and not having any haircut at all.

"You're up! Oh my God! Stay there, I'll get you!" His mother, Belinda, shrieked.

She ran across the kitchen to grab Charlie's arm.

"Why didn't you call me that you're... Anyways how's your leg?" She asked with the most worried eyes.

"I guess it's okay. Is there food?" Charlie finally spoke, almost inaudible. A relief for Belinda.

Apparently, Charlie hasn't spoken for a month or so. He's in his bed for weeks, though already conscious, after being discharged from a nearby hospital. Charlie was brought home to recuperate. He was traumatized after the accident.

The accident.

The accident everyone is talking about. The accident that almost cost the life of Belinda's only son. The accident that led Agatha to finally learn how to fully accept his brother.

Belinda's phone rang. Agatha loudly said on the other line, "Mom, give the cell to Charlie!" She handed the phone to Charlie's emaciated hands.

"So... are you really talking now?" Agatha asked in a very slow manner, with much apprehension.

With a deep sigh, Charlie blurted, "I guess..."

Charlie's relationship with his sister Agatha was not a smooth one while they were still young and immature. An age gap of five probably ignited the clash. While he was pampered, she was taught. Agatha almost cursed their situation. But when she entered college and became busy, she just completely disengaged herself from her own family. She finished college and lived her own life. But... she came back, for her brother, whom she realized is still a part of her. And for her mother, ultimately, who's affected the most. She knows better now.

But she wasn't really just jealous when they were young. The young Maria Agatha Estevez, who's always irritated with the little Charlie, is always with him. They were inseparable, in a sense that Belinda gave her that duty, to be in charge of her little brother all the time, while she's working in her own dress shop in the city. They were always together that she knows pretty well everything about him, especially his peculiarities.

Charlie, as Agatha sees it, is a good, shy boy but inquisitive. Oddly, he's got problems involving permissions. He just do what he wants, but not as he pleases. He's a normal boy who watches cartoons and hates math, but his reading and imaginative skills are of paramount. He always makes stories involving fictional history of some sort. Agatha finds this peculiar and funny. He, as well, has a penchant for the arts. She always make a mess with his drawings. But it doesn't make him angry, he just frowns and does something else. For her, Charlie is just dead weird.

He sometimes goes into a daydream and not talk at all, she felt amused with this at first. But one time, he had this daydream that lasted for an hour. Agatha freaked-out and buzzed their neighbors for help. She was sixteen then. It was not big of a deal but Belinda was cautiously worried and reprimanded Agatha, to keep these things to themselves.

More and more, Agatha kind of hated Charlie, but deep inside she loves her brother. She just don't fully get him. Agatha feels an aura, that's what others may call it, when Charlie trances into the fantasy land. Was she horrified, she doesn't think so. Worried? Yes. Curious? Double yes! But because of her age, she reacted immaturely and projected her teenage angst on her brother. She thought as well that her mom somewhat understands Charlie more over her. That is a fact for her.

But things have changed when she got back. She has matured over the years. After graduating from a big university in the far west from their town, she's now living a busy, corporate, bachelorette's life. Agatha is a looker, a stunner. She wasn't single. Agatha is kind of engaged to her former classmate, George Adams, who wooed her for years, though they are still not living together.

She came back after her mother's dramatic call one evening.

"Mae, Charlie's in the hospital now," sobbed Belinda.

She reminisced.

That was around two months ago when it came to her that she still have a family. That night she rushed into the hospital and learned from her mom that Charlie was involved in a deadly accident. That struck her. Her little brother is going to die.

But apparently, Charlie somewhat survived the deadly ride which gave him severe lacerations, fractures and internal organ injury. Belinda thought he would die of such horrendous event. But no, Charlie did survived. The doctors' prognosis states that the extensive damage to his body would soon cause a multi-organ failure that would lead to a cardiac arrest and ultimately his death.

But Charlie's body fought.

Miracle it is, Belinda strongly believes as she thank the Creator for not losing her son. Agatha, on the other hand, though also thankful, thinks it's not miracle at all. She believes that there is something that she could not fathom.

"Okay, so tell me what really did happene?" Agatha insisted on the other line, with much curiosity.