Lost Love Found

C h a p t e r 5

S T A Y

      Avnika crossed the street, her hair overlaying her face to the tenacious blow of the cold breeze. She stretched her embrace on her arms as she made it through quickly without looking on either side of the road. On a cold night like this, speedy cars rarely occupy the street which makes it facile.

   Avnika didn't want to go home just yet—not when she’s gone crossly haywire because Colbie is still missing. But In between her short journey, she remembered what her friend had said.

     The party! Could it be possible that she sneaked into the party? Clide also mentioned about it indirectly. He meant to invite her to the party. Was it the reason why Colbie was oddly dressed and caked with much obvious make–up?

    On second thought, Colbie told her to wait. Where could she exactly be at this very moment?

   Avnika groaned, kicking a crushed soda can along the way. “If you’re in danger Col, I'll beat you too” she uttered coherently.

    Despite that, nights like this she's also fond of spending another couple of hours strolling around the city.

   She wouldn't worry about anyone looking for her anyway. Her grandparents and sibling were out of the country, while her dad was stuck at work until dawn. Technically, she had all the time to herself.

    But on the path to a turn home, she finds herself walking to a certain unlikely destination for the last stop. It's as if a cohesive force is pulling her into a trap.

   Nonetheless, she would always choose to stay.

    The rusty black gate was in sight. Avnika reached for the lock inside it and unhooked it from the handle. She was the only one present in her side of the street and somehow she is relieved that no one else is around. The street lamps could barely shine a light on the way in but it didn’t discourage her to the least.

   She walked in relentlessly, her other hand tugging on the strap of her bag. It's as if the dark weary place knew what she had in mind that the breeze began to blow mildly, refraining the harsh brushing of leaves against the branches of trees.

    She could hear nothing but her heavy breathing as she passed by several cross made of wood. They were all planted before the names carved on cements.

   Then, as if on cue, a memory came to life. What happened two years ago seemed to have occurred yesterday.  It is as fresh as it happened.

    It wasn’t true— the monsters lurking in the dark and hands waiting under your feet in places like  cemeteries— those stories were intended to scare you from taking risks instead.

   Avnika was also once a child and she loved listening to horrifying stories at bedtime. She didn't like princesses and fairies; young as she was she already knew they were false creation—beautiful ideas of people that were never bore to life.

  Don't get her wrong. She didn’t despise them. As a matter of fact, she used to watch Peter Pan, Cinderella, Snow White, and other movies alike with her three–year–old cousin. They would even fight over who gets who.

  Of course, she always won. She tricked the baby with ice–creams and cookies in exchange for shipping her with each of the movie’s Prince.

    The truth is Avnika loved the dark. She is interested with the unseen. She believed that life is not better without darkness. Life doesn’t glow around the sun.

   Without darkness, you can’t shine.

   And some people, somehow, find peace in boneyards.