One Last Wish ✔

10.

The night which I was facing then wasn't good enough to keep in memorable moments of my life. Many unprecedented and weird things were budding in front of me, and why – I didn’t have an inkling of side.

One boy with whom I’d shared my first memorable dance was nowhere; and then I came to know he had called my name while having his last breath.

What did that even mean? Last breath! He was alive. The mysterious boy had touched my hand. Even I had sensed his cold touch on my skin, then how was it possible that...he had his last breath.

I think, Rick has a brother. I thought, consoling my thumping heart. But then my mind played Mrs. Maria’s comment in my brain.

“Rick had loved her, Nathan. She was his love.”

Hot blood washed down my veins.

“Um of whom you are talking about?” Words slipped down my tongue. Hearing my question, Mrs. Maria furrowed her eyebrows, but the man beside her gazed me with concern.

“We’re are talking about our son,” Man told, matching his eyes with mine. “You_”

“Does Rick have a brother?” I hoped for the positive answer from the man, who had called Rick as his son. The man was non other than Rick’s father.

“No_Rick doesn’t have any brother." Answer was cold and cautious. “He is_”Mr. Nathan chewed on his lip, –“He was our only child. We lost him four months back. His name was Rick.”

“How it could be possible?” I shouted, my tongue heavy with shock and my eyes wide in fear. I felt my body getting warm with each second. The pain in my ankle seemed nothing to me than the words of the man. “I just met him. He showed me this house.”

“He died with an accident three months back, kid,” man’s eyebrows knitted together, as though he was trying hard to control his frustration. “What are you talking about?”

“I_”

“If you don’t believe us – go to cemetery and_ he’s no more with us, girl. He left us, forever.”

I swallowed the words in my heart and didn’t say anything. The land beneath my legs seemed breaking and my toes began burning. Without saying anything, ignoring nipping pain in my ankle, I ran back to my farmhouse.

My most memorable day ended with horrible moment.

~~~

The next day when I felt tug of pain in parts of my body, I struggled to open my eyes. My lips were dry and my tongue was carrying a bitter taste. I could feel my hot breath and heavy head.

Holding a mug of hot soup with my shivering hands, I dared to look at my father who was sitting right in front of me on the stool. He was glaring me – breath tight and fingers curled in tight fist.

“I’m sorry_”

“Where were you last night?”

“I’m sorry_”

“I was searching you and_”

“I'm sorry, papa.”

Then there appeared a long pause, where I could hear papa’s long breath. I knew, I acted weird by not telling papa about my previous night’s incident – but I’d no other option. The things which I had encountered last night were not a part of movie – they were real, but still seemed like unreal. If I had told the incident of mysterious boy to papa, he would have not believed me.

I had to go deep in that matter, to find out about the existence of a boy – a boy who turned out to be playing games with me.

But what about his parents? My heart asked and...I didn’t have any answer.

Now, as I had to find answers to all my questions, I had to stay back and had to ask more about Rick to his parents. It seemed difficult though, as I was already going through an extreme fever and papa was adamant on his decision of taking me back home.

“We’re going back,” Papa said, his words strong and final. His clenched jaw and furrowed eyebrows were telling that he would not listen me further. He stood on his feet and was about to walk out of my room, when I held his wrist.

“Papa, please. Let me stay back for one day.” I pleaded, contorting my face in most innocent one, so that papa could change his decision. It didn’t work though.

“You know what, Abi, –” he said, holding my hand and pressing his lips on the knuckles, – “I love you a lot. You are my life, understood.” His face turned hard again. “So, don’t make me shout on you. Pack your bags; we’re going.”

And he stormed out of the room, leaving me no options but to shed tears. How could I go home when I had so many things to understand. If I go home, my mind would not allow me to sleep well. Face of Rick would keep on flashing in front of my eyes. Questions of his death would haunt me.

I had to do something; I had to.

As I pressed my face on my cupped hands, I heard a knock on the window of my room. Through thick voice of rain, the knock appeared languid, even though it was audible.

Would it be Rick?

Mustering little strength in my muscles, I slopped down my bed and trudged towards the window.

Condensation was formed on the surface of the glass window. Pushing the window open with my shivering hands, I heaved a breath.

It wasn’t Rick, it was his father. With black rainwear, Mr. Nathan was squinting at me, placing his drenched hands on the window.

For a moment, fear caught my throat and I gulped as he stared me longer than I’d expected.

“You saw my son last night, didn't you?” His voice was hardly audible through the shower of thick rain.

As my tongue was already twisted in nervousness, I couldn’t get an opportunity to blurt out anything; so I simply nodded in agreement.

Mr. Nathan rubbed his forehead in seemed like disbelief. “Okay – I want to have a talk with you.”

“With me? Regarding what?”

Mr. Nathan lifted his gaze up and said: “Regarding...your mother.”

Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next chapter is on the way to take you closer to the answers of Abigail’s questions. Till then, be happy and keep reading. :)

Love you all so much :)