Ali's H Quest

Chapter V: "STRANGER GUY KNOWS?"

"Why are you here again?" I asked after some silent moment that have ruled between us.

"My afternoon ritual, of course." He replied with his head still facing the sea and he took a stone and played with it by his hands before throwing it into the sea.

"Afternoon ritual?" I asked curiously.

"I come here every afternoon." He replied and threw another stone into the sea.

"So why are you here again? Shouting?" He then asked and brought his knees together and circled his arms around his legs.

I heaved on my spot and picked a black stone.

"To release all the extra problems in my life." I simply answered along with the throwing of the stone into the sea and I heard its ripple.

"So you hated Ali? Who is that?" He asked and I sighed once more and began digging on the sand a small hole.

"Uhm. Just someone." I replied not really wanting to reveal anything more to him.

"You have a problem. What's it that bothers you? It feels like there's something so important for you and was gone and it's what caused you to burst out like that." He said and it felt like he knew what was inside me at all.

"How could you even say it's important?" I asked and turned my head to him who was still facing the sea.

"I just knew. I am blind afterall." He replied and threw yet another stone into the sea.

"So what is it? What made you shout like that? It's something more than the person you hated, right? Something important?" He stated and I only grew impressed with him for simply knowing at least what's real in me.

"I guess you're right. There's something that bothers me and it's more than the person I hated." I replied and I saw him nodded once seemingly confirming to himself that he was right about his hunch.

"And it's something I have lost." I uttered.

"Hm. I knew it. You have lost something of sentimental value. Something you treasured?" He stated and I stared at him in wonder.

"You could tell, Huh?" I muttered.

"So I'm right again?" He asked and I recognized his one eyebrow lifted.

I am only looking at him at the sideview and today, he is wearing a plain white T-shirt with the same black jacket he wore yesterday and his dark sunglass.

"Uhm. I actually lost something so important to me and means a lot to me. It was actually a memento from someone but I lost it. I have kept it safe and of good care but now it's gone." I replied and he threw another stone.

I was already doodling with my finger on the sand while I answered him.

"And that's why you shouted it all out in this place?" He asked.

"Yeah. We could put it like that." I replied.  "But there's also another reason besides that."

"Hm?" He mumbled and threw another stone into the sea and he was currently at a sitting position where the legs are crossed.

"There's actually this lesson of ours in school that I don't even understand. It is in our World Religions class. The topic is about Hinduism and we were at the same time told to make a project about it." I stated.

"Hinduism?" He then asked quite caught up with the word.

"Yes. Those that believe in a supreme being called Brahman and has other gods as well. There's Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu and others. Unfortunately, I actually don't feel so interested about it. And so, part of what I have shouted just earlier is that. I just can't get myself to enjoy learning it. And the fact that there's a project to do about it." I stated and paused upon realizing if he was understanding what I was saying or not.