The Nephilim

18 | Chamuel's Memories

She stared at him as he talked and she was surprised when he looked at her too then smiled. 'He's not that demon. He's just Vin.' She thought then smiled back at him.

"Since we're here, do you want to experience it?" Vin offered which made Chamuel nod her head eagerly. "Of course!"

He rested his arm on his knee then caught a firefly in one swift movement. Chamuel was so awed by his brisk movements, she clapped. Vin chuckled, "That's not what's supposed to amaze you."

"Now, once I open my palm, blow on the firefly." Vin instructed her, she nodded and waited for him to open his palm.

Once he did, she blew on the firefly and it flew away with other fireflies. She was awed when the fireflies formed an image of her memories.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday dear Chamuel." A woman sang while holding a two-tier strawberry cake with a huge number '7' candle on top of it.

A little Chamuel clapped as she received the cake. "Make a wish." Chamuel's mother said with a gentle smile. Little Chamuel closed her eyes and clasped her little hands together as she made her wish.

Chamuel looked at her memories with tears glistering in her eyes. It's her mother.

This memory was from her 7th birthday. They never held a birthday party for her. Her mom always kept a low profile life, they don't usually go out but for her 7th birthday, they went to a picnic and celebrated outside for the first time.

Vin watched Chamuel's memories with creased eyebrows. 'Where have I seen that woman?'

As she blew the candle, the fireflies were also blown away then formed another scene.

"Mom, why can't I go out?" Little Chamuel asked. She and her mom are inside a make-house made out of their sheets. Her mom is ducking, cramming inside the little space with her.

Her mother combed her hair as she answered, "Because there are a lot of bad guys out there. Chamuel has to be protected."

"I don't want to be Chamuel anymore." She said with a pout, facing her mother.

"But Chamuel is special." Her mother said with surprise, trying to convince the little Chamuel. The child thought for a while, tapping her finger on her chin. 

"Fine, I'll be Chamuel." The little girl smugly said with a huff. Her mother took her into her arms and kissed her all over. Little Chamuel squealed as she tried to escape from her mother's hug. They were too frisky that the whole 'house' toppled over them. They laughed as it draped over them.

It was a simple day for Chamuel. Nothing special happened back then. But sometimes, the normal days are one of the best. The days that you know are normal, the certain ones, the ones that you took for granted.

A few seconds later the image dispersed and was replaced with another memory.

"Mister, can you help me?" The little Chamuel sobbed as she tugged the sleeves of a man.

The man turned around and smiled at her helpless face. "What's wrong, little one?"

"I lost my Mom. I was supposed to see her for the last time but I lost her." She said. 

A normal person would've been confused about what she said. But the man just smiled at her and squatted in front of her.

This was the time that Chamuel's mother passed away. They walked to her grave but Chamuel couldn't bear to send her mother off so she ran before they could bury her mother's coffin. She lost her way and couldn't find where her mother was buried.

"Stop crying. Do you want to see something amazing?" The man said which piqued Chamuel's interest. She stopped sobbing and nodded.

The man blew on his fists and fire flickered from it and suddenly, a bird of paradise came out from its ashes. Chamuel looked at it with wide eyes, she took it with her mouth still agape.

"Do you know what this flower means?" She shook her head as she took it, not knowing that it's the favorite flower of her mother. 

The flower looked like a colorful bird, a beautiful and unique flower. "This flower is called the bird of paradise, it symbolizes the ultimate freedom." The man said but little Chamuel didn't look like she understood what he's trying to say 

"I'm sure your mother has her freedom right now. You shouldn't be sad about that. She's free from eeeverything right now. I bet she's happy too." The man said which made Chamuel look at him in awe. The man looked at the flower with sadness in his eyes as he remembers someone close to him.

"This flower also means joy. And I think that's what your mother wants for you. To be happy and enjoy your life." She stopped crying and sniffed a lot. 

"You're right, mister. Mom is now free. I shouldn't cry. I should smile." She said then beamed. The man chuckled as she tried to smile with her creased forehead and runny nose.

"A smile suits you better, little Chamuel." He said then patted her head with a gentle smile.

The image slowly disappeared and the fireflies flew normally again.

Chamuel looked at it in awe. Those were her best days. She can't help but tear up as she remembered them.

She felt her chest tighten as she remembered her mother but calmed down after remembering the flower that the man gave her. Her mother passed away when she was still a 9 year old, she went to the local orphanage because her mother didn't have any known relatives and she never knew who her father was. As she remembered her memories, it all came rushing back to her.

She looked at Vin to see how he is but she was confused to see him with furrowed brows. "What's wrong?" She asked out of concern. He seemed to snap out of his thoughts and looked at her. "Uh, it's nothing. I, it's just the first time I saw you that small and snotty." He joked with a straight face which made Chamuel laugh and hit him.

Chamuel laid again and closed her eyes.

Vin couldn't do the same though. 'That man... why is he part of Chamuel's past?'