Before We March

Chapter 12: Whatever It Takes

"Son.."

I could hear his voice again but this time it seems to be different for he was like around or beside me. Like he was really here and his touches felt like reality.

I rushed out of the bed as soon as I heard my father's voice but he was heading downstairs in a jiffy. On the other side, I heard a voice of woman, her voice.

Calling us downstairs for breakfast.

"mom?" Jordan smiled as he headed to the door and expected someone else instead and saw uncle Vince and Ahruk preparing breakfast.

"oh.." Jordan reacts with a let down face.

Once again I was betrayed by my own thoughts. It feels so heavy waking up with the same wrong expectations so I headed my way out and told them that I'm going to get some fresh air.

I was walking on the street of kahreem when I kid started shouting and telling me to get off his way for he almost bump through me with clumsiness. Glad I was attentive and got to stop his bicycle on time.

"woah hold up kiddo be careful"

I was telling the kid to be careful on the next time he hits the street when I saw a very familiar house.

Our house.

Candles, dead flowers and letters are displayed outside. I pick one and coincidentally chose a letter from Michigan a long time ago.

Dear Jordan,

I missed you already, when are you coming back? Why did you leave me? I don't have anyone to hide to and play at the Sacred Park again. I'm very heartbroken for we don't see each other anymore and people here telling themselves that you're gone but I don't. You might be the prince but you're my best friend and I promise that we are staying that way, and I'm gonna see you once I ride the airplane in the future! I will- (the bottom part of the letter seems to be burnt by the candle)

"I will come to the city and bring you home"

I was trying to find the burnt piece when a voice of a woman surpass my ear out of nowhere.

"and I did, didn't I?" Michigan asked as I turned my head and saw her smiling as her hands are at her back.

Telling me that she wrote that letter when she was six years old. Her instinct seems to be right when she founded me here right after she came looking for me at Uncle Vince's house few minutes ago.

We take a look inside and got to be welcomed by the dusty wind. It is a total ghost and all of the furnitures left inside where covered by dirt. Webs on the ceilings and cockroaches marching at the old wooden floor and walls. I was telling her the past stories of this house as we go upstairs to find the box that poppu left for me but it was not around.

Then I found a treasure that it made me smile in tears.

Our family album.

Removing the dust from the pages my tears drops and felt hugging the album for minutes. Michigan started to comfort me as she hug me by the back and me again trying to blame myself for everything that happened twenty plus years ago.

"you cannot bring the past but you can change the future" Michigan said as she looked me straight into my eyes.

"I'm still here and what is important right now is your people is still here."

She seems to be the one who can calm me quicker than I expect for her words hits me that it made me realizes outside as I wipe my tears that she is right. I take a deep breathe and promises to our old house that I would change the game and bring justice to the bad memories it hid inside.