abanir’s astonishment
Nadine ran to Sophia’s bed and cuddled her. She couldn’t go to sleep, and exchanging a few words with her sister might probably be a huge help.
To Sophia’s surprise, Nadine no longer asked for some bed time stories, but instead, asked for more mature stories like a boy liking a girl and vice versa.
“Is someone asking you for a date?” Sophia appeared to tease her eleven-year-old sister, playful and silly. “Is he cute?”
“What? No!” Nadine was too quick in denying.
Sophia stretched her lips mockingly and cupped Nadine’s chin, and shook it from side to side. “You know you can tell me,” she said, appearing sweet and playful. “And don’t worry, I’m not gonna tell mom and dad.”
“Eww!” Still, Nadine was in denial.
Sophia gathered Nadine in her arms and squeezed her tightly, now appearing to look serious. “I’m always here for you, Nad. I’m going to protect you from all the boys who’ll take you for granted.” Sophia truly meant her words as she ran her fingers through Nadine’s hair, dark as honey and soft as cotton.
“I know, Sophie.” Nadine felt all the love, and she sank into her sister’s chest, feeling grateful, and fell asleep like a tiny mouse.
At ten o’clock, Sophia was done with her late homework and decided to watch the crescent moon. She slid her curtains up and noticed a strange red car parked near their gate. She looked farther and disregarded the thought that it might be Jericho’s. The notion was there but she got scared and thought she must have been hallucinating.
Then her heart pulled in with enough longing for Jericho. How was he doing now? Could he still be in prison? Or he was now dating someone new…? Sophia tried so hard to understand the rumble inside of her. It was screaming for Jericho. It was more than the roll of big waves breaking on the seashore. And it was impossible to calm, yes, even the smallest upsurge.
*****
“Sophia!” Abanir yelled as Sophia’s face faded from the depths of his sleep.
Rabel, who was disturbed by the noise, opened his raha’s chamber and checked on him in a hurry.
“What happened, Raha?” he asked, panicking.
Abanir was unresponsive for a moment. He was still trapped in the nightmare and was catching his breath.
“Raha, are you all right?” Rabel asked again.
“I dreamed of her…” Now, Abanir’s breathing was returning to normal but sweat was all over his body. It was impossible to ignore the sting of those images before he opened his eyes.
“What did you dream of her?”
“She was…” Abanir was searching for the words as he reckoned the times he had dreamed of the same dream, for days now. “She was taken by our enemies.” He sat up, then stood up to wash his face in the adjoining room. Out of pining, he ascended into the air and visited the lake house anew.
He landed on the same spot where he left Sophia. As he stood there and thought of his beloved, the sound of a car, coming towards the lake house, sidetracked him. He sharpened his vision and saw a shaft of light moving into his direction. He hid himself hastily through the thick tall trees and wished it was Sophia.
The car went to a stop. Then, two pairs of drunk minors came out from it. They challenged each other to swim in the lake naked and tossed coins for who’d go first.
Abanir, to his dismay, discovered that Sophia was not one of them. He lingered observing them, and attempted to approach the mysterious car but his fear of exposure held him back.
“Who cares about the Vabuerittis? Tonight, this lake is mine!” The shorter guy mocked and dove into the pitch-black waters over the lunar moon, in his hand a bottle of Budweiser, and pitched his wet shirt to his girlfriend arrogantly. The other guy did the same, and the two girls joined in.
Their silly giggling gave Abanir the chance to examine the car. It was beyond bizarre to see a huge metallic object that could transport humans.
And when the youngsters were done, they returned to the car and drove back to the town proper.
Abanir followed them carefully and was surprised to see a place full of shimmering lights. Since his senses were very sharp, he could hear the different sounds of the town: talking voices, speedy cars, and even the radios. Again and again, he fell into a world filled with wonder. Everything seemed to be new and refreshing.
Then he decided to stop by the nearest house. It was a large one, located at the top of the hill. Cautiously, he examined the house. The floor downstairs was shed with lights while the upper floor was entirely dim.
He landed at the balcony but a scent seemed to be familiar. For a moment, he watched the little houses of the town that flickered with lights. Then he wondered: which house was Sophia’s?
In the fullness of time, his marveling was elevating. He thought of how humans could be. Were they really all bad, after all?
Then, he waited for the sunrise and as it came, he went back to Kravena, utterly astonished by the spectacles he had just discovered. It was as if a passage had just been opened into the world of humans. The world of his beloved. His Sophia.