Chapter 12
The Sun Still Rises
It was almost two months but Sophia was still in a coma. But, she seemed better now. Her family was still firm, still holding on to their hope that, soon, Sophia would wake up from it. They had already transferred her to their family’s hospital where she could be given much more medical attention.
For Alex, he had now fully recovered, and was no longer in need of a cane to help him walk.
Elizabeth stayed at her daughter’s room while the rest of the Vabuerettis left, after a long day of looking after Sophia. Some of them went to the hospital cafeteria, while others went, just to break the monotony.
Elizabeth stared dearly at her daughter, tenderly wiping Sophia’s hands with a wet bath towel, when a sudden resonance of the past hit her head, and she remembered the day when she left Sophia in Forest Green. Sophia was only three-months-old at the time.
Heavens, if only she could return to the mists of the past, to that exact moment when she was standing right in front of Grandma Lucy’s door, ready to surrender the infant Sophia to her grandma, thinking that everything would fall back into place, to fix that shameful family dilemma! But it was something that was biting Elizabeth now. Looking at the wounded Sophia, she was almost near the breaking point.
“I am so sorry, Sophia,” she cried, kissing Sophia’s hand, as if her daughter felt it.
After a moment, she was joined again by her family along with Zarah and her parents. Zarah missed Sophia a lot, and could no longer wait to see her best friend finally open her eyes.
“I really miss my best friend,” Zarah expressed, joining Elizabeth in baring her emotions.
Alex hurried to comfort them as he himself stood straight and held back his own tears.
Nadine, the moment she found a space near Sophia’s bed, drew closer and began talking to her unconscious sister.
“I have a joke, Sophie, and I wish you’ll hear it,” Nadine whispered hopefully. “I swear this joke will not annoy you like I always do,” she lingered, tripping over her tongue.
When Nadine was about to tell her joke, she noticed her sister’s right index finger moved.
“Mom, Dad, Alex, Grandma... did you see it?” Nadine asked them, in a surprised tone.
“What, honey?” Elizabeth pulsated.
“Sophie just moved her finger. I think she’s awake,” Nadine ensued, already with joy in her voice.
On a split second, all of them got up from their seats and checked Sophia. They were hugely surprised to see her finally opening her eyes.
“Oh, my...” they all cried, greatly grateful, couldn’t believe that it was all happening now.
Jubilation was suddenly in the air!
“It’s a miracle!” they cried all the more, countlessly thanking the Heavenly Father for such a phenomenon.
Sophia, dizzy and confused, hardly looked at them. Slowly, she gazed around, trying to clear her vague vision. Then, she spoke, “Who are you?”
For a shocking moment, they all turned speechless, not believing what they just heard.
Philippe, as a doctor, already surmised that his daughter had amnesia.
“Where am I?” Sophia asked them again, with a gentle yet frightened voice. “I don’t know you!” she piercingly added.
A thunderous crush, and there was a sweeping silence.
Sophia’s eyes continued to roll at each and everyone of them. Perturbed by their uneasy reaction, she began to act wildly, and the nurses rushed to aid Philippe in calming her down.
The rest of the family got out of the room temporarily. Stinging silence vanquished them.
“I can’t believe this is happening!” Grandma Lucy exploded.
There was, again, silence.
“Mom, can you at least explain to us what’s happening to her?” Alex harshly approached Elizabeth, who was seriously frozen at that very moment.
It took ages before Elizabeth responded. With tear-filled, oozing eyes and trembling lips, she spoke, “I think she has... amnesia.”
At that, everyone became even more sapped of strength.
As expected, Nadine cheered them up, elucidating that, at least, her sister was now awake and that it would be easy to get her memory back.
Relieved by Nadine’s positive thinking, they finally tried to calm themselves down, and clung to those hopes.
* * *
IN KRAVENA, sorrow and fear still filled the heart of every tribe member.
Abanir and his family were still in mourning for Karan.
In the face of it, Datu Ilak had to be strong for the tribe, for his family. He must not dwell on his lamentations.
He ordered his kansilos to think of an improved scheme to fight the Sulabuns and forced his warriors to pursue harder.
Abanir pushed himself to the edge. He wanted to be stronger than he was. He wanted vengeance for his brother. Most of the time, he would find himself floating, bordered with intense agony and impatience to defeat the enemies. He frequently flew away from Kravena and wandered alone.
While roving around one night, he got thirsty and landed at the lake near the Vabueretti lake house. Sipping water through the palms of his hands, he caught himself taking a sight at the house. It reminded him of the strange creature, of Sophia. Her unusual body gestures flashed back to him, all at once, capturing the look of her frightened face when she unexpectedly saw him, that peaceful night. His sorrow subsided at that moment—realizing that such an unlikely creature would help his misery to fade away.
Cautiously, he went near the lake house and did not see anyone moving. It was dark and quiet. He attempted to enter it but it was securely closed. Then, he flew gently to the terrace where he saw the strange creature. Looking down, a white piece of cloth caught his sight. It was Sophia’s shawl that she dropped when she surprisingly saw him that night. Abanir, unhesitatingly, picked it up. He could smell the scent of blooming flowers from it.
For a pleasurable moment, he lingered, observing the fabric. He was about to put it back on the balcony table when the harsh sound of a coming car sidetracked him. On impulse, he flew back to Kravena, with it, unable to leave the fabric, and wondering enormously at the object that had just caused the sound.
A drunken man ruthlessly got out of the car. It was Jericho. He just came from the town’s popular grill and drowned himself with liquor. His desolation worsened because he overheard about Sophia’s amnesic condition. He knew that Sophia’s loss of memory would completely separate her from him.
Jericho dragged himself into the lake house front porch and sat by the rocking chair. Sighing, he remembered the days when he and Sophia were playing around the front yard, when they were almost inseparable. They were there, secretly playing every time Sophia was scolded by Grandma Lucy. She would let go of all her emotions there, with him. She would cry on his shoulders. And to perk Sophia up, he would ask her to climb the trees and swim with him at the lake.
The lake house was Jericho’s greatest link to Sophia. All the memories from it only intensified his raging longing, for her.
