"What is this?"
"Where am I this time?"
Breathing out from his closed teeth, his Mind moving back and forth, wondering where he was.
"Can't I live a normal life?" Even his thoughts were in disarray. Watching the dried, half dead tree from a distance.
Unknown ominous sounds from nowhere fleeting to the ears. This place looked more strange than expected. Lona observed, eyes catching any sudden movements. He seemed prepared for what would come next even when he didn't know how he got here.
*Skree.... Skree... Skreeee!!!!*
Lona looked up without hesitation, the skies pitch black. No clouds or any hindrance to light. It was just-- Black. The only rays of light came from an unknown Moon which knew no salvation. A celestial body covered in blood.
The sight of it only left goosebumps crawling under Lona's skin. He exhaled, releasing the breath he had no idea that he held.
Skree...
His body jolts in fear, ready to cover he head if something spawns out of nowhere to frighten him. The sinister cry of a bats now intensed, now it dawned on Lona that it wasn't only one but millions were caught on sight, flocking towards the dead tree.
The ground ripples, Lona hesitated before looking down, "you got to be kidding me!!!"
His reflection stared back, his eyes widened in fear. What he saw wasn't his reflection, it was covered in black silhouette, each part moved like it was engolfed in black flames. Lona never believed he would one day be scared of his own reflection.
The whole ground, covered in what showed reflection like water. He made his first step since he arrived in this place.
Ripples again, now this time, wave bore waves. A thousand events occurred just by taking that step. Flowers sprout forth, mainly thorny Roses. Creating a perfect way towards the unknown tree.
Still trying to decipher his current situation, a world where only black and red mingled just to bore sinister environments.
Taking a step once again-- expecting something to occur once more. He shut his eyes tightly, motivating himself to take more steps.
The reflection of the tree caught Lona's attention. It began to change in color, moving from black to blinding white.
It was like two opposite worlds were perfectly overlap. The light were so attracting, drawing Lona to the tree.
A sound came again, but different from the bats, even more scarier.
*Kraaak... Gronk kraaaaaaaw!!!! *
The deafening sound of a Raven echoed like a death bell. The cluster of bats still remained, neither of the devil creatures medled in each other's business. Acting like a god of its own.
Lona cared less, his eyes were fixed on the glowing tree underneath. "What could be more beautiful than this" he thought.
Without realizing it, Lona was at the foot of the dried tree, bats hanging from each branch and ravens watching from all angles. Lona was surrounded-- no one needed to tell him.
Right before his expectant eyes, the terrifying tree began to move. Drawing light from its reflection which traveled like glowing white blood through the tree veins.
The light travelled to a concentrated point in the tree, instantly producing a glowing fruit.
One mind told Lona to take the fruit, the other cried that he has to leave, find an escape route.
Skree..... Skree!!!!
Now the once dormant bats now dispersed from their location, heading swiftly towards Lona who crouch immediately to take cover.
His eyes shut, his body vibrating in terror. Who could understand his current predicament?
The intense cry of the bats began to die down for no reason, after torturing poor Lona.
His instincts struck, without raising his head, he knew that something was out of order.
A figure stood before him, studying his every move. Lona's limb cried in pain even when he wasn't standing. The feminine figure just smiled, watching the fail boy crouching in fear.
He lifted his gaze, struck by the exotic beauty in front of him. He still stood up even when his legs were ready to betray him.
It wasn't his first time seeing the tall white lady. So pale in complexion that black veins were very visible in some parts of her body. No matter how many times Lona had seen her, he never stopped admiring her features.
Her face sucken, revealing her cheek bone. Lona didn't expect that it would also contribute to her beauty. Probably 5'7 and yet her body craved attention.
Lona was never tired of looking, he tried to speak but all courage ran before he could open his mouth. "Why do I always feel this way when she appears?" Lona screamed in his mind in frustration.
She just smiled, locking her dark crimson eyes with that of Lona. After a few seconds that felt like eternity, the strange women slowly walked to the fruit and plugged it.
Her body reacted to the strange fruit. The smile never disappeared from her face. Lona just watched in silence, a thousand words and questions to express but all disappeared.
In the heat of the moment, "kraaaaaaaw..." A Raven elegantly perched on the shoulders of the woman looking in her 30's.
Lona found himself right in front of her, his heartbeat quicken, everything was happening so fast. Who knows what she could do next. She stretched her hand towards Lona, giving him the fruit.
The poor soul hesitated but keeping the hands hanging was no good idea. He took the fruit. A fruit far from what he knew.
"Happy Birthday!!!!!" The woman finally said with her face overwhelmed with joy. The crows, the bats, the trees everything began to cry. Joyful wail that almost deafen Lona's ears.
"How did she know it's my birthday" his thought screamed but he dared not ask. He face said it all. The mysterious figure wasn't dumb.
"That which I gave you, consider it as a gift. Don't you like gifts?" Her voice sounding so pleasant to the ears. All Lona could do was nod without protest.
She spoke with so much familiarity, almost taking Lona by surprise.
His eyes fell on the fruit on his palm, light pulsing through it like it's normal. "Can I trust her?" His mind questioned, looking for every reason to decline the offer.
In as much as this scenario was far from good or normal, Lona could still see the woman as someone who won't hurt him. This isn't the first time they met, neither will it be the last.
"You can have a bite, it won't hurt I assure you" her words melted Lona's heart. Lona looked at her and back at the mouth watering fruit.
He just looked around, observing the environment once more. This figure once told him he would understand all that is happening as the year goes by. "I wonder when I can understand why my life is so messed up"
She patiently stood, watching him drown in confusion but she derived joy in it. What can he do, if he doesn't eat it, he is sure that he can't leave.
"It won't hurt" Lona banked on the friendly stranger. He hurriedly fixed it into his mouth, taking one big bite.
It dissolved in his mouth already filled with saliva expecting a taste but that wasn't the case. It was tasteless.
"Why the hell is a mouth watering fruit just plain and tasteless" Lona screamed in his mind looking at the women who didn't hide her joy.
"I know you expected a taste, sorry to disappoint you" she sounded like she would make it up to Lona but this guy wasn't ready to go defeated.
"Maybe my taste buds are sleeping" he rushed and took more bites. Her eyes widened at the sight of him devouring the fruit in one go, she never expected it.
One bite was enough but Lona didn't notice, he ate the whole fruit and now it's tasted came in from of shock waves, sending invisible slaps on his face like he ate from the first tree that produced Lime.
"Woah!! You even have the energy to eat the whole fruit, one bite was enough but I wasn't going to stop you from eating it all." She chuckled causing the Ravens to flap their winds and let out joyful "Kraaaa..aws".
"Hehe-- I must have underestimated you." her face now few inch from his as she spoke gently. "Can't wait to see its effect."
In just a blink, everything returned to normal, leaving Lona in a confused yet scared state. Her last words caught him off guard. So it wasn't a dream?
Lona looked up, the hot cup was now cold, he held it through our the Trance. "Drink your coffee" a calm, feminine but familiar voice spoke up.
"Even if it was hot, I won't drink it. You know I'm not a fan of coffee, mum!!" Lona protested trying to shake off heavy atmosphere.
His mum just stood with her back facing him while she stared at an old frame which contains the photo of her daughter and her husband. Hiding her sadness from Lona this morning was best for her.
"Your hands are shaking" she was right, Lona was seriously trembling without realizing it. She knew quite well that what he saw this time must me so frightening.
"Umm..." Lona opened his mouth to say something but words weren't coming out. "You know that if there was tea, I won't give you coffee but right now, there is no tea. Don't worry sweetie, when I get back today. I should have bought some tea."
Lona looked at the wall clock, his mum was definitely late for work. She stood to wait patiently for his trance to be over before she goes out.
"Are you alright now?" The worry in her voice wasn't filtered out. "Mum I am fine, thank you" he didn't want her to feel bad.
It was at this moment she knew that time wasn't by her side, lucky for her, she was done having breakfast, all she needed to do was just get some stuff and leave.
"Alright it's time for me to leave" she looked over to Lona who seemed lost in thought. She rushed towards him and gave him a light peck on the cheek.
"When I get back, you will explain to me what you saw this time and also I have something to tell you but that will be when I get back."
"Ok mum can't wait" Lona innocently commented but that word took five full seconds of her attention.
She quickly realized herself and rushed off to the door, "ok sweetie, take care of the house and make sure you are around while I get back. Bye love"
The door slang shot, Lona is now the only one in the house. "I don't get it. Did my mum forget my birthday??"