Chapter 3- Are you a Grim Reaper?

" It is as if you are caught inside a tank of glue. No matter how you struggle to surpass that adversary, still, you always keep coming back to that very place where you started. You are bound to be trapped; powerless, and vulnerable over and over again."

-Sia, Color Them Yellow

CHAPTER 3-Are you a Grim Reaper?!

In the middle of the sunflower field, not too humid, wind full of warmth is caressing my face as I turn around to appreciate the beauty of nature. What a perfect day indeed.

Bang!

A thunderous sound is still echoing inside my head.

'It is too painful.'

'I cannot breathe.'

As I open my eyes, everything went black. Then, gradually, the previously bright-colored yellow sunflower field as if turned into ashes as its petals turned into gray!

Suddenly the grassland becomes shaky.

I cannot keep my feet firm on the ground anymore. Everything happened too fast. The once bright-colored field had turned into a pitched black barren land.

I lost my footing because of the excessive shaking of the ground. I fell into a black hole with no end. I did not have time to scream. It is as if I am inside a nightmare while falling from thousands of miles above sea level. Dizziness, uncertainties, and having a feeling of loss rushed into my head all at once.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, as I am trying to convince myself that there is nothing wrong, the water came splashing towards me together with the uprooted sunflowers with gray petals. It is as giving me a warning of the grim outcome I will be having today.

The water kept pushing me down to an unknown abyss and it seems ready to drown me to the point of no return. With all the chaos happening, I am still acting silly. After seeing all the petals and other remnants surrounding me, I still told myself: 'My life is indeed a pool of rubbish and misfortune.'

All the sunflowers in the field are now floating around me. They had been uprooted and just floating around me. I have this hunch that they are either guarding me to ensure my tragedy or to accompany me to remind me of how doom my life is.

No. These flaws I have are just a speck of dust in the middle of my worthy life. If one deserves happiness, then I deserve a far better ending!

'Mom... Dad! Help!'

I continue to yelp for help trying to lift myself towards the water surface. To no avail, these yellow flowers are just hindrances.

Suddenly a blinding light covers my eyesight. Emerging in the blinding light is a silhouette I somehow have been too familiar with. Where have I seen that man?

With that sharp jawline, I am sure that I can never be mistaken.

What happened?! An encounter turned me to be too familiar with his well-built body.

Gradually... slowly, the very first thing that confirms my intuition is when I saw those eyes. It gives me the chills. That gaze is too cold that it burns my heart.

He slowly approaches me. He is trying to pull me out of the water as he envelopes his hand around me.

Together, as he lifts me towards the surface, with that unknown, disturbing emotion, I knew I am home.

When we reach the surface of the water, with only the uprooted sunflowers surrounding us, reality hit me.

Hey! This cannot be happening! I stared at him intently as he said that irritating phrase to my ears.

'Enjoying the view?'

Whaaaaaaaaat the heck?!

"Blaaaaaag!"

I fell out of my bed! I checked myself immediately as I realized that I have been in the water.

Is it just a dream?

Did I swell because of the water?

Most importantly, this is outrageous! What did that man doing inside my dream?

Oh, come on! Let me rephrase that! It is definitely a nightmare!

'Aaaaahhhhhh! This is too frustrating!'

After checking that there is no swelling or whatsoever, I calmed down a little.

I stood up while rubbing my hip as it had been slightly hurt because of my fall.

I sat carefully at the edge of my bed and got drown in the memories of the past. I looked intently at the woman in the mirror.

I have been dreaming about the same scenario over and over again. That dream had been accompanying me since I was small. It is that same feeling. It is as if you are caught inside a tank of glue. No matter how you struggle to surpass that adversary, still, you always keep coming back to that very place where you started. You are bound to be trapped; powerless, and vulnerable over and over again.

However, this is the first time that another person had been in that scene. Surprisingly, it is that stranger whom I met at the park earlier this day. He helped me out of that forsaken scenario. Mind you, it is the first time that someone helped me though it is just in a dream.

I realized something funny today. I always thought that living alone in this world is a good thing. No hassle. No drama. However, somehow, feeling some warmth once in a while is worthwhile.

Enough! Sia! You are making yourself believe in fairytales again!

'But that's a really weird dream indeed... Oh, I mean a nightmare!'

I told myself as I frown deeply because I really have no idea what is happening.

I went to the kitchen, pour some milk, and sip all of it in one go through my wooden straw. I casually check my nocturnal friend so wide awake inside his little abode.

'Hey, buddy! It's that same dream again'

I whispered to Luca and let out a soft mocking laugh. Luca just taps his super long tail on the floor of his container which I assume is a tap of encouragement. Then, I decided to go back to my bed and somehow try to have asleep.

As I return to my room, I saw the sketch that I have done earlier this morning in the park.

I went towards the bedside table and took the sketch and glances at it intently. I cannot help but slowly stroke my fingers on the petals of that flower.

You know what? Painting is just my hobby at first. It is just a past time for me to escape this tragedy I am in. However, in the long run, it gave me pleasure that it can take away even a little pain brought by this rare disease of mine. It made me believe that there is still a chance for me to be happy in this lifetime.

Hey! Let me share with you one of my secrets. It is quite funny. Whenever I went painting outdoors, I cannot help but draw a sunflower; be it the foreground or just the background of my canvass. Well, check out the similarities in my paintings. All those with sunflowers as subjects are definitely painted by me whenever I went out.

Have you seen sunflowers in different colors other than yellow? Take a look at one of the corners of my room. All of those paintings I keep are mostly with sunflowers. The only sad thing is that I cannot bear to paint it yellow.

Maybe, I will never be able to do that. For sure, not even a chance in this lifetime.

THIRD PERSON POV

At the same time, in the middle of a spacious dimly-lit room, there stood a silhouette that cannot seem to catch some sleep. The bedroom is luxurious yet it is quite dark and empty.

He went out slowly on the balcony and stared at the full moon that radiates the light he needed the most in his life now.

He then turned his gaze below the balcony. His formidable friend turned into unthinkable fear; the Olympic-sized swimming pool that he painstakingly took an effort to build a few years back.

He slowly paced back inside the room where he opens his bedside drawer to get some cigar when suddenly, a piece of paper caught his eyes. Upon opening it, a yellow figure triggered dark memories that he really wanted to forget.

Towards the ceiling light, he stretched his hand upward as he is holding the drawing of a delicate yellow flower that symbolizes both perpetual happiness and sorrow.

'Her last yellow Sunflower,' the man muttered to himself while giving a warm expression that he never shown for the past years now.

SIA's POV

I was woken up by the vibration of my muted phone.

As she half-asleep picked up her phone and pressed the answer button, a high pitched loud voice welcomed her half-asleep soul.

'Alicia Gene Fuentebella!'

'Do you really want me to kill you?! You still have the guts to answer the phone after abandoning me for too long! How did you bear not to miss me or even send a chat for a week already! Do you know how tired I am because of work? All you do is ignore my posts, my chat, my calls, my messages. Don't you love me anymore?!'

An endless spouting of words gets through the phone that makes me want to vomit blood.

I almost slapped my face because I made a huge mistake.

'Alicia! Remind yourself to look at the name of the caller first before answering the phone, okay?'

Actually, that is Levi, Levi Czianna Azarcon, my best friend. I mean, she is my only friend since we are still having those silly pigtails and pink dresses matched with pink boots with a pink ribbon.

She keeps on ranting and talks nonstop as I get myself busy typing on my phone doing something online.

'Oh, one second. I received a message.'

Finally, Levi stops to check her other phone. Then, after a few seconds, another loud scream fills my eardrum.

'Ahhhhhhhhhh! I love you the most Sia!'

Levi screamed at the top of her lungs.

Well, that is another fatal mistake. After ordering Levi's favorite Fluffy Jiggly Japanese Cheesecake and Matcha Milk Tea online, all those endless rantings vanished in the thin air as nothing happens. Food can indeed calm even the most unsettled soul!

'Okay, are we good now? I have just been not into phones and messages. You know that very well, right?'

I carefully explain to her to avoid further unnecessary noise-producing human being named Levi the nagger!

'Hmph! Wait until I get the fill of my cake and drink. Until then, you have to send many I love yous and cute emojis okay?!'

I really don't know what made me decide to befriend this childish 'noona.' Yes, guys! She is older than me by two years. However, she always acts like she is still a five-year-old kid.

In reality, two years ago, after graduating, she already put up her own Interior Designing firm. Honestly, she is doing far better than I expect her to be.

'Okay, okay. Just stop it's too 'cringe-worthy' and cheesy!'

I really don't know what she is thinking. I always send her the saved messages over and over again. After so long, she is still loving it. As I rolled my eyes, I started sending the cringe-worthy messages just to end this circus.

'Sia babe! You are the best!'

'By the way, haven't you thrown out that amphibian of yours?!' Levi continues.

'Lev! My baby Luca is not an amphibian, okay?! He is a reptile! Duh?' I explained.

Actually, she really hates Luca ever since. Oh, erase that. She is just jealous that I get to spend more time with Luca than her.

'Hmph! Whatever! Anyway, it is your scheduled check-up today right?'

'Oh, yeah! I almost forgot! I better get up now! See you the soonest okay? Bye!'

I ended the call immediately before she can say all those words that can make me vomit early in the morning.

Today is my appointment with my doctor at 10 am and it is 9:30 already. I cannot help be excited that I am seeing my doctor today!

(A/N: Oh that does not sound good. I think I smell some admiration here. Male Lead hurry up! You might be too late.)

'I am definitely dead! Doc will kill me if I'm late again with our appointment.' As I said this, I cannot help but to smile a little.

(A/N: Sia Nooooooo!)

I sprint towards the bathroom and brush my teeth with care. I just fill the basin with warm water and soak a small towel. I used it to clean my body and dry the parts I cleaned as quickly as possible.

I chose my most presentable hoodie and pants. This time, I tried to put some lip gloss and a press of my favorite oil-based perfume. I looked in the mirror and I am ready to go.

'Be a good boy baby Luca! I'm off!'

THIRD PERSON POV

Sia carefully knocks on the glass door of the clinic of Dr. Lester Joseph Cabrerra, her long time doctor. He is an internist and somehow can be able to assist her in the last two years. As he is also just around my generation, somehow I became at ease with him.

Sia had been to many doctors and specialists in the first three years as she discovered that she has a rare case of allergy to water. She dreaded every check-up.

Then came Dr. Cabrerra and somehow, had managed to minimize the then already severe after effect of Sia's contact with water. To top it all, she finds Doc Les (as Sia calls him) charming with a beautiful smile. In Sia's thoughts, Doc Les is his savior in white.

Sia carefully entered the room as she knows that she is 30-minute late for the appointment. As she opens the door, Ms. Cindy, the secretary of Dr. Lester welcomes her with a smile.

"Good Morning Sia. Doc just went outside for a bit. He thought you would be skipping your check-up today." Ms. Cindy explains softly while still maintaining her affectionate smile.

With an awkward smile, Sia just softly mouthed 'sorry.'

'Oh, I did not mean anything.' Ms. Cindy explains as she laughs at Sia's shyness.

'Just stay in the waiting room. Dr. Lester will be here a bit,' Ms. Cindy continued.

Sia just nodded and opened the adjacent door.

As she entered the room, she noticed that the curtain on the glass window that separates the waiting room from the main office had been replaced with stained glass.

She cannot take off her eyes because the stained glass is a painting of a sunflower. The most interesting one is that it is bright yellow. Instead of being afraid like she used to feel whenever seeing a yellow sunflower, she feels some familiarity with it. She is sure she had seen it somewhere. She is just not sure when or where she had seen it.

As she is busy recalling why the painting is too familiar, the door of the main office suddenly opens.

The surroundings get chilly as the man with a cold yet burning gaze had eye contact with the amused and surprised Sia.

'Enjoying the view?' With a baritone voice, the man mouthed with a smirk as he took a sip on his cup of coffee which surprisingly comes from my favorite shop.

'I am doomed!'

Sia almost curses in her head.

With widely opened eyes, she unconsciously pinches her cheek with her left hand. The man in her dreams... or nightmare as she claims, is now in front of her.

She cannot be contented just with her cheeks. She reached out her left hand as well. This time towards the right cheek of the man in white.

As she pinches his right cheek, she cannot help but unconsciously whispers,

'Are you a grim reaper?'

A/N: Thanks for patiently waiting guys. This update is containing 2,100 words (lol) to compensate for my late update. Thank you for your support. Please do comment, like, and vote if you enjoy this chapter! Love lots!