9: A Time Will Come

Nick stood there confused, scared and devastated.

He was wondering what was before him. 'Where are my parents? My sister? Where are they?!' He asked many rhetorical questions at the same time in his mind.

'Just think. Think! Think! Why was I chosen? 'Nick pressurized his mind and unknowingly squinted his eyes as a little bit of clue irked up in his mind.

Nick could faintly remember someone; a woman. He could remember her telling him something about a mighty power. 'Oh, yeah! I can remember now! '

***************

Nick yawned, feeling very sleepy with the very lengthy bedtime story his mom just read for him.

Nick could hear his mom's phone ringing continuously downstairs.

"Sorry son, but I need to get that. It could be your father calling." Nick's mother apologised, running out of the room and down the stairs.

"Ok, mom... " Nick trailed off once he noticed his mom was back up in his room, talking on the phone with fear skating all over her face.

"What! What happened to him? " Nick heard his mom ask, shaking with fear.

*Mutter* Nick could hear a female muffled voice at the other end of the phone.

"Oh my God! I will be coming over there now! Please, settle my reservations before I arrive." Nick's mother said, cutting the line and running down the stairs again simultaneously while shouting to Nick that he should take care of himself because she won't be home for a while.

Nick was stunned. He was only five years old and he wasn't old enough to take care of himself, let alone, stay home alone.

He imagined hearing some noises somewhere near him which made him extremely scared. His teeth were chattering wildly.

No! He wasn't imagining things. It was real!

Right in front of him was a beautiful woman whom he sensed was of Korean breed.

She was tall and elegant with just a few freckles and wrinkles on some parts of her face. She had cyan eyes, the colour of the sky. Her eyes sparkled with sadness and pity.

She took heavy and slow steps towards Nick.

Nick shook with fear the closer she came towards him, thinking she was going to harm him.

"Hey there, Nick. I'm Mrs. Ruby Matthias. I'm the wife of Mr. Edrek Matthias, " She greeted before taking a seat beside Nick.

"Ok, little boy. I didn't mean to frighten you. I just need to inform you of something extremely important," Mrs. Ruby Matthias said, while stroking and grazing her fingers through 'frightened' Nick's hair.

Nick shuddered with every touch she layed on him.

"W-what? I'm scared! Leave me alone... Please!" Nick begged, facing the other side of his bed and concealing his face under his pillow.

"Oh, my! Dear, please, just listen to me. I won't hurt you. I really need to inform you about something important. A time will come later in your life, when you will remember this moment and use it to defend the world; protect it and your family. Please, Nick. I don't have much time to waste. The power of the pearl is wearing out. It's in the wrong hands. You have been chosen that's why you have the ability to see ghosts-" "So you are a ghost! Get away from here! You frighten me!" Nick cut Ruby short, shrieking with fear.

"

Oh, you may say that I am a ghost. Let me tell you something: there is a difference between a good ghost and an evil one. You might say that I am a good ghost. If I weren't, the pearl wouldn't have favoured me by letting me get in contact with people who are still on Earth," Ruby explained carefully to Nick so he wouldn't get scared. "Please I want to ask you something," Nick said in a way that sounded more like a question.

"Go on, boy, " Ruby nodded.

"When you died, did you go to heaven? How is heaven like? Is it lovely? What of hell? Ugly and hot as ever, right?" Nick asked many questions which made him look very cute.

"Oh, Nick! How inquisitive of you! Ok, I can't answer all your questions. I am neither in heaven nor hell for now. I still have a quest to complete before I rest in the bosom of the Lord. I need to save a lot of people from evil hands. But for now, I can't disclose everything to you." Ruby tried explaining-but with the way things were, nick looked totally confused.

"Ok, boy. That's enough. However, I actually came here to warn you. You have three supernatural powers which you inherited from me. I am a very great grandma of yours. I'm in the seventeenth line of your family generation. I know you may not understand. But however, your powers are: one-the ability to see ghosts. Two- you have a special word which you can say anytime to get out of trouble but you will later get to know the word as you grow. And three- I wouldn't tell you now. You might disclose it to other people. And like I said, you will get to know it as you grow."

"Nick! I'm back! We won't be spending our night here!" Nick's mom called when she arrived.

"Sorry Nick. I have to go. But please and please, I beg you- do not tell anyone about this. Do not tell anyone about your powers. Please! Goodbye," With that said, she disappeared.