CHAPTER 2

Today is the day, where our family are leaving for a picnic date.

It's been four days in total. Every time I fall asleep the same dream repeats. The same place, the same people but definitely a different situation

It's starting to bother me. I felt the same lingering feelings after waking up. Making me feel like everything really happened.

It scares me every time I forgot which one is my reality. The situation, the voices, all of them are the same although the scene drastically changes.

After preparing, I look at the whole-body mirror in our living room. My mid-long hair is down. I was wearing a white spaghetti top and a long black skirt with thigh slit. I partnered a white flat sandal to finish my look.

When I turn my back, Mom and Dad is going down the stairs. I smiled and run towards them. I jump in between and they immediately catch me, afraid that I might fall down.

"Amara!" My mother said in a warning voice.

I laugh with her reaction. I saw Anna and brother Alex behind.

I am really contented to what I have right now. I was smiling while watching the road outside.

"You're really excited, huh" I look at Mom in the rear-view mirror and smiled widely. She shifted her eyes to Anna who was reading her book. She was sitting between me and Alex.

"Are you comfortable there, baby?" She asked.

Anna nods her head and stick her head between her books.

"How was the feeling of being outside after being grounded for four days" He asked with a playful smirk on his face. He was probably teasing me right now.

But instead of getting annoyed. I smiled at him widely, which erased the smirk in his face.

"Tsk"

*Mentally dancing

I continue looking outside. After an hour we arrived and the moment I got down. I immediately took a photos. Yes, plural. I will make sure to capture everything.

I nodded in my head and run towards the entrance and the moment I entered. A beautiful field welcome my eyes. There's a bubbles all over the place and children running and playing.

I took my phone and capture its beauty.

"Hey! help us out" I look back and saw brother carrying our things. They just entered so I walk to help them.

Dad chooses the place under a big tree. Mom prepares the blanket while Anna and I were taking the food out. I look at her face, she was seriously fixing our food.

After preparing everything. I sit next to Anna, we look at each other and smiled. She leans on me, and we watch the beautiful view rigth infront of our eyes.

Satisfying...

"Do you like it?" I asked

I felt Brother sit in my back, so I lean towards him.

"Yeah, this is amazing"

I heard a shuttered sound and when we look at where it came from. Dad is holding a camera, We smiled so he took another shot. We even ask a couple of teenagers to take us some family picture.

"It's been awhile since we have a family bonding like this" Mom said happily.

She was right. Ever since Alex attended college it become harder for us to be complete. Dad has been really busy because of works and Mom taking good care of Anna.

As for me, I spend more time with my friends.

"Amara, there's a vendors just before the entrance, right?" I look at Anna when she asked.

"Wanna look around?" She smiled and nodded excitedly.

We ask permission to Mom and Dad before going there. Alex looks around alone.

There's a lot of people here. The smell of food is tempting me. It smells better than Mom's. But of course that's a secret. Anna held my hand and pull me on the right corner.

"Twisted potato" we said in union and look at each other. I giggle while looking at her, she was watching the woman excitedly as she makes the twisted potato.

"We'll take two" I said.

While waiting for our order, I saw Alex walking towards us with tree cups of fries. He give us the other two. He buys another twisted potato and pay everything. While walking, a souvenir shop caught my eyes.

"Let's look at that shop"

I am looking at the items. There's a lot of things to choose, it's harder than I thought. Which one should I buy? hmm.

I took a bracelet with an ocean like colors. It's so beautiful, I think Kaye will love this. I choose the pink for Marylle and Yellow for leah. While waiting at the counter, I roamed my eyes to find Brother Alex and Anna.

I saw brother surrounded by girls, but I can't see Anna.

"Four sixty, Ma'am" I smiled at the cashier and pay. I didn't bother to take my change as I immediately look at every corner of the shop. When I failed to see her, I immediately approach Alex.

"Where's Anna" I asked.

He looks at me before looking around. When he didn't see her, we walk outside the store.

"Anna?!"

We are shouting her name desperately. This place is too far from our home and frankly it's my first time too. I don't think Anna would know any better than me.

"ANNA?!" I shouted.

When I look in front, I finally saw her at the side of the road buying a cotton candy.

"There she is Brother" We walked towards her and just when we're about to reach her. A little kid run in the middle of the road to get her balloon after it flew. A ten-wheeler truck is too fast to stop in time.

People started screaming. We look at each other before running towards Anna. I run as fast as I could.

But....

My body froze and my skin turn pale. I started shivering when I saw Anna run to save the girl. After the truck hit her, Brother Alex started to shout as he goes near the body.

I can't hear anything…

It's my fault...

If I didn't ask them to go in the store…

If I look at her instead of looking at those damn thing…

If only…

The moment I reach them, my tears rush down on my cheeks. Brother Alex is shouting and crying telling people to call an ambulance. My body feels too cold, and my sight is slowly eaten by darkness

***

I hear a buzzing sound and voices around.

But

I can't open my eyes.

What happened?

Anna

That's right she was hit by a truck I need to take her to the hospital.

"ANNA!"

Ï felt an armed wrapped around me. I push his body a little, brother Alex eyes are swollen. I look around again and that's when I realize we are at the hospital. I started crying loud and hard.

"A-A-Ale-x, A-Anna w-where is s-she" I asked with my trembling voice. He answered me with a hug but that wasn't enough.

I need to know….

It was my fault

"It was my fault, if I didn't ask you to go in the store. If- If I didn't t-take my eyes off of her. If-if I look at h-her p-properly. If I—"

"It wasn't anyone fault, okay? It's not your fault" He cupped my face and make me look at his eyes.

"Mom and Dad is still waiting at the emergency room. Anna is brave, strong, and healthy. She will be okay. Let's trust her, okay? okay?" We hug each other. I can't stop crying.

I push him a little and look at his eyes.

"C-Can we w-wait for her too?" He nodded immediately and guided me to stand and walk while slowly going near the ER. Mom's cry echoed in the hallway, her voice's filled with an intense emotion that feels like carrying the weight of whole mountain. I started crying too.

"M-Mom, D-Dad"

Mom still crying while Dad hugs her. When we reach them, we hug each other and cry harder.

After half an hour, the operation is still on-going. I finally calm down, but Mom is still crying. She was hugging Dad while Alex is sitting on the floor, his hand are pressed together while his eyes is shutly close.

I touch the glass window in the door and started praying.

God, creator of everything. I committed multiple sin in my life. I've never prayed this hard before. Please, let her see the beauty of this world. If you really need someone, take me instead. Please, don't take her away too early.

My parents aren't ready yet. She was our baby…

Just take me instead….

After four hours the Doctor finally come out of the room. He took his mask off before looking at us.

"Mr and Mrs, your daughter is a fighter. After two cardiac arrest she still survived. We can't say when she will wake up but as of now, she is no longer in danger."

"Thank, God" Mom said and started crying again.

Despite the successful operation. Anna is still in the ICU for monitoring. Mom and I stayed in the hospital to watch over her. Alex is the one going back and forth in the house. While Dad is forced to go back to work but he goes straight here after.

Our family is in awe of collapsing.

Right now, only Mom and I are here. We are sitting on the chair in front of the ICU. I look at her, she is not crying anymore but no expression was visible in her face since that day. I hold her hand

"Mom, I'm sorry.

If I didn't ask them to go to the store this wouldn't happen."

She finally looks at me. She squeezed my hand and kiss it.

I can no longer stop it. My tears started to fall again. I hug her and she hugged me back.

"Sorry, Mommy this is all my fault"

She cares my back and plants small kisses in my head.

"No, princess it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself, I am your mother and all of you are my responsibility. This is all my fault because I let this happened"

Her voice is trembling and yet it was so sweet. I hug her tightly and feel her warmth. Her hands are giving me comfort and reassurance. Her embrace is making me feel better.

"I love you, my princess"

The darkness started taking over my consciousness

WHEN I opened my eyes. I was shocked to see that I was in a room. Did Dad put me in bed? but this isn't my room. The structure is way different from our house. I stood up and look around.

I just realize that I am now wearing different clothes. It was a chemise, when did I ever own one? I go outside and saw multiple doors. I walk following the hallway and found a stair.

When I go down there's a lot of people there. They all look at me, shock and confused. Hello, It was supposed to be me who should be shocked and confused. Why are they looking at me like that?

"Aurea, what are you doing here with only your chemise."

Aurea?

This voice it sounds exactly like the one in my dream. Then, is this a dream? When I look at her, I feel like my eyes was gifted by God. A girl in a long sky blue dress with that long beautiful white silver hair.

A perfect small face like a princess in some sort of fairytale.

She took my hands and pull me back to the room where I was sleeping. Upon entering she hurriedly took a long dress, it was a simple yellow dress if you were to ask me this is a gown but I'm not sure.

"Hey, who are you calling Aurea?" I asked while she was fixing the back of my dress.

After doing it, she faced me and look at me intently. She was so beautiful like a tulips flower who doesn't need to strive to impress anyone. It doesn't struggle to be different than a rose.

It was a quote, I saw on the internet….

Ah, right…

"Who is Aurea? and have you perhaps seen my mom?" She frowned upon hearing my questions.

She sighs before answering me.

"You, you are Aurea and what mom are you saying. If you really have a mom we won't be in this church right now."

church?

That's when I realized. My skin is brighter than it used too. My finger is slender, and I seem so diff-

"Do you have a mirror?" I ask hurriedly. She guided me on the room Infront of the room where I slept. I touch my face and brush my hair.

The blond hair I got from my father is gone. I don't even recognize this face.

A long black wavy hair, a white smooth porcelain skin, a smaller body. A beauty beyond my own imagination.

What the hell is happening?!!!