Remarkable World: "Deal with the fantasy"

"Deal with the fantasy" | Short story

Posted in Labels: english, literature, shortstory

12:22 AM

“Deal with your fantasy”

I felt my heart pounding. I found myself in a rush. I was running through many other people who were also running. This was not a race. I was running to a gateway guarded by an old man with horrifying gaze. I wanted to stop but I couldn’t. ‘Bam!’ My heart missed a beat when the old man slammed the gate-door right after I arrived in front of it. I looked right into his eyes and suddenly, ‘drrrt-drrrrt’ my alarm woke me up. I was dreaming. I stretched my body. I vaguely could still imagine the horrifying gaze. ‘Drrrt-drrrrt’ the alarm has not stopped vibrating. I turned it off. Silence. I looked around the room. A mess. Then my gaze stopped at the clock on the wall whose needles formed a pointed angle, 6:40 o'clock? I jumped out of my bed, grabbed a towel, and took a bath. “Your breakfast, Keona?” My mom asked. “Later, mom.”

After got prepared, I ran to the highway looking for a taxi. Nothing passed by. I must be late. While waiting anxiously, I stared at an old-deserted-empty-house across the street. Creepy and neglected. No one lived there for many years. I was lost in thought when suddenly passing a taxi breaking the silence. I shouted very loudly "Taxiiii!”. Although it was just two meters away from me.

---

“We’re here" said the driver. I paid and got off. I felt my heart pounding. I ran to the gate guarded by an old man with familiar gaze, the security. I ran through others who were also running. De-ja-vu. With this agile small body, I escaped through the slowly narrowed gate. Suddenly ‘bam!’ the gate door was slammed. “Lucky day, young lady” said the security locked the gate with bunch of late students outside.

I went in a room with a sign board on it written “We are Super-VII” and found my friends were still scattered around. "So, Ms.Otte is lazier than me, huh?" I said as I put my bag and sat on a corner desk with Gizza. Suddenly a glasses girl appeared by rushing into class carrying a bag larger than her body. Kimiko, a freak who is crazy about fiction. She sat down right in front of me. Her breath was panting, her back was sweaty, and her hair was unkempt. I watched her for a moment, wondering why did God create a human being like her? Suddenly she turned and looked at me sharply! Ups, can she read my mind?

"Did you hear about the fat Edmund?" She began to speak.

"Do you know what happened to him?" I shook my head slowly.

"He is cursed" she hissed.

"Cursed!?" James and Jens from the next row asked simultaneously. Kimiko nodded.

“Bahahahah” we laughed.

"Listen, his parents told me, two days ago Edmund visited the empty house across Keona's house, he ventured into the house and got sick”. I never believe such a thing. Ridiculous.

"Good morning class!" said Ms.Otte while walked briskly into the classroom. "Sorry I'm late. Anyway, FYI Edmund gets sick, so please pray for him. Reminder for you all, if you wanna go somewhere do not forget to tell your parents first, okay?” Five of us looked at each other in surprised.

---

It was time to go home. I packed up my bag and rushed home with Gizza. As we just got out of the gate, someone speeding on the bike suddenly stopped right in front of me and made the dust float to my face. "Jens and I are going for an exciting adventure” James confidently said. Another speeding bike flew back the dust to my face. This must be Jens! "Come to the haunted house at 3 o'clock, and watch our heroic action!" Jens winked at us. "Come on James, let’s catch the witch!" and the two fools clashed together.

---

I got off from the taxi. I looked at the old house. It was just 10 meters away from me. Curiosity pervaded me. I walked slowly to the house and stopped right in front of the gate. The house was bigger than I thought. It has three floors with big windows. I could see its properties inside. Old. Deserted. Wilted foliage from a dry old tree and peeling wall paint. No life there, no witches. I decided to walk back home. But I felt someone was watching me from behind. I stopped and saw the road behind me. Nothing. I turned my gaze towards the house and the scenery was still the same. I looked up at the second floor of the house, then my eyes bulging, my heart pounding. There was a black shadow on the window! The witch?! I rub my eyes, but when I looked again, it was gone. "Huft, maybe I’m tired, I need rest".

---

“I’m home!” no one answered. Surely all people were out. I walked to the kitchen and saw a note on refrigerator “Keona, we go to grandma's house, will be back at noon. There’s grilled chicken and avocado juice for you". "Awesome!" I picked up the spoon then prayed gratefully for His blessings. Five minutes later, I was full. Time to sleep. I entered my room and flopped on my bed.

Three hours passed. The sun began to hide making the sky orange. ‘Rrringg” the telephone rang, maybe mom was worried for leaving her 14-year-old-daughter alone at home.

"Hello ma?"

"Hey, this is Gizza!"

"Oh hey, what's up?"

"Bad news! James and Jens have not been home yet since they want to catch the witch!”

“There is no witch, Gizza. Be calm. I'll get my dad checked the house, ok?”

"Well, you’re right. Okay then”

I looked from window that the sky turned darker and the houses began to glow with its lights. One house that never escaped me, yup, the old-empty-house. It was..."Oh wait! Is it glowing?! How come an empty house has a light?” I got heart attack. I looked at it carefully. There was someone in it! He waved, he asked for help! That's James! James is caught by the witch! Kimiko’s right! Gizza's right! I’m wrong! I ran to the phone, running faster than my heartbeat and called Gizza.
"Keo?”
"Gizza, you’re right! James was caught! "
"Huh?"
"James was caught by the witch! I see it!"
"OMG. What should we do? "
"You better come here, we'll save them!"

Few minutes later. Knock-knock. It must be Gizza. I opened the door, "Kimiko?”."I invited her, I think she can help" said Gizza appeared from her back. My mind went crazy when I saw Kimiko wore a zinc-lined dress on her chest and carried a big super bag like a military backpack. "It's an anti-curse outfit” she said. “C’mon!” With all the courage, we walked to the old house. Arriving at the gate, my courage just disappeared by the wind and left a trembling foot and a pounding heart. The house looked scarier than ever. Suddenly the door opened themselves! "Let's go in before it's too late" Kimiko said. Before I even could answer, she already ran inside. Gizza and I had no choice but to follow her. We got in safely, even though I felt my foot turned like a stone. "Let’s spread, you two go upstairs, I’ll be here" Kimiko said. Have not had time to answer, Kimiko was already gone. We walked up the stairs, entering a room full of old books. Gizza walked in front of me, checking every corner searching for our missing friends.

There were lots of fantasy novels here. Kimiko would love this. Gizza suddenly poked me from behind. But wait, Gizza was in front of me how can she poked me from behind? As I turned, "aarghhh!" My heart seemed to stop beating, my head felt heavy, everything turned black. I fainted or probably being cursed?

---

Few minutes later, I woke up and realized, I was in the witch house! I was panicked and intended to escape and save my life. I saw a door at the end of the room, that's the exit! I ran to the door. But before I reached, the door was opened and out an old woman. The witch! She walked with a tray filled with something mysterious. "Keona! You’re awake?" said a girl behind her. No! It was Gizza, she was hypnotized! "Gizza, stay away from her!" I yelled. "Keo, don’t be rude to your grandma!” It's Mom! And beside him were my dad and brother. "Relax, have a sit, and eat your ice cream" said the old woman. The tray was filled with food. "She is your grandma's sister from Canada, she moved here this morning" explained Mom. “Wait, how about James and Jens?” I yelled confusedly. “Bahahaha!” a familiar voice of laughter broke out. “You did see me waving to your house from this window, didn’t you?” James asked. I decided not to answer. I felt like the most stupid here.

"What about Edmund?" I asked. “Oh the fat boy? Two days ago he came here. I offered him some ice cream. Apparently he was hooked and finished 5 bowls!" the old woman, I mean my grandma explained. So, he was sick because of eating too much ice cream. “This all because of Kimiko’s crazy fantasy. Where is she?" I asked. Gizza pointed sideways where Kimiko was looking so cool reading a fantasy novel. While stroking my head, my father said, “Now it is not the time to find who is wrong or right. It is okay to love fiction as long as you do not live in it as in your real life. And remember! We have an all-powerful God, no dark power can beat us if we trust in Him. Does it make sense, kiddos?” Finally, we were all ended up enjoying limitless of ice cream and reading novels together.