Flinch: Forbidden Prophecy

Six: Open Conversation on the Train

“So, where do you ought to go in such foul weather and with a mountain of laguages, seem to me?” The man asked in a polite manner. Ashera faced the man beside her, raising her eyebrows to his queries. “Well, I ought to go to the Wilyard. You know, the countryside where the current accident in the news, happened.”

It was unnecessary for her to further specify the details. However, Ashera felt rather comfortable quacking with the man. In fact, he stood like a good samaritan, to her. Heilta’s absence is also of great benefit, knowing she wouldn’t let her careless talk to some stranger by the train. The man beside her did not speak a word for the next few seconds. It is as if he was trying to process what he just heard from her. “Looks to me that mister’s astonished of my words, are you not, mister?” The man shook his head and flashed a sweet smile.

Yet again, Ashera found it really attractive for it made him look like an angel giving her assurance that nothing could go wrong, somehow. “Reeve. Reeve Tailor it is rather than mister, miss. I apologize for spacing out. It is just that I rarely see people visiting that countryside, not to mention that it was the first time in the year that the countryside’s been blessed with visitors — yet with the unfortunate turn of event — fate had taken the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Bain.” The man’s long sentiments somehow put Ashera at ease.

Ashera could not withstand her emotion for she was once again reminded of her parents’ death. A tear escaped her eyes as she met Reeve’s gaze. “Are you alright? You are rather emotional that your eyes are tearing up, Ms. Ashera.” Ashera’s hearing echoed from his mentioning of her name. Her system immediately took a flip from surprisingly warm to cold as her eyes widened. How did this stranger before her, knew her name and her parents? She reached for her overcoat’s right-side pocket, having a tact of the pocket knife she carried with her, for safety purposes. She braced herself from whatever harm the man — Reeve would cause her if ever he do so.

Ashera started to overthink the matter. A lot of Hows and What ifs flooded her mind. How come he knows about her and her parents? What if he is a stalker? What if he is someone who knows what happened to her parents, or worst what if he did it? However, reality hit Ashera and snapped her out of her dellerious mind, when she saw the newspaper that the lady is holding across them. That is when she realized that the news had featured some details about the background of her parents, and that included their names.

Yet again, she could never be so sure how this man who calls himself Reeve, truly know her and her parents. “How did you know about me and my parents?” Reeve flashed a mixture of astonishment and confusion in line with Ashera’s question. “Wait, you are Mr. and Mrs. Anderson’s daughter?” He asked baffled. “I daresay you know, I am. What’s with this silly act of yours? Are you a stalker or some sort of bad guy?” Aquira knew that she is, at some point, accusing Reeve for being the villain, but then she ought to stop her mouth not for she was more than baffled than his expression shows. “Hold on, miss. You wound me there.” He held his both arms in the air, portraying a surrendering gesture.

“Answer me or I will scream here.” To her surprise, Reeve laughed out loud. “Silly you, if I am someone who intends you harm in any way, I would have braced myself and held you down by shutting your mouth. Ashera was taken a back by his words. It reached her quite threatening. Something that brought shivers to her system, having fear arising in her. “I mean, you just made me aware of your next move.” He continued as he laughed real joyfully as if he just uttered something hilarious than a usual joke you’d normally hear.

Ashera rolled her eyes. She could not help but stare at Reeve while he is in his laughter moments, for he looks more handsome when he laugh so genuinely. Ashera gave him a death stare, causing him to muster all his might to forcefully stop his laughter and clear his throat. “Thousand apologies, it was so unjust of me. Unfortunately, I am not someone you think I am. I just happened to know Mr. and Mrs. Bain, for they used to visit the countryside once a year. Why, yes I live in Wilyard. And, about your name, it’s in your laguages, anyone will surely notice it. I mean look how huge and bold you’ve written them, do you not think so?” He teasingly uttered. “Well, that was hilariously adoring to be honest.” He added, laughing at his words once again.

“You are rather joyful of a man, are you not Reeve?” Ashera derived her gaze from the guy in front of her to her nearby laguages, thus only made her even more embarrassed for what Reeve have said was true. “Is it not a good thing? Back to the matter. I, however am never aware that they have a daughter of such beauty for they actually mentioned it not once again after they told Lady Ofelia that they had lost their daughter in a car accident two years ago.”

“Lost their daughter in a car accident? Two years ago?”

“You heard me right, missy. At least that is what they had told Lady Ofelia. Did you not know about it—-oh I beg your pardon. I shall utter no more than a word in such matter.”

“It is but fine, Reeve. I could neither see sense nor know why I have been kept or rather denied by existence by my parents. When, I clearly of with relatives.”

“I am certain they had their reasons as to do so.”

Ashera was speechless for what she just heard. Why would her parents lie to her? What reason could it deduce? They visited the Wilyard every year and never even told her about it. Now that it occurred to her, it simply explained her parents every year’s trip. That was always scheduled during her exams before her every winter break. Furthermore, what was more bothering Aquira is the fact that her parents had lied about her existence, why would they hide or more like deny it? She does not want to believe Reeve for he might be lying about things but then something is telling her that he is telling the truth. He even mentioned the lady she is looking for, that Lady Ofelia.

Somehow, things are beggining to find and fit the missing pieces of the puzzle together, thanks to Reeve. “I do not understand, why would my parents lie about me? And who is Lady Ofelia, where can I find her?” She did not tell Reeve that the real reason of her coming to the countryside, is that she’s looking for a woman named Ofelia.

“That is something I am curious about, as well. Lady Ofelia is Mrs. Bain’s sister. Have your parents never told you about that?” Ashera shook her head. “Well then, you are in luck for I live just next to hers, I suppose she would be glad to see you. That is what she was hoping for, anyway.”

“Ashera barely heard what his last sentence is, for he uttered it in almost a whisper. “What did you say, Reeve?” He just gave her smile and shook his head, dismissing it.