The Warrior in Time

Luke

"Maria!!!"

Luke woke up shouting and sweating all over his body. He was breathing so hard and his head was pounding that it pained him to death.

“Aaaahhhh...Please stop" he whispered to himself, hoping that someone would hear him.

The pain is unbearable for Luke that his head feels like crashing into pieces. He can't shout, he can't even move his body well, only to crouch on his bed and grip his head tightly, hoping to ease the pain.

He started to cry for help, but no one came, after all he is living alone all his life.

Luke grew up without parents leaving him orphan when he was still infant. He never had a single memory of them, only their shared genes that he acquired and a birth mark that looks like a sword slashed his left shoulder.

The nuns that took care of him when he was still a baby also wondered about the mysterious birthmark on his body. As it looks like a fresh-stabbed wound from a war.

He grew up in a convent that shaped his beliefs. He was always taught to pray every morning after waking up and every night before going to bed. Meal prayers are also a must for the orphans to show respect and gratitude to God and to people who supported the orphanage.

“Bless is O Lord, and these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen”

A prayer which the orphans repeatedly recite every meal.

But not Luke.

He always feel like something is disconnected every time he recites the prayer. Even in his young age, he started to believe that the gratitude prayer should not be memorized or recited all together. He believed that prayer should be personal and created by the heart and mind. Like it was dug from the bottom of every human hearts.

Every nuns at the convent always wonder Luke’s ability to critically think everything. He was a very active child- likes to talk about the village which the nuns don’t even know where on earth it is located.

He was always sent to the reflection room for the trouble he always caused.

Everything is messy, clothes anywhere, packs of empty junk foods and bottles of alcohol scattered on the table and floor.

“It all felt real" He murmured.

He got up off the bed to go to kitchen for a glass of water from the fridge. But he felt so consumed and drained that he struggled to stand and walk straight. He felt exhausted like he ran a thousand miles overnight and he can feel his legs wriggle every steps.

The rain is heavy outside with some thunderstorms. He opened the radio above the mini fridge to hear news about weather. While he opened the mini fridge to grab a glass of water.

“Tonight, the tropical depression Valeria has now entered the country’s area of responsibilities. Please expect heavy rains and thunderstorms in cities along his way. The eye of this typhoon Valeria will be hitting Montoya provinces, including cities of Valencia, Bulinao, Malindoque, and Isabela.”

Luke turned off the radio and made his way to his bed.

He tried to doze off, but he can still remember his dreams so well. He can still feel the heavy rain on his body as if it was all real.