Down System

Chapter 2

After the partying sound, my soul had been so quiet for some time. I was feeling nothing, not until the cold air breeze caressed my skin. I slowly opened my eyes and just found myself lying on the beautiful grass of Bermuda. I took a minute to stare at the green leaves up above me before I stood up to wander all over the place. Where was I?

The place was surrounded by tall trees, which was giving fresh air. A lake was also there, about five-meter-away from me. I enjoyed having a walk since no one was around me. I happily turned around and round as the trees danced with me. When I was satisfied enough, I laid my back again on the ground and felt the warm hug of the grasses. Never in my life did I become comfortable and free as this.

I smelled the balmy fragrance of the air with my eyes still closed, but a few minutes after, something seemed to have changed. There were little drops that started to touch my skin. When I opened my eyes, the gloomy skies surprised me. I got up to find a shelter as the little drops of rain became bigger. But as soon as I stepped my foot forward, I heard someone screaming. The sudden change of weather wasn't just the thing that confused me, but also that sudden noise. Who was that?

As the screaming continued, I roamed around to look for it. However, I wasn't able to keep moving when I saw a big creature that was almost near me. I was stuck in my place and was totally speechless. I never knew a dragon would exist, or perhaps... was I just only dreaming?

When the dragon moved his head forward, a young boy running away had caught my sight. Right, the screaming was from that kid. I just watched them, but when the dragon barely turned his gaze at my spot, I immediately hid at the trunk of the tree that was beside me. My heart pounded, thinking the dragon might have caught me.

"HELP!" the kid shouted.

I peeked through the trunk to see what was happening, and there I saw the little boy still running away from the dragon that was chasing him. I had the thought to go and help him, but I was too afraid. It was my first time seeing such a creature, and I didn't know how to fight it.

Trying to think of something to do, I hid again at the trunk, so I could focus and wouldn't be distracted. But as I was trying to brainstorm, I got interrupted by the sudden tranquility. Minutes ago, I was just hearing shouts of screams, but now it was all gone. My heart fluttered with the thought the kid ended up being eaten by the dragon.

"God, help me..." I whispered.

I was praying when a deafening sound ruined my eardrums. As I peeked over the trunk, a dazzling light welcomed my eyes.

The dragon was already close to the kid, and it seemed like it was putting something to his chest. With just that, it made the little boy calm down, and it turned out the poor kid was being hypnotized.

"I gotta do something," I told myself.

The moment I stepped my foot forward, the lighting had stopped because the dragon finally left the boy and it came down to the lake. I couldn't move in shock. I slapped my face just to confirm if I wasn't really dreaming.

Presently, the weather came back to its original form. It was bright again. The rain had also subsided. The fast-changing of the weather had scathed my brow. Nevertheless, I tried to not mind since I wanted to prioritize helping the kid who was already lying on the ground and totally unconscious.

"Aleera!" someone called my name as I walked towards the little boy.

I turned around and saw a strange woman coming.

The woman was wearing a simple yet elegant white dress that really suited her black long wavy hair and white skin. She came near me, and it gave me an epiphany that she was even more beautiful when she was close. "I've been looking for you. Thanks, you're safe," she said as she hugged me. "Why are you here, huh?" she asked when she let go of me.

I just stared at her, not uttering any word.

"Aleera, please, answer me. What are you doing here, all alone?"

"W-who are you?" I asked, puckering my eyebrow.

The woman laughed. "Dear, are you kidding me? Of course, I'm your mom!"

"M-mom?"

"Aleera, please, enough for the jokes. Let's go home now because your dad is waiting for you." She held my hand and started to walk. "My goodness, you're making us worry."

Before completely leaving the place, I turned around and looked at the kid who was still lying unconsciously on the ground. "Wait," I told the woman, "can we please help him?" I pointed out the poor boy.

"Who is he?"

"I don't know, but he needs help. So please, can we take him with us?"

The woman smiled. "You really have a good heart, my dear Aleera," she said. "Sure we can help him, but we better take him to the elders. They know better."

"Yes, sure," I smiled. "So, can I carry him now?"

"Y-you?" the woman stuttered. "Of course no, you can't carry him. I'll be the one who will take charge of that."

"I'll handle."

"Aleera..."

"Please..." I insisted.

The woman sighed. "Okay, you go," she said. "But if you can't, just tell me so I could assist you."

I nodded before going to the boy. "This kid got a big body, huh?" I whispered as I noticed him somewhat taller than me. Carrying him at my back, I went to the woman and left the place. As promised, we took him to the elders living near the lake.

"Are you his little sister?" one of the seniors asked me.

"A-ah... no," I let out a soft chuckle. How would I be a little sister to him if I was clearly older than him? "I saw him at the lake, lying on the ground, unconscious," I said. I doubted if I would tell them about the dragon because they might not believe me.

"What do you think that's possibly happened to him?"

"A-ah... I actually don't know," I bowed my head a bit. "I just saw him like that."

"Okay, you can now leave him with us," the senior said. "Once he's finally okay, we will let you know."

"Can't we just stay with him?" I asked.

"Aleera," the woman touched my shoulder, "we can't stay here. Remember, it's out of the culture. We are not his family, so we can't guard him all day and all night. Let the elders contact his real family. What we have to do now is go home."

The elders were looking seriously at me, and it seemed like my behavior was making them mad and unhappy, so I just went home with the lady even though I was against it. When we finally arrived at the house, a man in a white renaissance shirt with tie cuffs tucked in black pants welcomed me. He seemed to be the woman's husband.

"Good thing you're now found," the man said as he hugged me and kissed me on the forehead. "We've been searching for you, Aleera. Where have you been?"

"I saw him at the lake," the woman answered before I could even speak.

"Lake? And what are you doing there for god's sake?"

I didn't answer him. I was just folding my brow because I didn't know him. I didn't know them both, but why did they know me? Why were they telling me that they are my family if it was my first time seeing them?

"Honey, I guess she needs to rest," the woman said. "Just talk to her tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Oh, okay."

The woman held my hand and escorted me going to the room. "We have to change your clothes first before going to sleep, alright?" she said before she took a pink dress from the wide apparel. "Come here, dear."

I came to her so she could assist me. After changing my dress, she told me that she had to go already. But before she could even get out of the room, a big picture frame displayed on the wall caught my attention; I was there at the photo, with her and with the man who greeted me. "When did that photo is taken?" I asked which made her stop walking.

"It was taken five years ago and you are only six in that picture," the woman answered. "Look at you, you're so cute!"

"And what year is today?"

"Today is the year fifteen and sixty-one."

"F-fifteen sixty-one?" I asked in disbelief, giving her a scathing look.

"What seems to be shocking?" the woman laughed. "Go ahead and sleep now, Aleera. Goodnight, my dear. Have a sweet dream." She continued to walk and closed the door.

I was left dumbfounded.

This year was very far from the time I was born, but why was I living in this time? My nerves seemed to explode in a short time, but I was still stuck in my thoughts. Noticing a mirror in the closet, I walked there. When I saw myself, my eyes grew bigger. My mind stuttered and I couldn't move. Was I seeing my younger self, really?