THE JOURNEY OF SHEIRA HART

40 | Row, Row, Row Your Boat

I couldn’t do it. Waiting for so long just feels so dragging and the longer I wait, the more nervous I become. So if ever you wonder if ghosts get scared, then the answer is yes because right at the moment, I am scared shitless. I am practically begging for somebody to just take me out of there. 

I took a deep breath and decided to stand up abruptly which disturbed their concentration. 

“What is it, darling?” 

“Stop calling me that,” I said and closed my eyes firmly. I am so done. I don’t want to hear another thing from them anymore. 

“What…what do you mean to stop calling you that?” my so-called father asked. They may have my family’s faces but I don’t know these people. 

I mean, I don’t remember much but I surely remember sometimes, I get the wildest imagination. And I know that this place only showcases what I desire when I was still alive but who knows? 

“I’m…I’m sorry. I need some air,” I said and before I could even walk away, I felt a grip on my hand. 

It was my so-called mother. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes. And I got a feeling, she is someone I should be warier about than the rest. 

“You’re going out at this hour?” She eyed the clock that says half-past seven when in fact it should be goddamn ten in the evening already. I don’t know what is happening or did I somehow wished time to be slowed before? If I did, I was very stupid. 

“I’ll just be at the balcony,” I reasoned out and she stared at me for a moment before she loosened her grip. 

“Don’t stay out too long,” she said and went back to sit.

I swallowed hard and walked out of the house. The fact that they look and sound so real scares me. So the moment I walked out of the house, I ran as fast as I could. The gigantic roots I saw before were gone and the surrounding was not greyscaled anymore. The boat was dark brown and I could tell it was already old but it looked like it could still work. 

I looked at the house and they were still watching the show. This is my only chance. 

I was about to run towards the boat when Mira stood in front of me causing me to leap and mutter a curse. 

“Where are you going?” she asked innocently. 

“Somewhere that’s not here,” I answered and walked past her but she was again in front of me. I stopped in my tracks but not surprised at what she just did. 

“Let me go, Mira,” I said and never concealed the warning in my voice. “You said I can leave if I want to leave. I want to leave now so get out of my way.” I shoved her to the side. I’m done being nice. I was about to reach the boat when she was again in front of me. I let out an exasperated sigh. 

“You know I can flip you backward if I want to. Move.” I stared at her but she remained unmoving and tilted her head. 

“I did say you can leave, Sheira,” she said and walked closer to me. I didn’t step back. “But the question is, can you?” She smiled before she looked at the house and I did too. And my heart almost leaped out of my chest when I saw them looking through the glass wall and they don’t look too happy. 

“f**k,” I muttered and didn’t hesitate to shove Mira to the side causing her to sit on the ground. 

I ran towards where the boat was tied and immediately untied it. 

“You want to go but you don’t even know where to go, Sheira!” Mira shouted but I didn’t mind her. I would care about that later. But first, I need to get the f**k out of this creepy place. 

I finished untying the boat and I looked back only to see my so-called family getting out of the house. I couldn’t see any expression on their faces and I continued to mutter curses inside my mind. I jumped on the boat and found out there was no paddle. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I mumbled as I looked around to find the paddle but I couldn’t find it. And then I looked at the house only to see them starting to run and when I looked at the swing where Mira was standing, I saw the two paddles behind her. 

I groaned and got off the boat and ran towards the swing where the paddles are. Mira was just watching and as much as how tempting it was to smack her head with the paddle I couldn’t waste my time so the moment I grabbed them, I ran straight to the boat and hopped on. I started paddling but I was making slow progress and they were closing in. I picked up a stone and threw it at them. 

It hit my so-called father’s face but he didn’t even flinch and continued to run after me. Okay, I certainly didn’t wish for my family to be that unfeeling. That was just creepy. I continued to paddle and I was slowly getting off the shore. My arms hurt and I have never tried riding a boat before. I was just doing what I have seen in the movies as far as I can remember. 

But I wasn’t fast enough as my so-called brother jumped in the water and swam to hold both. I yelped and almost fell when the boat rocked back and forth. 

“I’m so sorry but I have to do this and you’re all so creepy,” I said before I hit his head with a paddle. They’re just imaginations, anyway. I have to think that way so I won’t feel bad smacking their heads with a paddle.

I gasped when it was my so-called father who jumped into the water and swam towards the boat. I rowed faster but I wasn’t fast enough as he easily grabbed the edge of the boat and I yelped when I almost fell into the water. I couldn’t balance myself. He was purposely rocking the boat. 

“Are you trying to drown your own daughter?” I screamed but if he heard it or not he didn’t show it. He continued to rock the boat and when I was about to stand up, he rocked it harder causing me to lose balance and fall into the water. I gasped as I rose to the surface and realized what just happened. I felt a huge rock behind me. 

I looked at my so-called father and he was watching. He stopped rocking the boat and just watched me trying to stay afloat. I eyed the paddle that was on the edge of the boat. It wasn’t too heavy and not too light. Just enough for me to lift and make somebody unconscious. 

“Where are you going?” he asked but I didn’t answer. I don’t want to respond. Everything in here is creepy as hell and I didn’t know I have such creepy imagination. 

I grabbed the edge of the boat and with the rock behind me, I used it to haul myself up inside the boat. And before he could even grab the edge of the boat, I lift the paddle and with the sharp side of it, I didn’t hesitate to hit his side of the head. It was strong enough to knock him unconscious.

I was panting hard when I finally get to sit in the boat. I must have looked like a mess but I don’t care. I looked ahead and see my so-called mother and sister looking at me too. Mira was there and I doubt if they see each other but I don’t care about that. I don’t have time to care. 

I was about to raise my middle finger (because I feel like doing it in this situation feels very appropriate) when suddenly Mira was already in the boat with me. 

“What the— will you stop doing that!” I said and let out a deep breath. 

“Where are you going?” she asked and I rolled my eyes. 

“If you ask me that question again, you’re going to end up like those two guys floating in the water,” I said and jerked my head behind her. She looked behind her briefly then back to me. 

“Why did you hit them? They’re your family.” 

I scoffed and wiped the strand of hair on my forehead. “They aren’t my family. I don’t know them. And I hit them because they are creepy as hell. Why on earth are they chasing me, anyway?” 

She didn’t respond and sat there quietly. I started rowing the boat as fast as I can. I could see my so-called mom and sister pulling the two floating bodies out of the water. They won’t die, right? I just hope not. The last thing I want to happen is to be dragged to the Underworld by Thanis. And if this world is bad, I think the underworld is a lot worse. 

“You don’t like them?” she asked. 

I sighed. “They are not my family. They look like them but they’re not them. And don’t ask me another question about them. It just makes my blood boil,” I said and continued to row. I looked at her who went silent. "Why are you here, anyway?” 

“I have to make sure you are safe,” she said and I couldn’t help but laugh. I laughed so hard I coughed out the lake water. 

“Make sure I am safe?” I scoffed. “Did you forget you’re the one who sent me to that house full of creeps?” 

She shook her head. “I didn’t send you there. You’re the one who got inside on your own.” 

I was about to open my mouth to give a retort but I realized she was right. She didn’t tell me to go there. I just sighed. I don’t know who she is and I don’t know what is she doing in my imagination but I guess she’s a guardian or something. 

I groaned inwardly as I continued to row and row until we reached the middle where I couldn’t see anything but fog. I squinted my eyes but it was no help. I heard Mira getting something out of her pockets and realized it was a lamp. 

She walked past me and hung the lamp in front of the boat. It helps me see the surroundings a lot better. 

“How on earth did you manage to put a lamp inside your pocket?” I asked. 

She just shrugged and nudged me to switch position with her and I did. Now, I am facing her back and I could see which way we’re going. Rowing the boat, apparently, easy. If the water was calm and there were no hurdles, it was fine. The only problem is that, though the paddles were light enough for me, rowing it for a long time took a toll on my arms. They feel like they’re about to fall off. 

But I can’t stop now. Not in the middle of an unknown lake. Who knows what would happen next? 

“Mikhael di Angelo,” I muttered and she gave me a sideways glance. 

“Hm?” she asked. 

“Mikhael di Angelo. Where is he? I wish to go to him,” I said. She stared at me for a brief moment before she looked in front. 

“Who is that?” 

“I don’t know. I just remember his name. And I feel like I should be going to him as fast as I can. Where can I see him?” 

Silence covered the whole boat and the only thing I could hear was the splash of the water every time I paddle and the sound of my heavy breathing. 

“At the end of this lake, you can go back to where you are supposed to be,” she said, and as if on cue, I remembered what she said earlier when I arrived. She said something about a journey. 

“Isn’t that what you were doing the whole time since you started your journey?” I remember her say. I was on a journey. I stopped rowing and ransacked my brain about it. What journey? Who’s Mikhael di Angelo. 

And then I remembered seeing Jacob and my past self, talking. And I realized Jacob was breaking up with me so I beat him to it. I remember I was talking to someone. 

No, it wasn’t Mira. It was someone else. 

“Mikhael di Angelo,” I said. “It was Mikhael di Angelo!” I repeated. She looked at me and there was no question on her face. As if she got it too. 

“I was on a journey with him. We were trying to find out how I died. And he was the one who’s with me!” I said and stood up the boat but instantly regretted it when it rocked back and forth. 

“Holy—how could I forget about that?” I said. Panic started to build and Mira remained looking at me as if she gets what is happening. “I have to hurry. Time is running. I have to go back immediately!” I said and sat back down as I frustratedly combed my hair with my fingers. 

But Mira just chuckled causing me to look at her. “What’s funny?” I asked. I am very prepared to smack her any minute. 

But she said, “That was faster than I expected.” She crossed her arms and I was about to ask her what she meant by that when suddenly a very familiar sharp pain lanced through my chest, straight to my heart. My hand flew to my chest and gripped it as hard as I can as if it could lessen the pain but it didn’t. Just like the first time it happened, the pain became even sharper and sharper until I was curling onto my knees, barely breathing. I closed my eyes firmly and bit my lip as hard as I can but then I found myself gasping for air. 

I felt two strong hands on both my shoulder, trying to straighten my back. And then that familiar voice echoed throughout, calling my name.

“Sheira!” he called. His voice sounds so far and I was still feeling the sharp pain in my chest. 

“Sheira, wake up!” he called again but this time it was clearer than the first time. I want to make sure it was him. Please call my name again. 

“Sheira!” he called one last time before I felt my chest lighten, as if a huge rock was lifted off of it. The pain went away slowly until I was breathing hard. I opened my eyes slowly and the tiled floor greeted me. 

“Sheira?” Mikhael called once again and I froze. It was indeed him. And judging from the familiar tiled floor, I am indeed back. I slowly got back up and I felt Mikhael’s hands holding me gently as he tried to help me. I swallowed hard and looked around, just to make sure. There was no lake. There was no boat. There was no Mira. It was just tables, chairs, the living people, and most importantly, 

“Mikhael,” I rasped. Worry was etched across his face as he looked at me. I was still breathing hard and I felt a lump on my throat and before I knew it, I crawled towards him and wrapped my arms around his neck. 

I buried my face on his neck and sobbed. I could feel he went utterly still. Probably because of the shock earlier of seeing me like that or perhaps when I hugged him or perhaps when I started sobbing on his neck, or perhaps all of it. But I didn’t care. I wrapped my arms around him tightly and continued to sob. I didn’t realize I was scared shitless until I saw him. I didn’t realize I was horrified until I realize what I needed to do. What we needed to do. 

It took him a few moments before I felt his arms wrapped around my body and I heard him sigh. “I thought I lost you,” he said. And that was the last thing I heard him say before I lost my consciousness.

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