CHAPTER 6
1759 Words
Granny’s horrified face is the first thing that I saw when I opened my eyes. She looked so shocked that she couldn’t even utter a single word.
“G-granny… Are you okay now?” I asked in a hoarse voice when I remembered how she fainted last night.
Her lips parted like she wanted to speak but no voice came out of her.
“Granny, it’s me. Please believe me.” I tried to move but my limbs are still numb.
“H-how?” I heard my grandfather’s voice.
“W-what…” he can’t seem to formulate the right words as he looked at me with bulging eyes.
“Rafael! What are you doing there? Get a blanket!” Granny shouted when she finally gotten over her shock.
I got confused why she’s asking for a blanket but I screamed when I saw my naked body!
I’m a human! I turned back!
I raised my shaking hands in front of me and cried. They are back to normal. There are no furs and claws. I feel so relieved.
They wrapped me in a blanket then Gramps helped me get up from the ground. Then they led me inside the house. I sat on a chair and looked at them. Now I’m confused.
Did it really happen? Or was it another nightmare?
If it’s just a nightmare, then why am I naked and lying on the ground?
“W-was it real?” I asked in a trembling voice when they both just looked at me like they’ve seen a ghost.
“D-did it… really happen?”
They didn’t speak but I got my answer when my grandma suddenly burst into tears. She was crying so badly while Gramps hugged her tight. I stared at them in silence but my tears continued to fall from my eyes.
I waited for them to calm down before I started asking my never ending questions.
“Why? Why did I become a monster?” I asked, looking at their eyes. I wanted to know the truth.
“What am I?”
“I’m sorry…” Granny walked up to me and held me inside her arms. I closed my eyes when I felt her warmth.
Finally, I felt home.
“What are you sorry for? What are you not telling me? Is there a curse running in our family?” I asked in a soft voice.
I didn’t hear anything so I looked up. Gramps avoided my gaze while Granny took a step back then sat beside me.
“What? I need answers! These past few days, I feel like I am going insane with what’s happening.” I wanted to know the truth. No matter how hard it can be.
“Rei… we…” Granny started but she couldn’t say it.
“I love you so much. We love you but… we are not your real family Rei.” She said gently after a few moments but it was like an atomic bomb to my ears.
“Huh? What do you mean?” I asked, fresh tears came running down my cheeks once again.
She held my hand then looked at Gramps who is also on the verge of crying.
“One night, a woman came here screaming for help. We went out and saw a very pregnant woman who looks like she’s about to give birth already.” She took a deep breath before going on.
“We took her in and helped her deliver the baby. It was you. A very beautiful and healthy baby girl.” She paused to wipe the tears on my cheeks then tucked my wet strands of hair behind my ears.
“Your mother took you into her arms with love in her eyes. She named you Rieka. Giving birth must have taken out a toll on her, she fainted after that. I took care of you while she was unconscious. I let her rest for the night because I know she needed it.”
I listened to every word she said, trying to imagine it inside my head.
“But the next morning when we woke up, she’s already nowhere to be found. We waited for her to come back but she didn’t. So we took care of you. We loved you as our own. I didn’t know what really happened to your mother so I decided to not just tell you the truth.” She hugged me again.
“I’m so sorry my dear.” She whispered.
“At that time I thought it was for the best to hide the truth from you. And I thought it doesn’t matter because we will love you so much. I’m sorry.” I can hear her sniffs.
I stayed silent for a while, still processing what I just learned.
So it means that we are not blood related. They are not my real family. That my mother might have left me after giving birth to me. Why? Did she know what kind of monster I will become?
But Granny said she looked at me with love… Why did she leave me then?
“It’s okay Rei. We’re still here for you. You are still the granddaughter that we loved. Nothing will change.” She assured me while cupping my cheeks.
“But… I’m a monster.” I said in a defeated voice.
“No! Don’t say that! I raised you! I know how good you are. I made sure that you will grow up to be the best person that you can be. You’re not a monster.” She sounded so sure but I still find it hard to believe.
“Have you seen me? Do you remember my claws? My canines? Last night you fainted when you saw me! Because I was a beast! I was so scared.”
Gramps suddenly stood up from his seat and rushed to enclose me inside his arms. I cried harder because of that.
“Sorry Gramps…”
“No, I’m sorry for shouting at you. I’m sorry for not recognizing you.” He said in a broken voice.
We all cried until our tears finally dried out.
“What happened Rei? How did you…” Granny’s voice trailed with her unvoiced question.
“I don’t know. It started when I moved there. I’ve been experiencing this extreme pain every now and then. At first I thought that I was just sick but then I started hearing a voice inside my head.”
“What?”
“A voice. It’s a woman’s voice and it keeps on talking to me through my thoughts. I didn’t know if it was a ghost or I was just going crazy.”
Granny held my hand tighter so I smiled at her to show that I am better now.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” she asked. “We should’ve been there for you. I told you it was a bad idea to move away from us.”
“Helena…”
“It’s okay. I didn’t want you to see me suffering like that. But it didn’t stop there, my senses also got amplified. I can hear sounds louder and I can see so much better even from afar or in the dark but the greatest mystery was yesterday.”
“When you… transformed?”
“No Granny, I got hit by a car. I was running because I was so confused. I didn’t know what to do. I guess I was having a breakdown and got into an accident. I know it was bad. I felt it. But when I woke up yesterday, I have not even a single scratch on my body!”
Their eyes widened with what they heard. I know how they feel because even me, until now, I couldn’t believe it happened. It was like a miracle.
“You mentioned a voice talking to you. Why don’t you ask her? She must know all the answers to these!” Grandma said and it suddenly made sense.
The voice, Daciana wanted to talk to me from the start but I was the one who wouldn’t want to listen. How could I? I didn’t know what’s happening.
“She told me that we have a fast healing ability. That’s why my injuries were gone when I woke up.” I said, trying to remember everything she said.
“So she knew the answers. Talk to her.” Granny said in a serious tone but we got distracted when suddenly, my stomach growled hungrily.
I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday!
“Oh! Wait I will prepare some food.” Granny immediately went to our kitchen and I was left with Gramps. I’m not mad at him but it feels awkward.
“I’m sorry Rei. I didn’t know it was you.”
“No need to apologize Gramps. I understand. I felt the same way when she fainted. Even I was angry at myself for putting Granny in danger.” I admitted in a low voice.
“It’s not your fault. You didn’t want any of these to happen. I wish I can tell you the answers you were looking for but I couldn’t.”
“Don’t worry about it. I know I will have them in time. But… my mother…” I stopped for a while but Gramps looked at me and waited.
“What is she like? Do I look like her?” I finally asked after a few moment of silence.
“I can’t remember well. I only saw her that night but she’s beautiful. And one thing is for sure, you didn’t get the color of your eyes from her. I don’t remember her eyes to be grey.” He fell silent. Maybe he is trying to recall what happened at that time.
“That night we were so frantic because she just popped out of nowhere and we didn’t know what to do. Your Granny only acted on instinct while I just followed her instructions. Then when you were delivered, all my attention was focused on you.” He looked at me with adoration.
“You are the most beautiful thing that I have ever laid my eyes on. We have waited for so long for a child. When your mother didn’t come back, we take you as the answer to our prayers.”
“And I am thankful because of that. For me, you are still my grandparents. The best ones that I could ever have.” I smiled then leaped to hug him tight.
- Writer
