The Game of Time

Chapter 3: Pendant

Czerila's Point of View

Hours passed since I received the envelope yet I am still here, brainstorming what are the things that might possibly happen.

“What’s with this time thing? Does it even make sense?” I spoke as I glanced at the envelope on the crystal table.

Grandma even mentioned about the time when she was on her death bed that’s why suspicion started to arise in me. Does Grandma know what will happen in the future that’s why she is already giving me some glimpse?

I shook my head with that thought. There’s no way that Grandma knows something about the future. We are not fortune tellers that have premonitions about the things that might happen. Maybe all of it is just a coincidence.

I glanced at the letter one more time. “Do you want to play a game with time?” And then, out of nowhere, I recalled Grandma’s last words. “If time gives you a chance to play his game, grab it.”

I sighed as I massaged my temples. What is this, Grandma? Is this some sort of test or what?

I haven’t even recovered from her death yet I need to solve this puzzle. Another question I have in my mind is: who on earth would send that letter on a stormy day?! A postman? Yes, that’s possible but he should’ve waited for me to receive it before fleeing somewhere.

I’m in the middle of my thoughts when someone knocked outside. My eyebrows went furrowed and automatically stood up from where I am sitting right now. Maybe the postman just realized that he got the wrong address and now he’s here to take back the letter?

Yes, there’s a possibility. I didn’t waste any time and grabbed the letter from the table and rushed towards the main door. I gulped and calmed myself before opening it. My hope inside me vanished when a man that was about my age was in front of me right now, soaked in the rain as his thick glasses are sliding on his nose. He’s also carrying a bunch of papers that are obviously drenched too.

His familiar face sunk into my system. Earlon Muskin― the teacher’s pet in my class. I shifted my face into an emotionless one and immediately composed myself as if nothing happened and nothing was wrong. What is he even doing here?

“Czerila Quirino,” he coldly mentioned my name. Instead of being flustered, I gave him a what-do-you-want look.

“S-Since-” his statement was cut off when he suddenly sneezed, making me wince.

“Are you alright?” I doubt asked as I watched his nose turn red.

He scrunched up his nose before looking at me again. “Yeah, just a bit of cold.”

I blinked twice before looking from left to right and I just realized that it is still raining nonstop with the gray sky and some slight flashes of lightning. I looked at Earlon’s red face as he keeps rubbing his nose. Will Grandma be mad if I let a man enter her house?

“What if you should go inside first? I’ll give you something hot to drink,” I offered.

I know I’m the type who welcomes guests with open arms but seems like I am the reason why this man was soaked in rain and I already predicted why he is here. I glanced at the papers that he was holding. Those are the questionnaires from our midterms earlier.

Earlon stopped rubbing his nose and literally statued from where he is standing right now and starting at me deeply as if he is examining if I am still the ‘Czerila’ that he has known throughout the years. I looked at him and raised my brows too, asking him if he will accept my offer or not.

A small smile curved on his wet lips, “I guess, I can’t refuse an offer from a Quirino.”

I just shrugged and opened the door widely as I let him enter. I closed the door and the sound of rain slowly vanished. Earlon just stepped on the door mat as he let himself dry up.

“Wait here,” I said as I ran upstairs to find an extra towel in my room.

When I found one, I didn’t hesitate and hurried to give it to him. I saw how his eyes explored inside the house. For some reason, I saw a glimpse of nostalgia in his butterscotch eyes as if he remembered something very memorable in this house.

“Here,” I stated and lent him the towel.

A sight of amusement flashed on his face. “It’s been a while since I last stepped in here,” he said but I remained my face flat.

“Is that so?” I responded and glanced at the test papers in his hand and he seems to like to notice it when he raised them.

“These are the special exam the teachers had prepared for you.” He bowed his head. “We heard the news… my condolences, Czerila,” he gloomily said.

“It’s okay,” those are words that I had said to him, and took the papers from his hands.

He scratched his head and looked down. “I’m sorry if they are wet―“

“No, it’s okay. I should be the one apologizing. You were even soaked in rain,” I said and looked at him thoroughly. From head to toe, from toe to head.

“Czerila?” he called my name when he noticed my stairs.

“I think you should change your shirt first,” I said making his eyes widen.

‘I don’t have any clothes―”

“Earl, I know what you are thinking. Don’t worry, there’s nothing going to happen. My aunt’s husband happened to left some extra shirts in the guest room. You should take a seat first while I find those,” I stated and put the test papers on the table, with the letter earlier as I left immediately even though I haven’t seen him sit down.

Earlon’s still a man after all. He is also thinking like other men. No explanation is needed, I just know. He used to be an innocent little kiddo. Tsk, tsk. I wonder what happened to him.

I go back upstairs again and go straight up to the guest room to find those clothes that Aunt Camia’s husband left here when they pay their visit here before Grandma died. When I found it, I accidentally glanced at Grandma’s locked room. Instead of sulking, I just shrugged and head downstairs and saw Earlon blowing on both of his palms to vanish the cold.

“Here. You can change in the restroom,” I said and lent him the clothes. He only responded with a nod out of awkwardness and accepted the clothes as he rose from his seat and walked towards the comfort room while looking down.

I took one of the wet test papers and examined it. It still looks okay but some of the words were blurry because of the being soaked. How can I restore this?

My eyebrows raised when a certain point entered my mind. I think that’s one of the effective ways to resolve this problem. The past me would’ve ignored this situation but I’ve changed. I just didn’t change for Grandma but I also changed for myself.

Taking those tests means I’m not letting any of Grandma’s sacrifices go to waste. My aunties are right. I need to go to school and prioritize my studies after all. If Grandma is still right here with us, she will say the same thing.

I glanced at the envelope that is also on the table. Unconsciously, I grabbed it and folded it into two as I inserted it in the pocket of my jeans. With the test paper in my hand, I go back upstairs to find the blow dryer that I am going to use to dry this thing up.

A few minutes passed and I am still finding the dryer. I almost turned the house upside down since I can’t find it until a certain scenario flashed in my mind. It was a scenario of me styling my hair as Grandma entered to my room and borrowed the dryer.

Oh, it was in Grandma’s room…

I probably didn’t notice it while cleaning her room. I took the keys that are placed under my pillow before leaving my room and entered the room that I’d been avoiding these past few days.

I gulped as I inserted the key in the hole of the doorknob as turned it open. I take a deep breath before entering the empty room. My trembling hands searched for the light switch and turned the lights on, revealing the same room that I left after cleaning.

I didn’t waste any time and proceed to find what I need to find. The hairdryer. I opened every cabinet that Grandma has but I don’t see any hair dryer here. For some reason, I glanced at the drawer attached to her bedside table and tried to open it but it was locked. I tried to open it using the keys that I have but nothing fits perfectly in the keyhole.

Until I saw a reflection of myself in the mirror. I unconsciously touched my tousled hair and I saw how messed up I was. I guess, Grandma’s death really has the greatest impact on my life. I was busy examining myself when something inside my shirt glowed as if the light reflected on it.

My eyebrows went furrowed. My eyes widened when I realized something and took out the necklace that is hidden under my shirt. It has a key pendant. It is just a small silver key with the initials “C” on the part where you’re holding it. I don’t exactly remember the moment when my grandma gave this to me but I am certain that she had mentioned something about a very important thing.

I glanced at the closed drawer as I take off my necklace and entered the pendant in the keyhole and to my surprise, it fitted perfectly as if that pendant was carved just for that drawer. When I heard something click, I didn’t hesitate and opened the drawer and there I saw a small notebook and in front of it, there was a title entitled “Time’s Timing.”

My eyebrows went furrowed as I took the notebook and plopped on grandma’s bed. What is this? Some random book?

I don’t know but there is something in me that is saying that I should read the whole thing. I gulped before flipping the front cover and a child’s drawing greeted me. It was drawn using crayons and there is a girl and a boy holding their hands together while playing a kite. Based on the page’s condition, it looks older than me- or even older than my aunties.

I flipped again and these are the words that flashed before my eyes: “My granddaughter/ great-granddaughter if you’re reading this, I am going to apologize for giving you a certain mission. I want you to read this diary until the end and the time will come that you’ll need the knowledge that you’ve learned from here someday. When time chose its timing, you’ll be going to change the past, present, and future.