Ada: The Witch Huntress

Chapter 5: Grim Reality

Ada.

A soft tap in her cheek sent a terrified Ada back to reality. She gasped as she remembered how she died just a moment ago. In her panic, she swiftly sat up on her bunk and caressed her neck, still feeling Reynan’s fingers around it.

“Did you get choked up in your dream?” Ada got startled as Ni’mula spoke. Her old woman is currently standing at the side of their deck with her face strained with curiosity. “Must be a wild one,” Ni’mula tutted. Ada quickly climbed down her bunk before her eyes got clouded with tears. She hugged her grandmother tightly before Ni’mula could nag at her.

“I thought I was going to die! Where were you! Why didn’t you come and save me?” Ada complained to her grandmother.

“What the heck are you talking about, brat?” Ni’mula confusingly asked back. Ada pulled herself off from the embrace and looked straight at Ni’mula’s eyes.

“Reynan went here this morning, and he— strangled me! I even remembered passing out!” she yelled at her grandmother.

Her grandmother’s already wrinkled face got more additional creases at her statement. “I don’t remember seeing you passed out,” Ni’mula screeched back at her.

Ada’s getting more confused as each second passed. She looked behind her and glanced at their gray, rectangular analog clock and realized it was already a quarter after seven. She remembered how she woke half an hour past eight this morning, then Reynan happened. She must have been unconscious for a while. She then searched for her phone on the upper bunk and was shocked when she realized that already twelve hours have passed.

“What is this screaming all about?” They both saw Laria entered their room, looking annoyed.

“Nothing much. This brat just had a wild nightmare from her siesta,” Ni’mula answered.

“It’s not a nightmare, Ni’mula! It happened! I can still feel his fingers on my neck!” Ni’mula bashed her arm with a palm.

“You, dumb brat! Why would you nap that long in the afternoon then go complaining to us after having a bad dream!” Ni’mula rattled on her.

The old woman left their room while giving her a death stare. Laria shook her head in disappointment as she followed Ni’mula outside. She was left in their room alone, speechless. She instinctively looked at herself in the mirror adhered to their wooden closet. She couldn’t see any finger marks on her neck. Not even a scar on the arm which Reynan squeezed before shoving her to the wall.

It’s impossible! It’s too vivid to be a dream.

Ada got out of her room and entered Laria’s room. She was surprised to find so much mess inside. It was as if someone rummaged through her aunt’s things. Then, she found three large luggage bags at the corner of the room.

She wasn’t dumb enough not to understand the situation. Her aunt and grandmother must have felt threatened about something that they started to pack up before things could go awry. Why would they feel threatened? Because everything that happened this morning was real! But why the hell would they leave her out of it?

Her heart swelled with anger from the betrayal. She almost died, and all these women did was make her believe that it was all a dream! She went to the backdoor and was about to fling the door open when she heard the not-so-muffled conversation between her aunt and grandmother.

“I don’t really get the point why you’re still hiding this from her,” Laria complained. Ada could feel her aunt’s annoyance behind the door. She was pretty surprised to hear her aunt taking her side.

“It’s too early to tell her. Her power hasn’t even started to manifest yet. Your sister could be wrong. They could all be wrong about her.”

“Dios mío, mamá! We almost found her corpse out there!” Laria scolded her mother. This is the first time Ada felt good about her aunt.

“That is why we’re leaving first thing in the morning. Let’s just tell her that we’re going to go on a trip. Then, I’ll explain everything to her afterward.” Ni’mula insisted. Ada couldn’t help but roll her eyes back as she heard Ni’mula’s decision. Of course, her grandmother will always have the final word.

“Then, we shouldn’t have left Wicceros if you’re that doubtful about the prophec— if you’re that uncertain of your daughter’s words. Ada couldn’t hold back her anger and curiosity anymore. With her pursed lips, she rammed the door open, which startled the two women.

“Care to tell me about that Westeros and prophecy now, my dear aunt and grandmother?” Ada bawled at the two women who remained speechless and frozen upon seeing her. “What? Didn’t I deserve to know everything by now? You have kept me out of the dark for years! I just wanted to know why I almost died a while ago!” she burst out, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She saw Laria’s sigh of frustration before walking away, leaving her alone with Ni’mula. Her grandmother tried avoiding eye contact with her, and a deep silence ensued between them. After several seconds, Ni’mula finally spoke. “Fine! Ask away!”

The old woman sat on the right side of a meter-long wooden bench located on the right side of their garden. Ada quickly sat beside her grandmother while mentally sorting out her list of questions in her mind.

“What happened this morning, grandma? I want nothing else but the truth.” Ada gazed at Ni’mula’s guilty face, looking straight in her eyes.

“We are both in here. Then we heard a loud noise outside, so we came to see what happened. That’s when we found you passed out at the front door. You were barely breathing. It’s a good thing we didn’t come too late,” Ni’mula answered.

“I knew it! Why didn’t you come when I yelled about a hundred times in my thoughts?” Ada asked.

“I didn’t hear your thoughts. It was all silent, so I thought you just went back to sleep.” Ni’mula looked away. She looked so guilty that she’s probably blaming herself for what happened to her.

What? Is your telepathic power not working now?

“It’s working just fine. I don't know why I didn't hear you. Blame the old age,” Ni’mula explained. Then, Ada remembered something.

“Actually, Reynan kind of told me that you are not going to hear us. It’s as if he can read my mind too.” Ni'mula looked at her in utmost shock. Then, her grandma's expression suddenly switched back into a serious one. "I knew he wasn't Reynan. I could feel some demonic vibe in him. Could he be possessed?

“If that's the case, we must leave here as soon as today.” She gave her grandma a care-to-explain look. “We better help your aunt sort–”

They both froze as they felt a strong gush of wind that rushed past them, knocking some of the potted plants as it darted along the way.

“He’s here,” Ni’mula whispered nervously.