Whispers Under The Moonlight

Chapter 2

We are currently on the last week of classes and my mind can't seem to take academic pressures anymore. Exams after exams, there are even projects that are needed to be complete and submit as a requirements to pass the semester. There are many things to do that I almost believe that the professors want us to suffer first before we finally have our long awaited vacation.

And it looks like they are on the last pace of their 'make the student suffer' plan as they gave the last exam for this school year, a very difficult one hundred item examination.

I looked at the very first item on the exam and I scoffed because I don't remember encountering this topic on my reviewer. Or did I even reviewed?

I silently groaned in annoyance while regretting my decision to research information about Clair de Lune first before reviewing for this exam. Because of my awful decision, I lacked time in reviewing.

I make a mental note for myself that I will review first before I do anything because I don't want to experience what is happening to me today, suffering in answering this exam. My mind is already blank, literally experiencing memory block as my brain is already flying towards vacation.

I decided to skip the first number and tried to answer the other questions. Luckily, I know some of the answer and I got the other answers thanks to my stock knowledge.

After two long hours of agony and suffering, the professor dismissed us already. This exam only gave me headache and disappointments.

"Happy summer vacation everyone," she said, happily.

She even smiled brightly at the whole class before she leave the room. Some of us smiled and greet the professor back while others are busy chitchatting with their friends, talking about their long awaited vacation.

I decided to go home to lie down on my bed immediately. I don't think I can last longer in that room anymore, I think I got traumatized by that examination hall. I just want to rest, it's already 5:00 in the afternoon anyways. I will just skip dinner because nobody can lecture me about not eating on right time, I'm sure Mom will not know about this.

I left the campus without looking back at it. I also saw some students that are eager to go home. I go directly on my dorm, put my things on the living room and walk directly on my room to rest.

I did not bother to change because I'm too tired to do so. After I got comfortable in my bed, I closed my eyes and in just a span of a minute, I fell asleep.

I woke up the next day and I thank God that I finished all the requirements and I just have to pass it. I prepared myself and immediately went to the campus. After I passed all my requirements to my professors, I immediately go back to my dorm to prepare my things that I will bring in my vacation at Clair de Lune.

In the end, even though I'm having a second thought if I would really go to that village, my genuine curiosity about that mysterious village won. That's why I decided to go to explore Clair de Lune.

Who knows? Something unexpected may happen during my visit.

I started packing the things I needed for this trip. Tomorrow is the schedule of my trip and I already informed my parents about it. My mother just told me to stay out of trouble and to take care of myself then that's it. She told me not to bother to go back home first, she just told me all her lectures over the phone and everything is already set, plain and simple.

I double check the bag that I prepared if I forgot something and when I made sure that everything is in my bag, then I check the bus schedule that will take me to Clair de Lune.

"5:00 a.m. is the earliest huh? Guess I need to sleep early so I can catch that."

The ride going to the village is not rough as I thought, we also arrived earlier than I expected. At exactly Nine O'clock in the morning, I already arrived at Clair de Lune. I'm just alone and it seems like there are still no other tourists that finally arrived in that village.

I looked at the arc at the entrance of the village. I'm sure that it's already old as it is already covered with flowering vines that gives it a magical and enchanting vibes. But one thing caught my attention, a phrase that is written on the arc:

"Welcome to Clair de Lune: Where fairies and humans are living together," I read it out loud, and frowned.

What a weird welcome sign.

Before I even totally enter the village, one old lady approached me. She had this welcoming smile on her face, showing how hospitable she can get.

"Good morning to you, young man," she greeted me.

I smiled in return before I greeted her back. I looked around again and it seems like she noticed what I'm doing that's why she urged me to get inside the village.

"Do you want to enter and take a look at our village? Let's go, follow me you can take a look if you want." She sensed that I was a bit hesitant so she speak again. "There are still no tourist coming around this time, you can expect the influx of tourist here probably by next week."

I looked at her and smiled. "I'm not looking for any tourist, but is it really alright if I enter the village?" I politely asked her

"Why not? You are a visitor and it's not good to see if you just arrived and will just leave immediately. Come on, it's alright, you can follow me inside," she said while smiling warmly at me.

I nodded and immediately followed her. We are walking in the village in silence that's why I choose to asked her about the famous rumour surrounding this village, the fairies.

"I don't know if it's okay to ask this but, I heard that there are fairies that are living here, along with the villagers? Are the rumours true?" I asked her, hesitantly.

She stopped in her tracks and looked at me. "Yes, what you heard and read are all true."

I got curious and so I asked more about it. "How can I see the fairies? Is there any way? Like some sort of rituals or something?"

She mysteriously smiled at me and then said, "When a never ending darkness envelopes the once bright and shiny world, they will show their selves and will become our light to guide our paths."

Those are the words that are written in the articles that I've read and no matter how long and deep I think about that phrase, I can't think about the meaning behind it.

"If you don't mind, what does that mean? I read that from the articles that I found online, but many days have passed and I can't still find the meaning behind it." I decided to ask her.

Who knows? I may get a clue on how can I see the fairies.

"Understand that statement young man, and you will know the truth," she said

I was about to ask her something about the fairies again, but then, she changed the subject.

"By the way, do you gave any plan on staying long in out village? If yes, there are small huts here for accommodation, you just need to pay a very small amount if you want."

I just nodded my head and said, "Yes grandma. I plan on staying here for two weeks, if it is okay with you."

"Of course it's okay, no problem. Then, you can follow me to your house for two weeks."

We walked directly at the side of the village where the tourist's accomodations are located. It is a small cabin made of wood. It clearly compliments the houses in the village. What fascinates me is that the design of the houses of the villagers and the tourist's cabin is just like the design of the fairies' houses that I normally saw in television and movies. It is also surrounded by trees and flowers, adding an enchanting effect in an already magical village.

There are some that are made from concrete and some are made from wood, just like this cabin.

"This will be your accommodation during your stay here. If you need something, you can ask the people or villagers that you can see and they will immediately help you." I nodded my head at her. "Then, I will leave you here now. You can freely roam around if you want, that is when you don't have anything to do." She smiled at me, so I bowed at her and I heard her say, "Then, enjoy your stay here at Clair de Lune."

I thanked her and decided to stay in the cabin for the meantime. I needed to sort my things anyways.

After an hour of fixing my things and thinking what will I do first in this village, I decided to go out and roam around.

I first went to a place that looks like a market where all the products looks really fresh and newly harvested. I also saw an old man that looks like in his early 70's that is carrying one sack of rice, without any difficulties. I was so shock but I got more shock when I realized that even though some of the villagers are already old, they can still do the heavy tasks as if it is nothing.

Meanwhile, the people living at the city where I came from, complained immediately even though they are given a very light tasks.

I was about to stop the old man that I saw to ask him some questions but someone tap me on my shoulder.

I looked who is it and when I took a glance I feel like my whole world stop. I thought I saw a goddess. It is a woman, I think the same age as mine. She has this mesmerising beauty that I can't seem to take my eyes off her.

"Hi!" she greeted me happily.

I snap out of my thoughts when I heard her voice. I cleared my thought and greeted her back "Hi!" i awkwardly said

"I saw you here for the first time, are you a tourist?" she asked

"Ah yes, I just arrived here a moment ago," I said to her

She smiled at me and I think that is the most beautiful smile I ever saw in my life. It may sound crazy but I think I never saw a woman as beautiful as her before.

She kept on talking but i am just staring at her the whole time. I just snap out of it when I saw her waved her hands at me with a slight frown on her face.

Cute. I shook my head to wake myself up from this daydream and I mentally punched myself for me to get back in reality.

"Hello? Mister? Are you okay? You looked like you dozed off while I'm talking to you." I heard her say.

"I'm sorry. I think, I'm just tired from the travel, It take me a very ling time before I arrived here." I just created an excused to save myself from embarrassment. It looks like she believed my excuse because she nodded her head at me.

"I see, why don't you rest first? I think there are already available cabins since they are already preparing for the arrival of the tourists here."

"Oh I already had one," I told her. "Are there really many tourists that going here?" I also asked her.

She act like she is thinking before she answered. "Not really, there are certain time, just this one. Specially at a time like this, vacations, there are really and influx of tourist arriving here to relax because they find this place peaceful, well that's why I heard from them."

"Isn't it because of the fairies?" I directly asked her.

She stilled for a second because of what I said before she nodded. "Yes, it is also one of the reason, but some of them are also coming back to relax and to buy fresh fruits and vegetables that we sell here," she said.

It seems like Clair de Lune is really a well known place, I just didn't know. I looked around and saw some of the villagers looking at my direction. I awkwardly look away from them because I'm not comfortable if there are people giving me attention.

If it is some years ago, I will be very happy, but that Austin is already in the past, I'm a different Austin now. The Austin now prefers to be alone.

It seems like this lady noticed the sudden changed in my mood that's why she dragged me on the other street where there are only a few people walking.

"I can sense that you are not comfortable with people staring at you so I think it's better if where here," she said to me

I let out a sigh of relief before I thanked her because of what she did. "I don't know to do if I'm in a situation like that, I'm not really comfortable when people give me attention or such, I'm not like this before but..." I trailed off, hesitating if I will continue what I'm saying or not.

She smiled at me and said, "It's okay, you don't have to explain anything. If you are not comfortable, it's okay."

I looked at her and she has this genuine smile on her face. "Did somebody ever told you that you are so nice?" I blurted out of nowhere.

I will about to take it back but she just laughed at what I said while looking at the street.

"Many people already said that to me. I just thanked them because that is their first impression on me." She then shrugged.

"Why? Aren't you like that in reality?" I asked her

She tilted her head as if she is considering if she will answer me of not. "Well, most of the time, I'm kind. But sometimes I also acted like a brat. Typical attributes of a normal person," she answered truthfully.

"Well, there are still people that will never like our personality, no matter what we do...." She paused for a second

"And I choose to ignore that kind of people. And I think you should do the same thing too." She looked at me before she show her tantalizing smile. "If you always think about their opinions, you will just ruin your own day."

I looked at her for a whole minute before I nodded my head. How could someone I just met can tell that I worry for those kind of things? I just continue gazing at her, clearly mesmerize by her beauty that I didn't notice that she's already walking away. It's funny that I just met her but it feels like she knows me already.

The clock at the far end of the village suddenly rang, pulling me back from my reverie. She looked at the direction of the large clock and she looked at me.

She smiled cutely at me while doing the peace sign. "I'm sorry I need to go, There are things that I needed to do." She waved her hands at me and was ready to ran off but I stopped her.

"Wait," I said "What is your name?" I asked her

She smiled at me. "Feya. Feya Parisa," she said and then she ran off somewhere.

Feya huh? I hope I'll meet her again.