| Fan Fiction |
by Vivien
“Tavia!” a panicked voice called out to her. Tavia looked up as her best friend approached her. “It’ll be alright, he’ll make it through,” Selena attempted to comfort her though knowing that it would do the least. Selena pulled her best friend into a deep embrace as the two waited impatiently for the lights to go off.
-
[Three Years Later: June 2012]
Selena gave Tavia a comforting pat on the shoulder as she watched her friend place a bouquet of flowers on the grave. Tavia stepped back and smiled at her brother’s picture which was tightly secured in place. “Don’t worry,” Tavia began talking to her brother who now resided in heaven, “I’m no longer the little wimp that hides behind her older brother all the time because ...”
“Because you hide behind your boyfriend now,” the sudden sound of his voice startled her.
“Ron!” Tavia turned around to caress him, “What are you doing here?”
“To see if you’ve complained to your brother about me,” he answered casually. Selena shook her head at the loving couple. “What are you so disappointed about?” Ron turned to face Selena.
“Have you two forgotten that I’m still here?” Selena questioned, “I guess I should just leave you two alone.” With that, Selena paced off.
“Where are you going?” Tavia called out to her departing friend’s back.
“To find someone to cuddle with,” Selena teased. Without turning around to see her best friend’s reaction, she continued off.
“She has a boyfriend?” Ron looked at Tavia. Tavia answered him with a shrug as she was clueless and knew nothing more than he did.
-
The sun shone brightly through the clouds on this hot summer day. The petite girl standing by the streets patted her head as the sun was burning her black silky hair. “Taxi, taxi ...” Selena took frequent glances at her watch while waving frantically at the busy street yet no taxi turned the corner. When she could no longer withstand the heat that was penetrating through her skull, she searched through her handbag for her shawl. “Finally ...” she let out a sigh of relief when her head was relieved from the burning sun. Pulling the shawl over to cover her face, she bounced up and down on the spot, waiting eagerly for a taxi to come by. Minutes passed after minutes and there seems to be no taxi on the busy streets. “Can’t a girl find a taxi when she needs one?” Selena cursed her bad luck. Looking around, her lips formed a circle and gradually a charming smile crept across her face at the sight of an approaching taxi. With big gestures, she finally waved the taxi in. “At last ...” Selena advanced towards the taxi, “Hey! Oh no you don’t!”
“Sorry Mrs,” a well built man turned to apologize for taking advantage of the situation.
“Mrs?” Selena casted out, she didn’t feel like being kind today. Grabbing the door before he could close it, Selena got onto the taxi making him scoot over. “Get off my taxi!” she hurled.
The man looked at her with an odd expression plastered on his face. Selena scrunched her eyebrows, wondering why this rude gentleman was looking at her in such a way. Snickering to himself, “Sorry Mrs but I’m in a hurry. Do you mind if I take this taxi, please?”
“Stop calling me Mrs!” Selena’s voice echoed in his ears. “You don’t go calling me Mrs and then ask if you can steal my taxi!” Selena removed the shawl that was covering her face, “I’m not married! Do I look that old to you? Now get off!”
“I’m so sorry Miss,” he apologized. “I called you Mrs out of respect since I couldn’t see your features clearly under that lovely shawl,” he emphasized the word lovely.
Having been waiting for a couple ten minutes now, the taxi driver finally made his call, “Have you two decided where you want to go yet?”
Noticing that the taxi driver was getting angry, the gentleman put on a few tears to make this girl sympathize with him. “Oh Miss, you have no idea ...” he started.
“Yes, I do have no idea what you want,” Selena rolled her eyes as she felt that he was pestering her way too much by now, “All I know is that you have to get off!”
“No Miss, you have no idea!” he started again, hoping that she would give him a chance to speak.
“No Sir, you have no idea,” Selena mocked, “You have no idea how much I want to kick you out of this car.”
“No Miss!” he exclaimed, tears forming in his eyes. He moved in closer to her. “Please, listen to me,” he begged, “My grandfather ... he’s in the hospital right now. You have to let me go ... this could possibly be my last chance to see him. What if ...” He was running out of ideas.
Edging away, Selena was starting to believe him. “Alright, fine!” she stated and quickly got out of the car. Back on the streets, she watched as the taxi she worked hard to get drove away.
The young man sat comfortably in the backseat while wiping his tears away. Turning his head slightly backward, he could see her endlessly searching for another taxi. He smiled proudly at himself. Looking up, he could see the taxi driver giving him a glare through the rear-view mirror. Chuckling to himself, he looked down to avoid further eye contact with the driver.
-
The sound of classical music filled the air in the little café styled with an antique feel. The chairs and tables were separated just enough so that each customer was satisfied with their personal space. Waiters and waitresses were dressed accordingly. “Hello Sir, Madame,” the waitress greeted the couple with a slight nod, “How may I help you today?”
“A latte for this lady and a coffee for myself, please,” Ron smiled to thank the waitress for recording his order. Watching his girlfriend place the maroon napkin on her lap, “You just have to be so hygienic don’t you?”
Tavia smiled. For some reason, she loved how Ron would comment on everything she does. The tingling feeling she gets from him could not be described by words. “How was work today?” she wanted to know what was going on in his career life.
Ron leaned back on his seat and watched as the waitress came with their drinks. “It was alright. Just another typical workday with angry customers,” Ron smiled to himself at his encounters.
Inching closer to pick out his smile, “Anything interesting happened today?” It was really easy for her to tell whether there was anything on his mind. She had always wondered how he became a successful business man since he reveals everything on his face. His expressions were indeed priceless.
Twirling the spoon in his coffee and then looking up at his love, he smiled again. “Remember how I told you about Mr Chan? Well, we had to sell him our proposal today and you know what he does?” Ron was getting excited about his story.
On the far end of the same café, a youthful girl poked at her freshly baked Danish. Watching the strawberry flavoured liquid spill out, she scooped it up with her fork and brought it towards her mouth to savour it. Another fork suddenly moves towards her messy plate and she frowns as her Danish disappears. “Eat your own Danish Ray!” she pouted.
“I already finished it,” Raymond replied with crumbs flying in the air. Realizing his impoliteness he laughed nervously before covering his Danish filled mouth.
Brushing off the crumbs from her shirt, “You’re such a messy eater. You seriously need a lesson or two on mannerism.” Picking up her fork again, she stabs the Danish that now sits on Raymond’s plate.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Raymond asked as the two pulled back and forth on their target Danish.
“It’s mine!” she argued, “You’re such a pig! Go order another one ...”
“It’s not like you’re eating it!” he argued too, “Just let me have it and ...” The two watched as the Danish slips both their forks and flies off in the air. Raymond watched nervously while his sister covered her eyes.
“Gross!” a displeased customer shot up from her seat, “Give me the bill, the bill!”
A waiter came rushing to her side with the bill in his hand. “I am terribly sorry Madame,” the waiter apologized as the angered woman stormed out of the restaurant.
“Look what you did, Raymond!” she muttered with her teeth clenched together.
“It’s your fault, why did you fight over it with me,” Raymond said as he tried to release his sleeves from her grasp.
“Raymond, Leila,” their older brother finally spoke, “Have you two not embarrassed yourselves enough yet?” The two, now feeling embarrassed slowly dropped their heads down, waiting for their older brother, Wayne to give them a lecture. “Go pay the bill and let’s leave,” Wayne told Raymond.
Their heads shot up immediately and Raymond heads off to pay the bill. “We can finally leave now?” Leila was feeling excited as she got awfully bored of this café. Wayne rolled his eyes and shook his head before leaving the restaurant. Leila turned to look at Raymond while he shrugs her off and hurries off to catch up to his brother. Leila sighed dramatically before stomping off as well.
-
“Yes dad,” Benny was talking to his father over the phone, “I’ll bring her home for you to meet one day. Trust me, your son has great taste. Tonight? Isn’t that a little too soon? You’re going to scare her away. Oh, I’m not worried about mom, I’m worried about you and grandma. You two never run out of breath.” Benny was happily chatting away when the front door cracked open and in stepped his father. “Hey, why did you hang up on me?” Benny asked when he realized the absence of his father’s phone.
“I didn’t ...” the voice on the other end answered. Benny’s eyes widened the instant he perceived the answer. Shifting his focus between the voice from his phone and his father who lazily kicked off his shoes, Benny rose to his feet. With one eyebrow raised, he rotated his head to scan the room. Somehow, someway, the room had just turned gloomy. Shivering to himself, he quickly hung up the phone and dashed up the stairs.
Passing by his mother who was carrying the laundry, Benny noticed her pale and expressionless facial features but hurried off without stopping to care. “Pst ...” a soft whisper came through the open doors. Benny turned to see his grandmother waving him in.
“What is it grandma?” Benny asked, feeling a little concerned about the situation. Making himself comfortable by her bedside, “Grandma ... have you noticed any strange happenings?”
The old lady nodded. “Come here sonny,” she directed.
Bringing his ears closer to assure his hearings, “I heard father’s voice over the phone but he wasn’t talking to me.” Benny couldn’t even believe himself after registering what he had just said. No way would his grandmother believe him.
“This world is stranger than you think,” she explained to her confused grandson. Benny paid close attention to her speech for he felt that this would be a valuable lesson. “Look out the window my dear,” she pointed at the creamy clouds, “What do you see?” Benny silently awaited an answer, “A horse? A dog? A flower?”
Observing the cloud carefully, “I see ... a cloud.” Benny tried hard but yet the cloud still appears to be a cloud.
She laughed quietly to herself and nodded, “Sometimes I would see a horse. Other times a dog and yet other times a flower. But when I look at it again, it’s only but a cloud.” Benny shook his head to express his confusion. “Life is full of surprises,” she clarified herself, “What meets the eye may not be and those wrongly perceived may come to you unexpected.” A long pause separated their conversation. “Do you believe in spirits, son?” she asked.
-
At last, Selena had finally made it to her destination. “Phew,” she sighed to herself, “Made it just on time.” Dragging her tired legs, Selena pulled herself to the elevators in the building. Recognizing the familiar figure waiting for the elevator, she tapped him heavily on the back, “It’s you!”
The man’s eyes widened to see her again. “Well what do you know? We meet again,” he greets nervously. Spinning around to avoid her, he could feel her glare upon him.
“So this is a hospital?” Selena questioned, annoyed by the fact that she’s been tricked, “How is your grandfather? Is he dead yet?”
“Okay! I lied to you, so what?” he shouted, “That was very rude to ask. It wouldn’t be nice if I asked whether your mother is dead yet, now would it?”
Knowing she was at fault, “Geez, sorry!” Selena peeked to see whether he was angry with her. When the empty elevator arrived, the two stepped in. “So uh ... you live here?” Selena decided that it was better to make a friend than a foe, “What floor?”
“Sixteen,” he replied, pressing the number sixteen.
“What a coincidence,” Selena smiled, “I’m heading to the sixteenth floor also.” She extended an arm out for a handshake, “I’m Selena.”
“Sammul,” he replied, shaking her hand, “My friend lives in lot B.”
“What?” Selena was surprised, “My boyfriend lives in lot B.” The elevator came to a rest and the doors flew open, a loud scream echoed from lot B. Hearing the scream, Selena dashed out of the elevator to ring the doorbell, hoping for someone to answer.
“Let me get it,” Sammul stated as he pulls out the house keys, “I’ve got the keys.”
-
Having his grandmother’s words in mind, Benny carefully made his way into the dark room. “Your father has been cursed. He exists as two now. One, the one you saw downstairs is good at heart, find him and he will assist you. The other, in his room now, will do whatever he can to rid you,” his grandmother had told him.
The door creaked as Benny slowly forced it open. The wind gushed through the window’s opening. The drapes heaved up with every blow of the wind. Benny tiptoed in with his back glued to the wall. He squinted his eyes to focus his vision. Unaware, a pair of hands crept up on him and is now wrapped tightly around his neck. The pressure that was exerted on his neck withdrew his ability to breathe. A loud scream filled the air.
-
Copyright by Vivien. June 20, 2009.
-
Author’s Note:
I can’t believe it’s been two and a half months since I put up the forwards. I apologize for taking so long but I’ve finally completed chapter one. I hope you enjoyed reading it. Please do leave some comments! I hope there are still readers around.