4 Chapter 4: Rested

I hurriedly went back to my house, opening the house door with the spare key i was given by my mom, running across the living room to the upstairs as feel my body wear out from the side effects of the fever. Though, i managed to get upstairs and locked the door to my room as i feel my heavy breathing stabilize. I slumped to the bed with the journal in hand and with my bagged already put on my desk. I feel my head throbbing and the lack of the A.C in my room made my body sweat a little

Took me a while before i could even get up and take a shower, I hurriedly went back to my room, head wet from the amount of scrubbing i did on it and new, fragrant clothes on me. 'Alright, time to de-code' i then pulled out the journal, containing many different codes and numbers as i opened my laptop.

I slowly opened the journal, a pen and highlighter in hand as i went on to underline every potential code in it. My eyes jolting on every page as i try to underline and find every code in this 60 page journal.

-

I looked over to the window and see a car pulling up on our driveway, as i realized also that the sun was going down and that my hands were cramping up as i looked over to see the time, '6:03 P.M' was written on the bottom screen of my laptop as i hear the doors open.

"Hun? You in here?" My mom screamed as i closed the laptop and put the journal away, as i feel my hands cramping horribly and my back aching after 3 hours of work on this. My mouth felt dry and my stomach grumbled, from the fact that i didn't eat or drink this whole time.

I hurriedly put the journal back into my bag as i felt the pain throughout my whole body hit me, a slew of fatigue from the adrenaline drive i just had with underlining the whole entire journal. The side-effect of not having slept for half the night is also getting to me

I lazily walked downstairs; my body showing that it needed rest but it also needed water and food, to my mom who was preparing dinner as her eyes widened to see her daughter look like a ghost.

"Lene what happened to you? She hurriedly went up to me with her eyes showing concern, something common from her in many years. I leaned onto the wall nearest to me as i sat on the floor, sweat beads forming on my forehead as i looked at her with weak eyes

"I think i'm sick again..sorry i-" I then started to cough violently, feeling my body grow weaker and weaker by the moment as i feel a hand on my head, feeling the cool caressing of my moms hand on my head as she took a thermometer

"You're temperature is so high Eilene.." Her soft voice rang through my ears as the kindle memories go through me once again, feeling nostalgia everywhere as i feel like a kid right now, the warm feeling grew in me as i held onto dear life mentally as i feel like i'm slipping.

"C'mon Eilene, this is no place to sleep on. Lets get you on the couch yeah?" I could only nod with the strength i had in me, leaving the stairs i walked with all of my strength to the couch, i feel the soft material on my skin as i melted into it.

I suddenly feel a cool wet towel be put on my head, feeling it seep into my whole body even if it was meant for one area, relief went throughout my whole body. I heard my mom's grumbles as she takes a mug of water and medicine for me to ingest as i feel pain throughout my whole body.

"Mom i have work to do-" Another fit of cough came onto my body as i feel everything wince. I cried out a little as tears start to form in my eyes, feeling tired and in pain from my eyes to my legs. Especially my legs from all the walking i did.

"Lene, water and medicine. C'mon" my mom said as i took the mug with my left hand and the medicine on the other with the weakest hands as i almost dropped them the moment she handed it to me.

I could hear her sigh as she manually had to make me drink it with he own hands, making me feel so grateful at that moment to have her around. The atmosphere around me feeling as if i'm 9 again.

'Under the dark blue sky, i see the moon shining brightly with fireworks lighting it off from the distance. My hand on my dads as he began to walk me around the path in the parks as i see other children playing with sparklers on their hands, running around with the other kids.

"Dad, wheres mom? Isn't she supposed to come here with us today?" I asked as he took a deep breath, and let out an exhale before looking at me with those dark brown eyes that i could see from the moonlight, it looked beautiful

"Mommy will be here soon, why don't you want to play with the other kids over there?" He then pointed out at the several kids who were playing with poppers and sparklers all around, their laughs ringing in my ears as i frowned.

"They..said they don't like me because i look so black...Like chocolate" I said, my voice a little hushed as i looked over to my dad whose eyes softened on me. He then lifted me up, his goofy big smile as happy as ever, and said

"Well, then if you're chocolate. Then you're also sweet y'know that?" He then twirled me around as i laughed from his comment. I felt myself smile, forgetting about the insults that were given to me at school, forgetting about the celebrations

This moment was the peak of it all for me'

-

I then woke up, my eyes fluttering as i tried to get a sense of reality. I looked over to see the T.V on as the food plate that was left on my bedside was still there. I sat up with all of my strength to see my mom sleeping on the other couch.

'Guess she stayed here after all' I thought to myself as i stood up with the energy filling me up from the medicine i took. I sighed, reminding myself to thank my mom for helping me with my sickness as i took a quick peck on her forehead and covered her with a blanket so she doesn't get cold

I then took another shower, to cleanse me from that sweating session that i went through and ate the food that was left alone before. 'Guess she planned to feed me before i slept..' i though to myself as i softly smiled at her, remembering that this has been the first time since they bonded.

For once, we acted like they used to be, which made me happy.

I then went on to turn off the T.V and closed the lights, as i checked every locked door and silently went upstairs to go prepare my books and sleep in my own bed. As i hurriedly close the door to my room i looked around to see that it all looked like it was in shambles. The bed covers were messy and my desk was no better, highlighters and pencils were thrown everywhere with the journal wide open.

I sighed, preparing to be busy for another cleaning session.

-

I looked at the now clean room, satisfied with what i've done to do this as i sit down on my chair, finally taking a breather from everything. I looked over to the clock that was above the doorway that says '10:30' in it as i sighed, remembering i have school tomorrow

'Don't you want to solve one code?' A small voice interrupted as i was about to lay on my bed, i then looked at the journal that was still wide open. Remembering that i highlighted all of this for the reasons of trying to find out what it meant in the first place

'Maybe the code you solve might leave you to give clues as to what happened to her?' the small voice remarked, as i opened my laptop and open the second page of the journal

"Just one code," i said to myself as i dived in into the words and of the journal, looking through each and every code as i try to find one i remotely know. 'Ah, a morse code. I can do this'

-

Took me about several minutes before i could find out what the meaning is, as i had to open the chart for morse coding, as i ask myself how she knew about codes and hidden messages. My eyebrows furrowed as i looked at the finished words, not knowing what it meant as i looked over to the chart in front of me

"This is true..right?" As i looked down at the journal i've scribbled on, i wonder what the sentence even says

'i ekklisía sto drómo tis Márthas'