6 DREAMS

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"Wake up Isko, wake up!" a baritone voice commanded Lolo Isko to wake up.

When he heard the voice, commanding him to wake up, he pulled himself up and sat down on his own bed. He was catching his breath heavily as if he were running so fast from his predator.

"Who are you?" Lolo Isko asked with confusion, eager to know who was the person behind that voice. Until he heard no one after giving him chance to talk. He tried to wait a little longer, just in case the voice would talk again. But he failed. No one spoke, badly.

After that, he tried to check his wife but she was nowhere to find. Fear aroused within him and doubt covered his entire being, he ran over to another room just to find his son, but he was not there either. Never in his entire life, his family was not anywhere present at home. Lolo Isko, with the fear on his head, began to mumble, obnoxiously thinking about the whereabouts of his beloved wife and son. The last time he knew, his wife was sleeping right next to her and his son to his own room. Unfortunately, both of them were gone missing.

"What's happening?" he asked himself as he was walking back and forth in the living room, bewildered.

The second thought popped up on his mind as if he thought of a greater idea was to go out and find them, Then he did, when he opened the door, his jaw dropped and his brow suddenly raised. He could not imagine what was happening, why on earth his house was floating in the air?

He held the door tightly just to be sure he wouldn't stumble, or worst, fall. He could not imagine himself falling and dying, and unable to find the love of his life. His face clothed with utmost tension, asking himself if he was in a dream state or everything was real. He wanted to pinch himself just to see if he was dreaming but he could not even loose his grip to the door.

"Help!" he shouted as the floating house soared even high and the movement became faster than the moment he knew he was flying.

"Just trust me!" the same voice he heard a while ago spoke again.

"Trust? Wait? Who are you? Where is my family? Why am I floating?" he continuously asked questions but all of them left unanswered.

The floating house started to move slowly until it was descended to a mountain. He breathed comfortably after the unanticipated flight. He went to the kitchen to drink water, while gulping a bottle of water, he pinched himself and he felt the pain.

"Ouch!" he groused.

The door slammed by a strong wind. He was disgustedly surprised as though his heart want to explode into pieces. He heaved a consistent sighs of exasperation. Afraid as it may sound, he walked gradually to see where he was. Lolo Isko opened the door in a slow motion. His eyes dilated immediately when he saw that there were unknown people outside and he felt like they were about to fight.

He closed the door to protect himself.

But the voice commanded him to open the door and watch. He simply obeyed and turned his gaze to these people. He saw that there was just one man standing versus many. Then, he peeked keenly and watched over them like how it was seemed to be.

"There is only one and true God, and that is my God, Jehovah."

"Stop fooling yourself, your God has forgotten you. And if he is real like how you wanted to prove to anybody, where was he when we invaded you? How come, he wasn't there to protect his people?"

"Stop questioning the existence of my God. He is the lord of lords, king of kings and he was there. He was with us. He was watching over us. Just because, something unfortunate happened doesn't mean that my God is not working. He allowed everything to happen for a reason."

"Oh come on, Elijah."

"Elijah?" Lolo Isko whispered while listening to the two talking.

"You still have time to be with us, to worship Baal together."

"No, never! Not until the day that I die. I won't surrender my faith for my existence."

"Okay, I hear you, where is Kharel?"

"Kharel is dead."

"How dare you killing him?"

"Save your tears. Tonight is the night, to know who the real God is."

After hearing everything, the war had started. Elijah, together with the other Israelites, killed the people of Canaanites. Lolo Isko could not bear watching the killings and fight that's why he went back on his house. Confused, why he was there, then, he tried to call the man who talked to him but he commanded him to open the door again.

His hand was shiver in fear, but he had no choice because his hand was like moving on its own. When he opened the door, he was in a different location, he knew the place, and it was in Barangay Karagatan.

"Why am I here?" he simply mumbled like he was waiting for someone to answer his question.

He saw people laughing, dancing and living their lives to the fullest. He tried to approach someone but they could not see him, he touched someone but he was also unable to do so. The laughters he witnessed from the citizen of Barangay Karagatan had turned into scowl and screams when terrifying strangers attacked the place.

Due to excessive fear, he went back to his house and slammed the door. Then, the house began to fly and he felt like it was moving. The voice commanded him again to open the door and for the third time, he did it conveniently.

He saw this place, a kingdom-like place where he barely knew. He went out to scan the place until he saw these huge, giant-like people. His face clothed with terror, he ran over to his house and closed the door again, this time, he locked it.

"Who are they?" he raised his head a bit and thinking that the voice was coming from the roof of his house.

"Where am I? Who are they? Can you please talk to me!"

After a while, there was a noise on the door, it was boisterous, constant knock as if the door was about to wreck. He took a step backward to protect himself to a possible danger. After few minutes, someone was attacking him, the one he saw on that kingdom. This man choked Lolo Isko to death.

"STOP!" he shouted as Lolo Isko woke up from a terrifying nightmare. He breathed heavily, hurriedly stood up and checked his neck on the mirror.

"What was that dream?" he asked himself again.