CHAPTER 26: FOR HOW LONG?

A happy family…

She was laughing while running freely around the park. A little girl who seemed to be five years old at that time was enjoying the cool breeze of the day. She was clothed in a flowery purple dress and was wearing a pink unicorn headband. She kept giggling while being chased by a nine-year-old boy. Too bad, she can't see the boy's face… It's all a blur but she knew that he was a friend.

Then the boy run towards the two women sitting at the picnic mat. He asked her mother to hand her a clean towel and went back to where he left the little girl whose been sweating profusely.

"Hey, princess, time to eat!" The boy shouted in a distance. She heard him but she can't possibly let go of the monkey bar since for she was nearing the edge.

"Let go." The boy uttered as he held her tiny waist. The little girl stared at him before letting go.

"Thank you, big brother." She beamed sweetly. She was trying to sneak a peek on his face but no matter how hard she tried, he was still a blur. She creased her brow in disappointment, however, the boy held the towel and wiped the girl's sweaty face filled with tenderness.

"Hey kids! Come over! Time for lunch!" They heard a woman shouting while waving her hand. The other woman was setting the foods on the mat. They looked at each other with a smirk on their faces. Knowing what was in their heads, they raced to where their parents were.

"I won! I won! Yehey! I won!" The little girl jumped with joy. "Mom, I won!" She chuckled happily. The woman smiled at her then to the young boy. It was obvious to them that the boy let her win since they all know that the little girl might sulk if she lost the race.

"Okay then… time to eat." The woman, who was obviously the young boy's mother spoke.

They all sat down and happily champed the foods. Everyone was happy, they were all smiling and giggling then laughing under the sun. But as usual, their faces were all a blur.

"We will be heading to Europe tomorrow." The mother of the young boy uttered with sadness as she looked at the little girl and her mother.

"When will you be coming back then?"

"Not sure. Maybe a year or so…" She replied. "I really don't know. We'll see if we can visit this summer."

"It can't be help. Anyway, don't forget to call us whenever your around. I'm sure my daughter will greatly miss you both."

"Of course, we will." They hugged each other.

The little girl looked at the young man beside him. She was smart and more advanced unlike other kids at her age and she knew that her big brother will be gone again for many months.

"Big brother, don't forget to send me letters just like before, okay?" The little girl glowed as she speaks.

"Hmm, I'll think about that." He joked. He loved to tease the little girl for he likes to see her cute pout every time.

Indeed, the little girl pouted in annoyance but the young boy chuckled and tapped the kid's head. "I will, don't worry." He smiled after.

"Big brother, I will marry you the next time you visit!" She giggled cutely at the man who just frowned when he heard her words.

"You!" He flickered his finger on her forehead.

"Ouch!"

"Don't spout things you don't understand yet. Besides, your still young for that. You need to grow like mom to be able to marry someone." He hissed.

Watching the two kids before them, the women looked at each other with a knowing smile.

"Little princess, marriage is not as simple as what you are thinking so don't rush. Your still young for that. Don't worry, when you grow up and when you are at the right age, this young man will marry you." The mother of the young boy chuckled jokingly.

"Ehm!" The little girl beamed wide and glanced at the young man who rolled his eyes.

The next day, the little girl, along with her mom accompanied the two at the airport. They bid farewell at each other but when the young girl spun around to see her mom, she staggered backwards, fear suddenly engulfed her.

"M-mom? W-what is that? She pointed out the blood oozing from the woman's chest.

"Ah, this? The woman smiled at her. It's nothing…."

Though she cannot see the woman's face, she knew she was smiling. However, the woman suddenly fell on the floor.

Mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She screamed for help but no one came to aid them. She glanced at the young boy and to his mother and was about to asked for help, however, they were looking at her indifferently. And they were moving farther and farther away.

No! She started crying.

Blood…. It's all over the woman's body. She trembled in fear, moreover, her knees were shaking when she saw her hands covered with blood.

She fell on the floor terrified seeing how people passed by them without any cares. The young boy and her mother was gone. Now she's all alone with the dead woman on the floor.

Watching how her mother's blood pave its way to where she was and creeped towards her feet upwards, she shivered intensely. Seeing how it reached her chest moving to her lungs, she started coughing nonstop. She was chocking… It's killing her!

Helppppppppp!!!!!!! She was shouting but no one was listening.

"Somebody help…" She yelped within before she slowly lost her consciousness.

"Mom!!!" Jade immediately woke up and was sweating profusely. Her heart was beating madly fast.

Another nightmare, different scenario but the same ending. She sobbed as she caressed her chest to calm herself.

Blood…. She raised her hands and stared at them. The dream was so real!

She often dreamed about happy things but it always ends up in tragedy. And as always, all the faces in her dreams were all a blur, except her face when she was a little girl.

The bloody scene was always present in all her dreams, or better yet say, nightmares. It must be the reason why she always felt nauseated whenever she sees blood.

Jade rose up from her bed in fear that once she fell asleep, she might dream another scenario with the same ending. And nights like this often torture her to the point of having a sleepless night.

Though the lights were turned off, the faint light from the lampstand lit the room so she checked on Marcus. She only sighed in relief when she saw him undisturbed. Slowly, she trekked her way to the couch and sat on the floor.

She scooped her knees with her hands after she glanced at her wristwatch, it's still two in the morning. She crouched down to her knees and begun to sob silently. It's her only way to release the fear crippling all over her. It has always been that way, facing all the nightmares alone.

She was sobbing for who knows how long. Her mixed emotion at that moment must have overwhelmed her since she dozed off in that kind of position.

For how long must she bear such an agonizing night every time she have nightmares? For how long must she endure much? For how long…?