2 The Deal

"Mother, Father...those mysterious men took Sofia away! They told me that they will bring her back after ten days and warned me not to flee!" Laura informed her parents.

Rosa erupted into a painful sob and covered her tear-stained face with her hands. "Husband, they're going to kill our child!" she said hysterically.

Laura looked at her father in confusion. "What is going on, Father? Who are these people? Why are they hurting you? And why are they talking about marrying me to their son? I don't understand!" she bombarded her father with questions. A painful headache pounded her head.

Simon looked at his daughter. "Child...go...hurry to the servants quarter and released the servants! They were imprisoned there by those intruders. Tell them to start cleaning the living room at once!" he ordered.

Laura obeyed and rushed towards the stairs, going to the servants' quarters. When she arrived there, she found the servants huddled together in the corner in a terrified state, their feet and hands were bound by a rope. After she finished releasing them, she ordered the servants to clean the mess in the living room. Then she went upstairs to continue interrogating her parents about those mysterious men.

When she went upstairs, she found her parents in the master's bedroom. Her mother was attending to her father's cut on his forehead. "Mother, let me do it!" she offered.

"Nah, it's okay. It's done already," Rosa replied.

Simon looked at Laura. "Daughter, go to your room and pack your things! You will leave tomorrow!" he ordered.

Laura's brows furrowed, she remembered the mysterious woman's words, warning her against doing something stupid. "No, father! I can't leave this house! They have taken my sister away. They will kill Sofia if they returned here and discovered that I fled," she protested.

"Child, don't be so stubborn! Your life is more important than your sister!" he pointed out.

"Father, how can you say that!?" Laura's eyes widened in disbelief. How can her father disregard her sister's life? Although Sofia is an adoptive child, she loved her sister dearly, as her flesh and blood. She looked at her mother. "Mom, please convince father!" she urged her.

Rosa released a deep sigh. "Laura, you know that I love you both as my daughters, but we are only thinking of your safety. Those black men in capes will return soon, and they will take you away. We can't allow that!" she said gravely. "As for your sister, we will find a way to save her..."

Laura released a deep sigh. Her heart was throbbing painfully for her sister. "Mother, Father...tell me what's going on! Who are these people? I can tell that they're not humans! They have supernatural powers! Why they're after me? Why they're hurting you, Father? Why? And why they mentioned a deal? What that deal has to do with me?" she asked her father the questions that have been bothering her mind ever since those mysterious people invaded their mansion.

Rosa and Simon looked at each other.

"I think it's about time that our daughter will know the truth about what happens twenty years ago," Rosa stated. "Husband, please tell her everything..."

Simon released a heavy sigh. The time has finally come to reveal the truth to his daughter. "Sit down, Laura. I'm going to tell you what transpired a long time ago when you're still a baby..."

Laura lowered herself on the chair. She faced her father apprehensively. "Please continue, Father," she said. She felt anxious about what she's going to discover regarding her past.

Simon cleared his throat and began his narration...

"Twenty years ago, we lived in a faraway village surrounded by rivers and mountains. Your mother and I were longing for a child. We've been married for a long time but never blessed with a child. We kept praying to God for a baby. One day, our waiting finally come to end. Your mother found out that she was pregnant. Our hearts were overflowing with happiness.

Months went by.

On the night you were born, a tragedy happened. After your mother successfully delivered you to this world, you never cried, and the person who assisted your mother on her delivery announced to us with sadness that you were born dead.

That person went home, and we were left with a dead baby to bury. We were so heartbroken and devastated that the only thing we can do is stare at you for hours with tears rolling down our faces. We are truly devastated that after waiting for so long... with excitement in our hearts, you were born dead. We didn't expect that our happiness was short-lived.

Your mother and I hugged you for the last time.

Finally, I have gathered enough strength to pick up the shovel and went to the backyard to start digging your grave. While I'm busy at work, your mother exited the house carrying you in her arms. Tears rolled down her face. I've finished digging your grave. With a heavy heart, we both kissed your cold cheeks for the last time.

I was about to put you in the ground wrapped in a clean linen when our neighbor, the old woman, approached us.

"Let me see the baby! Maybe there's still hope to bring her back to life!" said the old woman whom I fondly called 'Grandma.'

I handed your cold body to her. "Our baby is already dead! She's been dead for five hours," I told her miserably.

"There's another way! Don't give up so easily. I can bring you to a couple who can do miracles. We will travel on boat by the river. We will arrive at the couple's place in two hours," Grandma said.

Your mother and I looked at each other. We dare not hope, or else we will get disappointed again. "I don't think our baby can still come back to life," I finally said. A pain so great squeezed my heart after saying those words.

Grandma sighed. "Why are you so hopeless? You are going to bury her just the same, and let the worm feast on her young body. The result is still the same. What I'm trying to say here is - if there's a small chance that your child can be resurrected, aren't you willing to try it?" she asked. "If everything fails...go ahead...you can bury her in this grave. But before you do that, I suggest that you try the last option. There is nothing to lose..." she said, urging us convincingly.

Your mother looked at me with pleading eyes.

"Husband, let's try Grandma's suggestion! Please? There is nothing to lose anymore because we already lose her..." Rosa said earnestly. A glimmer of hope and desperation crept into her voice.

"Alright, I'll bring our baby to that couple. I'll prepare some money first," I said.

"No need to bring money. The couple doesn't accept money," Grandma declared.

"Okay," I murmured to myself and walked towards the house to pack some clothes for the baby.

Your mother followed me inside the house, holding you in her arms. "I will wait for you, husband. I hope and wish that when you returned, our baby is already alive and breathing," she said optimistically, tears shimmered in her eyes.

I felt like my heart was being shredded into thousand pieces by the distraught and desperate look I saw on your mother's eyes.

I know that reviving you is crazy. I want to remind your mother that it would be impossible for you to be alive again because you were born dead in the first place.

Simon paused for a moment, recalling that painful event in his life. He fixed his gaze on the window and looked beyond. His mouth opened and he starts talking again.

I doubted everything that grandma told me, but since it's my wife that begged me to go, then I will go, but I wasn't expecting a positive result because I know deep inside my heart that our baby daughter was already gone.

A few minutes later, grandma and I were already walking towards the river. Then we boarded a small boat that we have hired for the journey.

The river was calm during that time, pretty good for traveling.

I was holding you in my arms, lovingly.

Grandma, on the other hand, was gazing at the bright full moon above.

"What kind of people are we going to ask for help?" I asked grandma.

"You will know them when you see them," Grandma replied.

Two hours later.

We finally reached our destination.

The boat stopped on the riverbank. I instructed the boatman to wait for us.

Grandma and I walked for more than half an hour on a torch-lighted path leading towards the house of the couple, located just behind the mountain. Our path was illuminated by the bright moon and the sparkling stars in the sky above.

When we reached the house, I was surprised because it's not an ordinary house at all, but an old castle that was nestled behind the mountain. Several black hooded cape men were guarding the rusted iron gate of the castle. They opened the iron gate, and we were ushered in the ground of the castle.

The main door was opened by the guard. And we were escorted inside the living room. The room has no electricity. The only thing that gives light to the whole place was the endless array of candles burning brightly in every corner.

"Have a seat!" The guy in cape motioned us to sit down on the sofa and he left afterward.

I was staring at the long flight of stairs located near the living room.

A few minutes later.

The couple wearing a black hooded cape descended the stairs.

"Wow! We have visitors!" the woman said enthusiastically.

She was staring at the baby in my arms.

"Why are you here for, old woman?" the guy asked my companion.

Grandma looked at me, then at him. "My neighbor here wants your help. His wife delivered a dead baby today. It's their only child. Please take a look at the baby. Maybe you can help him by resurrecting his baby daughter back to life." Grandma explained to the guy our reason for the visit.

The woman in cape went to my side and took my baby daughter in her arms. "Aww...what a cute baby! I'll take her to the ritual room! Let see if I can do something to revive her," she said, her lips formed into a bright smile.

The woman went upstairs in a hurry, leaving behind her husband to deal with us.

The guy in the cape looked at me and asked, "What is your name?"

"My name is Simon," I replied.

"Simon, if we can bring your baby back to life, can you promise us that when she comes at the right age, you will marry her to our son? And one more thing, you must not leave the village until we come for her. Deal or no deal?" he asked me.

I was taken aback by the odd condition that he had thrown upon me. I glanced at grandma. "I... don't think...I can agree to..." my voice faltered halfway.

Grandma spoke, "Oh... common. It's just a union between two people. She's not going to become a slave. She will live a long life. Are you going to deny your daughter a chance to live a long life? Are you going to deny yourself and your wife the chance to enjoy your daughter's company for many years? Besides, not all things are free in this world. You also need to give something in return. Give and take, that is how life works in this world," she added.

I was surprised and confused for a few minutes.

Honestly, I don't like marrying my daughter to the son of this mysterious couple living in an old castle. I smell something fishy about these people. But if they can bring my daughter back to life, then I have no choice but to accept their condition. "Deal..." I finally said without giving much thought to my decision, thinking that it would be impossible to resurrect a baby that is already dead for hours.

"Fantastic!" The guy in cape smiled and ascended the stairs hurriedly to join his wife upstairs in the ritual.