Haji [End]

ONE year later...

WORLD NEWS: EVERYONE WAS STUNNED WITH MRS. SCHILLER'S NEW AND UNIQUE MASTERPIECE IN THE FIELD OF ART. JHAY LOCRENE AYARA SCHILLER WAS KNOWN AS A PRODIGY AT AN EARLY AGE. EVERY PAINTING SHE MADE TELLS A LOT OF STORIES. MANY YOUNG ARTISTS ADMIRED HER UNIQUENESS AND HER LOVE FOR PAINTING. NOW IN HER SEVENTIES, SHE PROVED THAT ART NEVER AGES. WITH HER NEW MASTERPIECE, SHE OPENED ANOTHER IDEA OF HOW WONDERFUL THE WORLD COULD BE. SHE CALLED HER NEWEST MASTERPIECE "Haji".

The picture showed the back of a young man while looking back at whoever called him. He was wearing a very long and a thick cape with its single, long and strange hand being exposed. His background was an identified small spaceship with a fully detailed design. The painting was either simple or too meaningful that collectors and experts began to create theories. Jhay just wanted to show to the world that 'Haji' exists.

*

*

*

"Grandma, can you tell me the story behind that painting?" Jhay's sixteen year old grandchild asked her. Jhay was currently sitting on a piano bench with her fingertips resting lightly on the keyboard.

"What do you want to know, Van?" Jhay asked.

"Grandma, don't call me Van. It's too manly!" Vanessa whined. Jhay nodded as she brushed Vanessa's hair behind her ear. Vanessa loved adventures and was born to become a dreamer. She wanted to become a novelist in the future. She loved hearing her grandma's stories because she always gained something. She learned a lot and got to think of many ideas she could use in her stories.

"There was a man I used to know, his name is Haji" Jhay started as Van listened to her carefully.

"He was very hyperactive and persistent. He was friendly and loved by everyone. He was expected to become a very successful man in the future. He inspired a lot of people, including me." Jhay said as she began to remember the memories she had when she was younger.

"But one day, he suddenly disappeared. He left no traces and made the people who love him become lonely. It took a very long time for Haji to come back. But he managed to come back." Jhay said. Van seemed to enjoy the story because she never stopped smiling. It was as if she was getting to know Haji more.

"He came back with his ship. His human form was slowly becoming more alike with the aliens he met on that particular planet. That planet had a kingdom called Umbra. Haji had a dragon named Lurkia. In order for him to take his ship back, he needed to fight for Aeonria." Jhay said as if she was telling a legendary tale.

"The slave city of umbra" Jhay continued.

"Is Haji a real person?" Van asked out of the blue. Jhay smiled and patted Van's head.

"Yes, but the story was all made up. Aside from the fact that he was cool, everything was fictional." Jhay said with a smile.

"Is he still alive?" Van asked with wondering eyes.

"Yes, probably. He's not the type to give up on life easily." Jhay said.

"I want to meet him! I know that if I'll be able to meet him, I can hear his stories too!" Van said cheerfully.

"Do you know where he is?" Van asked, she was a type of a girl with full of questions. She inherited that trait from her grandma, obviously. She was just way more talkative than Jhay.

"Yes and at the same time, no. He just told me that whenever I miss him, I just have to look at the sky. Because when I do that, I know that someone is looking back at me." Jhay said.

"Woah! You really are an awesome person, grandma!" Van cheered happily.

"I wish I could meet him soon!" Van said happily.

"How aesthetic it would be if you would meet him" Jhay said with a smile.

"Is he not as old as you, grandma? The way you said it, it sounded like he was too young that he could possibly date me." Van said mischievously.

"No, he's way younger than you thought. He's probably twenty right now." Jhay said with a smile.

"Haji must have known that it was him that you painted" Van said while looking at her grandmother.

"Maybe not, since he was so far away. Unreachable than the ones in the North Pole." Jhay said.

"But maybe someday, he will come back. To see the snow he once missed in our country from a very long time ago." Jhay said, she wanted to add the phrase, "He was the reason why it happened though" but she chose not to vocal it out.

"I'll tell you, when it snows in our country. That means Haji will come." Jhay said.

"Another made up story?" Van asked while smiling. Van thought having a snow in the Philippines is way too impossible. But it did happen.

"Probably" Jhay said.

"But Haji does exist." Jhay said with a smile.

"I know. And I will definitely meet him in the future." Van said with a positive mind.

"Time to hit the sack, young lady. Who knows it might snow tonight." Jhay said with a smile.

Van left her grandma on the living room and went inside her room. Jhay stared at the outside of the house through the glass window. She could still remember the image of the young man walking away from her. She was not able to say that she loved him very much. But the memories and the happiness that Haji left will always remain in her heart.

"Thank you for being alive, Haji."

End.

-Snowflake: Frozen Child

By Arl Hesse

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Date released:

April 13,2019- April 14, 2019.

Thank you so much for reading Snowflake: Frozen Child