27| The Revelation

"In other words, since longitude is the imaginary lines on the earth surface, then, the distance from the north pole to the south will be –" She paused "Mrs. Chadwick? Are you here at all?"

Mrs. Chadwick? Where did that come from? There's no certain student with the name in this class.

The entire class turned around to face one person who was dozing off to slumber.

"Hey, Mrs. Chadwick." Japheth whispered, poking her arm.

Oh meh, not now when she's trying to catch a sleep. Priyanka lifted her head. The mark of 'sleep' boldly written on her face. "Yes, Mrs. Oliver? It's Abhishek not Chadwick."

"Of course I remember but you'll be getting married soon. I have to keep in mind your new name."

When the entire class chuckled, Priyanka frowned. "Come on guys, what's amusing?"

"It must be so hard for you planning your wedding during school times." It sure is, Mrs. Oliver. "So, I'm sending you off for the rest of the day to relax."

Relax? When did she needed that? Japheth came whispering again, "Or are you..."

"No, Japheth. Justin and I are not having a baby now, not when am still studying." She whispered back then turn to the professor. "Thanks for your care, Mrs. Oliver, but I don't think I –"

"You need it, darling." She smiled. "Today is Friday and next week Monday to Thursday are your exams. Talk much of your wedding coming up next weekend. Just go home and rest, okay?"

Wait a sec, how did she know her wedding is coming up next weekend? Did – oh great! The coward must have posted it on web. Now the wedding is gonna be like a crusade.

She smiled at her and rummage her bag for something. "How many are we in class, Japheth?"

"20?"

"Share these later." She gave him some invitation card she printed on her own. Let her just finish the broadcasting.

Looking at the fancy card, Japheth smirk. "Cool. So it's gonna be happening here in LA, huh?"

She stood up, wearing her backpack. "Just give them to the class later and make sure they are all present."

"Sure."

...…

What kinda sun is this? So hot enough to roast a corn. Are the ozone layers even there at all? The rays has wiped off her slumber. There's absolutely no one smiling while trekking under a smoky sun.

"Seriously, ma'am. I think this sun is proudly sponsored by hellfire."

"It sure is, Desmond and….. where is your boss? Did he sent you to pick me?" She peep into the car to see if he was hiding.

"Well, am afraid, ma'am. You have to come with me to Washington right now." Desmond sighed.

But there's something she noticed in his tone. Her heart dropped in tension. "Is everything alright, Desmond? You sound pathetic."

"Just come with me, ma'am. I can't say much because I was instructed to."

Now the slumber disappeared clearly and she's left with clearer vision. "Everything better be alright with my baby boy, you hear me? Because you're already putting fear in me now."

He opened the back door for her to go in.

...........

Her brows furrowed when the car stopped miles before the yellow barrier tape. She looked through the window and saw sorrows everywhere, police guarding the scene. Distance away, she could see two cars crashed head to head. The bonnet and front whiskey destroyed to the ground, the cars engine squeezed like a piece of tissue paper, blood dropping from the squeezed doors to the ground – seriously, what the fuck is happening and..... why is everyone crying and some videoing?

"What the fuck happened here, Desmond?" She asked, her head out of the window. Desmond didn't respond on time and that made her peek at him in the rearview mirror. Damn tear drops on his cheeks. "Desmond, are you crying? Can you please talk to me?"

He still won't say anything so she hopped out. "Fine! Since you don't want to talk, I'll go find out what this is about." She walked fast to where the accident occurred. Pushing everyone that stood on her way, "Excuse me, I need to get through. Pardon, please, my car is right over there and I need a straight way to pass to the other side."

Then suddenly, one strong hand pulled her backward from the midst of the people. She yelped from the unexpected pull then looked up to see who it was.

"Max?" His eyes swollen and red like fire. "What happened to you? And what is this…" She looked at the people who are now videoing her. "Incident this hot noon?"

Oh sorrows. The guy is still in deep shock to say a word. Her eyes went behind him and there she saw Adela, Francesca, Tristan and Harry covered in sorrows. Ben was being held by two policemen, stopping him from touching the.....there was argument in the air, wails and so, so pathetic.

Max is really making her heart beat. Especially when she didn't see sign of her man anywhere. "Max? Please talk to me." She whispered. "Why is everyone crying and where is Justin?"

He pointed towards the ambulance. He still didn't say a thing. She followed his finger, still confused. "Okay, I know that's an ambulance, so who's in there?" He remained quiet, giving her the sense to find the answer.

And when she did....

"No, no, no, no." She refused to hear. She don't wanna hear it. In fact, she don't want to know. "You are joking, right?" She chuckled sarcastically. "Stop pranking me, come on and tell me where the hell is my fiancée."

In fact, forget about it. Why is she even wasting her time asking him when she has legs of her own?

She hurriedly made her way to the ambulance but the policemen stopped her when she crossed the yellow barrier tape. "Am sorry, ma'am, but you have to stay back."

"Get out of my way, I need to see something." She struggle with them, pushing them off but they didn't move an inch as they guard the van.

"I need to see my son, he didn't tell me he was gonna die today. He is still vital to me!" She heard Ben yelling at the policemen beside her then her heart sank into her stomach. Cold suddenly filled her and goosebumps spread all over her skin pores.

She felt her world froze in place and her breath numb for a while. No, this can't be true. No, no, no fucking way, she disagree.

She used the last of her strength to push the policemen out of her way, but then, Max quickly held her from behind. "You can't go in. It's horror."

"Let go of me!" She smack his arms around her waist. "Leave me alone, I need to see my fiancée."

He turn to Harry and Tristan standing next to him, "She's too strong for me. Tell the chauffeur to move the van now."

The moment she heard that...she pulled herself out of his tight embrace and ran into the van, ignoring the chase of the cops. Before they could reach to her, she had already pulled down the white blanket covering the guy's face.

No, this is not her man. He is not old and bloody. She moved to the next one beside the corp. And what she saw made her scream to death. Max, Tristan and Harry came pulling her out but she peg herself on his body, not wanting to leave.

"Come on now, you have to leave, they're taking him to the mortuary." Tristan commented.

"No!" She screamed again, sobbing. "My fiancée is not going to the mortuary. He is not dead."

He is not dead...he is not dead.....he is not dead.....

.....

"He is not dead…..he is not dead –"

"Hey, Priyanka, Priyanka," Japheth tapped her continuously. "Priya –"

"Ah!" She woke up, breathing heavily with sweats draining all over her face and neck. So, it was just a dream? What kind of dream was that? It felt so….. real and lively.

She looked around. Still in the same class she thought to have left hours ago. She looked at herself. She's still wearing the same blue jean jacket, white t-shirt and denim shorts.

"Ms. Abhishek?" And that's her geography professor, Mrs. Oliver standing by the chalk board. "Are you alright?"

Her eyes grew wide as she study the room. The whole class looking at her like she's a weirdo. She looked at her backpack, there are no wedding cards in it. So this literally made it obvious that it was just a dream. But she has a feeling that something bad is about to happen.

She turn to her class representer, "Japheth, what's today's date? And when is exam starting?"

Still puzzle, Japheth wonder what kinda weird question is that. "Um, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. Exams starts Monday next week, 5th of June, project works to be submitted 8th and exams ends 9th. What's up with the question?"

She look at him like he was a piece of blank sheet. She stood up, grabbed her bag and left the class.

But in her dream, she recalled Mrs. Oliver saying the day was Friday. Is it that her enemies are waiting for her fiancée on Friday or...

"Desmond." She ran to meet him the moment she sighted him from afar, leaning against the same car she saw in her revelation and also wearing the same clothes. "Where is Justin? I need to talk to him right now, it's urgent, I've been calling his phone but he's not picking up –"

"Ma'am, am deeply sorry you have to hear this. Boss lost control while driving back to DC alone this morning and now he's in a coma."

"What?!" She almost slumped to the ground but Desmond quickly held her. "You said what?" She don't think she's alive anymore. It's like her soul has left her and her legs are too weak to hold her balance. "My fiancée!" She clutch onto his black coat. "What happened to my fiancée?"

"Easy, ma'am. Please relax, I'll take you to the hospital to see him now."

So it's still true. The revelation wasn't fake. But why did this happened? Why did the revelation came late beforehand? She hope he doesn't die.