Is This Reality? {III}

Xiaofan sat dazed for a moment, her thinking was running... Her chest rose and fell.

Her vision became blurry, her head was in a mess. She tried to shake the feeling off but it wasn't working, instead it was closing in on her.

She was getting restless as she shook her head much faster.

She was feeling dizzy, drowsy, woozy mention it all.

"... Maid Yue...Mai... Maid..." She wasn't able to call out the older woman's name as her voice kept trailing off, she lost consciousness slamming her head against her Mable carved table.

It took ten minutes before Maid Yue came in with a tea table and saw her Lady laying limply on the wooden floor.

Her heart left her, she threw the tea table to the side and rushed forward.

The noise alerted the people outside as they all rushed in.

Everyone was dumbstruck at the sight of the Empress laying limply there on the floor.

Maid Yue counted her footsteps toward the Empress, fear had a strong hold on her. She was feeling aghast, before she could lay a finger on the Empress the physician made a much faster move checking the Empress's pulse.

She had just been fine some hours ago, what is the matter now?

There was no pulse!

No pulse?

His hand trembled, he didn't know when he let go of her.

"The Empress... She is no... No more!" He stuttered.

Maid Yue sprinted forward, shoving the physician to the side.

She put her index finger before the Empress nose but no hot breath came... This is pure nonsense!

The room went silent, as only their breathing could be heard.

All eyes was on the senior maid, waiting on her to either say "Yes" or "No"

The physician sat on the floor lifelessly... What could have gone wrong?

Maid Yue eyes misted up, it started with the pom sound, dropping one by one but then it started flowing, her sobs broke through the room returning everyone to their senses.

So many chest rose and fell, they didn't know they had been holding onto their breath.

Is this reality?

Have they all been dreaming about the Empress?

Was everything their own illusion?

How could the heaven's be this unfair to them?

Is this the reality they all didn't see?

Questions ran through their minds.

Nobody spoke, nobody moved, none of them knew what to do!

They watched on as tears fell from their eyes without their notification. Who would have thought that they all cared alot about the woman they served?

Why would the Almighty punish them in such a cruel way?

_______

A voice echoed in her head, "Xiuying! You're now Xiuying and have to be Xiuying! Act like Xiuying and live like Xiuying! There's no going back! You're Xiuying! You're Xiuying!! You're Xiuying!!!"

The voice kept repeating itself, the voice was feminine.

She herself wanted to say something but her throat was way too dry, it hurt anytime she tried to speak.

"You must act like Xiuying and live like Xiuying!" The voice continued. "You can't go back! You must be Xiuying and no one can do anything about it... I'm sorry!" The sharp tone suddenly turned sad, even sobbing. Who was this person? Why must she be Xiuying? It didn't make sense to her! She wanted to ask but her dry throat wouldn't let her!

She was in a place she couldn't open her eyes, couldn't speak and couldn't even see the owner of the voice.

Pom!

Pom!!

Pom!!!

She heard a sound, it sounded like the drop of water, droplets falling into a lake in a stone carved receptacle.

She rushed forward and as she moved she saw light, light and light until she arrived in a beautiful scenery, everything green in nature. She turned her head to her where she had just come out from, but there was no door or anything like where she had just come out from. Her surrounding was pure green, everything in natures colour. Sunflowers wasn't missing, making it look like paradise but somethings were missing, like fruits, animals friendly ones to be precise.

She was busy looking around that she forgot she was thirsty.

"Al... Almighty." Her voice cracked and she remembered she was thirsty. She walked toward the direction the dropping sound was coming from and lo and behold she found water.

It looked distant, she put forth her hand and surprisingly it reached, she scooped it, one two three four five... She drank until she was soothed.

She was still panting heavily when the wind started blowing, it wasn't scary but it made her feel at ease.

"Xiaofan?" A sweet melodious voice came from behind her, the voice sounded familiar.

She turned sharply and the two eye met, not for the first time but for the second time.

Her heart missed a beat.

The hand that was holding onto the stone well gripped it much tightly, turning her knuckles white.

"Xiaofan, why did you leave? There's still time! Go back!" The person commanded.

"Who are you?" That was all Xiaofan could blurt out.

"Who am I? I'm Xiuying. Qing Xiuying."

"So you are the one that visited me the last time that made me call myself Xiuying?"

"Yes. I was only successful that once... Now no matter what you're Xiuying!"

"I'M NOT XIUYING! How dare you?" Xiaofan was set alight.

"Why are you screaming at me? You should have been Xiuying from the beginning! I should have been Xiaofan! I'm not at fault here!"

"Nonsense! Why did you possess me?"

"I died. I think it's been three days that I died but my spirit, my soul was wandering, it kept wandering around looking for a perfect person to match it because my life isn't complete! It needs someone to make it worth it! And that person is you!"

"How can it be me? Why didn't you ask for my permission before possessing me? Who gave you the audacity to do as you please?"

"Audacity..." Xiuying voice trembled. "I'm sorry... Sorry... Really sorry but please don't leave, go back! I still have a life there but only you can complete it!"

"I heard... Oh no I read you didn't talk! Even commoners could beat their chest in front of you, but you are actually speaking no commanding me!"

"It's not a command but plea. You're now Xiuying and even if you try to die, you can't die! My memories will remain with you. I have passed on as Xiaofan and you are now Xiuying. You can only be me and forget Xiaofan."

"Noooooooooooooo...I can't be Xiuying! I'd be much better dead than being the intelligent but believed to be dumb Xiuying."