As she laid her body into deep oblivion, her soul was wandering somewhere. As she looked at the clear blue sky, she was hoping to see the light that would illumine her life on the edge of doom. As she continued walking without a distinct destination, a beautiful garden caught her sight that caused her to stop for a few seconds. Red and pink peonies bloomed on a summer day and a few of the daffodils were around beautifully planted on each side of the pathway. The whole ambience was great and amazing. How she loved this place! A garden that signifies beauty and peace.
She walked towards the pathway and looked around hoping to see another human creature like her, but she saw no one. Suddenly she heard voices from everywhere lamenting, calling her name. She did not recognize them, not even a single of them.
And there she saw a man, an older version of herself standing in a distance, smiling at her, with his arms wide open for a warm and loving embrace. She was longing for him.
"Dad? Is that you?", she exclaimed happily.
"Yes sweetheart. It's me.", the man answered in a soft voice.
She went towards him and hugged him so tight.
"I miss you daddy", she voiced out in great happiness.
The man held her hand as he directed her to sit on a bench.
"You seem not happy sweetheart. I knew you very well. Even if you're smiling but I can see sadness in your eyes", the man said intently.
"No, daddy I'm happy to be with you here", she responded as she encircled her hand into the man's waist.
"Sweetheart, listen. You still have time to go back. Don't worry about me here. Just be happy okay?" the man's last words. After that, he was taken by a black shadow and disappeared.
"Daddy, please don't leave me here! Please...", she pleaded and began to sob.
After a moment, a young man appeared and offered her his hand. She quickly looked at him because she was thinking it was still her dad, but she was surprised as her gaze landed on the man's deep and expressive eyes. The same eyes, she used to admire eight years ago. The man was wearing a white long- sleeve and black pants that made him good-looking.
Her heart was beating so fast as she took his hand in silence.
"Ryle! It's you Ryle!", she was teary-eyed.
"Yes, it's me dashuri. You're with me now. I promise to love you and take care of you", the young man said and pulled her a hug.
They continued walking along the pathway of the garden while holding their hands as they felt the intensity of the emotional connection between them.
"Where are we going Ryle?", she asked curiously.
"To the place where we sang the piece of our soul", the man responded, with his eyes still focused afar.
After some time, they finally reached the place. It was still the same since the last time she took a glimpse at it. Nothing had changed except that the painting of the walls turned dull.
The young man reached out his hand to her as she started to step on the stairs. She took the first, second and third step, and then she paused.
"Let's just stay outside Ryle. I am scared", she exclaimed.
"Why are you scared dashuri? I am here with you. I'll not gonna leave you. Besides, this is our home now. You will forever live with me", the man said to her as he took some strands of her hair.
"But okay, let's just sit here for a while, and later, we'll get inside okay?", the young man said and smiled at her.
"Now can you sing our song, please?"
She nodded and began singing while the man was just staring at her.
"Why Ryle? Why are you not singing with me?", she asked, a little confused.
"I can see the sadness in your eyes, dashuri. You are not really happy that I'm with you now", the man said averting his gaze.
"Can I ask you something, Ryle? Are you the man in my dreams?"
"Yes, it's me dashuri."
"But why, you were calling me 'dear' and not dashuri?"
The man looked at her. And a brittle laugh escaped from his mouth.
"Calling you dear? I never called you dear. I always called you dashuri, every time I appeared in your dream"
She was shocked upon hearing Ryle's answer.
"Can I ask you something dashuri?"
"Yes what is it Ryle?"
"Is there someone who calls you 'dear'?"
She did not respond. She was silent for some time because she tried to recall everything.
"Zacky..." she uttered while tears began to fall.
The man looked at her and held her hand.
"Dashuri, please don't cry. You know it hurts me when I see you crying. That person who calls you 'dear' enters your subconscious, that is why every time I appeared in your dream, he is also there trying to intervene as I communicate with you. That's the reason why you did not hear me calling you 'dashuri', because your subconscious influence your feelings and emotions. You may not understand the whole thing now, but I know someday", the man said sadly.
"Dashuri, listen to me. It's time for you to go back now. I know, you are not totally happy with me here"
"No, I'm happy with you Ryle. I am waiting for this day to come", she sobbed.
The man gently cupped her face and lifted her chin.
"Dashuri, you know how much I love you. I care for you so much and I wanted you to be happy. So please go back now. They are waiting for you. Don't worry I'll not gonna leave you. I am always right here for you whenever you need me.", the man said as he turned away.
"No, Ryle please don't leave me", she cried and cried while trying to reach his hand.
But a black shadow appeared again and swallowed him up.
"Ryle! Ryle!!!No!!!" she cried in great sorrow.
She continued walking while tears continue flowing from her eyes. Until she saw the garden where she had been a while ago. But suddenly, a black shadow was trying to block her way.
"Come to me, I'll bring you to your dad and to the one you love"
She was about to be swallowed by the black shadow when a strong wind howled, and an unknown soul came from nowhere.
"No! stay away from her"
The soul pulled her hand and brought her back to the real world.
*********
She heard the beeping noise inside, and it was getting louder and faster. Her eyes were still closed but she could hear people hastily walking back and forth. She heard someone shouting.
"The patient's heartbeat is back!"
Someone exclaimed,
" But it's not yet stable. Prepare for a cardioversion".
After that, she did not hear anything.
She did not know how many days she was unconscious and lying in the hospital bed because the moment she opened her eyes, she saw her brother sitting next to her, holding her hand.
"Boo?"
"Sweetie, thank God you survived. It's indeed a miracle. Thank you for not giving up sweetie. I could not imagine my life without you", Jareed was getting emotional and after a moment she heard him crying.
That was her first time seeing her brother like that because even when their father died she did not hear her brother cry that much.
"Sweetie, I'm sorry. It's all my fault"
"Boo, I should be the one who is asking apology from you. I'm really sorry", she said while tears welled up in her eyes.
"Sweetie, get well soon, okay? We have a lot of things to talk about"
She nodded and smiled.
After a moment, the door opened and the kids ran towards her. All of them were crying and sobbing.
"Kids, please don't cry"
"Cher, we thought you would leave us", Josh sobbed.
"You know what cher, we prayed for you, and God answers our prayers", Chris said, while wiping his tears.
"Get well soon cher, we love you", the kids exclaimed in chorus.
After a moment, Ace stepped inside and gave her a bouquet of flowers. Then he placed the basket full of fruits on the table.
"How do you feel now JA? Are you okay?", he asked with his eyes intently looking at her
"I'm fine Ace, thank you"
"You know what cher, I heard Uncle was crying when he thought you're dead", Josh said blinking his eyes with a cute smile on his lips.
Then the kids looked at each other and giggled.
"That's because your Uncle and I are friends. So, it's a normal feeling that a friend is sad when something bad happened to his friend", she explained in a casual way.
Then after some time, the kids bid goodbye to her. Suddenly her phone rang. It was her mom.
"Oh dear, how are you? I am so worried about you. But thanks God, you're able to survive. I thought we would lose you", her mother's quavered voice speaking on the other line.
"I'm fine mom, please don't worry"
"Dear, I'll be coming next week and Jungwon is planning to come with me"
"That's great mom. See you soon", she responded.
After several minutes of conversation, she hung up the phone. She looked at her brother who was busy texting.
"Boo?"
"Yes sweetie", Jareed stepped closer to her.
"Please tell me what happened, from the day I was brought here and during those times that I lost my consciousness"
"Have you ever chatted with Zacky boo? Did he know what happened to me?"
"Yes sweetie, I talked to him. But for now, please stop asking. You better take a rest. We will talk about it as soon we get home, okay?", Jareed responded in a soft voice.
She just nodded and remained silent while she was in deep thought. She remembered how she met her dad and Ryle somewhere. She realized then that the place she had been gone through was outside the real world. She was thinking what if she was taken by the black shadow? Probably, it was already the end of her life on earth.
Who was that powerful soul then, who grabbed her from the black shadow and brought her back to life?