Esmeralda's Point of View
Evening came and I was ready to go physically but not emotionally and mentally.  Mom was more than ready to send me off because she wanted me to be young and free, her words, not mine. But I am not, I will be back on that foreign land without anybody on my back. I know I should get used to that, and I am. But not in places that I don’t feel of course. There are certain differences in attitude and behavior when it comes to places. Italy is good and safe, I know that, but still, I didn’t grow up in that place. Which means it doesn’t resonate with me. Beautiful spots, streets, and people yes, but they are different from here. Excluding that Lucretius of course, he was never the same with any particular group of people in the first place. Even if I want him to-
“Esmeralda, your ride is here. Come down now!” I heard Mom shout while running upstairs toward my room.
‘Gosh, this old woman, she’s always as energetic as ever.’
“Mom,” I stated when she arrived at my room, opening it without knocking. Typical Asian mom. “Will you stop shouting here and there? I guarantee you, one day you’ll wake up with your voice void of sounds.”
“Why do I feel like you’re wishing for that to happen huh?”
I laughed. “Of course, so you won’t have any voice to scold and shout anymo-“
“You!” she spanked my butt lightly and I run off while carrying my luggage.
I arrived at the door like that. That’s why our customers were looking at us weirdly. I scoffed at that. Mom is beautiful and young. She married at the age of 24, just like any typical epitome of Asians, so she gave birth to me when she was 26. So yeah, she’s very young. Right now, we might even look like we are just sisters.
“Are you Miss Esmeralda?”
I nodded as I neared them. “Yes, and I’m ready, shall we go?”
“Of course.”
It was dark when we arrived at the airport, so I just let them lead me. I trust Aunt Amabel’s people are connected with workers in this organization. That proved to be true as after just a minute, I was already on board. Sitting at a VIP seat. I would be very awestruck and mesmerized by the happenings in this high-class treatment but thanks to nonno Alejandro and yeah, a little bit with Lucretius, I became quite knowledgeable. They all arranged my flight before as well, making sure I arrived well.
I woke up feeling really energized and refreshed because of the comfortable bed I slept in. I was about to get down and find Aunt Amabel, but I was frozen when I saw my surroundings. The airport I arrived at wasn’t familiar. I arrived here more than once for me to forget about the looks easily. When I got up and went down the plane, I shivered. I am now convinced that the place I am in is not Italy.
The place is very rundown, the people are not Italians, more like Africans. Immediately, I looked back to the plane I came from, and to my greatest fear, the name had the word ‘Africa’ in it. Carrying my luggage, I quickly went back and spoke to every staff I saw to inquire when the next flight is.
“It is by next month madam. This plane is not new, and it needs fixing every time it flies to ensure people’s safety.”
My world came down. Reality sinking because of the miserable reality of the staff’s words.
‘What is happening?’
‘What on Earth happened?’
I try to recollect thoroughly my memories before I got here but the only thing, I can remember is me happily sleeping in a beautiful bed. Everything before and after that is either blurry or not helpful. I just remembered before I slept in a very enticing bed was my mom sent me off with a goodbye bitter smile. After that, I am suddenly in an airplane bed.
Without my own knowledge, tears began slipping down from my eyes. Not just because of the fixed conclusion that I am in a very different place but because of the realization that my luggage is empty. My clothes, my phone, my wallet, and everything essentials are gone.
‘You’re so stupid, Esmeralda. You could’ve realized that when you carried your luggage, and it was very light!’
Without any care in the world, I slumped my body just where I was standing. People looked at me with eyes full of curiosity, pity, disgust, and apathy.
“Well fuck off all of you!”
Instead of listening to me, more eyes turned to me. Ven coming closer and then walking away casually.
I let myself stay there for as long as I couldn’t take the skin-peeling gaze anymore. And that is almost until the sun is at the pick of its rise. I arrived here when the sun was still rising, and I just got my guts to face this wretched downfall of mine now.
“Okay, let’s not lose hope, perhaps Aunt Amabel might be asking where I am already,” I tell myself while I drag my feet somewhere silent and people-free.
There, I tried to, as best as I could, rationalize what really happened to me. Those possible things I could think of is that I got drugged, abducted, and deceived.
‘What a great life, getting fucked up in three ways all at once.’ I muttered to myself while feeling self-pity rising.
‘Well, at least they didn’t kill you. But what could be the possible reason why they brought me here? It’s not Aunt Amabel I’m sure, she will never hurt me like this. I know her, and she’s kind-hearted. I don’t think she will ever think of doing bad things to me because I know her, and I could easily sure her. So, it’s not her. I’m pretty sure.’
‘Then who is it?’ Another voice chirped in my head while I assessed the very person who was supposed to give me a safe flight.
‘How about Lucretius?’
I froze, I swear, I will walk through great miles until I kill that man if he’s the one who did this. But deep inside me, I know he wouldn’t do this. He’s a very practical man. If he wants to do me revenge, he’ll just straight put me in prison rather than complicate the process and torture and trouble himself. So, he’s X.
Now, we are left with…….no one. ‘Goodness, dear God, who on Earth did I anger this time? I know I am quite irritating and not very amiable, but I swear I am not that cruel as to have a serious enemy! ‘
While I tried to analyze the cause of my predicament, I looked around again. For the hundredth time. No matter what, I don’t know if I was mistakenly or deliberately put into an African airplane but what I do know is that this place feels so nostalgic. Not in a way that I miss it because I once lived here but because the environment is a very 1900s vibe. The time that we are not yet conquered and manipulated by globalization.