Street Signs

Chapter 13

BRIELLE

I thought I had found the key already, but what surprised my eyes was a green door. In my thought, the door could lead me to the key we were looking for; however, I had an epiphany that the portal I was in was wide yet limited. If I would be going to open the door, it could not lead me to another place because it was the end of the portal already. Also, I was guessing if the door was just a sculpture attached to the wall to deceive me.

My brow was puckered and due to the likeness to discover what was behind the door, I planned to open it. But as I was to do it, the firefly that brought me there came even closer to me, as if it was telling me something; perhaps it was giving me a warning to not open it or it was pushing me to continue so I could find out what was in the door. And now, my eyebrow creased even more.

"What should I do?" I asked the firefly as if it would respond to me.

Inside my head was another idea that the door could be a trap. I didn't know if it might be the reason for my team to get eliminated. However, if it was a trap, what kind of trap it could be? I would not know unless I would try. And so...

I opened it.

My face was blank with confusion for a brief period as if my brain cogs couldn't turn fast enough to process the information coming in through my wide eyes. My entire body froze until a grin spread across my face, stretching from one side to the other and revealing every single tooth. I gently entered until I didn't notice myself anymore.

The moment I got into the place, my entire body glittered for a minute and when it disappeared, I just found myself wearing a fairy pink dress. I had no idea how and why did it happen, but I loved it a lot! Could it be magic?

The pink dress that was on my knee level, was as bright as the day. It was glittering on the peek of the sunlight through the trees. It was just plain, yet elegant.

The place inside the door got me thinking that I might be living in a fantasy world. The white butterflies dance in the fragrant spring air. The trees convey their green radiance, relaxing scent, and oxygen-rich air into the ether. How their roots embraced the soil, and how their branches reached ever above, embracing. A smile touched my lip as I danced with the wind as well with my arms wide-opened. As I looked up, the beautiful creature in the sky gave a glimmer in my eyes.

The rainbow is God's graffiti, strewn across any bleak sky with random perfection. It was there when it would rain, a sort of optical joke to cheer us up, reminding me that even on the gloomiest of days, the brightest of colors can leap.

As flowers open in spring, my happiness bloomed in emotional warmth. I sat back on the green grasses and let the happiness soak right into my bones. I closed my eyes and savored the moment. The joy started as a tingle in my fingers and toes, much like the feeling I had when I was anxious, but instead of worrisome it was warm. I felt it pass through me like a warm ocean wave, washing away the stress of my day to leave me refreshed inside. For the first time in forever, my body and mind relaxed. At that moment there were no expectations upon me, no dilemma, and no duties to meet. I was in, I had made it, and I felt like I was a winner.

Into the gentle airwaves, they gave their song, those tiny friends of the feather that adorned the sky. They came sweet and high, the soprano to the other sounds of the daytime, giving me a feeling as auditory smiles and expressions of joy. There was something about it that brought deeper breath into my lungs and brings my own heart to a steady rhythm.

The blue sky glittered my eyes as soon as I opened them. It brought music to my steps as if it composed them into a steady rhythm to compliment the birdsong. It was as an open page of heavenly hue, an invitation for my creative soul to rise, to fly.

I released a deep sigh with still a sweet smile touching my lip. It felt like a dream, to the point that I didn't mind anymore to know where I was really. With that sudden thought running inside my head, I woke up in haste and turned around to see the door; however, I could not see it any longer. I thought I was locked in the place, and it scared me. I just lost the felicity I had when I entered there. I was covered now with deep fear, thinking I might not get back again to the campus.

But thinking of the place, where might I be? In here was magical; it almost didn't seem to be true. Everything inside was just like a product of my imagination. Or perhaps, this was indeed a trap where my life could be in danger as well. If in case the place was to harm me, for what reason then?

I turned around and wandered my eyes all over the place. "Hello, is anybody in here?" I mouthed which made my voice echo in the place.

Disappointment ruled over my face when nobody answered. As it seemed, there was no one in the place, except for me. If that was the case, how would I be going to get out of this place if no one could help me? Guessed I had to do it myself.

I repeated the question as I started walking, hoping someone would answer me this time. But for the second time around, no one was there to show up. Yet, I did not stop asking for someone to appear. After some time, I stopped when an unfamiliar voice rang in my ears, shouting at me,

"Hey!"

A little hope arose in me, in my spirit. That voice could be a disaster or a blessing, but no matter what was it, it was good to know that I wasn't in a dinosaur world nor a different universe.

I looked around to see the owner of the voice, and as I expected, it was a human. "Who are you?" I asked, folding my brow.

"It's strange that you don't know me," the guy had mouthed. "I can't blame you for that though. But why are you still here, anyway? All the Nokunis have gathered in the palace already. Don't you have the plan of attending the event?"

From the depths of his eyes to the delicate nuances in his voice, he was attractive. He had the kind of expression on his face that made you stop in your tracks. He must get used to people's natural expressions pausing when they look his way, then compensating with a careless gaze and a feeble smile.

I just looked stupidly at the man, asking myself, what was he talking about. I found some terms that he used that were unfamiliar to me; I didn't even know if those words existed in dictionaries. What could I think about Nokunis?

"Hey, did you hear me?" the man asked when I didn't answer.

"I did hear you, but I didn't understand what you are talking about," I said. "Who are you, huh? Are you living in this place?"

"Of course, I am. I wouldn't be here if I'm not a resident of this area, and so are you. You should stop joking with me and better yet, answer my question. Why are you still here?"

"Well, I don't know," I shrugged my shoulders.

"What do you mean you don't know?" he asked as he folded his brow. "Haven't you heard about the ceremony? It's so crucial that you must attend in it."

I let out a deep sigh due to irritation. "What is the ceremony all about, huh? Care to tell me so I could know?"

"Are you even serious?" the guy laughed. "You are commanding me to explain to you the agenda of the ceremony?" he crossed his arms. "As a citizen of this land, what is your contribution? It looks like you don't even care about the ceremony. Look at you, you are enjoying yourself here."

I sharply looked at him. "And who said I am enjoying myself in this place?"

"Don't deny it. I've seen you turned around and round while smiling and singing with the hymn of the birds."

"Is it bad?"

"I didn't tell you it's bad. You denying the truth is the worse. Why don't you just be honest? Do you even care about the land?"

I groaned. "I told you I don't know what you are saying, so I am responding stupidly as this."

Just a little more and I would explode in deep annoyance. I was explaining to the guy the best way I could, but he couldn't listen to me. I didn't think so he understood my part or he was just trying to misunderstand me.

"Look," I said, letting out a breath, "what you are saying has nothing to do with me, do you get it? To answer your questions, I don't care about the ceremony. I don't even think of this place. I don't know you and the people in here, so I don't care about everything that's in here at all. Now, was that clear to you, or do I have to say them again?"

The guy turned red. "It's an embarrassment to hear those words from a Nokuni. I didn't think someone in this family would betray us," he said. "With that act that you've shown me, you've just ruined my trust."

My jaw dropped, and for some time, my mind stuttered. "Betrayal? When did I betray you? OMG. This is bad."

With still sharp eyes towards me, the guy held my hands tightly until they became red. He didn't let go of me even though he could see that I was hurting with what he was doing.

I tried resisting, but he was too strong for me. I thought I didn't have any choice but to lower my pride and just ask him to let go of me. Nonetheless, my voice wasn't heard out.