It was raining heavily, the dark clouds dominates the once clear sky as she woke up from her deep slumber where she began looking around the four corners of the room as if finding something that could catch her attention.
"Nothing's new," she muttered under her breathe as she began to sit up and do her daily routines; taking a bath, reading some books or just staring at the ceiling for the whole day thinking about the what made her life miserable. 'Another day to waste my life' she breathlessly thought. Ever since that incident happened, her life lost its purpose and like a candle dimming slowly in the dark, it became dull. She even didn't want to go outside in fear that something could happen again. History tends to repeat after all.
She heard inaudible whispers out of nowhere, probably outside the windows which only gets louder as time pass by. She suddenly felt conscious around her surroundings and saw her room becoming darker. The whispers just keep going on and on in her head that she perceived as if people badmouthing her.
Unable to take it anymore, she tried to cover her ears and closed her eyes to stop the whispers going through her head but it only gets worse.
Please stop...
A knock was suddenly heard throughout the room and everything became deafeningly silent. So silent she can even hear her heart beat in her chest. Taking deep breaths, she managed to open her eyes and stared straightly into the door as she slowly stands up and approached it with heavy footsteps, each step matching the intensity of her loud beating of her heart, nervous for what she'll see once she opens the door.
How can I unveil your secrets when I'm scared of my own?
"Hi Mom."
She managed to let out a breath of relief not even understanding why she was so nervous at the first place.
"Hi, darling." her mother said and smiled at her waveringly. "I just wanted you to know that breakfast is ready."
"Alright mom," She smiled. "I'll be there in a sec." she once again look at her room as she leaves, the room turning more darker but instead of being frightened. Its almost as if it's calling her again.
Making her look again to something she refuses to embrace but will always haunts her.
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"What's your plan today honey?" her mother asked as she brings down her spoon and fork in a table napkin while glancing interestingly at her daughter.
"The usual mom, " she replied, not looking at her mother as she plays with her food.
She could only hear a sigh from her father who also placed down his utensils while looking at her but in contrary to her mother, her father looked at Penelope with a glint of pity in his eyes.
"Penelope, it's time to move-"
"Dad, let's not talk about this again-"
"Listen to your dad first Loffie, let this old man speak to what he's trying to say." Penelope just hangs her head low and bit her lips. 'Not again' she thought as she fidgeted in her seat.
"Loffie, years passed and everyone moved on. Stop living from the past and just keep move forward. You're only hurting yourself and locking yourself at your room isn't a solution either. Do you want that honey? To be isolated for the rest of your life?" He cried. "What happened is happened Loffie, we couldn't turn back the time." He smiled at her sadly. She didn't respond, but only glanced at her father expressionlessly.
To be serious, she can't even remember anything of what happened that made her life dull and lifeless or why she felt lonely that she end up locking herself for years. All she knew is that there is an incident that happened when they still lived in the countryside, together with her Ohma, and then there's this certain boy who keeps recurring on her mind.
"Me and your mother decided to go back to your grandmother at the countryside and we enrolled you in one of the schools there. Hopefully in that way, you can escape from this place and live a new life at the countryside." her father comforted.
"Darling, it's for your own good. You're getting older and sulking in your room will just lead you to nowhere." her mother reassured. Penelope finally let out a exasperated sigh she was holding and looked at her parents. She can see the determination and pity in their eyes. She knew they want her to move on so she smiled and agreed, nodding to her parents that starting tomorrow she will finally live her life and move on.
It can be a new start after all.
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It was already quarter to midnight yet she can't sleep, so she busied herself looking through the window where droplets of rain kept tapping on her window. It was still raining and its much worse compared earlier, the thunders are beginning to roar loudly as lighting goes by and the amount of rainfall just kept increasing. Like a monster lurking in a sea in its wake, the storm was a horrifying sight to Penelope.
Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a rather mysterious silhouette walking down the streets quietly fading in its surroundings as it walks near the light post.
'A man' she said in her mind, but she can't see his face because it's blurry. The said figure is somewhat looking around the place, searching for something or even someone. She saw the man's eyes as it glitters in worry. Its eyes lacking of any sign of hope.
'Poor him. If I were him, I would definitely stop searching and just go back home' she thought and shakes her head. Giving the strange man a concern glance, she was about to go to bed when she heard a horn.
She Immediately rushes up and looked out the window. Her eyes doubling in size as she saw a truck running towards the man.
The once worry in the man's eyes replaced with a lifeless hue.
"No!" She sat up in horror as she clutches her chest with a heavy breathing, it's not real. It can't be real.
She took a deep breath and looked at the window where she saw no sign of any man but the normal scene of the neighborhood at night. With furrowed eyebrows, she stands up and walked closer to the window yet she didn't notice that there is someone that had just entered in her room. A sudden tap on her shoulder made her head turn around abruptly.
"Mother! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Penelope exclaimed, and sighed in relief. I knew it, it just can't be real. Her mother just chuckled ruffling her hair "it's time to pack darling or you'll going to miss the train."
"Alright." Before her mother leaves her room, she suddenly remembered something and called her out-"mom" her mother turns her head and stared at Penelope with furrowed eyebrows.
"What is it, darling?" She asked as she completely turned back and approached her daughter in worry.
"Uh mom, by any chance..." She has to make sure "did any accident happened here last night?" Her mom gave her an incredulous stare, forming a thin line on her lips.
"Nothing darling, why?"
"Oh, never mind, mom." few seconds of silence and no one dared to open up the conversation again, but then-"mom, can you tell me what happened years ago because I can't just seem to understand anything about why I am locking myself in this goddamn room."
"Oh darling, it is better if you don't remember anymore. It was an incident back then and that's all I remembered. You know what darling? Let's just forget about this, okay? You are really going to miss the train." her mother laughed and Penelope can't herself to chuckle.
"Alright mom, I understand, it is just an incident, how dramatic am I just to isolate myself for years just because of a freaking incident." Yeah it has been just an incident.
Or is it?
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"I guess this is it really it." She signs "So goodbye mom and dad. I'll be going now." She said as she was standing outside, looking at her parents for the last time, holding her luggage tightly and waved at her parents for the last time as she walked away from them. But before she turned around, she noticed that her parents are smiling brightly and there is a content look at their eyes. 'Why are they so happy about this?' She mumbled brushing it off and walked away.
"Goodbye darling! We love you, forever!" Her parents said, waving at her with contended smile on their faces.
Finally.
They closed the door as they head back to their home. Heading the opposite path their daughter is taking. Penelope held his luggage tightly on her hands. It's a new start for me that's why they're happy, she reminds herself.
Yet if only she paid attention to her surroundings then she'll notice the odd glances by some people who passed her.