"Open your eyes, Sara"
"Sara, come on....."
I started hearing faint voices. My eyelids all of sudden weighed a lot that it took me some effort to open my eyes and look around. Around me were four worried faces which belonged to my four friends. Ann sighed heavily, Flores was clutching a mug of water, Lavinia looked petrified but Christina somehow was looking at me curiously. I was on my bed. And then everything floated back to me. Alsace, she was about to say me something and I had passed out, didn't I? I felt breathless. Where was Alsace? Where did she just disappear? Gods, where was she? I don't know why but all my concern floated onto Alsace.
"Alsace, where are you?"- I blurted. And that was a great mistake. Because, Ann, Flores, Lavinia, Christina; all those eyes were on me. Looking suspiciously.
"I think she has lost her senses."- Christina said, looking closely at me.
"Go to sleep, Sara. You have hit your head badly."- Lavinia said, pulling up my sheets over my body.
"Sara, there's class today we are going. We'll come and check on you during leisure, okay. Don't worry."- Flores said.
"Sara, do you feel, it would be better if we just went to the nurse room?"- Ann asked.
I shook my head and replied- "No Ann, I'm better now. You guys carry on."
She nodded her head in agreement and said- "Take care of yourself." I assured her with a thumbs-up
As soon as, the door was closed, my thoughts flew back to yesterday's events.
"What's happening with me?"- I thought. A moment before I was standing and talking with Alsace, and then suddenly I faint and then I see my friends. And now I'm all alone.
Suddenly a call "Sara."
I turned back. It was she again; Alsace.
"Should I continue with my story?"-she asked. Today, her figure was much more clear. She wore a black silk dress touching the tips of her ankles. Her face was glittering, and the kind of hungry and sad look in her eyes, made me feel uneasy.
"Go on."-I replied her in anxiety (Though, I had no guarantee where it would all end.)
"In the previous life, we were born to Mr Davidel Com and Mrs Mary Davidel Com. They named us Alsace and Amy- which in this life is Janet and Ann. When we were six years old we were sent to a school. After 7 years my father met with an accident in which we had to amputate his leg. Two years later my mom died due to a rare disease that affects the brain. She suffered a lot before finally getting eternal peace. Shocked by my mom's death my father became a drunkard. A few years later he too left us and we became orphans. The journey from a state, where anything could be ours, to a state where we couldn't even dream of a thing did have a long-lasting effect on us-"
Suddenly Christina came in and Alsace disappeared in thin air.
She grinned and said-"Slipped from the class. Thought to see you!!"
"Ohh thank you. Now can you leave us alone in peace?"- My face glinted with anger. I could feel it. Revenge taking over me. For a moment, I felt like strangling Christina for interrupting us.
"Sara, are you alright? Us? What's wrong with you?"- She asked again, smiling.
"Christina, If you are gonna go on interrupting my sleep, then I am going to be madder, okay. So just leave me, will you?"- Those sentences were never said intentionally.
She looked at me in a kind of surprise and slammed the door shut. Right then, I felt so bad at my self, I shouldn't have done it. It was so rude of me to talk like that. I walked towards the door. I thought of following Christina and saying sorry to her. But.
"Sara, where are you going?"- Alsace asked, her face sparkling with a smile(Her face was still misty)
"I think I ought to say sorry. That's not good of me to say like that."- I don't know what made me explain her, but I did.
"You didn't do anything wrong. It was wrong of her to interrupt us, wasn't it?"- She still spoke in the clam way.
I thought for a second. The rational part of me said- That's her mistake, you don't have to apologise.
But a small part of me did say- You have to, it isn't your way of behaving in such a manner to others. Especially when she sneaked out of the class to check after you. You are to be sorry.
But I followed the rational part. I went back and sat on my bunk and replied to a waiting Alsace.
"Continue"
" That's my girl."- I cast a look at her which made her continue with her "previous - life story".
"During those years of adverse pain and sufferings, Amy was affected by a bacterial infection. When I told this to my aunt and uncle who were taking care of us; they said that it might be a fever or something and did nothing about it. A few days later she fell very, very sick. S-she couldn't even swallow water. Days later she vomited blood while she was resting on my lap."- At this, her voice broke and she sobbed (Could ghosts sob?)
I didn't know how to console a person when they were sobbing, especially when the person was a ghost. But the sound of her crying made me feel like my own sister just died. I stared at her, unable to process a way of consoling.
"Ohh, I'm sorry Sara. I lost myself."- She said, her voice quavering.
"We immediately took her to the hospital. But o-on the way i-itself, she j-joined my parents leaving me all alone in that large world. After her death, I felt weird, wherever I looked, I saw Amy. I felt her absence in my life. When I came to know that Amy had taken birth in this life as Ann, my heart rejoiced. I thought everything would become like it was. But Janet, died before Ann came here. And again I failed. I want to see my sister, Sara. I want to hug her tightly. I want to see my Amy smiling and laughing like before. And for that, I need your help, Sara. Only, you can help me, Only you."
"But how can I help you?"- I asked sceptically.
"I myself can't get any closer to Ann. Through you, I can get closer to Ann."
I stared at her for some time. She too, maintained silence. And then I made up my mind.
"I need time to think."-I said.
"Thanks a lot, Sara. I will give you three days. Think over it and say me the answer on the 3rd night I come to you."- saying this, she disappeared.
At first, I thought it would be foolish to promise her. For two restless days and nights, I kept thinking over it. My friends did doubt me, but I felt this more important than everything. At last, that day came; I had to say my answer. The previous night I thought seriously about it. If I promise her YES, then she will just get in through me and see Ann. She wouldn't cause any harm. I don't know how it feels when your sister dies ( Cauz I never had one), but I do know, how bad it felt when you lose someone who was your life. It was her request for me. How could I deny it?
The next morning I acted a severe headache and took leave from my school. I waited for her. Hours later when I was on my bed, I heard a sizzling sound. I turned behind to meet Alsace.
"What is your answer, Sara?"- Today her voice seemed so happy about something. Did she know my answer already? Nah, no way.
"Okay, I am promising you but only in one condition; you should not harm anyone in here. You come through me, see Ann... I mean Amy and you leave me. If this is your plan then okay, but if this is not then I wouldn't allow it." – I replied.
"I agree, Sara. I am glad that you allowed me. Thank you, Sara. Hope I could hug you!"- She said, too over-excited.
There wasn't a lot to speak to each other. After few seconds of staring, Alsace bid goodbye. and just disappeared, leaving a very little amount of mist behind. I stared at the place, where Alsace was standing a moment ago. My brain rejoiced on the fact that I was able to help her, but my heart; I felt as though there was something wrong in this.
**********
To be continued...Stay Tuned.