*Smack*
"You are getting married next week and it's final!" Mr. Shizwell shouted after slapping his daughter on her face. Mrs. Shizwell started to cry, feeling helpless and not being able to help her daughter.
Elisa held her left cheek as she looked at her father with sad eyes and somewhere deep down Mr. Shizwell also felt guilty but would he show? No.
"You know when someone raises his voice or chooses violence, What does that mean?" Elisa said, looking deep into her father's eyes which were currently holding mixed emotions.
"It means that the person knows that he is wrong, and he can only become truthful by using power" Elisa said as Mr. Shizwell froze at his spot.
He knew...he knew he was wrong, but was it worth slapping his daughter? No one knows. Not even his own self.
Elisa took one little glance at her mother before dashing upstairs. Mrs. Shizwell dropped on the ground while crying her heart out whereas Mr. Shizwell was feeling an emotion he didn't know what to call.
Little did everyone notice that all this commotion woke up Mrs. Williams, who witnessed every single thing.
It broke her heart to see a once happy family breaking apart like that, a once happy child, a once loving mother, a once caring father who secretly took care of everyone without letting anyone notice, a once smiling family is now crying their heart out. The walls that held the giggles are now replaced with silent cries...all for what?
Everyone was in their own cell of pain. Each one thought that their pain was incomparable. Some are broken by heart while some are broken by soul. Some are smiling through pain while some have made pain their practice.
Every single soul out there is broken. Happiness is just an exterior, what is inside? Only the keeper knows. One and all are drowned in agony and think that they are the synonym of suffering but did they ever think why they were in pain?
Why did they let it take over them? Did they ever want to know the pain others were in? Did a mother ever try to learn why...why is her child depressed? Or did a child ever try to find out why his mother was in misery?
No...Why? Because to think that way they had to let go of their pain which they were bound to and the darkness that surrounded them never gave them the authority to step out to the light they were missing out all their lives due to the agony 'they thought' they were in.
But in reality all they need is to step forward to the light and see how many more are like them who need someone to take them out of the darkness that engulfed them. The choice is theirs, whether to wait for the hand to reach up to them or...be that hand.
*Knock Knock*
A knock on the door of Elisa's room got the attention of the crying girl. She stood up before wiping her almost dried tears as she slowly extended her steps towards the door. She opened the door which revealed Mrs. Williams with a sad expression.
"Can I come in?...Lisa?" she softly asked as Elisa slightly nodded before turning back, making her way towards her bed.
Mrs. Williams closed the door as she moved forward and settled down beside Elisa who was blankly looking in a specific direction.
"Lisa?" Mrs. Williams softly called out as Elisa hummed in response.
Mrs. Williams sighed before taking Elisa's hand in hers, catching Elisa's attention. Elisa looked at her with blank eyes whereas Mrs. Williams looked at her with eyes filled with love, care and sadness.
"Don't give me those eyes young lady! It was already hard enough for me to see those eyes daily eight years ago, I don't have the willpower to handle those emotionless eyes anymore. I want my cheerful Elisa back!" Mrs. Williams complained as Elisa stared at her for a while before passing her a weak smile.
"A smile suits you way better than these hurtful tears" Mrs. Williams said, caressing Elisa's dried tears as Elisa looked down, not knowing how to answer.
"Lisa, I witnessed everything and what is currently happening, it's definitely not right. How everyone acted, how Mr. James acted...it was not right at all, but Lisa...Parents never want to hurt their child. What Mr. James did is definitely wrong but maybe...just maybe his intention is not. Maybe he thinks this is good for you and couldn't find the right words to describe it." Mrs. Williams calmly said.
"So, you are here to make me realise my mistake? Are you also going to say that I should compromise yet again, like every time before?" Elisa asked, still not looking her in the eyes.
"No, definitely not! I definitely do not support Mr. James in this one. You don't have to compromise, you have compromised enough." Mrs. William said as Elisa turned her gaze from the ground towards Mrs. Williams.
"What your father is doing is not right! Marrying off a nineteen-year-old kid who is still a junior at the university is not right! That too without her consent? And for Rosella to be quiet in this matter is more wrong!"
Mrs. Williams said in an angry tone whereas Elisa looked at her with amusement since Mrs. Williams always takes her father's side but today was different.
"I know life is hard, sometimes too hard, but don't don't forget God always has plans. If he is putting you through this terrible test, just remember that he knows your abilities, he knows you can overcome it and not only simply but you will ace it. God never puts someone through an examination without knowing their strengths and weaknesses.
These tests are for you to overcome your weaknesses and become indestructible. Everything is already destined and maybe...just maybe, this might be the best decision for you. Maybe this is where your life's new chapter starts...the one with the...uh...what do you kids say nowadays? Yeah, roller coaster ride." Mrs. Williams said as Elisa let out a chuckle.
"Life is never perfect. There are ups and downs, lefts and rights, east and south, north and west-"
"Aunty~" Elisa whined as Mrs. Williams laughed.
"Sorry sorry, okay so as I was saying, there are always ups and downs in life. There are moments you are the happiest and also the moments you never wish to experience. There are moments when you're the strongest and also moments when you are your weakest version, but do these things stop you from living your life?"
Mrs. Williams asked as Elisa slowly shook her head side to side making Mrs. Williams smile.
"No right? So think of this as an opportunity." Mrs. Williams said as Elisa looked at her, confused.
"What type of opportunity?" Elisa asked.
"An opportunity to explore the world, to explore something you never experienced, to know something you never knew or never wanted to know, to find the peace you were looking for, to find the truth that's been hidden till date, to find the reason to live on for..." Mrs. Williams said as Elisa looked at her with an expression she herself wasn't aware of.
"The truth..." Elisa said as she got lost in her thoughts.
"Maybe reality isn't as hurtful as you think. There are most of the times where reality hurts but don't forget, there are also times when reality is the most fruitful thing you ever experience. Sometimes reality becomes forgotten nightmares whereas the longed fantasy becomes your beautiful reality, don't ever forget that"
Mrs. Williams said with a smile before standing up.
"I hope you give a serious thought to my words" she said before exiting the room, leaving Elisa alone in her room.
"Longed fantasy, huh?..." Elisa mumbled while looking at the glowing moon in the starry night sky.