Chereads / Aphrodite: The Statue in the Forbidden Garden / Chapter 4 - The Secret Lurking in The Trance

Chapter 4 - The Secret Lurking in The Trance

Everyone was turning into red rose petals. Ariel is stunned. She spots the same Aphrodite painting from Mr. Doda's classroom. "How did that get there?" She whispers to herself. "It's happening again isn't it?" Her voice changed to annoyed. She moves closer to the auditorium stage, glancing at the Aphrodite painting. She can't help it: the beautiful strokes of the paintbrush colliding with the innocent canvas, the wooden frame that has the same age as the birth of wood. Ariel always had a soft heart for art, admiring just gives her more motivation to keep on chasing her dream. After admiring the painting, the auditorium doors open with force. Ariel's attention swiftly changes from the Aphrodite painting to the doors. She hears a swift, windy noise. Ariel looks back at the painting, "The painting... It's gone!"

Ariel can't believe the painting's gone, she was just looking at it a second ago. Then, Ariel hears a beautiful, angelic voice that's humming a tune so romantic, it messes with Ariel's mind. Ariel shakes off the daze. The rose petals construct a path that leads to the outside of the auditorium. Ariel follows the path of rose petals. Outside of the auditorium, the students are transforming into rose petals with the sight of Ariel. "Hey Oliver, can you see me?" She yells. Oliver is on the football team and one of Ariel's crushes. He's seen walking over to the main office with a summon slip in his hand. She sighs, "What's the point? All of high school he's been ignoring me just because I'm not the prettiest and the most popular." She turns into a ball and starts crying. The rose petals then construct a path that leads to the unknown. "Everyone is turning into rose petals when they see me. Nothing different; they just want to get away from me." She sobs. "Ugh, this isn't the time to start crying over a man who thinks I'm invisible," Ariel picks herself up and wipes off the tears from her face with the sleeve of her jean jacket. "I just gotta follow this rose petal path and hope it leads me to this whole trance mystery."

'Hmm, Oliver's petals aren't going to finish the path. I need more petals." Ariel seems more determined. "I know for a fact that the freshmen are probably in the bathrooms smoking and ditching the auditorium. Next place: the bathrooms." With more determination, she tries to leave the path, but there's a force that's keeping her from leaving. "What now? I can't leave this path?!" Ariel's voice sounds irritating. "How am I going to get more rose petals?"

Ariel is getting more impatient. "How haven't I left this trance already? Why isn't anyone trying to wake me up?" Ariel is starting to get more impatient since she's stuck in this trance. The angelic voice starts humming again a romantic tune, but this time, more petals start forming and completing the path. "Finally, the path is completing," Ariel says in a gracious voice. The path leads to the end of the hall. Ariel runs towards the hallway. Halfway before the end of the path, a beautiful woman with blonde hair wearing a chiton appears. Ariel sees her and stops. "Who is she?" Ariel asks in her mind. The woman appears in the left hall from Ariel. The woman walks, turning the corner. "I need to meet this lady. How is she in this trance?" The path opens up and Ariel runs and runs to try to catch up to the mysterious lady. Ariel turns the corner only to see the lady is not too far off. The path leads up to the lady, giving Ariel the green light. She sprints to meet this lady. When she's behind the woman, she's in awe of her beautiful chiton and long, blonde hair. "W-who are you?" Ariel stutters. The lady then turns around and stares at Ariel. With a smile, the mysterious says, "I am-" Ariel wakes up in anticipation and stares at the white ceiling.

"Ariel, you missed the presentation. You knocked out. Your friends were so worried about you and reported the incident. Ms. Silva, she's awake now." Mr. Doda said in an emotionless voice.

"Thank you, Mr. Doda. I'll call her aunt and let her know that she's awakened." Ms. Silva said in a relieved voice. "I'll let her friends in to talk to Ariel."

"Wait, I want to have a word alone with Ariel." Mr. Doda demanded. It's almost as Mr. Doda has everyone under his fingertips.

"Yes, of course, Mr. Doda. I'll give you a minute alone to catch up." Ms. Silva said in a smile while closing the door.

"Ariel, you have to be honest with me. I'm about to ask you a very important question." Mr. Doda said while having Ariel's face in between his two gigantic, cold hands. Ariel was half-dazed. "Ariel what did you see while blacked out?" His eyes widened. Ariel has never seen him this emotional before. "It's about the whole trance thing and Aphrodite thing isn't it?" Mr. Doda showed a shocked, worried expression. "Wait did you say, Aphrodite? Oh, this is bad, very bad. I knew it, but couldn't place my finger on it. Listen to me Ariel, what about to say to you is very important." Mr. Doda said while having his eyes widened. Before he could say anything else, Diana and Xiaba barged in.

"Okay, guys, it's been a minute and couldn't bear any longer," Diana said while hugging Ariel in the nurse's bed. "Hopefully it wasn't anything important," Diana said while shrugging her shoulders.

"Couldn't you knock first before just walking in?" Mr. Doda said irritated. "You're lucky that I can't give you an F in my class Xiaba." Mr. Doda walked out angrily.

"What's his problem anyway," Diana said. Xiaba and Diana laughed while Ariel was petrified.

"Were they eavesdropping? Do they know now? This has been a curse that's affecting me." Ariel said in her mind. She was getting sad.

"Awe what's wrong Ariel, please just tell us," Xiaba said while sounding worried.

"I just miss Krystal, that's all," Ariel said, her tone shifted from shocked to sad.

"We all miss her Ariel. We all love her. She's in our hearts," Xiaba said. They got together to hug. Ariel was sandwiched between Diana and Xiaba. Ariel closed her eyes while Diana was eyeing Xiaba. They both didn't know the reason why Ariel was sad and shocked, but it wasn't Krystal. Whatever Ariel was hiding, they were both determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.