FOUR DAYS AGO
When we finally got to Bali I was ready for the trip to be over. I had not had a wink of sleep since we encountered the turbulence. My tired brain and oxygen deprived brain was beginning to play tricks on me, creating goddesses in the shadows. We had experienced minor disruptions along the journey that had us arriving a day late. So when I walked up the stairs of the luxurious beach house only to be ushered in by a bewildered butler I knew something was wrong.
I found myself for the millionth time in a span of less than half a year having something that could only be described as a panic attack. As I stood there hyperventilating, as the banshee in my head showcased her true talent, I saw her again. Huge as a mountain and yet her face was still visible to me. She stood there sparking the air around us and finally there in the throes of what could only be processed by my logical mind as an hallucination. Therein I found my peace.
For the first time since Monica reappeared in my house I finally had a peaceful sleep devoid of nightmares. All the building anxiety, constant paralysis from terror everyday. The constant screaming that had somehow blended into the chaos of mind, had all disappeared. It was as if a door was open, one that I had accidentally closed. For in the light there was no room for fear and doubt. In the light that once again shone in my mind there was a blessed numbness and indifference. For the first time since I hid in the closet, I felt in control again. That night I dreamt of a field of lilac flowers as far as the eyes could see. I was lying on the soft undergrowth looking at a perfectly blue sky as the sun shone on my skin. the cool breeze soothed my body and carried with it the scent of lavender.
I woke at three in the morning like clock work and set about my morning routine. Four hours of fighting my demons as I practiced the combat skills I was taught. Ten minutes of soaking under freezing water before I set about my skin care routine. I spent an hour of that morning scrubbing and plucking away at my face until it gleamed with health. There was a man waiting for when I finally came down for a meal. As soon as he spotted me he was up on his feet.
He was Asian from the looks of it. Handsome beyond reproach and yet carried with him an air of superiority that could make kings jealous. He gave me a curt bow before extending his hands to me.
"Hello" He broke out in Korean.
" Oh! Hello." I replied failing to nail the accent.
"Who are you?" I asked more out of curiosity than anything else. This man would have made a killing as a Korean idol. However, something about the way he carried himself gave a wordless warning to tread with caution.
"I am Monica's friend. You can call me Park. It's a pleasure to meet you"
"I am Monica's girlfriend. My name us Melancholy. The pleasure is mine. That's also where my Korean ends. So maybe I should get a translator."
"You are better than I expected. Which is not saying much because I was expecting nothing."
"Wow, thank you for the compliment son of a bitch."
"The bitch bites...How surprising.'
'Where is she? Why are you here instead of her!"
"Clever just like I've heard. She is...ummm... otherwise preoccupied. She can't come to you so you will have to go to her."
"To her?... To the very dangerous place that can't even be mentioned over the phone for security purposes. That place?'
"Why are you scared?"
"First of all Park. I am not scared, that word doesn't even exist in my vocabulary." I lied through my teeth hopping he would not notice.
"Second of all, how do I know she sent you. Monica doesn't even tolerate the idea of us together in a dangerous place. What? Am I supposed to just take your word for it and just follow you."
Mr Park smiled then. An award winning, Nobel prize deserving smile that robbed me of my breath. As if the unwarranted assault was not enough, he raised his left brow and for a second I passed out. It should have been illegal for anyone to look as beautiful as he did in that moment. The look of arrogance he gave me showed he was well aware of the effect he was having on me.
He picked up his phone from the table, searched up something before passing me the phone. It was a recording of Monica and park. It was a ten second clip in which Monica said to trust him. It could have been doctored, or Monica could have been forced to make the video. There was no guarantee that this man was who he said he was but I packed my bags and followed him irregardless. If I was going to die might as well be killed by this very attractive man.
A thirty minutes drive had us stopping at a train terminal. I waited as Park sorted his vehicle before boarding after him. Park had gotten us first class tickets that gave us access to sleeping cabins. Although I was far from tired,I found immense appeal from the idea of being isolated for the rest of the trip. Therefore when he suggested it, I was more than happy to follow him to the small secluded space.
He passed out as soon as he hit the bed. I was left admiring his impossible face. Even when the goddess appear I glued my eyes to his face not caring to indulge my fraying mind. I had no idea where we were going but I was ashamed to say I would have followed this handsome stranger anywhere. For in his face, for the whole world to see, was god's favor.