june 16, 2015.  

"You're still packing?" Serena asked her sister, Melanie, upon coming to Melanie's room.

"Yeah, I don't know what to pack." Melanie answered nonchalantly while placing several things into her large suitcase.

Serena rolled her eyes, but watched from the doorway.

"We leave in like less than five hours."

"Chill. It's not like we're in a hurry. Everyone else is still packing before heading to Pelias."

"Wow, seriously? I can't believe I let you drag me along with this."

"You ended up agreeing on your own accord so it's too late for you to back up."

"I know. Anyways, is your Mr. Handsome gonna be there, too?"

Melanie looked up at her sister with a playful look.

"Mmhmm. So is your Mr. Cutie."

She also noticed her sister also wearing the outfit picked for the trip.

"I didn't think the outfit would suit you, but it's nice."

Serena rolled her eyes.

"I have to wear this since all the staff and volunteers are wearing the same thing to keep track of who is who. Also, I said the guy was just cute one time and you're already shipping me."

"Because I'm sure that Rhydian thinks you're cute, too."

"Eww, stop. I hardly know the guy."

"Yeah, yeah, but you pretty much impressed him when you threw the baseball towards him."

"I'm pretty sure it's because he's not that athletic at all. That's why."

"True. Anyways, yeah, all the kids are wearing different color shirts that's not blue. But yeah, I think I'm done. Let's pack up and we can head on over to Pelias early."

"Alright, cool."

Serena left and on her way to her own room she heard something dropping to the floor in another part of their house. When she went to check she saw that there were a couple people she's never seen people ransacking through their things.

"Who are you guys and what are you doing in my house?" She asked them in a firm yet loud tone despite feeling scared, but discreetly tried to find something to defend herself with.

"You said that no one would be home." One of them said to the others.

"The boss said no one would be home." Another responded.

"Re, what's going on?" Melanie asked from behind her upon hearing her sister's loud voice.

When Melanie noticed the people her face became confused upon recognizing them.

"What are you guys doing here? Aren't y'all supposed to be at the resort getting everything ready with Dene and Dana?"

". I thought she was with the kids." One of them spoke while looking at the others as another groaned.

"She was supposed to be with Minjun and Mika getting the rentals."

"Wait. You know them?" Serena asked while turning to her sister.

Before Serena could suddenly warn her sister about someone coming up from behind her and before Melanie could even reply to Serena she was hit hard from behind from a fourth stranger.

"Me-"

Serena was hit from behind a second later.

"Why. Are. Yo..." Melanie said in-between breaths before trailing off not finishing the rest of her sentence as she became unconscious.

"Wait, no, M..."

Serena struggled to stay conscious, but continued to fight it off. She slowly crawled towards her sister.

"Stay down already." A woman's voice told her before kicking her.

Serena flinched in pain while crouching into a fetal position to subdue the pain from the kick to her stomach. Serena groaned in pain while trying to stay awake and tried to focus on the intruders, but her vision blurred and she everything was hazy. The only thing for sure was that there was four of them. One female and the rest male.

"Great."

The sound of a new voice caught her attention as it sounded awfully familiar. Now there were four males and one female. She tried to locate the person, but slowly grew more sleepy.

"Now they know who we are."

"What should we do?"The female asked.

"Obviously put them to sleep."

The same person from before spoke and Serena felt a slight sting somewhere on her body a moment later before succumbing to darkness.

The pair of sisters awoke some time later not aware of their unfamiliar surrounding or the events that had led up to it now. They were not in their home and their memory was fuzzy and hazy. It felt like they were in some gray and airy space, but they weren't sure of it.

"Where are we?" Melanie asked while looking around them. "Are we dead?"

Serena gazed about her with a shake of her head equally confused.

"I don't know. I can't remember anything."

"I can't remember anything either. I just remember only you."

Melanie looked at Serena with confusion before gazing at the now changed scenery of a green meadow below her and the blue sky above her. Everything seemed endless and it was just the two of them in this too quiet of a place. The pair also noticed their outfits before it changed from black pants and a blue t-shirt with the words 'Pelias Happiness' in curvy and white font to a plain gray t-shirt and pants. The previous clothes didn't ring a bell. The new set didn't make any sense. Nothing did. All they knew was what was happening in the moment. Serena noticed fear settling in her sister's face and tried to reassured Melanie.

"Don't worry, Mel. Everything will be just fine."

"I don't feel fine, Re. I can't help but worry." Melanie admitted as tears began to form.

Something tug in Serena's chest and she didn't know how to comfort her sister without her own worries creeping upon her. Serena realized that fear had slowly crept upon her, too. Still she tried to keep on a brave facade to ease her own sister's fear of whatever was happening just now. Soon enough the sisters heard several sounds going on at once along with the weather changing. A strong breeze began to blow around them and the sky suddenly grew darker than before. It sounded like bells ringing and sirens wailing and the pair had no idea what was going on.

"Don't worry, Melanie. It'll all just be fine," Serena reassured her sister despite sudden tears slowly cascading down her cheeks, "Okay?"

"Okay," Melanie responded as tears also cascaded down her cheeks, "It'll all be fine, Serena."

Serena smiled weakly having suddenly felt an impending moment was about to creep upon her. Just as she had reached out to hold her sister's hand the winds grew stronger.

"Melanie!" Serena exclaimed in panicked as she clutched her sister's hand tightly.

Just as Melanie was about to do the same thing a hole in the sky suddenly opened up and Serena into it leaving Melanie to desperately cry out for her sister knowing that she'll never get an answer back.

"Serena! Serena!"

Melanie yelled up to the now quiet and empty sky with arms outstretched.

"Serena!"

A moment later Melanie instantly grew dizzy and her vision blurred. She crashed onto the now flower filled meadow that began to bloom around her. Her eyes caught sight of a forget-me-not before losing herself to sleep.

"Rest now, child. Be at peace. The time will come when your sister has paid her dues for the both of you." An old man named Yue Lao spoke into the air as he motioned with his left arm around within the air.

Melanie's body re-positioned itself to lie upon her back instead and her previous clothes transformed into an elegant yet simple dress of shades of blue while being enclosed inside a glass-like box with more flowers growing alongside it.

"For now, you'll enjoy Eternal Twilight in a different form until then."

Yue Lao sadly cast a smile upon the slumbering Melanie before motioning with his right hand and the glass-filled box Melanie disappeared into another hole opened within the sky just like Serena before her.

 

june 19, 2015. 

"Serena."

A soft yet unfamiliar male voice called out to Serena, but she barely stirred to the sound of it.

"Serena."

The same voice called out to her again, but this time she stirred yet she couldn't really wake herself to see who was calling out to her.

"Serena."

The male voice came again. She moved to the left and right, but was still unable to open her eyes.

"Hey."

She willed herself to open her eyes, to move more than she could, but it was inevitable.

"Hey."

The unfamiliar voice was so soft, yet calming at the same time.

"Can you hear me?"

She wanted to reply that she could and ask who he was, but nothing came out.

"Don't worry."

He assured her.

"I can still hear you."

His tone remained the same every time he spoke to her, but it made her more anxious to actually respond and wanting to see him more.

"It's okay, Serena."

It still didn't ease her as she was still unable to look for the source of the voice or even open her eyes. The tone was so soothing though.

"It's going to be alright, Serena."

The same voice continued to reassure her and eventually it began to calm her down despite not being to see or speak to him.

"Everything will be fine, Serena."

Still Serena didn't understand why she couldn't move about or even open her eyes despite trying to. Who was he and where was she?

"You'll find out soon enough."

Serena assumed that he could hear her thoughts and wanted to ask him something, but he spoke again.

"Don't forget."

Serena still her movements. What did he mean to not forget. Was she supposed to remember something important? Serena's mind buzz with thoughts as everything felt jumbled and all over the place. Why couldn't she recall who the voice belonged to? Why couldn't she move? Why couldn't she even open her eyes? She wondered about so many things, but was left with more questions than answers.

"All in due time."

Came the male voice and it calmed Serena once more. Still she wanted to know who he was and how he knew her.

"We'll meet in another time and place."

He responded which helped Serena to slowly breathed in and out while letting her mind settled down.

"Now, take my hand."

The male voice spoke again and this time around Serena felt her arm rising involuntarily to reach out towards the hand that was coming towards her. She tried to pull it back, but it moved on its own accord. What was going on? How could she not control her own movements?

"Trust me, Serena."

After those words were said did Serena's hand meet the ones offered to her did she actually wake up to her own present state.

Serena's eyes shot opened as she stared at the white ceiling above her and shielded her eyes a second later due to its sudden brightness. She counted to ten and eased her breathing before tentatively opening her eyes again. Everything just seemed so white and bright. Where was she?

"Where am I?" Serena asked to no one in particular.

"You're awake!"

Two female voices exclaimed and Serena slowly turned towards the sound to find her close friend, Praya, and aunt, Eugenia, sitting beside her bed.

"Praya? Aunt Eugenia?"

Serena was confused and looked about her while trying to sit up. She realized she was in the hospital and a patient.

"What happened? What am I doing here?"

"Re, you were hit in the head during a burglary a few days ago." Praya informed her while Eugenia placed her own hand into Serena's to comfort her with the next words she was about to reveal.

"Honey, you and Melanie we-"

Upon hearing her sister's name did Serena become alert. Something within her kicked in protective mode and she panicked wanting to know about her sister's condition and whereabouts.

"What about Melanie? Where is she? Is Melanie fine? Please tell me she's alright, Aunt Eugenia."

She gazed at her aunt who seemed just as melancholy as she was. Serena shifted her attention to her friend for answers.

"Ya, please tell me that Melanie is unharmed and safe somewhere that's not here."

Praya gaze at her friend with a forlorn expression as well. She didn't have the heart to tell Serena the truth just like Eugenia. The silence confirmed something was not right with Melanie and Serena's face became one of panicked and worried.

"Please." Serena pleaded for one of them to tell her the truth.

Just as they had opened their mouth to speak, someone else spoke instead.

"Your sister's in critical condition."

Serena whipped her head to the new voice and saw that it was her father, Dilok, with a stoic expression.

"You're lying."

Serena denied the reality of it all.

"No she's not. You're lying."

"We'll speak when you're calm and not hysteric since you just woke up. Now rest." Dilok ordered before glancing over at Praya. "I believe that visitation hours is over, Ms. Nataya."

Please log in to read the full chapter