Their dreams to Heaven
Written by
Linda Woo

( 1,355 words)
The gray moss-covered structure stood silent listening to the howling of the wind. Swept pass are the dried leaves shaken off from the dying branches of the near by oak tree. The gate, cast aside and rotting in rust, swayed to the wind, creaking at each blow. The sunsets was not sumblimely watchable from this spot, only graying skies and the darker darkness.

Cold an bitter, I was on my venture into my childhood fears. Being told the tales of horror by the spread words of haunting activities in the near by village mansion, not heard anyone dares to defy the properties of once the Penghulu…and once the mistress found dead.

Grasping onto a packet of white bread. Well, not exactly grind and baked till the perfection served at high tea. But just a bread for the soul, eatable and it contents hunger. Leaping through the tore down gate, I turned around anxiously double checking that no one was on my trail. Chillingly, the wind howl even louder against my entrance into the dark freaky house.

There I was, standing in the middle of the hallway. The house was once a grandeur mansion of a mistress of a British Colonial. Her life span here was unexpectedly short. Not long after her presence, she was found floating on the swimming pool… dead. Coincidentally, her servant was off to the town for groceries utensils. And her body was only discovered three days later. Believed was the Penghulu who came back for revenge after he was tortured to death by protesting on her claim on his ancestral land.

Was the house really haunted? The question spun in my mind as I hint my way to the kitchen. The darkness really blew off my navigation, I couldn’t see a thing yet to feel the surrounding walls, the mansion was really huge to my guess. Suddenly, a loud crash was heard from the kitchen area. I jumped up for a while, then realized I was only scaring myself. I then only realized that the sinisting haunt was just the Vietnamese refugee for shelter.

I rushed over quickly, scrambling my feet through the wreck supply of the mansion and tumbled over the threshold of the kitchen door entrance. Their eyes lit upon my arrival as the packet fell open and chain of bread rolled towards their feastful eyes.

Yingna, the eldest among came over and offered assistant. She stared at me while giggling on my clumsiness. I managed to get up limping for their happiness, a radiant smile came on each an every one of them and Yingna started chanting while the rest chorus. The bitter cold night turned warm and the moon fluttered beamingly over us. They cheered an so I thought expressed their gratitude through placing their hands on my chest then a warm smile. We barely speak, even among themselves, they only giggle at me and exchange facial expressions. I was resting on a wooden pillar, I leaned forward and tried talking," Hi, my name is Lee…" echoing back are their slow pace pronunciation trying to pronounce my name.

The entire night, we exchange only few simple greetings and laughters over funny facial expressions. We laughed over the slightest movement, the slightest smile and even a nodding. Of course nothing was really funny, but that’s the way we felt closer and linked to each other in our hearts. Yingna came over beside me, dragging my sleeve, she hinted I should follow her and that she wanted to show me something. We moved over to the living room where she pointed a big dusty cover in front of us. Using her elbow, she scrubbed away the dusty surface and an image of a land of green fields and happy people showed. I guessed her dream was to be there some day. But one thing she doesn’t know is that was everybody’s dream… to go to heaven.

We went moon gazing, the biggest night light that you can see the person you miss the most. Their heart sank staring the full moon filling. Cluster of clouds flew by, mystifying, and made all of us wonder. I then realized I have to be back home before my mother finds out about my disappearance. Bidding farewell, I pace home promising to be back with more food the next day.

Set detention the next morning for three consecutive yawning in class, my school hours lasted till 3 in the afternoon. I still remember the first time I met them, it was only two days ago and yet their presence in my life was mesmerizing. Yingna was the eldest sister among them with a total of other 4 brother and sisters. They venture over through an illegal boat ride over which they pay with every jewelry they brought a long. They came here drenched and had not shelter, fear of the government and was hungry for three days until I found them.

Yingna came crying over my shoulders the first time I found them drenched in tattered clothing at the small bamboo shelter near the river bank. Seems like she was raped by the boat men. 5 of them went hungry for more than a week, with only mother’s nature polluted water as a source of quench, their lips dried for cleaner water, stomachs growled for the least bit of food.

The clock ticked slowly, five more minutes and it’s "Merdeka". When I was let free, my heart ran wilder than ever, stepping out of the school means flying out of hell, I ran like flew gracefullly over the vast piece of grassy field heading towards home. Untamely, I dumped my bag on the doorstep of my house and paced towards the house. Leaving behind the echoes of worry, my mother went repeating questioning my departure just after my arrival. She never did get the answer.

To my the sun shines brighter than ever before to me. As I leap over the gate and skipped in. I found emptiness. The sunlight shone through the stain glass, I walked aimlessly over the reflection of the stain glasses….aimlessly towards the kitchen. Seeing no one, I turned and paced out frantically searching for them.

My face frowned as I called out for Yingna. " Young man, what are you doing here?" an Old man asked suddenly appearing behind me giving me a warm reception and a patted on my shoulder. He looks thin and fleshless…

" Uncle… have you seen children?" I counter asked.

" Ah… children, cute children?" laughed the Old man, " Ah… they are gone, taken away… far far away…" He walked away laughing.

Their disappearance was disappointing indeed. Later, I’ve found out that they were sent to the refugee center by a midnight raiding squad.

Today, I walked in again, it was only 2 in the afternoon. Early, the sun shone with volume of sudden brightness and sudden dimness. Dumbfounded, I saw the old man inside again. He was there, sitting on the rocking chair and welcomed me inside for tea.

" See my house… so beautiful" he said while handing a cup of tea for me," I’ve taken care of them well in their duration of stay in here…but the authorities has taken them away…what to do?"

Suspiciously, I asked him, " Are you the Penghulu?"

Cold wind made way through me as I felt goose bumps popping all over. He just gently smiled and put down his cup. He then rose from the rocking chair and walked towards me. Patting his wrinkled hand on my shoulder he told me:

" Never seen life a dead path, there’s always the smallest loops to be squeezed pass, how do you know you can’t or if you are too fat to do so? Hah, if you think so that means you’re the biggest liar in the world."

~END~