WHEN THE SEA CALLS
Chapter 30: What is Going on?

Chapter 30: What is Going on?

Rhea could feel that something wasn’t right but could not say what it was.

"Did he say why?" She asked Celia, who shook her head.

"He did not say... I did not ask him either," Celia answered.

"You should have asked," Rhea answered.

"I don’t think he would say. My dad did not say either."

Rhea sighed. Something is definitely, wrong somewhere.

But what could that be? She wondered.

"Do you think it has something to do with the community meeting they had today?" Rosa asked.

Celia furrowed her brows. "There was a meeting?"

"You did not know? Your dad did not attend?"

Celia shook her head. "He wasn’t home last night. What was the meeting about?"

"I do not know much about it. I only overheard them talking about the pink cloud..."

Rhea blinked. The pink cloud she saw a few minutes ago?

She has thought about what it meant and why it showed up.

"But now that I am thinking about it, I think it has everything to do with the meeting," Rosa finished her sentence.

"Why did you say that?" Celia asked.

"This is the third time the cloud has shown up in the last few months. Two before you came. Anytime it shows up, there is always heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms. I think the rain lasts for..." She furrowed her brows. "Two days. It usually starts by 11 in the morning and falls for 48 hours."

Celia blinked. "Really?"

Rhea, who had been looking out through the window for the cloud, which was now gone, turned to face Rosa.

"You mean the cloud has appeared three times?"

Rosa nodded. "If I am not mistaken."

"And there are always thunderstorms?"

Rosa nodded. "Why are you asking?"

"Because I think the reason we are not going to school is because of the cloud."

Rosa nodded. "I can’t agree less."

"What if it isn’t?" Celia asked and they stared at her. "What if there is more to it?"

"You think there is?" Rosa asked.

"I am just wondering," Celia replied.

Rhea shook her head. "I do not think..."

Rosa’s phone began to ring. "It’s my dad. I have to go."

Rhea and Celia said their goodbyes to Rosa and then returned to the house while Rosa’s driver drove her back home.

"What do you think about the pink cloud?" Rhea asked.

Celia stared at the sky. "I don’t know."

They were standing in front of their house. "Do you think it’s more than just a pink cloud? What if..."

Celia hit her playfully. "What weird thoughts are you having?"

Rhea shook her head. "I am not having any."

How is she supposed to explain to Celia that she can sense there might be danger because of the pink cloud?

She doesn’t know why she feels that way though.

"Do you think they are indoors?" Celia asked, pointing at Alan and Reece’s door.

Rhea shrugged. "I do not know. You can go over to knock on it if you are that curious."

She was less worried about Alan and Reece and was more worried about the pink cloud which had now disappeared.

Celia scoffed. "Why should I do that?"

"Because you care so much about them."

"They are our neighbors. We should..."

"We should go in, Celia. Dad might be back soon."

Celia rolled her eyes but said nothing. They entered the house and Rhea dropped her bag on the couch.

"I am going to get a glass of milk," she said. "Do you need one too?"

Celia sat on the couch. "I don’t mind getting a glass too."

Rhea went to the kitchen to get two glasses of milk. She brought out two glass cups and decided to rinse them before use. She opened the tap and placed the glass cups under it. As she rinsed, the water suddenly went off.

Rhea tried all she could to bring the water back but nothing worked.

Maybe there is a problem. She thought.

She decided to tell Celia about it so they could tell their father as soon as possible to get it done. She was glad she had water in the glasses; she used that to rinse them. Rhea went to the refrigerator to get a bottle of milk. She heard the sound of running water.

The water is back. She thought.

She turned, staring at the sink but it was quiet. There wasn’t any sign of water running.

Maybe it’s her imagination.

She took a tray and placed the bottle of milk and the cups in it. She gave a last look at the sink before joining Celia in the living room.

"What took you so long?" Celia asked.

Rhea sat beside her. "I think there is something wrong with the tap. The water suddenly stopped running."

Celia stood up. "I will go check it."

She went to the kitchen and opened the tap; it was running perfectly.

"Rhea?" She called.

"Yes?"

"Did you not say that the tap is not running?"

"Yes."

"Well, I think it is."

Rhea shook her head. That can’t be.

She had tried it so many times and was sure that the water had stopped coming out. She stood up and went to the kitchen.

"Look," Celia said as she opened the tap.

Rhea’s eyes widened in shock. This is strange.

She moved closer to it and tried to open it herself.

It’s running perfectly.

"See, it’s running perfectly. But I will still ask Dad to check it though," Celia said.

"That will not be necessary," Rhea answered. "Maybe I saw it wrong."

They returned to the living room and she filled up Celia’s cup with milk and gave it to her. She also sat down to drink from hers.

She turned to face Celia. "Can we have breakfast now?"

Celia furrowed her brows. "But we already did."

"That was cereal. We need something more..."

Celia sighed. "Fine. I will make something nice. But you have to join me."

Rhea nodded. "That won’t be a problem."

Celia stood up. "I am heading to my room. Let’s meet in the kitchen in a few minutes."

Celia left for her room and Rhea returned the glasses to the kitchen. She opened the tap to rinse the cups, but water wasn’t forthcoming.

Is there something wrong with the tap, or is something wrong with her?

She closed and opened the tap so many times but no water came out. Rhea decided to use a bottle of water from the refrigerator instead but when she opened it and brought out a bottle, it was empty. She brought out all the bottles in it and they were all empty.

Rhea could bet that she saw water in them when they were in the refrigerator.

How could bottles filled with water suddenly become empty? Or could something be wrong with her sight? She thought.

She left the cups in the sink and also returned the bottles to the refrigerator before leaving the kitchen. She picked her bag up and headed to her room.

Rhea decided to go to the bathroom to see if the same thing would happen. She opened her shower and it came running.

Maybe the bottles were empty for real. She thought. And the tap has a fault.

She decided to take a quick shower and then change into something comfortable so she could join Celia in the kitchen.

Rhea stepped out of the shower when she was done and wrapped her hair with a towel. She left the bathroom and returned to her room.

Her window was opened; rays of light were shining into her room. Rhea went to close the window but noticed the pink cloud again.

Why is there a pink cloud again?

She stared at it for a while before closing her window.

"Rhea?" Someone called.

Rhea thought it was Celia, so she did not turn.

"Celia, what are you doing here?"

She waited for a reply, and when none came, she turned.

"Celia, why..."

On her bed sat a female, dressed in pink. Her face was covered; Rhea could hardly tell what her face looked like.

Rhea froze. Who is she? How did she get into her room?

"Who... who are you?" She stuttered. "How did you get into my room?"

"Who I am doesn’t matter. Go to the House of Seashells now! If you want to save your people."

Rhea furrowed her brows. Who are the people she needs to save? How did the strange woman know about the House of Seashells?

No one knew she named it that.

"What..."

The woman disappeared before Rhea could form her sentence. She groaned.

What is going on? Why does she keep seeing things?

She quickly got dressed and joined Celia in the kitchen. Celia had a bottle of water on the table and in a glass cup.

"Where did you get a bottle of water from? I thought there was..."

"From the refrigerator," Celia answered.

Rhea blinked. "What?"

"Why are you surprised? There are bottles of water in the fridge. Do you want one?"