WHEN THE SEA CALLS
Chapter 36: The Strange Dream

Chapter 36: The Strange Dream

Rhea returned home with Celia after they had gotten everything they needed from the mall. They got to the house to meet their father. He was already preparing dinner. They were shocked to see him.

"You got back home very early today, Dad. Is there a problem?" Rhea asked in curiosity, after exchanging greetings with her father.

Celia nodded in agreement. She was curious too.

Their father, seeing the curiosity on their faces, smiled. "Everything is fine. I got my leave today. I will be home for two weeks."

Rhea and Celia were very happy. Their father’s birthday is in nine days. It was also on a weekend. They were glad they would be able to celebrate with him at home.

"That is good news," Celia said and Rhea nodded.

Of course, it is.

"Dinner is almost ready. You should head to your room and change," their father said.

Celia and Rhea headed to their rooms to take their bath and change into something comfortable. When Rhea got to her room, she dropped her bag on the table and lay down on the bed. She was tired from shopping and hungry too.

She closed her eyes to rest for a bit; she could wash herself and get dressed after that.

Rhea was falling asleep when she heard a sudden knock on her door and that woke her up. She sat up.

"Celia?" She called rubbing her eyes.

She waited for Celia to either open the door and come in or answer her call but she did none.

"Celia?" She called again, but there wasn’t any response, only a slight knock.

If it is not Celia, then who could be knocking on her door? Rhea wondered. Could it be their father?

"Dad?" She called but no response came.

Rhea became worried. She stood up quickly to open the door. She got to the door and tried to open it but it was locked.

Rhea hit the door slightly. "Celia?" She called. "Dad?"

She began to hit the door loudly when she heard no response. She was scared. She kept hitting the door, hoping there would be a response, but not came.

What could be going on? She wondered, her heart beating.

She got tired of hitting the door and sat down on the floor, giving up on leaving the room.

She thought about what could have happened to her father and Celia.

Where could they be and why is her door locked? Why are they not answering her no matter how much she hit the door and shouted?

Rhea heard a knock on the door again and she stood up quickly.

Who could be knocking? Is it Celia or their Dad?

"Celia? Dad?" She called but she heard no response.

She decided to open the door once more; maybe she would succeed this time. She did.

The door gave way and she opened it. Rhea walked out of her room. The hallway was empty. She headed to Celia’s room first.

She needed to know what was going on with her. She knocked on Celia’s door but no response came. Rhea opened the door and walked in. She froze.

Celia’s room was different from what she knew it to be. Not only were the decorations and designs different, she could tell there was something different about it.

Rhea looked around in confusion. Did she enter the wrong room? Or could she be hallucinating?

She saw her pictures on the wall and she furrowed her brows.

Why are there pictures of her on the wall? Does the room belong to her and not Celia?

She moved closer to them and blinked. A tail? When did she have a fishtail?

She stared at her legs and then at the pictures on the wall.

What is going on?

Rhea realized the person in the pictures though looked so much like her, was older.

Could this be the older version of her? Maybe her future self?

Rhea shook her head. She must be hallucinating.

She left the room and headed downstairs, calling Celia’s name.

She got to the living room and realized it was different, too, from the decorations to the interior designs. Rhea was shocked and scared. She headed to the kitchen to see what had changed about it. It was the same as she knew it to be.

She breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she was really hallucinating about everything.

But where is Celia and their Dad? She thought. Maybe they went out.

She moved closer to the closed pot and opened it. She remembered her father was making dinner before she went upstairs with Celia to change. The pot was empty.

Did they finish the food and not keep any for her?

She opened one of the cabinets to pick up a cereal to eat but met it empty. Every other cabinet was empty too. She opened the refrigerator and it was empty.

They weren’t empty before. Why are they empty now?

She closed the refrigerator and left the kitchen for the living room. It was the same as she saw when she came down a few minutes ago.

Rhea sighed. She wasn’t hallucinating. She had seen it well.

Rhea became scared that something could be wrong with her.

Maybe her glasses were the reason for it. She did not have it on. She tried to assure herself that nothing was wrong with her.

She returned to her room to find her glasses. She put it on and began to look for her phone. She made to call Celia to ask where she was but she had a sound. Rhea rushed to the door and opened it quickly.

Rhea peeped out, scared to leave the room. "Hello?" She called out and it echoed back. "Hello?"

Rhea took a deep breath and stepped out. She stepped on water and she paused.

Why is there water on the floor?

The water level began to increase, and she tried to run back into her room, but the door was locked. Rhea screamed. The water was now above her knees.

Rhea ran to Celia’s room and tried to open it but it was locked too. She became lost and confused about what to do. The water had gotten to her neck now; Rhea knew the water would cover her up soon.

How is she going to survive? She thought.

She doesn’t know how to swim. Where did the water come from?

The water covered her up, and she began to gasp for air. Rhea began to wiggle her legs, trying to keep her head above the water level, but did not succeed.

"Breath," she heard. "You can breathe in water."

Can she really breathe in water? She wondered.

"You can do it," she heard again. "You can’t hold your breath for long."

The water had covered up her head already, and she was only trying to hold her breath to prevent her from choking. Rhea was skeptical about following what the voice had said but released her breath when she could no longer hold it.

She had thought she would choke on it and maybe die but was surprised she could breathe well in it.

What is going on? She wondered.

She felt a hand touch her and she turned quickly. It was Celia.

"Celia?" She called. "Where have you been?"

Celia smiled. "Follow me."

Rhea was confused. Where is Celia taking her to?

"Where are..."

"Follow me, Rhea. You have to trust me."

Rhea took a deep breath and sighed. She trusts Celia so much that she will not hurt her.

"Where is Dad?" She asked as she followed Celia to her room.

Celia gave no reply and that made Rhea curious. She moved closer to Celia and tried to hold her hand but she could not.

Rhea blinked. Celia is not real.

"Who... Who are you?" She stuttered. "What... Do you want from me?"

Celia turned and faced Rhea. Now she wasn’t with the face of Celia but the pink woman that had showed up in her room some days ago. Her face was covered with a pink veil, just like she did when she appeared the last time.

"It... It’s you... The pink woman."

"Did you give me that name? Pink woman?" She asked.

"Who are you?" Rhea asked, trying to compose herself. "Why are you after me."

"Did Aquamarine not tell you who I am? Or should I say who I was?"

Rhea furrowed her brows. Was Aquamarine supposed to tell her that?

"I guess, she did not. I will introduce myself to you. I am Aqua. Aquamarine must have talked to you about the first Aqua, right?"

"You... You are the first Aqua? The one killed by Hel?"

She nodded. "I guess you know a lot about me."

"But what is my business with you?"

"You are me, Rhea. You are my reincarnation."

Rhea furrowed her brows. What is she talking about?

"What... What do you mean?"

"I am your past life, Rhea."

Rhea sighed. She must be hallucinating.

She brushed her hair backward. "I do not know what you are..."

Aqua removed the veil covering her face and Rhea’s heart skipped a beat.

She looked so much like her.

Aqua moved closer to Rhea and held her hand. Rhea was surprised she could not hold Aqua’s hand but she could hold hers.

"I will visit you soon. I just want you to know who you are." She looked up and smiled. "It’s time Rhea. You have to go back. Go to Leslie. She would tell you..."

Rhea began to gasp for air.

Is she going to die before she fulfills her destiny?

She fell to the ground, eyes closed. She opened her eyes, panting. It was all a dream.

But what a strange dream!