GUESS WHAT? (ONC 2024)

Chapter 1 Part 1 Words run to our ears

Prompt: 1. Sometimes words speak louder than action.

**The meaning of words uttered is yet to be studied.**

 **The power of words is yet to be discovered.** 

 **The story is yet to be told.**

While visiting for the holidays, my grandmother, alone in her room, called out my name as she did with most of the family members that arrived that day.

The grandchildren were last to see her on her death bed.

''Seulgi!'' Eulgi shouted while coughing loudly.

I came running into the room as not to waste any more time. Everyone had received something and it was my turn. Her face had wrinkled with time and her hands were softer than marshmallows when I laid mine in hers.

We had marshmallows on my 16th birthday and she said it herself. She blindly stared at me for a good few minutes, placed a triangle-shaped object in my hand.

 "Guess what?" she asked.

I kept quiet, because in our culture, you do not speak until your elders have finished speaking.

''I see you are bound by culture,'' she said.

''Yes Grandmother, like you taught me,'' I responded.

She proceeded to mumble a story about the object.

"There was a time when a woman found this object in a small town and kept it for a very long time. It sometimes got lost and she would find it again under a cupboard or somewhere in her house.''

''She finally found a husband later on and the object was missing for many years, but something strange happened after her husband came home one day from work intending to surprise her with flowers and chocolates.''

''He uttered the words, Guess what?''

''She made it her mission should she marry one day. She would not only love that man with every ounce of love in her but also get to know and understand him.''

''With this in mind, it was an easy prediction for her, and she said, my husband brought me flowers and chocolates with a big grin on her face.''

''He held her in his arms, confirming it with a kiss and a loud, Yes!''

''The room suddenly turned into a lighthouse with black ink words written on the walls. A sound followed, like trumpets blowing. Immediately after it started to rain like never before in that town, they went to bed and slept through the thunderstorm. They woke up like nothing had occurred and continued their daily routine and since no one from the town said or asked anything, they also kept it to themselves. A secret for two is better than a secret for one.''

''A year later, on the same day, something that she wished for in her heart that day came true. They had a beautiful daughter and everything that the man did was successful all his life. They never ran out of anything. Although every day seemed like the same day, it did not matter to them. All was well with them,'' she mumbled.

On that note, my grandmother finished her story. I had so many questions, but she was preparing to call another name because her eyes had shifted from me back to the door.

''Thank you grandmother," I said.

I proceeded to go outside and found a spot to study the object. After looking at the triangle for a good thirty minutes, I shoved it in my bag and waited for everyone to finish up.

Later that night during dinner, I told my mom and dad the story and they were quiet and listened intently. That got me worried. I even showed them the object.

The only response I got was to never give the object to another person willingly, as it can not be taken from you. It automatically returns to you if someone tries to steal it. Vague answers gave me no choice but to return to my bedroom.

 It was almost time for me to head off to college, but before that, I had a spring break to release all the silly people at my school from my mind. Erase them. They got on my nerves in the last year, don't know how I managed so many years with the same people. At least college would be different with a lot to do and a lot of new people to meet.

We were planning a trip to South Korea, me and my two friends, Ashley Simmons and Jamie Lynx. My father was against me going anywhere and had already organized a job for me at the local library. Once I explained to him that we would like to explore South Korea. He started to contact and organize most of the things for us since it's his country of birth.

Ashley was my best friend, and we had been sharing the same hairstyle for a while. Black with blond streaks especially in front, from a character in a series we both love. While Jamie was our adopted child from school, we found him in a class locked up and screaming. Sad day but we managed to talk him past that experience and confront the bullies. He felt protected by us.

Impatience was our middle name, we had saved up and it was almost time to board the plane on what we considered our very first adventure. We even brushed up on our Korean and diligently practiced day and night. Every word stuck in our minds like an exam, dedication on another level.  We sat up the whole night packing our stuff and rechecking our passports.

The decision to stay up all night and sleep on the flight did not pan out so well the next day because someone had to carry all our luggage from home to the airport. 

This would be an adventure of a lifetime with all the planning and places to see. 

With the ticket in my hand, boarding, it read, 

New York to Seoul, 14-hour flight.

I didn't tell my friends about the story my grandmother told me and also left the object in my room, nothing would ruin our trip.

As soon as the flight took off and the words, ''welcome to airline flight ONC2024,'' came on the radio. Airwaves and sound waves entered my ears and put me soundly to sleep.

Words put me to sleep.