Open Heart {Under Revision}

Chapter 39- Burned for You

'Amidst all, Sylvan gave me faith.'

——o——

San Diego, Eleven Years Ago...

"And that concludes the Fall of Asáfeia." Sylvan finished.

My forehead puckered. "That's...it?"

"Yes."

Confusing thoughts hounded me, claiming something about the whole narration didn't settle true. Hence instead of accepting the end—I debated in silence.

Sylvan, who never missed my shifting emotions, craned his head back—the light of morning sun filtering through his chestnut hair. "What's the matter?" he asked.

I was unable to look away from his face even as I projected my dissent. "I...feel like this story is wrong somehow."

"Stories are stories, Lola." his chuckle was light, amused. "They can't be wrong."

Far away from house yet still in our private property's lane, there weren't any unwelcomed beach-goers to bother us in these early hours. There're cheers and music coming from other ends but here, now, it was only us and sea.

"I can't believe Helena would just burn everything rather than letting the world see it." I chewed my lips. "It's not selfish. It's straightaway cruel!" then my eyes met his. "Innocents died."

"She made her decision. And thousands of years have passed." he paused for a second, as if a sudden thought had struck in. "If this is truth, then that's tragic. If it's a story...then it's a simple story."

Stories. I had told him to bring me stories from his journey and he kept his promise. He returned, fresher and healthier than before. The way we departed had left me shaken and disturbed and the days spent without his company were a reminder of time that was slipping away.

But when my eyes never faltered from his face, I found nothing but gathered solace. Even if I'd greeted him with a hard hug and tears, I knew the desperation that was raging within me for him. Eagerness. Something different. Something that had changed in his absence which scared me and yet, at the same time felt beautiful.

"What?"

I blinked. "What?"

Sylvan brushed his knuckle in my forehead. "You're staring, Lola."

"Why has nobody talked about this?" I felt my cheeks heating up. "Found what really happened?"

His face became stony. "Some truths are better dead, isn't it?"

"Like our family." I darkly said.

Sylvan nodded without words and kept watching the sea. The tragic tale which he told would've brought a cloud of gloom over anybody but in strange ways, it was comforting. Not every family was perfect, or every community. There was darkness everywhere and perhaps within all. Maybe we needed it.

Few seconds of silence passed before I brought with heavy heart. "Where are you going next?"

"I'm staying for a while." he added in an acidic tone. "Uncle Steven has something he needs to probe into me."

I hugged my legs close to chest. Father was different for months now. I hardly saw him at house which would've relived me if it didn't deepen my concern. He worked night and day at hospital, away from eyes and ears. Naveen came time to time to relay about the medication they were working for ALS. There'd been numerous inspections made by authorities but father managed to wend them away from his research. An untested drug was dangerous. And so was my father's frustration.