Chapter: 2
Disappear
Disclaimer: I own everything! MUHAHAHAHA!
(Everything on italics is a memory from the past or Gwen's thoughts)
RRRRRIIIINNNNGGGGGG! GET UP U LAZY GIRL!
A fist struck the stupid talking alarm clock and a full head of brown hair came up from a queen sized bed.
Well, time to get up, you heard the alarm clock
Yeah but its so nice and cosy here in bed
But you have to get up…NOW
Oh alright…
As Gwen groggily got up from bed she wondered isn't hearing voices in your head a sign of insanity?
Well yeah, but you are not officially insane, so the little green men can't get you
Huh?
She shook herself off
Gwen was not very mentally sane in the mornings
An hour latter, Gwen was driving through the streets of Miranda. She had moved again and now she was at her 8th semester at the University Simon Bolivar. She had gotten an apartment as soon as she got there and had kept constant contact and vigilance towards the remaining members of her family.
Approximately a year and a half ago, her cousins mysteriously had disappeared. She had felt devastated and as if the world itself couldn't contain her grief.
It had happened just after Gwen had logged out of that fateful conversation. According to the authorities they were in both alone in the house when suddenly they just were not there anymore. No trace of anything. Nothing. The only thing missing was Adam's motorcycle, Adam himself and his sister Ember.
Her family's reaction to this news whatsoever was very calm, as opposed to the hysterical, suicidal mass that Gwen had been reduced to.
"Gwen, stop that sobbing, it's annoying" her mother had said
"How do you expect me to be mother? Did you not love them? Are you not worried about them as am I?" She half shouted, something she rarely did
"Stop shouting, it makes my head hurt. And yes I love them, but I feel no need to be worried"
"What do you mean?" She asked confused and bewildered by this behaviour, her mother was usually the one to worry over the most simple of things, especially family.
"You will find out when the time comes"
And that is all she said, in the mean time, leaving her completely confused.
Gwen's POV:
The only people I cared demonstrating myself to usually are my cousins, and even though we are used to living far away, they are the centre of my life.
The disappearance of my cousins caused me to recede even more into myself and to be even more antisocial. I only spoke when spoken to and I usually never showed any emotions in front of people, even if they annoyed me. I was always civil and polite, and didn't speak up unless it involved me. I was all these things to everyone except Hussein.
I went to my classes, went back home, and prepared to pass some time at Lumenor. I don't know why, I just know that I want to go there as soon as possible. I started packing the things I would need and started my computer as I did every night. I would need my usual bathroom equipment, first aid kit, lots of light clothes considering it was the dry season and there would not be so many mosquitoes, towels, etc. All my books were in the car because I didn't bother taking them out and a different bag for shoes and sandals, and some food for the journey
I made some food and brought it to the computer to eat while I did my homework. While I was looking for information on amoeba, I thought about the past and how the disappearance of my cousins had changed my life.
The day after Ember and Adam's disappearance
I was just walking through the grounds on this school. I had been here for a year now and even though I had not changed schools I had moved in residence, therefore the nomadic lifestyle was still intact. My cousins had disappeared and I did not know what happened to them. I was lost. I was alone. For once in my life I was alone. I have never felt this way before. My eyes burn, I better find someplace were nobody will see me. A tear fell and I wiped it away. There are more tears that want to come, but I won't let them. The back stairs! I see them! They will be my hide out! Everybody knows that the backstairs are off limits to students, nobody should pass through this place. I passed someone from my class as another tear fell. I think I heard my name being called. I hope he did not see my tear. I sat on the stairs and tried to blink back more tears, it would do me no good to go to class with a tearstained face. I hear someone's footsteps coming towards me. Crap! Not now of all times!
"Hey Gwen I called your name but you didn't answer, your wallet fell of your pocket. What's wrong? Are you all right?"
It was Hussein. He spoke in a weird accent, that's how I knew. He must have noticed I have my face in my hands. But I cannot let my tears fall in front of anyone.
"It's nothing, just a headache. Thank you for the wallet. Bye" my voice broke, crap!
"Are you sure?" Didn't he hear the last word I said? BYE?
"Yes, I'm sure" I said annoyed
He didn't buy it. And good thing he didn't. He got closer to me and sat beside me.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing! Didn't I tell you already?" I said glaring at him through tears
"You are crying. That's not nothing"
"Thanks for stating the obvious Sherlock"
"Your welcome Watson" he laid a hand on my shoulder "enough of that, what's wrong?"
"Nothing!"
I suppose I didn't care anymore. I just threw myself at him and he hugged me for comfort. We stayed like that for a while. I cried and he hugged me. The bell rung, but I wasn't ready to leave for class yet. Hussein stayed with me and eventually my sobs subsided and I got calmer. Along that, I remembered in what position I was in. Not only was I letting him touch me, but he was also voluntarily hugging me while I cried. I never showed any emotion towards people, I loathed to be touched by those who I didn't trust, and crying was way over the edge. I backed away while I blushed.
"Thank you, I'm sorry"
"No problem"
I looked up at him in confusion
"Why did you help me? Why would you miss classes because of me?"
Probably not the best way to put a question but I think he understood
"You don't seem to be a girl that cries over nothing. In fact, you usually don't show emotion towards anyone and I don't think anybody should go through your kind of suffering alone"
"Thank you"
"You already said that"
I smiled
"There, why don't you smile more often? Want to tell me why you where crying?"
I looked down. I usually don't like to share my personal life with anyone, but I supposed he had the right to know, he had skipped class only to be with me.
"My cousins and I are very close, when we were little we did everything together. Yesterday…"
I gulped and looked at him. He didn't interrupt. I guess that was a good start. I started again.
"Yesterday they disappeared. Just like that. Disappeared of the face of the earth"
"What do the police say?"
"Nothing. They cannot find them. I am terribly worried"
I felt the danger of tears again. Crap! I think Hussein noticed because a moment later I was once again in his embrace. I let my tears out while he stroked my hair.
"There, there, everything will be alright, don't worry. Shush. Everything will be alright. There, there…"
After that day, he had practically become my shadow and I his. He helped me through rough times and soon enough I felt comfortable around him and we became friends.
I smiled at the memory and suddenly the phone rang.
"Alo¿quien es?" I was currently living in Miranda (a/n) a place where people spoke Spanish.
"Hi, it's me"
"Oh! Hello! How's everything over there?"
"Great! How's the university"
"Great! I've only got a week until I pass onto the next semester"
"How do you go by them so quickly? Only nine months ago you were starting a novice"
"Well yeah, it seems like I work extra hard to pass my semesters quickly so I can work more, that, and the fact that I just love applied physics "
"The horror! The horror! Gwen I must assure thee that thou art the only lady I have the pleasure of meeting that absolutely loves physics, mathematics AND chemistry"
"Off course, thou does not have the pleasure of knowing many geniuses like me"
"Oh you are just dripping modesty today"
"Why, thank you kind sir"
"Your welcome my lady. So what are you doing?"
"Just packing, I'm going to Lumenor for a while"
"Really? For how long? When are you leaving?"
"In the week end"
I though he was a little too interested in when I was leaving, so I didn't elaborate
"At last! Some time in wish our international bookwork relaxes. Now all the normal people can stop worrying"
"I'm not going to relax my studies you terrorist, I'm taking my books with me"
"You're taking books to a beach and you call ME a terrorist? Who takes books to the beach?"
"I do, Hussein"
I liked to joke with him on the fact that his first name was Hussein, as in Saddam Hussein
"Do you have any world trade centres in Lumenor that I might destroy?"
Silence on the other end of the line
"That was lame"
"Oh well, you can't have everything"
"Yeah, so what are you doing?"
"Nothing…"
"You are never not doing something. Tell me how has your week gone?"
"Ok, nothing has happened…Remember to pack your panties" he most cheerfully added!
"Hussein!"
Was it possible for someone to see you blushing from the other end of the phone?
"Sorry, but you have to take your panties"
"Shut up! Tell me what you are doing"
"How can I shut up and tell you anything?"
"You can speak now you…silly"
"You are most definitely not a good swearing person"
"Of course! And I'm proud of it!"
"Did you take your toothbrush?"
"ARG!"…
I knew he was changing the subject. I wondered why, but I didn't push it. Besides, anyone can have secrets, I should know.
The next day I woke up, put my luggage in the car and went to school like always. Took my classes, an exam and ate something from the trip food. Then I went to the supermarket to but what I would need for the whole week and went back to afternoon classes. That night I started my trip to Lumenor, a place of beauty. Even if it is at a four day's trip from its nearest city…
Ah! To be in Lumenor! To sleep by the sea and to hear the sound of the waves all day and all night! The tranquillity you can practically breathe, thought Gwen on her fourth hour of driving.
Off course, she thought, every paradise on earth has its drawbacks. The only way you could get there is either driving through the mountain on a trip that is not only dangerous but lasts many days of journey, or taking the very expensive ferry for more comfort and security…
But the ferry does not give you the excitement the mountain does. It doesn't give you the thrill of danger and excitement. But the ferry was faster and Gwen was in a hurry.
At last when the first rays of the sun shone through the horizon, and after endless hours of driving non-stop, did Gwen at last see the small houses that bordered the port of Belfalas. Gwen had passed through this village many a time, but she had never stopped or taken the ferry.
At last, Gwen parked her car and got out of it with a silent sigh of relief. She started looking for a sign of something to help her. She had studied many languages, it came with moving around a lot, but this dialect was not familiar at all.
"Cólstem!"-She swore in lumenorean- "Raaishsm leuúwik veem!" (Where the hell can I find a good boat?)
"Veeecshio veeru u niim ru lumero" (a young lumenorean lady as yourself should not be swearing like that)
Startled, Gwen turned around. She had not heard her native tongue in a long time. Lumenor language was very difficult and complex. Gwen had tried teaching it to Hussein, but they both gave up after many a torture filled day (after Gwen decided that Hussein was impossible with languages and Hussein decided that Gwen was the worst teacher on earth)
"Veriita paaita" (I apologize)- A blushing Gwen said as she turned around to meet the origin of the voice- "Fulleee peeen mi to gunaábi" (I didn't realize anyone could hear me)
Everything in bold is lumenorean from now on
"All is forgiven my child"-said an old man with brown skin, white curly hair and blue eyes- "You can come to Lumenor on my boat"
"How much would that cost?"
He raised his hand, whistled, and did a move with his fingers as the melody came. Gwen responded in the same manner. To any person observing them, they would have seemed like an old man and a young girl playing a kid's game, but nothing was farther from the truth. The hand motions and whistles were part of the Lumenorean language in an ancient tradition of haggling. After they stopped, they had established a price in wish a day and a half's ride with all the accommodations necessary would cost the equivalent of a bread and milk. It most definitely was not accommodating for the mariner. While Gwen looked satisfied and smug, while the old man looked grumpy and dissatisfied (with reason).Being a merchant's daughter had its benefits.
"Well met then" unexpectedly said the old man in the ways of old.
"Well met indeed" said Gwen, pleased.
"We leave in an hour, lass. Be ready" Said the old man in the strangely Irish accent people from Lumeron took when they spoke in another language that was not their own.
"You speak English!"
"Yeah I do. People here are very suspicious of Lumenoreans so we better keep ourselves from speaking it here"
Gwen turned around and went to her car while the old man returned to his boat...business… thing…
(a/n) Wow! at last I updated...Im sorry I took so long...Too many weekend filled parties slowed my brain down considerably...;)
thank you PhoenixRaider! you are my first revier ever!