part γ♪Tears of An Angel♪
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
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“Here… your key,” said Mario’s friend as he handed the key to the vacation home over, “I guess the place isn’t haunted after all. The ‘woman in black’ really is all gossip.”
Mario looked up at his friend from the bar counter, beer in hand. He took one gulp, grabbed the keys and stood up. “She is there.” He started to walk away, but his friend grabbed his arm and looked at him straight in the eye, “If you survived, do you think I will too?”
Mario felt angry all of a sudden. “You might not.” His friend began to laugh. “If you made it out, I would too. Look at this handsome face!” Rather than punch his friend in the face, he pulled his arm away and walked out.
It’s been a few days since he’s returned home. His mind has been thinking of no one else besides Araya, until his friend called him to remind him that he won the bet. Mario decided to go meet his friend for those keys. He hoped going to the vacation house would help him figure out how to help Araya. She’s still stuck in that house and most likely being tormented somehow. He didn’t want to rush back being irrational or else he’d make matters worse.
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“Beware, you have made someone cry over you” said the shaman in Phuket. “They want you.”
Mario knew exactly what the shaman meant. He had escaped a succubus’ grasp. He worried about what Araya must be going through right now because she let him go. His heart ached. “But you know? There is a way…” the shaman continued. “A way to do what?” asked Mario, with some hope. “For you to be with her, the one you love,” said the shaman.
Mario listened to the shaman attentively. “Your fate is to be with her,” the shaman announced as Mario left the building. “I must go back there, it’s that simple,” Mario said to himself, “why didn’t I realize this before?”
Before heading to Araya, Mario went to the market to pick up a few things that he’ll need. Just as he finished, his phone rang. “Hello?” answered Mario. His friend spoke, “Hey, since you got my house, I’m going to yours. I want to see for myself how you survived. And dude, I’m way better looking than you. That ghost will fall for me too,” his friend hung up before Mario could stop him.
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Mario arrived at the house and saw his friend’s car parked out front. He opened his car door and peered inside his friend’s car. His friend had already wandered past the lake and walking up the stairs now. Araya must still be in there, unable to control herself. And the most agonizing thought is seeing her kiss another man.
The old man suddenly appeared next to Mario. “She was suffering. I heard her wail for days. That poor girl, she must’ve had to make it up to them,” said the old man. “Sir, may I ask you who you really are?” asked Mario, concerned about Araya, but trying to stay calm so he doesn’t rush into anything that will make matters worse.
“I’ve been a guardian here for years. She’s been trapped here for 20 years. I’ve tried to help her by stopping men from going in. But no one seems to listen to me,” said the old man. The man cleared his throat, “Araya has been cursed here, but there’s a way to break this spell. But I’m not allowed to say what it is. She has to realize it herself.”
Mario looked at the old man, “Tell me? I was the only one that made it out. Shouldn’t I get an incentive for making it out?”
The old man swore that he can’t. “You know that you didn’t technically make it out,” said the old man. From what the shaman told Mario and what the old man was hinting at, Mario confirmed his suspicions. “Thank you sir! You’re a life saver!” Mario shouted as he ran towards the house. The old man shook his head, “Life saver? Odd kid.”
“Damn, what are you doing here?” asked Mario’s friend. “You can’t even share your girl?” Mario eyed his friend, “Why do you want to do this so bad? You’re not afraid of dying?” His friend admitted, “I’ve been suffering for years. I have AIDS! Why not just commit this suicide? I don’t have much longer to live anyways.”
Mario felt sorry for his friend, “why didn’t you tell me?” His friend ignored him and asked, “Where is she?” Mario shook his head, “I can’t let you die this way. I can’t make her suffer any more. Do you not know how tough it is for her? Leave! Have a proper burial for yourself; don’t let your body rot here!”
Mario grabbed onto his friend and started to drag him out of the house. “I don’t want to go! I want to die!” Mario’s friend shouted. But the wind picked up and the bedroom door swung open. Araya smiled, she looked possessed as she raised one arm against the door frame. Her black dress contouring to her body. She made Mario speechless for a second, until she eyed Mario’s friend and signaled him to walk to her. Mario felt hurt that Araya did not recognize him. He can’t have her doing this anymore. She shouldn’t be doing this. Mario ran and blocked his friend from entering the room. Araya’s eyes remained set on Mario’s friend. Mario suddenly grabbed onto Araya’s arm and shook her. Still unaware of his presence, Mario continued to shake her, “Araya! It’s me! I’m back! I’m back for you!”
Araya heard Mario’s voice and felt limped, she lost her balance, but Mario was there to catch her fall. Lying still in Mario’s lap, exhausted, Araya sensed herself coming back to reality but wanting to close her eyes and sleep at the same time. “Araya, Araya,” Mario shouted trying to keep her awake. Araya smiled hearing his voice. “Mario? Is it really you?” she asked. Mario nodded his head as Araya closed her eye.
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Araya opened her eyes. The room smelled refreshing like honey and ginger once again. She shifted her head and saw Mario sitting with his back to her, painting. She smiled, hoping this isn’t a hallucination. She felt a damp cloth on her head and turned to see the old man. “You, what are you doing here? You’re not afraid of me?” asked Araya.
The old man smiled. He suddenly shifted into the shape of Lilu. “Father?” Araya asked. She didn’t understand what is going on. Lilu saw her confusion and sat down on the edge of the bed. Mario turned around and briskly walked to Araya and grabbed a hold of her hand. “This is my true form,” Lilu began, “I’m an old and ugly looking man.” Mario stared at Lilu and back at Araya. “He told me we could be together Araya,” said Mario. Araya was still confused. “But you…” she said.
“I what?” asked Mario. “That I’m already dead?”
Araya gasped, “how did you find out? I didn’t know you passed until I returned to the house and saw your body still lying on the bed. I grieved for days! They hid your body from me. I tried to wake you up. I tried to call you back, but you were gone! I thought Father played the worst trick on me. He made me think I was helping you, but instead I took your spirit away from your body! I thought you’d be a lost spirit forever!” Mario leaned down and whispered into Araya’s ear, “I’m back aren’t I?”
Lilu began to explain, “I told him everything, about the curse, about everything I put you through. Thanks to your mother’s slyness, she was able to help you somehow escape this punishment. Part of the deal was if your soul mate ever came to you, the one who didn’t lust after you because of a spell, someone who truly loves you, you’d be able to leave. I didn’t think he’d come arrive so soon.”
Mario explained, “You’re so used to seeing men be dragged away from you, but they didn’t come retrieve my soul. That’s why you didn’t know I was dead. I didn’t know I passed either. I realized something was off when my mom didn’t talk to me for days upon my return and then the shaman in Phuket helped me realize that something was different about me. I knew I had to return to you and it’ll solve everything. I wasn’t sure if I was really dead or not until my friend told me he had AIDs. I realized he was the only one who could talk to me because he was already on the verge of dying from his illness. Your father helped convince him to leave because we told her you can’t fulfill his fantasy any longer since you are now free from your succubi duties.”
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But, you’re dead now. It’s all because of me!” Araya exclaimed. Mario’s grip tightened on Araya’s hand, “It’s not your fault. You didn’t have to seduce me. I chose to be with you by my own will.”
Araya realized, “That’s why you were able to move in bed. I paralyzed you, but you were able to move. Now I know.” “Yes, when I felt paralyzed, it was because I was nervous,” explained Mario, “I wanted to make you happy, but didn’t know if it was okay. I thought everything was a dream because I’ve dreamt of you numerous times before. We never went that far, but this time you were on top of me and it caught me off guard. So I hesitated.”
Lilith appeared, “he looked sickly the night he passed. I almost thought he wasn’t your soul mate because he died. I hid his body because your father appeared after he took his last breath, I didn’t want to see you cry on your birthday seeing his soul being dragged away from you. After your father granted your wish, I realized the demons still didn’t come. I kept him hidden and left for a bit. When I returned, you already dragged Mario out and his spirit was long gone from here. It was torment seeing you cry after realizing he is dead, it made us doubt that he loved our little girl.”
Lilu and Lilith disappeared. Mario gazed into Araya’s eyes. Araya smiled, but still felt guilty. She wanted to be free from here, but not by having the man she loves die. “I wanted you alive,” she began. Mario smiled, “Alive or dead, I’m with you aren’t I?” Araya nodded. “Dead or alive, I can still kiss you like this,” he pressed his lips to Araya and she instantly returned the kiss, the sensations, passions still present.
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Mario wrapped his arms around Araya, holding her. Araya traced her finger from Mario’s belly button up the center of his stomach to his nipple line, causing him to feel aroused again. But, he knew she wasn’t ready for another round just yet. He worked her hard after reuniting. She looked up at Mario and smiled. “Are you sure you’re okay being dead?”
Mario reassured Araya that he is okay with being dead. After more intense makeup sex, the two got out of bed. Mario stared at the picture he had once painted of Araya. “My dream girl is with me. I can touch her, what more can I ask for?”
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The two held hands as they walked down the steps. “Are we really going to Phuket?” asked Araya. “Why not? I won that in a bet didn’t I?” asked Mario. “But, you died,” said Araya.
Mario chuckled, “I’m not dead.” “What do you mean? You’re a spirit now,” said Araya. Mario continued, “A dead person is someone who is inanimate. It’s someone who is no longer living, having no hope. But I am living. You know why?” “Why?” asked Araya. “Because being with you makes me feel more alive than I’ve ever been!”
Araya grinned ear to ear hearing him say that, “being alive feels wonderful!” Mario led Araya to the path away from the land. They could easily teleport to Phuket, but walking together is better. They have all the time in the world to be with each other, sightsee together, and take many adventures together. Araya will be able to catch up on all the things she missed after 20 years of being trapped at the house.
Araya turned to look at the house one more time. She looked at her tree and noticed a white dress blowing in the wind. The legs kicked back and forth happily. “Those legs,” she thought. Araya remembered. The person in white crawled through the window and faced Araya. Araya’s jaw dropped. “Yaya?” she thought, shocked. “My sister,” she said out loud. Yaya smiled, waving goodbye to Araya from the window.
Mario looked at Araya’s face. “What’s wrong?” asked Mario. Araya turned to look back at Mario. “I think my parents lied to me. My sister took my place.”
Lilu appeared, “She offered to be here herself. She rebelled by trying to visit you against our orders. So, as her punishment, she offered to take your place. Continue on your way. She’d want it that way.”
Mario pulled Araya along with him, Araya looked at the window again, guilty that her sister is there in her place. She wanted to pull back and rescue her sister, but Mario’s hold assured her that leaving is best for everyone. Yaya blew her a kiss and waved goodbye with a huge smile on her face.
“Go!” she shouted. “I will be fine! I will meet my soul mate soon!”
Araya smiled knowing that her mother had worked a deal with her father again. Her sister will be fine. Araya turned and looked forward, her man beside her, freedom...'finally.'
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