112 The Dream (1)
(Tom’s PoV)
Chain?
I instinctively lifted up my legs, but due to my absence in moving my body two years, I couldn’t move them even just an inch. How frustrating!
“What chain?” I looked at the little girl who was floating above my legs in confusion.
“This chain.” She dove down for a while and pulling up a string of chain from under the bed.
That was really chain! Seeing the translucent form of it, I was sure it was not attached to my physical body, but rather to my soul. That exined why I didn’t feel a thing. But, what was it for? I was not even a fugitive, why would I need a chain?
“I can’t pull it any longer than this. It seemed to be tied down to something. I don’t know how to get into the ground so I don’t know where the other side of this chain is.” The little girl said as she dropped down the chain.
I expected to hear metal clicking, but to my surprise, it didn’t make a sound at all.
“See, I told you you’re different.” The old man sighed. “What did you do to have your soul chained down like this? No matter what you do and where you go, the person on the other side of the chain could detect you.”
.....
“The chain is different. I saw a chain before, tying up Aaron’s feet. But, this one is different.” The soldier touched his chin as he thought about it.
“Of course, silly. Aaron’s chain is the memory of hisst appearance when he was alive. This chain, however, is a very different story. Only those who have power can chain someone’s soul like this.” The old man said. His tone contained a bit of ridicule but his expression didn’t change.
“You seem to know much, Old Man.” The little girl asked in suspicion.
“I’ve seen one, that’s why I know.” The old man snorted.
“Oh? Really? Where?” The little girl was taunting, with a cheeky smile on her face and mischievous glint in her eyes. What was she up to?
Apparently the old man was feeling rather generous as he started to recount a story.
I was not interested in the story but I had no choice. Even though I was curious with the chain in my feet, my mind didn’t stop from wondering and picturing the story in images in my mind.
It was a story of a man used a woman for having affair behind his back. It was a local story but nobody talked about it for years since it was one of the unsolved mystery back then. They were not married but they had been in rtionship for long. The woman was crying back then and swore that she was innocent. But the man continued reprimanded her, not believing even one of her words.
In fact, the one who did the cheating was the man. To avoid getting busted by the woman, he did that usation. In his anger, he even made a vow.
“I would never, never cheat on you! I swear on the name of God, the sea behind my back as the witness, that I would never cheat you! The sea will take me if I dare to cheat on you. But, look at what you did? You cheat on me! Don’t you think it’s a bit harsh for you to hurt me like that?” The man peered into the woman’s eyes as he righteously said that.
As the woman couldn’t take the usation being thrown at her, she proved herself innocent bymitting suicide. She jumped into the sea and her body had never been found until now.
Silly, I thought. If the man had used you for something that you didn’t even do, just leave him! There’s no point of continuing the rtionship like that.
But again, the pressure of society back then was heavier than nowadays. Cheating of one’s partner would result in condemnation of the entire society. After thinking back the effect that she would bear if she continued to live, I was sure she would kill herself sooner orter.
A woman in love had a gentle heart, a slight disappointment could break her heart, let alone a heavy usation like that. That man was seriously evil to push the woman he had been in love with to the point of suicide.
As I continued listening to the story, I found the reason behind his evil deed.
The woman whom he was having affair with was a daughter of a famous merchant. One could guess the reason, right?
Truly evil.
Well, in rtion to the chain, after the woman jumped into the sea, a shackle being locked in his feet and a long chain was attached to it. Even a person with sixth sense could not see it, let alone normal people. But, all the ghosts were pointing their fingers at him, judging him since they all bore witnessed to the ident in the sea. One of the spectators was the old man who was telling us this story.
“The chain was connected to the sea. If you think it was his ex-lover’s revenge, you’re wrong. She didn’t even linger here with us. It was his own vow that the sea had stake their im on his soul. They only needed to wait for the right time to drag him under the water. And they did pick the most suitable time, indeed.” The old man sneered and I could see a hint of mocking and disdain in his old eyes.
“Right after his wedding with the merchant’s daughter, they went strolling on the beach, celebrating their wedding. As the merchant’s only daughter, her father gifted her a small ship for her to use. So, they went into the sea, to find some time alone to release their lust. Unknown to her, the sky had darkened, the sea was in turbulence. Only when the ship was shaking did they stop fucking each other. When both of them came out to check on the situation, a huge wave had already prepared to swallow them both.”
“The woman was found in the shore almost naked, but the man was nowhere to be found. Many people had tried to look for him, but they couldn’t find him. Some physics told the merchant’s daughter that he was taken by the sea and don’t bother to look for him. The sea had imed him, there was nothing he could do. Only us, the ghost, knew what happened.” The old man’s expressionless face had broken by now. He looked sinister, as if what had happened to the man was not enough.
“Old man, you look scary.” The little girl frowned, but she didn’t look scared at all. If anything, she only looked a bit disturb.
“Old man, is the woman whomitted suicide...your daughter?” I asked carefully.
The three of them whipped their heads towards me, different expression shed on their eyes and faces.