Ramia by Michelle Quendangan

“If only I can be one of them…”

It is already dark and the sky is filled with stars. The moon is shining brightly as it bathes the village light. Ramia is sitting beside the broken window glass gazing at the busy villagers down the street. Her hands are cold and slightly close on top of a book placed on her lap. She never dared to open it even flip a single page, but deep inside her, she cannot resist the temptation of opening the book yet she refuses to do so. With her growling stomach and insanity, she imagines that she is talking to the book.

“I will never read you.”

“Why?”

“You know why. I hate everything that’s inside of you.”

“Have I done something wrong? I only wanted you to read me. It’s not faulty at all and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.”

Ramia is about to open the book with hands trembling but,

“NO!” she shouted

She takes a deep breath, pauses for a while and relaxes. She slowly closes her eyes and later falls into a deep sleep.

“Where am I?”

“You’re inside of me.”

“What! Let me out of here. Let me out!”

But no more answers. Not even a single one.

“Help! Can somebody hear me? Help me!”

She uttered those words many times but nobody responds in return. All she can hear is the echo of her voice.

Everything is in total darkness and the place is in full silence. Ramia begins to walk but she can’t find the road. She starts to bite her lips and her fingers. Her hands are cold and she is sweating. Then walking turns into running. Ramia run and run and run. Her eyes are trembling with tears. And then she stops, takes a deep breath and shouts at the top of her lungs.

“AAAAAHHHHHHHH!”

Then all of a sudden, a blinding light flashes through. Everything that her eyes can see is white. Suddenly a doll fell in front of her. She grabs the doll and looks up. Then one by one, different toys start to fall covering the entire place. To her amusement and excitement, she tries to grasp each and every toy that catches her eyes. A big smile covers her face. She looks at the doll, and speaks to it.

“You brought so many friends! Where did you come from?”

But the doll begins to fade away and so is everything surrounding her. Ramia finds herself being alone again and she starts to frown.

“But I was about to give you this.”

She gets a piece of lollipop from her pocket and stares on it for a while. Then tears run down her face and she started to cry.

“Why are you crying my child?”

Ramia brushes her eyes to take a glance to who is speaking in front of her. She is delighted to see everything around her. The place is now turned into a palace. She finds herself sitting in a tiled floor and all the furniture seems to be expensive. The curtains are color yellow embroidered with silver lining. The couches are too big for one person. The knights are standing beside the huge door and the hall is as big as a stadium. She then looks at herself. She is shocked to see her dress turned into a gown. She is now as beautiful as a princess and most of all; the lady in front of her is the Queen. Much to her surprise, the Queen looks like her mother holding a basket full of delights. She stands up, run towards the queen and is about to hug her but she disappeared with a blink of an eye.

“Where did mother go?”

And so is everything vanishes. The only thing that is left is the basket, a basket full of yummy treats. She picks it up and begins to eat every food she finds. But Ramia notices that there is something wrong. Even though she eats lots and lots of food, she is not satisfied. She is still hungry and she can’t savor the flavor of the food even though it seems to be very delicious. She starts to be annoyed. She throws the foods one by one and last but not least the basket.

“Let me out of here!”

But Ramia only hears her voice bounces back.

“I hate you book! I hate in here. Let me out!”

“Why?”

Finally, the book responds.

“You don’t want in here? I’ve showed you everything you wanted to have.”

“But you’re taking them away from me! Everything don’t seem to last!”

The book did not answer again and so Ramia pauses for awhile. Her face is gloomy and deep inside her is like a knife stabbing her heart.

“All I ever wanted is just to experience how it is like to be a child living in prosperity. Please book, let me out of here. I don’t want to dream anymore.”

Then all of a sudden Ramia falls into deep dark hole and lands into a chair. She finds herself sitting beside the broken window glass with hands cold and slightly close on top of a book placed on her lap.

Ramia opens her eyes. The sun is shining brightly and she hears the singing of the cocks. She turns her focus to the book she is holding and tries to read the title. But unfortunately, she can’t. She takes gasp of air and finally opens the book and look at the pictures. Everything that is in her dream is there, the toys, the palace and even lots of food.

“How I wish, I could have all of you..”

And she closes it.

She places the book on top of a dusty table, put on her slippers and leaves the abandoned house. It is another day for her to visage the reality of life and at her young age, she is a courageous enough.

But, deep inside, she is tired of being a street beggar.