Aijin rustled her hair. “My God! Am I in heaven? This is the worst day ever!”

“Mommy, you are in your bedroom,” said Neha. “But before, you were lying on the floor! Can you tell me what had happened? I’m so worried, that I am willing to call the doctor!”

“On the floor? The only time I’d be on the floor is when I would clean and scrub the whole place up. By the way, why do I feel so dizzy and light? And why have I just awakened? This is certainly a strange occurrence. I was dead asleep on my bed before then; and screw the doctor, I ain’t shelling out some gold.”

“It might be that you fell to the floor while you were sleeping.” Neha rubbed her mother’s hands, which the latter squeezed the delicate palms of the girl.

“Nonsense! Ah... I think I remember now—just vaguely. Before I came to, I was talking to somebody who was visiting me. She was a very fine young lady, with a pearly face and eyes that I can’t even imagine that it could resemble anybody else. The only thing that irked me was that she was wearing poor-quality robes, and that ruined her beauty! Anyways, we were talking about my condition, and she claimed that she had known of my plight through Tulisen. That rascal of an officer, always revealing things right behind my back! But it doesn’t matter now; the lady said that she had a cure for me, and she had somebody working very hard to get the ingredient. At first, I was skeptical, since such a thing only exist in the heavens; but she proved it by giving me a bag containing some weird plant. Later on, she shifted the subject to talk about you Neha.”

“Wait? Me? What did I do?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just that the lady admired you for your kindness and consideration of the people around you. She had taken quite a fancy of you. From her, the High Order, especially the Lama, really liked you for some reason, and I must say, it feels so great for you to get recognized! She said that time is close for the High Order to have something for you, as a gift of gratitude, for being a good citizen.”

“Good citizen? Why I can’t accept it, mother. I am just a kid. I don’t understand why they picked me. There are a lot of good kids here too.”

Aijin shifted her eyes to the closet. “Then my conversation with the lady ended there. She departed, right before you show up, and she left a good impression on me. I don’t remember anything afterwards, except for the fact that I slept, and that I consumed the plant that contained the cure. But I hope that the lady can meet you in the future.” Aijin smacked her lips, she winced from the residue of the plant’s flavor in her tongue. Her stomach growled. “Say Neha, when you arrived, have you eaten my fried rice? I cooked it this morning! I bet it’s delicious right? Please compliment me.”

“There’s nothing to compliment about it. The food was in fact, burnt, and I disposed of it in the trash.”

Aijin jerked her head to the side. She frowned. “What? Why did you throw it away? I made that for you, with blood and tears. Then I shall eat it for myself! But Neha, we could have eaten it together.” Sighing, the parent filled her face with dark clouds. “I knew it, I am a terrible person. I can’t cook without letting you down. I’m so sorry sweetie.”

“It’s okay, we can eat later.” Neha shook her head and turned her face away for a moment. Aijin clawed her cheeks, continuing to lament about her food. Her heart throbbed so loud that it tore apart her chest, and it made Neha worry more and more.

Aijin sprang up the bed before she plopped back down. “Neha! I just remember something also!”

“What is it?”

“It’s not really important, but I feel like I should tell you.” Aijin clasped onto Neha’s hands, and her fingers bred goosebumps. “Would you mind listening? About the dream... the nightmare that I had before waking up?”

“Nightmare? I’m sure that it’s too scary for me to handle. But I don’t mind.”

“Fantastic!” As she was going to recount her dream, Aijin coughed. Droplets of saliva and blood stained the blanket. Neha opened the medicine sack and gave her mother a pill, the parent swallowed it without drinking water. “Thank you sweetie. I might have died if you didn’t run the errand of getting the medicine. You got it from the pharmacist right? Not the witch’s place, I presume. She is long gone.”

Neha sulked. “Yes. Usheniko is not here anymore.”

“Do you miss her? You should forget her all together though, or else you’ll be stressed out.”

“I do miss her very much.” Neha groaned, begging to herself to not remember anymore; but the memories continued to remain.

“Something the matter?” Aijin asked, stroking her daughter’s cheeks. “You look more sick than me.”

“It’s nothing. Anyways! How about that nightmare you had?”

“Oh I almost forgot!” Casting her gaze to the blanket, Aijin clutched herself. “That nightmare, I couldn’t believe that I was in the void of darkness. I was the only one present. I walked for a while, hearing only my footsteps, and as I did, I couldn’t help but get angry for some reason, I am not sure. When I grew tired of walking, I cursed and insulted myself. Then there was this ball of light that manifested before my eyes; it came from a random lady that popped up from the surface. She disappeared as the light began to radiate and blind me. The next thing I knew it, I was witnessing something of an event. I thought that I came to a fairy tale, but it was all true, when I found out that my husband was there!”

“M-my daddy?”

“Yes yes! I couldn’t deny it. My husband was standing in the desert, and I tried to talk to him, but he couldn’t hear me. I yelled out even more, only for my voice to dissipate. Eventually, he reached out to my hands, and grabbed it with might. I almost died! It was then that he mentioned something about him doing something righteous, and next he said that he was going to get in trouble. I asked to him of what he had done that made it righteous. Allegedly, he had helped a poor, desolate person escape from the shackles of oppression, which I thought that was a noble, good-hearted thing to do. But he showed an ounce of regret upon saying that. It’s like he didn’t want to do it, but he had to since he felt terrible for the person.”

“He wouldn’t feel that way. It’s because my dad is kind and brave. There’s no way otherwise.”

Aijin snapped her fingers and grumbled. “Sadly enough, he said to me that he had to take a punishment as a result of his trouble with the runaway. The Holy Army assigned him to a military expedition in the desert, where he was right in the moment of the nightmare. When I opened my arms and tried to embrace him, wanting him to come back to us, his whole body melted! I was horrified! His eyeballs and face were gone first, and his whole body... my goodness... I just can’t think about it any longer.”

Shuddering, Neha hugged her once again, only for the pain to persist. She never considered once in her life that something bad had happened to her father. And even if Aijin’s nightmare was real, Neha lacked the guts to stomach it all together, she might close her ears and eyes and forget about it.

Neha buried her face upon her parent’s chest. “Mom, you don’t have to mention it anymore. It’s scaring me.”

“Oh, I am most terribly sorry! It’s just that it felt so real. From there, I started to believe him. God knows what kind of punishment he is dealing with right now. And maybe, just maybe-” Aijin shivered and rubbed her eyes. “-the nightmare could be the reason that I fell down! I am such an idiot for not realizing it until now. No wonder it ended in a thud.”

“Hehe. At least the dream was over. No, I shouldn’t laugh. But I hope that my dad is okay. Apart from that, you’d have been more injured if you got up from the floor on your own. Luckily I came in time didn’t I?”

“Luck is in good hands. I was about to turn into an angel, flying to the afterlife. I mean, I was not ready to live with those pesky, talkative gods! Good grief, I’d turn my back on them and say that I should go back to cleaning up my house!”

Both of them laughed. Aijin squeezed her daughter within her bosom, and injected her with warmth. It soon comforted the girl; it had been so long since she had the chance to hold her own child. From this, Neha felt grateful for this to happen, and she grew a smile that caused her mother to tighten her embrace.

“Neha,” Aijin said to her in a soft tone, “how often do I have to take the medicine?”

“One pill every twelve hours,” Neha replied. “And you have to drink the water along with taking it also, so that you won’t choke on it.”

“Not to worry my dear, I can get through it by breaking the pills in half. Hopefully, along with the plant provided by the lady, the medicine will finally erase my condition—for I have been suffering for too long. I don’t want to live like this, I don’t want to burden you. If you want to be a charity worker, then I will support you along the way. Although I want you to get marry and become a housewife, you working for your dreams is enough for me. At least you can make a difference in this world. You are a sweetheart, you know? I believe in you, and whatever you want to do, or what you have to do, I will be there by your side. Your father will be there for you too. Moreover, if I am to be cured right now, then I should take the time to spend my days with you, the days you want for to happen.” The mother sneezed. “I’m fine now. Say Neha, if you want, you can go play with your friend nearby.”

Neha glanced at the candle, and the flame conjured an afterimage of Sachen; she seemed to be waving at Neha in this instance. “About my friend. Lately, we haven’t talked to each other. I know this might seem strange, but I am feeling under the weather right now, so I don’t have the energy to meet her.”

“That’s odd. It’s the weekend, and you don’t want to see your beloved friend?” Aijin massaged her daughter’s shoulders. “It’s okay. There are some days that don’t feel right, so the both of you should cherish your own time alone for now. Well what do I know? I don’t have many people to talk to, and even in this neighborhood, people think of me as a lunatic.”

“I don’t think you are a lunatic. You are a beautiful person to me.”

“Ah!” Her mother puckered her lips. “Y-you really mean it? I am flattered. Your dad never once said that I am beautiful and graceful. He called me a neanderthal or a dragon all the time, it’s so humiliating!”

“Hehe, I know very well that my dad was only telling jokes about you.”

“But still! Never mind, what is there to worry about?” Out of the blue, Neha let out a yawn. She coated her lips with saliva and began to see blurs from her vision. The girl drooled. She lurched on the edge of the bed. “My my, are you going to fall asleep here? Well it can’t be helped. You can sleep in my bed, cozy and safe with me. If you want to get well-rested, then mind if I sing a lullaby?”

“A lullaby? That’d be nice.”

“Haha, it’s been long since I sang something for you, my darling. I got one that you might like. It’s called, ‘Orchestra of the Angels.’ How about that?”

“Yeah. I want to listen, mommy.” Neha’s voice drifted. She left one eye open and looked at the candle, to which the flame had consumed half of the object.

“Be prepared! Now I shall start.” Butterflies forming in her stomach, Aijin’s eyes twitched and her toes danced in place. Before she could commence, she flushed crimson when hearing that her daughter said ‘mommy’ to her. The mother came close to crying.

Aijin hummed as she peered at the afternoon clouds. There came nothing but affection within her.

Go to sleep my dear, for the angels will save you from your burdens,

and the angels will help you go to the place you want, so that you will be happy.

What use would it be, if happiness didn’t exist?

That is why the angels will provide you with everything they can,

for the heavens will form a smile in liberation for your angst.

Not to worry, not to cry, not to suffer,

so just forget the things that are hurting you.

Nobody knows what the future will bring,

so try your best and live.

The angels echo the orchestra of the divine when are you are one with them,

and all sins will be conquered by the light, by the will of everybody.

In the end, the sun and moon are smiling at you.

She lulled this lullaby five times. Immediately after the end, Neha closed her eyes and fell into a slumber. The mother blanketed her kid’s body up to her shoulders. Aijin bent down to the floor and picked up the wreath that Neha had almost forgotten, and placed the wreath on the cabinet. She then put a pillow under her head and kissed her good dreams. Once Neha turned away from the candle, the mother opened the door, and she left with the medicine sack.

Moments later, a clang occurred on the other side. The front door seemed to slam by itself.