The Strange Adventure of Maria Mercado (11 page)

             
“You traitorous bitch,” Jonas said to Reeza. “Kidnapping girls that are clearly hopeless against you. What’s the matter, you can’t fight a real man anymore?” His voice was angry and filled with passion brought about by the recollection of his broken heart.

             
Reeza kept smiling but said nothing. Ankar looked at Jonas.

             
“Now, now, Jonas, do try to calm down. She was only following orders just as you should be doing.” He looked at Reeza and then again at Jonas before saying:

             
“And besides… that is not the way to be speaking to the mother of your child.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Maria’s first memory was at the tender young age of 18 months. She could see her mom and dad calling out to her. “Maria, come baby! You can do it!” said her dad. “That’s it baby come to Mommy!” said her mom. Maria looked down. She is standing on her own two feet. She took a step forward. Her parents got even more excited. “That’s it baby, come on Maria!” they said.

             
She took another step, and slowly another, and another until she reached them, smiling and she fell on her mother’s open arms. Maria was safe.

             
Fast forward to when Maria was 3.

             
It was Christmas. She climbed the little sofa by the window. She pushed the blinds open to watch the steady fall of white fluffy snow. Maria could see the snowman that they built yesterday. It’s still standing, with twigs as its arms and a long carrot as its nose. Her dad put coals as the eyes and as buttons on the snowman’s invisible shirt. Her mom put a scarf on him and her brother Peter was carried up to put a top hat on his head.

             
Little Maria looked behind her. 2-year-old Peter was trying to climb the sofa, and with a little push from her dad he managed to do so. Maria sat down and Peter followed. He was always following what she was doing. Her mom gave her a small piece of peppermint stick. Maria licked it and saw Peter looking. She held out the stick to him and with the biggest smile on his face, he took it. Maria was happy.

             
Fast forward to when Maria was 5.

“Daddy, Daddy, I want one!” said the little Maria. She just saw the most beautiful doll she had ever seen. It was soft, and almost as big as her little self, with long black hair and pink clothes. It had been shown countless times in commercials all over TV and plastered on ads all over toy stores in the city. Now here she is, standing before the very doll that is the key to an innocent little girl’s happiness.

              Ruben Mercado looked at his little daughter. “Okay, Maria, but you have to wait,” he said. “Santa Claus will probably bring that to you, if you’re a good girl!”

             
“Santa Claus!” she exclaimed happily; and with that simple answer from her father, Maria was content.

             
Fast forward to when Maria was 7.

             
She was sitting in class, patiently waiting for it to start. Maria is now in Grade 2, and she arrived in class earlier than her best friend Jasmine, who sits next to her.  She looked outside and she could see Jasmine’s mom’s car stop in the front. She saw Jasmine get out and started to walk towards the school. She stopped when Randy approached her; the boy that she likes. They walked together and entered the front doors.

Jasmine entered the classroom and ran to the back, where Maria was sitting.

“Maria! Guess who was talking to me?” she asked.

“Randy,” Maria replied.

              “How did you know? Oh I guess you could see me through the window. Well anyway he said his mom was going to ask my mom if I could come to his birthday party this weekend. He said his mom is gonna ask your mom too!”

             
“Yay!” Maria said, because she always has fun at birthday parties. Maria was excited.

             
Fast forward to when Maria was 9.

             
Her brother Peter was building a fort out of the pile of discarded wood in the backyard. Her dad and his friends just finished building a new shed and Peter got permission to play with the rest of unused lumber. He was doing a really good job too, for a little kid. Their dad mentioned that Peter looks like he has a future in construction.

             
Maria wondered what she would be good at. She went to the kitchen to help her mom prepare supper.

             
“You look like you have something on your mind,” her mom said. “Anything I can do to help?”

             
“Well, it’s nothing,” Maria said. “It’s just that, I see Peter outside and he’s younger than me but he already knows what he is good at. Daddy said that he has a future in construction. But me, I have no idea what I’m good at.”

             
“You’re good at helping me, you always do an awesome job at the chores and the grocery shopping. You even did great when you helped me take care of Mr. Orlando a while back.”

             
“Yeah but that’s just helping. I want to know what I’m good at. I don’t want to be only good at helping.”

             
“Maria,” her mom bent down to look at her. She smiled. “There is no shame in being good at helping others. Nothing that functions well works without a bit of help. The instinct to help – that’s inside all of us. But it takes a great person to set aside selfishness and to willingly do what you can to assist others. And that is in you, Maria. It is in you to be great.”

             
Maria smiled. Her mother’s words made her feel so much better.

             
Fast forward to when Maria was 11.

             
Neil had everybody at his house, playing video games. Jasmine and Maria were the only girls and the others were boys. Neil’s mom brought over some sandwiches and juice. “Time for a break,” she said. “Your parents won’t be too happy with me if I neglected to feed you!” The kids gathered around the living room table and ate. Neil was trying to talk to Jasmine but she was busy on her new cell phone, texting someone else. Neil got up and sat next to Maria. She knew that Neil has a crush on Jasmine but she doesn’t see him like that.

             
“Don’t worry Neil, she will see you for who you really are someday,” she said to him.

             
“Huh, what? I wasn’t trying to talk to her,” he looked away, slightly embarrassed.

             
“Come on now, I know you like her,” she smiled at him. Then she turned her head and bowed down.

             
It was Neil’s turn to re-assure her. “Maria, don’t feel like that.”

             
“Like what?”

             
“I know you probably get lonely. I do too. And we always see Jasmine surrounded by all these boys and getting all kinds of attention from them. Don’t worry, we’re not even teenagers yet,” he said.

             
“I know Neil, I just wonder sometimes, what if nobody will like me like that?”

             
“What are you talking about? You are a great girl! You just be patient Maria Mercado. You will get your prince charming,” he smiled and awkwardly patted her shoulder.

             
Somehow, Neil’s words coupled with his awkwardness made Maria felt comforted.

             
Fast forward to when Maria was 13.

             
It was the first day of school and Maria’s first day at Resullar Junior High. She is now in 7
th
grade and things are different now. They’re no longer kids; they’re teenagers. Maria felt a little overwhelmed because she is about to go to school with people she had never met before. Gone were the comforts of seeing the same faces year after year. Although most of them are still in the same school, the others had been assigned to another junior high.

             
Maria stayed outside, waiting for Jasmine and Neil.  She was too nervous to go in alone. She saw some girls walk by; they looked unwelcoming and snotty. They looked at her with eyebrows raised. Then one of them whispered something at the others and they all giggled before going in.

             
She saw Neil approaching and she smiled.
Finally someone familiar
, she thought. He saw her and waved.

             
“Hey! Are you excited? I am! I heard they have an amazing chemistry lab here. Think of all the things I can do!”

             
Maria laughed. “Of course you would be excited over something like that.”

             
“Jas not here yet?” He inquired as he looked around.

             
“No, you know her, she will probably be late.”

             
“Oh look there she is,” he pointed. “Looks like she’s made a new friend already.”

             
Maria followed his gaze and saw Jasmine talking to a boy.
Surprise, surprise
, she said to herself.  “Let’s wait and see if she comes this way or if she’s gonna be walking in with him.”

             
After a few minutes, Jasmine was walking alone towards them, all smiles.

             
“Hey guys! Did you see him? His name is Tyrell. He is sooo cute. He asked for my number!”

             
“Already?” Maria said.

             
“Yes! I love this school! You guys ready to go in?”

             
Neil nodded and so did Maria. Then the three of them walked in together, confident that they are ready to take on the challenges of a new school.

             
Maria suddenly snapped out of it. In front of her were five glowing beings sat on five golden thrones. She looked at all of them in awe, not sure of what to say. Gadik was standing next to her and Maria instinctively reached over to hold his hand.

             
“Don’t be afraid child. I am Prince Maalm,” one of them said.

             
“I am Princess Dhalis. And I take it that you just experienced some pleasant flashbacks?”

             
“Ye-yes,” Maria stammered.

             
“My name is Princess Aisha. What you have just experienced is quite normal for humans who come in contact with us for the first time.”

             
“We bring out only the good memories. Let me introduced myself, I am Prince Antaw.”

             
“We represent the good side of both the kingdom and beyond. I am Prince Gustav, and we are the Royals.”

             
Maria was confused and was wondering if she should bow down before them.  She started to but Gadik, who was still holding her hand, pulled her back up.

             
“No need to bow before us,” said Princess Dhalis. “It is us who should be bowing before you.”

             
“Indeed. You are our salvation and the future of the kingdom,” said Prince Antaw.

             
“Maria Mercado, do you know why you have been brought here?” said Prince Maalm.

             
“No, well yes, maybe. All I know is, someone kidnapped me and then I was rescued and then I met Gadik and he brought me here.”

             
“I suppose, brothers and sisters, that we must tell Maria our whole story,” said Prince Gustav.

             
“Yes, leave us Gadik, but first get a seat for Maria. We will tell her everything – from the beginning – so she can make a fair and just decision,” said Princess Aisha.

             
Maria watched as Gadik got her a comfortable seat. He then bowed down and turned around and left the room. Maria turned her head facing front and looked at all the Royals.

             
“I am listening,” she said.

***

              Meeka had heard from Bostavs when they were still humans talking about rollercoasters in their world. Some of them said it was the most exhilarating experience of their lives while others didn’t take to it too well and just felt nauseous. Meeka felt like the latter, as he desperately hang on to Jasper’s hair with all four arms. One thing is for certain though; this boy has stamina. He ran all the way to the palace without stopping once. By the time they arrived, Meeka felt like he would throw up.

             
“Are you okay little buddy?” Jasper asked.

             
“Gulp – yes – I think so,” said Meeka as he stumbled around trying to get his balance back.

             
“Come on then, we need to talk to the Royals,” said Jasper. He walked into the front gate of the palace and just stood there for a minute looking up at it in awe.

             
“Wow,” he said. “I have never been here before. Have you, Meeka?”

             
“Yes, a long time ago,” the Omtar said.

             
Jasper walked to the gate.

             
“Stop.”

             
The commanding voice of the Bostav echoed through the forest behind Jasper. The Bostav approached him through the gate and looked at him. “State your business,” he said.