Chapter Seven

Seventeen years earlier, there was a beautiful lady living in the forest with those endangered creatures. This lady always wore a long, white dress that covered her bare feet. She loved nature, the trees, the rippling brook, and the birds. There was only one thing she didn't like. Humans.

"Humans are the worst animals I've ever known. They can hurt each other, betray each other, and even kill each other for material things," the lady said, talking to a bluebird pecking on the branch of a mango tree.

The bluebird chirped as if it understood the woman. She could actually talk to animals, and she decided to live in the forest because people thought she was insane.

Loud laughter and applause suddenly burst in the public theater, showing their support for the actress. The woman on the stage, who was acting as a goddess, could believe she did it. She bowed down her head and made her way out, making way for other performers.

Many said that the actress had a wonderful performance. Some cried because she looked like Estrella. Others exclaimed that she was definitely the goddess.

A few moments later, the crowd gradually disappeared from the theater. It was Caroline who acted as the goddess of Mount Octover, although she was just forced to do it because nobody would take the role for their school performance.

"Nice job, Carol!" The production staff congratulated her backstage. They were all amazed to see such a rare talent from a young woman.

"Thanks, everyone!" Caroline replied. She hoped that Isabelanians wouldn't stop patronizing their culture, such as exhibiting their history and folktales every summer season to impart the history of the town to the younger generation. She believed that folktales weren't just tales; they were golden seeds of lessons from the past.

After changing her clothes, Caroline headed back home and met Linley along the way. "Where are you going?" She asked, noticing the big frown on Linley's face.

"Caroline? Is that you?" Linley replied. She remembered that Caroline joined the acting competition in school. "So, how's the competition? Did you win?"

"The results aren't out yet. The judges will take their time to decide," Caroline replied. "How about you? Has something bad happened?"

"Not really, I mean," Linley stammered as she couldn't really lie to her friend while looking at her beautiful eyes. "Can we talk for a while? I have something to tell you."

"Yeah, of course, I have free time," Caroline replied. She followed Linley to the bench on the roadside under the lamppost. They sat there and had a conversation while the cars were passing by.

"So, what is it that you want to tell?" Caroline asked, interested to know something from Linley.

"Do you remember the boy we saw here yesterday?" Linley asked. She knew this might sound very personal, but she couldn't sleep thinking of him.

"Yes, of course. Why? Is there something wrong with him?" Caroline asked curiously. "I remembered you didn't join our meeting last time."

"I'm sorry, Carol, if I didn't support you and the group on what you were doing these days. But I want to tell you something that I haven't told anyone before," Caroline said in a serious tone.

"What's that, Linley?" someone asked behind them. It was Adelaide who suddenly emerged like a professional spy, as if she didn't want to miss their conversation.

"Nothing," Linley replied.

"Are you sure about that 'nothing,' or do you just not want to tell me? Am I not included in your friend's list?" Adelaide asked.

"And why won't you just stop eavesdropping on our conversation?" Linley said.

"Don't worry, Linley. I'm not the same as other girls in town who can spread your secret in one second. You can trust your secrets to me," Adelaide replied.

"This is enough, guys. You're just wasting my time here. Don't you know that I'm exhausted after days and days of practicing for my acting, but you two didn't even attend? I'd better go home," Caroline interrupted. She stood up and stepped away.

"Wait, Ad. Okay, I'll tell you now. I have feelings for that boy!" Linley exclaimed, summoning all her courage to tell them about what she felt. Her face turned red from embarrassment.

"What?" Adelaide and Caroline asked simultaneously.

"How come?" Adelaide asked.

"Unbelievable! How can you have feelings for a boy you just met yesterday?" Caroline asked.

"He's so good and..." Linley wanted to explain.

"What did you just say, Linley? Do you want to explain something?" someone interrupted. It was Lazaro who suddenly emerged from behind them.

"I'm sorry, Linley, but we have to go now. You'd better explain to him your part if you don't want your relationship to be over," Caroline advised before leaving.

Caroline and Adelaide leave Linley alone with her boyfriend, as they didn't want to be involved with their couple's discord even if they were close friends with Linley, because they knew that Lazaro could be harsh sometimes.

"I'm sorry," Linley apologized instead of asking if Lazaro heard all of that. She knew from the start that she wasn't sure about how she felt for him, but she gave him a chance anyway, thinking she'd learn to love him.

A long list of questions was racing in Lazaro's head, such as if Linley really had feelings for Callisto even if she just met him for a while. He wanted to tell her that there wasn't a second that he wasn't thinking about her, but there she was, thinking about someone else.

"Please, explain it to me. I'll try to understand even if I won't really get it," Lazaro said.

"Sorry, Lazaro. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I know that you're hoping for us, but I already told you to stop. So there's not a thing that I should explain," Linley replied, realizing how much pain she had caused Lazaro, that she had been unfair with him from the start.

"You're right; you just made me believe your lies. It's better if we just end it here. I hope you'll find your happiness, even if not with me." Lazaro turned to leave.

"Wait!" Linley stopped him and hugged him from the back. "Please forgive me, Lazaro. I've been a fool for making you hope for something I can't give," Linley apologized.

Lazaro didn't look back as Linley let him go. He knew it would be the last time he'd ever talk to her, and it would take time for him to heal. Although his tears were about to burst from his eyes, he tried his best not to cry.

On the other hand, Sebastian, Dorothy, Callisto, and Ruth were preparing for their trip to Mount October. They knew that danger was waiting for them, but they also knew that they wouldn't be in danger if they just followed the route made by tourists. It was a conspicuous, winding route going to the top of the mountain.

"Are you ready for the adventure?" Sebastian asked while wearing his boots.

No one answered his question. Everyone knew, especially Dorothy, that they could risk their lives by going to that mountain, but they hoped that everything there would be worth risking their lives for.

After packing the things they needed for a picnic and putting them inside a huge backpack, they were finally ready to go. Sebastian locked the doors of their house and started their journey to Mt. Octover.

Dorothy, on the other hand, wasn't so sure if their journey would be fine because there were many bad things that happened on that mountain when they were still young couples, as she remembered.

She saw Mount Octover wasn't that snowy before, and it surprised her even when she just saw it in the picture, and even more so when she saw it with her own eyes. That mountain was green before, and there were many trees, plants, and animals that were living there.

"Is she still enraged at us?" Dorothy wondered.

Even though she knew that they did nothing wrong, that it wasn't their mistake if that woman chose to kill herself, Dorothy still worried, especially now that she had a family to protect. No one would ever desire something wrong to happen to their own family.

"Come on, my love, aren't you excited to see the view from the top of that mountain?" Sebastian asked when he noticed Dorothy halted, still hesitant.

"Of course I am," Dorothy replied with a smile. "But I can't help myself from worrying about what might happen to us. What if we just go back?"

"We have come so far already; we'll only get tired even more if we go back. Come on, there's nothing else we can do but continue following this route. Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations. Look at our children; they are so fast," Sebastian tried his best to convince his wife.

Callisto was so happy that his parents decided to go mountaineering. He always dreamed of doing this when they were in the city, and his wish finally came true. He thought of taking pictures as a remembrance. He wanted to enjoy this moment before it became a memory.

"It's cold here. Are you sure you want to continue? We don't really know the exact temperature above that mountain," Dorothy made an excuse.

"I've researched that already, and if other people visit there, why can't we? Come on, stop lingering, or just tell me if you're tired, and I'll carry you." Sebastian went near his wife and carried her.

"Oh my! Please put me down; we could fall with what you're doing!" Dorothy shouted with fear, but Sebastian acted like he didn't hear her.

"Relax, we won't fall. Just hold on to me," Sebastian assured his wife. He didn't really care if both of them fell, because he had already fallen head over heels in love with her in the first place.

Dorothy didn't expect that her husband was still so strong, like when they were in their twenties, although some of his hair had already turned gray. She remembered those moments like this: that he was carrying her on his back, going to the same destination.

"At long last!" Sebastian exclaimed when they finally reached the foot of the mountain, where they used to sit and lie and have deep conversations when they were young.

Sebastian put Dorothy down. He wiped the sweat that had diffused on his face and inhaled deeply. The cold air entered his lungs, and he sneezed. Fortunately, they were wearing thick clothes to fight the cold weather.

"Not finally, Dad. We're still at the foot of the mountain. It will take us half an hour before we can reach the top," Callisto corrected.

"I already told you. It's just a waste of time, and how can we climb that mountain, huh?" Dorothy asked.

"Don't worry, Mother; there's a winding path to the top, so we don't need to climb this mountain; instead, let's just follow the path," Callisto explained.

"So let's go?" Sebastian asked. "Just be careful; a landslide could occur anytime. It's good to see that it isn't windy here, or else we can't get up."

"That's not good. I'm still tired, and I want to sit here for a while," Dorothy complained, sitting on the grass. "Why don't we just have a picnic here instead of climbing that mountain? You know that I'm not really good with heights."

Sebastian looked at his wife and gave her an empathetic smile. He knew it would be hard to climb the mountain with her, so he decided to follow her suggestion. He unpacked their things and set up the tents. He couldn't understand why this place felt like home, as if he had been there before a couple of times.

Callisto was disappointed that his parents couldn't climb the mountain when that was all he wanted to do. He decided to go there by himself, as he really wanted to explore the mountain, despite all the dangerous animals there.