Chapter 2: Reminiscence

A woman in her early forties and a young boy of eight years tries to set up a Christmas tree in their home. The bell rings and the woman signals the young boy to go get the door. The boy runs to the door and opens. Alena stands at the door with the bag of presents she bought from the mall. The little boy giggles and takes the bag from her dashing into the house and saying "Mom, Alena is back." Alena shakes her head and removes her shoe.

"Where have you been dear, you took longer than expected" Alena mum says now walking to the verandah. Alena chuckles and walks up to her.

"I know mum, there were little problems in getting a cab. You know this is a festive season and there are lot of people now boarding taxes than before."

"I see" Alena mum turns to the young boy, "Henry come and give me a hand here". Henry runs and him and his mum continues with their arrangements.

Alena watches them working together they looked so happy. She used to once be happy as well but now it seemed things have changed ever since she was caught making love with her boyfriend Jan, in January

She was just seventeen years and Jan was much older, he was twenty four and was already in his final year as a college student. Notorious and rough, Jan was a rich spoilt kid. He was a minor gangstar already and his name was sung by many boy's and girls. The boy's which were not in his clique were afraid of him while the girls were madly dripping for him.

It was a Wednesday morning that she first had a one on one encounter with Jan. She was keeping some books in her locker and felt a tap on the shoulder. She turned back and saw Jan. Her heart skipped as He looked at her and gave a flirty smile.

"Hey pretty, I guess you already know me, you are?"

Alena... Alena Puckett

They discussed for sometime and he proved to be extremely funny. He took her contact that day and since then, they started chatting until he made her his girlfriend.

She remembered how two years ago, she almost lost Henry while traveling to their Uncle's place to celebrate Christmas - all this because if Jan.

Alena had chatted with Jan throughout the previous night before the journey. She was now feeling sleepy in the morning but they still had to travel. Alena and Henry sat down at the back seat in the bus. The started moving and she immediately dozed off.

They journeyed for about four hours and the driver parked by a restaurant so that the passengers could eat and refresh themselves before the journey continued again. They were traveling for a long distance. .

Immediately as the bus stopped, everyone except Alena and the driver came down from the bus. Alena was still asleep and did not know that her younger brother had come outside. Henry being a child and also elated since this was his first time being in a public bus for a long journey began to play and wander away from the restaurant.

The driver sat in the front seat and saw Alena from his mirror. He noticed that she had been sleeping since the journey started. Wasn't she going to free herself or eat something.

"Hey young lady." Alena did not even move an inch and this made the driver worried. Is she dead he asked himself. He stands up and manages to get to the back seat.

"Hey, young lady." He slowly tapped her. Alena opened her eyes and discovered that the bus was empty and Henry is not present.

"Where is Henry." She asked the driver. He stares at her confused

"Henry, who is Henry"

Oh shit. Alena comes out of the bus and begins to ask everyone around if they had seen Henry. She is unable to find anyone who had seen him and enters the restaurant. The people who were in the bus had already started entering the bus but she is yet to see him.

What am I going to tell mum, where is this boy, Oh God I am done for. Her mind was filled with fear. She decides to go back to the bus probably Henry had returned while she was out looking for him.

She goes to the bus but he is not there. The passengers are now begining to lose their patience.

Hey young lady, I have a party to catch by 4pm. I don't want to be late

Aren't you going again

Why did you let your brother wonder so far from you

The voice of the people coupled with the internal tension in her heart made her to scream. Everyone in the bus is now quiet and feels pity for her. She kneels down on the floor and started crying. Her crying is however interrupted when she feels a hand on her shoulder. She turns and sees a young boy putting on a face cap and dressed differently from Henry.

"Hey, are you Alena." Alena nods her head with hope in her eyes

"Henry said I should call you to come and see the game we just found"

Her heart was greatly relieved and she immediately spranged up to her feet. She begged the driver to wait for her and also apologized to the other passengers for wasting their time. She followed the young boy and that was how she saw Henry. On that day, she wanted to scold him but all she could do was hug him tight. Never would let such mistake happen again.

Alena mum stands before Alena, she looks at her daughter strangely

"Alena, are you sure you are okay" Alena realizes that she have been standing on the spot ever since.

"Yes Mom, I am fine. I was just thinking about certain things"

"If you what you are thinking is not about the future then you should not think about it." Alena looks look a little doubtful to her mum who is forced to add another line.

"Forget about the past, it is already gone"