Religious, that’s how I grew up. My mom taught me how to pray and since then it has become my hobby. I always drop by the church whenever I have time. I spent my whole childhood days singing in church as well as joining different activities in church.

I’m Charity Hope Sison, ‘Hope of the family.’ as what my mom always told me when I was a kid. She named me Hope because I’m her only hope when everything seems to end between her and my Dad. My Dad stayed with my Mom because I was born but after a month he left us with another family. So, I never had a chance to grow up with a Dad on my side.

I survived seventeen years without him and I believe I can do that until the remaining days of my life as long as I’m with my mom and my brother.

But that’s not really the story. It started Sunday afternoon. I went to church because I was bored at home. My brother is playing basketball with our neighbors while my mom is at her work so I choose to stay at the church.

It was around two in the afternoon when I arrived at our church. Well it’s a small church, with paintings of saints above the ceiling, a cozy altar at the center, big windows that feels like a door for angels to come in. It’s old, yet it gives me the feeling of home.

I looked around and I realized that I’m the only one inside the chapel. The mass will start at 5 o’clock and the choir will meet around three so I decided to just wait for them.

I sat on the last three rows of the chairs and started talking to God as if he was really beside me. I narrated everything that happened to me since I got up on my bed the whole day until now that I’m in front of him. I thanked him for every blessing that I had and my family had, and I prayed the rosary until I just found myself singing praise on him.

After a minute, I stopped and peacefully looked at the altar. I’m still alone so I texted Faith, my best friend and also a member of the choir, to come early. I got a reply saying that she will be here in a minute.

I got a bit bored, so I decided to practice some songs. “It’s just another night and I’m staring at the moon. I saw a shooting star…”

It was so still inside the church. My voice echoed as I sang. As I am the only one inside, I could hear even the slightest noise around. So, I stopped when I heard a faint sound of metal against the floor.

I noticed something on the floor which I think caused the faint sound a while ago. I raised an eyebrow before I looked at the doorway. I saw a guy standing but I couldn't clearly see his face because I didn’t wear my eyeglass.

I stood up and I was about to pick the thing on the floor which I think the guy owned when he ran away as if he saw something scary.

Do I look like a ghost?

I frowned.

And the next thing I knew, I was holding his ring.