Prologue
There was no light where they had met and he could not see the face of the owner of the voice who was talking to him but, he feels strangely calm. Like a weight is lifted off of him. Like he is finally free and can breathe again. He had forgotten the pain. He had forgotten his sins. He had forgotten to hate. He just wants it all to stop. Complete oblivion…
"What is your wish?"
"Death."
"Settled for less, then?"
"Yes."
"How 'bout revenge?"
"….."
"I promise they will suffer more than you."
"….."
"And you'll get to see them fall one by one…"
"Death. That is my wish."
"Revenge first. Then, death. Sounds nice?"
"What's the catch?"
"You. Your soul. Your body. They will all belong to me."
"….."
"Sounds nice?"
"…... Sounds nice."
But the voice was charming enough to lure him to give in. For in the darkest room, he had found a tiny spark of light. They say that you'll find awakening at the strangest places. They might be right after all. He knows that he had given in to the devil himself and there is no turning back.
*******
Trance stares at the white surroundings… He can't be in heaven. He does not deserve to go there. He looks closer, scanning the area and starting to make connection inside his brain. Hospital… he thought. So he's still alive? How nice… Trance thought sarcastically at his condition. Then, he realizes… he's not wearing his spectacles yet his eye—sight is remarkably clear. He then lifts up his hand, slowly, struggling to do so. Why does it feel really heavy? How long had he not moved his hand? He thought. At the success of lifting his hand, he places his palm right on his chest. Something is missing here… he thought. He has no idea as to what.
One of the first thing he notices was that his family is very happy to see him awake. They are smiling happily and crying at the same time but Trance wonders why… he can't smile… he can't even cry. He misses his family, yes. Maybe. And he had just known that he's been in coma for more than a year. It's a surprise but he can't feel anything out of it. He is… hollow…
"I don't remember," Trance said and those words of his frustrate everyone in the room, especially Detective Mona. She was determined to catch the offenders and sent them right to where they belong. But Trance could not remember... She asked to meet the doctor in private to know more of Trance's condition and what the doctor told her made her more suspicious towards the boy's behavior.
"It's strange for people to have been in a coma for a long time to be in their healthiest condition. His brain scan does not seem to indicate any abnormalities, his muscle is also showing positive result. He can move normally even after lying on the bed unmoving for more than a year. It's remarkable!" The doctor commented full of excitement.
"Okay, despite of his remarkable body condition, his brain is not suggesting any abnormalities? Are you sure, Doctor?" Detective Mona asked seriously, trying to get straight to the matter at hand.
"Yes," the doctor said and nodded.
"So it's possible that he's been traumatized and is afraid to testify?"
"Well," the doctor shrugged. "That could be the only explanation…" he said.
From the hospital bed, the most prominent color that he can see is white. Pure white. He is almost blinded by the whiteness that surrounds him. But he dares not indulge himself in the seemingly pure world of the whites for he is bound to the darkness. And the color that suits him the most would be red. He will paint the whole world in red.
******
TRANCE WILSON: First Year All Over Again
I lied. I remember. I remember all of them, the five of them… I remember…
Looking in this mirror now, I realize how different I look without my thick—lens glasses. My grey eyes look different as well. How to explain this? It's the looks in my eyes. It's kind of evil… It's not as innocent and nice as it used to be…
It's funny that at this moment, I associate myself with Superman. I guess some people do look different with versus without glasses and I just happened to be one of them. Like Clark Kent. Perhaps I should also hit the gym to get buff like him. But what does it all mean anyway?
I've cut my dark brown hair shorter to a spike. It's still messy like always but it used to be longer when I was in a coma. I was a total nerd…
Ever since I woke up, I always have this headache and it feels like I'm hearing voices… maybe I've been too near to death that I can now hear ghost whisperings...? Hmm, I'm being silly…
I'm starting school today. The same school. My mom was worried. She wanted me to transfer to another school. But no… I don't know why, but I insisted in going to the same school. Maybe… I really wanna see their faces, reliving those moments. What's with all this confidence in me? Hell, I actually feel like I was reborn…
I'm starting my first year of senior high again. I was supposed to be in third year this year but school thinks I should start over. They don't want me to 'miss out'. But I know they just don't want to put the school in a bad reputation so that's why they told me to start over. So that I can get good grades to improve the school's reputation. A bunch of hypocrites…
He is smiling at me. It is a knowing smile. Why? Does he know me? I don't think so. Here are all new faces… my ex—classmates and year—mates would be in third year. I haven't seen any familiar faces just yet. I know I'm not experiencing any amnesia… I'm fully aware of that. So who is he? Why do I feel like… there's a familiar feeling towards him?
"I'm hurt that you've already forgotten about me," I heard a voice! It's talking to me! I feel a rush. A panic. But I did not flinch. I just sit quietly at my place. So I really can hear ghosts?! "Silly. I'm no ghost," the voice said again. The ghost must be reading my mind!
Wait. Not a ghost? "Who are you?" I asked nervously, using my mind.
"Look up front," the voice said. I followed. Damn… It's that guy. The guy who smiled to me. The one I felt strangely familiar to. "Ready for revenge?" He asked. Revenge? Okay. That surely rings a bell. Oh, now I remember who he is…
