Ethereal – Chapter 1
The dim glow of the moon slipped through the cracks of the window, casting faint shadows across the room. He lay on his bed, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths, his vision blurred by unshed tears. His father's furious fists pounded against the locked door, each blow shaking the fragile walls.
"Izana! Open the damn door!"
But he couldn't move. His body curled in the corner, arms wrapped around himself, hands gripping his chest as if trying to hold back the unbearable pain. Tears rolled down his cheeks, yet they didn't feel like tears. They felt like blood, seeping from the wounds carved deep within his soul.
A name slipped past his trembling lips— Rosita.
His throat ached, dry and raw from silent screams. His eyes burned, turning crimson with sorrow. He pressed his forehead to his knees, suffocating in the agony that clawed at his heart.
Bang!
The door shattered open. His father's rage stormed in, an iron rod gripped in his calloused hand.
"Die here, you useless bastard!"
The first strike landed against his ribs. Pain exploded through his body. Another—his shoulder. Another—his back. He gasped, coughing up blood, but his mind was elsewhere.
Rosita…
Her voice echoed in his memory, soft and gentle like a whisper carried by the wind.
"Izana, look at me. I love you. You're never alone."
She had cupped his face, her touch featherlight, her eyes filled with warmth. A smile—so soft, so full of love—graced her lips before she pressed a delicate kiss to his forehead.
"You're mine, Izana. And I'm yours. If the world ever tries to hurt you, don't worry. I will protect you."
His chest clenched. His breathing hitched. The pain in his body was nothing compared to the ache of losing her. He cried, moaned, breaking apart at the seams. Her touch, her warmth, her voice—it all felt so close, yet unbearably far.
"Find me, Izana."
She had linked her fingers with his, sealing a promise with a kiss on his forehead. Her smile, her tears—both were carved into his heart.
And then—darkness.
The morning was cold. He awoke to the familiar sting of bruises covering his body.
"Get to work, you worthless piece of shit," his father spat.
Izana said nothing. He simply got up and left.
The world outside wasn't any kinder.
"You're late," his manager sneered, before spitting on his face. "Lick the floor, bitch, or you won't get paid."
He clenched his fists. If he refused, the punishment at home would be worse. He bent down, swallowed his pride, and did what he had to do.
Days blurred into nights, nights into more days. Until one evening—
"Please, sir. My granddaughter is hungry. Can you spare anything?"
A frail old man stood before him in the pouring rain, his voice shaking with desperation. A little girl clutched at his side, her clothes damp, her eyes hollow.
Izana dug into his pocket, pulled out the last 100 rupees he had, and pressed it into her tiny hands.
As the rain poured down, he fell to his knees, his shoulders trembling.
"Why… why are we born like this?" he whispered, his voice cracking with the weight of his sorrow.
The little girl smiled—so pure, so radiant, despite the suffering she bore. She stepped closer, cupped his face in her small hands, and pressed her forehead against his.
"Brother," she whispered, "I'm happy with the life God gave me."
Her words hit him like a wave, crashing against the emptiness inside him.
"Even if it hurts, smile."
Raindrops mixed with his tears as he looked at her in wonder.
Rosita…
He closed his eyes, letting the rain wash over him.
"If you were here… we could live together, right? I'd find you, wouldn't I?"
A cold wind swept past him, carrying the scent of the earth after rain. It felt like a whisper—a whisper of something long lost.
That night, he made his decision.
He walked away from the house that had never been a home. Away from the chains that had bound him to misery.
Nothing mattered anymore. Family, friends, the past—it was all empty.
The echoes of laughter taunted his mind—
"We're going on a trip!"
Izana had run towards them, eyes filled with hope.
"Can I come?"
A sneer. A cruel laugh.
"There's no way you can come with us, pig. Your place is in the dirt."
He had turned away from them that day. And now, he was turning away from everything.
As he walked, the rain fell heavier, drenching him completely.
And then—he saw them.
The old man and the little girl.
The grandfather smiled. "You've decided, haven't you?"
Izana exhaled, his breath visible in the cold air. "I have nothing. But… someone is waiting for me."
The old man chuckled. "Ah… love, is it?"
Izana said nothing.
"Open your heart, kid. Let it flow like a river, and you'll find her."
He took his first step forward. The beginning of his journey.
Months passed.
The forest was wrapped in mist. The morning air carried the songs of birds, their melodies blending with the rustling leaves.
Izana sat in his tent, closing the pages of his worn-out journal. He tied his hair back, packed his belongings, and stepped outside.
A cold wind greeted him, brushing against his skin like a gentle touch.
He climbed the hill, the grass brushing against his legs, the scent of wildflowers filling the air. As he walked, he reached a river. He bent down, staring at his reflection in the water.
And then, a memory—
"Rosita, don't go too far! It's dangerous!"
She had turned back, rolling her eyes.
"I'm older than you, Izana! Don't forget that."
She had pulled him forward, their hands locked together as they ran to the riverbank.
"Look, Izana."
She had pointed at the water.
"Do you see? It reflects us. When we smile, it smiles. When we're sad, it frowns."
She had turned to him, her eyes twinkling.
"So smile, baby. Your smile is precious to me."
Izana shut his eyes, lying down on the riverbank, the cold grass beneath him. The wind whispered through the trees, brushing against his skin like a lover's touch.
Find your joy, Izana.
Make this journey worth it.
Find me.
He smiled. A small, broken smile. But even as he tried, the pain was still there. The emptiness.
"I miss you, Rosita…"
His voice trembled.
"It hurts without you…"
The sky stretched endlessly above him, an ocean of blue fading into eternity.
And so, his journey continued.