I was running in the forest wildly. Looking for . . . something. I didn’t know what I was looking for. My legs were disobeying my command. I kept running and running. I couldn’t get myself tired enough to stop. I was running for a very long time. My muscle was supposed to ache by now but it didn’t. My heart thumping rapidly that it might come out of me anytime.

It was sometime around dusk. I could tell because it was between day and night and I could still see a bright orange at west. The forest wasn’t empty though it looked like it was. I could hear the birds fluttering their wings and squirrels scurry away from me. I hear almost everything in this forest including my own footsteps. I couldn’t tell whether or not this was all a dream because it seemed so real but it may be my crazy imagination

Finally, I got myself to a halt. It was not because fatigue or hunger. It was because I heard someone . . . or something growling. I could hear its huge heart although it was away from me. It couldn’t be a man. It was big and its fangs exposed, but it remained hidden in a bush. A pair of red eyes was lighted with fury locked on mine. It wasn’t friendly at all by the way it responds to my stare.

I quickly took out a gun, pointing at the beast towards its heart that would have killed it. I didn’t even know where I got the gun from. Should I pull the trigger? I asked myself brainlessly.

The beast blinked and the fury in its eyes disappeared. It took a pace towards me, though it was still in the bush. It was trying to calm me down, to make me understand of something.

I wasn’t convinced. My gun was still aimed at its heart. Somehow, this beast doesn’t run away like others did. It just stood there and stared. How unnatural! Other beasts will try to attack me or run away. It took another step towards me, this time, not concealing.

I could see what it is. It wasn’t what I was looking for all this time. It wasn’t supposed to exist in this world and era. It had orange fur and two longs fangs visible. It was a sabre-tooth tiger.

I lowered my gun slowly, letting it escape since it wasn’t my enemy.

Sophia.

My eyes widened and I aimed the gun back to its heart. Where does the voice come from? It couldn’t be from the tiger. Animals don’t talk, does it? The sound of the voice was unrecognizable. I will never forget the voice that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

I jolted awake, nearly falling off bed. I looked around myself in a familiar place, not the forest. I relaxed after I realized that it was a dream and I wasn’t in the forest anymore. The familiar photo album on the table next to me reminded me that I was in my bedroom. The curtains were drawn as I left them last night.

Just a dream, I calmed myself. It was just another nightmare. I got up from my bed and took a deep breath. That was the third nightmare of the same forest this week. It wasn’t normal for anyone to dream of the same thing numerous times. The nightmares always confused me from what was real and what was unreal.

However, I told my mother about it a few days ago. I was hopping she would tell me why do I always have these nightmares and how to stop them. The only thing she told me to do was ignore it. How helpful! It was easier for her to say! Did she know how much I had suffered? Of course not.

The second thing I thought was how cold it was in here while my body was reacting to the cold air that touched my cheeks. I cupped my hands on my cheeks for awhile so I will feel a little warmer. Folding the comforter that wasn’t protecting me from the cold, I shivered then walked towards the heater that was supposed to keep the room warm. “Stupid piece of junk,” I muttered after I kicked the heater. It wasn’t working anymore. I wondered how long it wasn’t working.

I took a hot shower and changed. There weren’t much to wear because it was winter especially now, late January. So I put on my favorite brown coat.

I retrieved my small brown bagpack that hold my books, was waiting for me on my study desk. I slinged the bag over my left shoulder and took my camera along before closing my bedroom door noiselessly.

I ran down the staircase and nibbling a small bun left on the table in the kitchen. My annoying fourteen-year-old brother, Philip was sitting on the couch and ready to go to school. He flashed a lazy grin at me. I couldn’t help myself showing a weird face back towards him.

“Enjoy sleeping in the cold, my lovely sister?” he asked sweetly yet annoyingly.

I held out my fist at him after I swallowed the last bit of the bun. “How did you know it broke down?” Outside, I saw through the window was snowing. I was about to stuff a handful of snow into his mouth if he said he broke down my heater on purpose.

“Mine didn’t work as well.” I raised my eyebrows in suspicion but I wouldn’t want to waste time asking him more questions about the heater.

“Where is your friend Bailey?” I asked him, tapping on my watch to tell him that he will be late for school.

“He’s on his way. Did you know that a new Game Boy is coming out soon? Bailey is coming here on Friday to show off his new video game,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. “So what are you going to do while waiting for him to show off his video game? Beg mum to get you one of those? Dream on.”

He nearly answered me but mum appeared in the living room as she interrupted him. “Philip Rhys-Deaux, don’t think this is a joke. If I get any calls from your headmistress about you bringing those things to school, I’ll let you handle it yourself,” mum told Philip. She kissed him in the cheeks before leaving the house. I grinned at him and folded my arms across my chest.

“I told you so?” he suggested my usual phrase. He knew me too well as I was with him.

“I told you so.” I left him reading a video game magazine in the living room.

I was lucky it didn’t rain last night or I would have freeze to death. A beautiful black, glossy, sleek vehicle idled in front of my house. I was expecting my best friend, a blond, tall and sporty girl whose name was Victoria on foot instead of a fancy sports car. It was what I always wanted, a Mini Cooper-S Turbo. I could tell every details of the ride.

Victoria was already in the front seat of the car. One statement in my head upset me: It was her car, not mine.

She honked to get my attention and opened the window. “Are you coming or not? If you are not, I should probably go by now,” she said. I hesitated before entering the car. “I think you should see a doctor or something. I checked out that it might be conjunctivitis. It stated it is contagious. Furthermore, your eyes are scaring me to death,” Victoria commented after she drove away from my house.

I rolled my eyes at her and turned up the heater. I agree that my eyes were scary but not about the doctor. They will make experiments out of me. My eyes were scary because sometimes my eye lens would change colour. My normal eye colour brown turned colour to bloody red. I didn’t feel pain but the word bothering was more accurate to describe it. By the time my eye turned red, my vision turned red. Everything I can see became red. The ‘conjunctivitis’ will only last for a few seconds then it will be back to normal. The disease helped me see further than my camera lens could take. I don’t know why it was like this but it seemed like I don’t have a choice. To tell the truth, it scared the hell out of me the first time I looked at myself at the mirror. I nearly passed out but I was getting used to it. My friends will ask the same question that even I don’t know the answer and wish to know.

The funny thing was, the vision and my nightmares came into my life at the same time, which was a few days ago.

“When did you get this car, Victoria?” I ignored her question. Like any other teenage girls in the world, she told me one of the longest stories in history. I was lucky that she was easily distracted to anything or she will keep questioning me about my eyes. I wasn’t quite paying attention to her. However, I wasn’t a type of gossip or popular girl.

Victoria cut off the engine at a familiar parking lot behind my school, City of London School for Girls. My friends, Beth and Sabrina were staring at Victoria’s car from a distance. I could see they were admiring the car. I felt a little disappointed and envy. I wanted a Mini Cooper but Dad would have the same lame excuse, “You are not responsible enough.”

I shut the door and walked to class with Sabrina without bringing up the topic of Victoria’s car. Beth was asking a ton of question to Victoria about her new car.

“Are you sure you’re not wearing contact lenses? I’m going insane guessing!” Sabrina said. She was a curious type of person but not a nerd. Luckily she didn’t wear glasses or she would look more like a bookworm. Sometimes I preferred Sabrina than Victoria because she didn’t talk about boys and fashion every time. Sabrina should be my best friend but I knew Victoria since I was very little.

The good thing about Victoria was she knew how I would feel. For example, I was sullen one day and Victoria would immediately know what I was feeling and she would force me to tell her what was going on. She was always there for me, like best friends do.

“No, I’m not. Why do you have to ask the same question every day?” I answered after a long pause.

“Is it because of April Fool’s day? You fooled me last year stating you found a boyfriend and I believed your lies.”

“It’s January and I’m not lying this time.” She pretended as if she hadn’t heard me. I sighed sadly. She will never believe me.

“Ms. Sophia Rhys-Deaux,” my English teacher, Mrs. Rosalinda called me as I took one step in to the class. I removed my coat and carried them in my arms. One of the only things I love about school is because of their heaters that never broke down. Victoria, Beth and Sabrina escaped the punishment leaving me the victim of a discipline teacher in the school. My neck couldn’t support my head making me stare at the floor. I dragged my legs making friction of my shoes. My heart was beating so fast like a bullet train.

I tried to sort it quickly in my head. Why was I called? I didn’t break any rules and I wasn’t late. My record was clean. It could all be a huge misunderstanding.

The rest of the students in the class continued copying the notes on the blackboard. There were a few pairs of curious eyes followed me.

By the time I reached Mrs. Rosalinda who was standing at the back of the class, she handed me a few pieces of paper stapled together. At first I thought it was my test paper that I missed last week because I was participating in an archery tournament. I was relieved that it wasn’t a punishment. I was sure you will ask yourself, who will sit for exams in January? Mrs. Rosalinda will make her own tests every month. That’s one of the many reasons why most students didn’t like her.

Another ridiculous thought entered my mind. The ‘eye disease’ helped me a lot in the tournament. The target was more or less ten meters away from me but I could see the bull’s eye nearer than it was supposed to be. It was like I had a natural telescope in me.

I got a feeling that I was destined to learn archery. I admitted that I enjoy shooting and it was piece of cake. Ever since today’s nightmare, I wouldn’t want to learn on using a gun.

I read the paper again. Twice. Thrice. Not missing any words. Yes, it had something to do with the tournament. I won first place and got a free two-way airplane tickets to Australia for six months.

“Congratulations,” Mrs. Rosalinda said. To the shock of everyone in the class including me, she smiled. I’d never seen her smile in my entire life. Not even when the other teachers were telling a joke about their students. She will always be grumpy and blame students for nothing. As a student, that was my opinion because it was true. I was sure parents would say that she did this to discipline us or whatever.

My eyes flew back to the paper and I walked to my seat with a huge smile on my face.

Australia was my homeland. My mother was an Australian before we moved to Britain. I was three years old; too young to remember when I left Australia. I didn’t know whether or not I have relatives other than Gran. Mum wouldn’t tell me anything about her side of the family.

My mother’s side was quite different from other families though. The name Rhys-Deaux was the name used passed down in generations. It was some kind of family tradition. Dad didn’t mind using the family name but mum mind. Gran insisted our names to be that way so there was nothing mum could do about it.

I was lucky that there was one ticket and for one person only, without anyone to supervise me. The only person who was hard to convince to let me go there was dad. Sometimes I considered him as a ‘too strict father’ but sometimes he was not so bad. Luckily he didn’t drink or get drunk. I had never seen him drunk before. He only had a can of beer every night and that was all. Mum loved wine especially red wine that originated from France. She had wines only on special occasions since wines were expensive. I had never asked him anything this huge before. Other than a car since I already had my driver license but he will always try to change the subject or give me a lecture on why I had to wait and be patient. He will always think that I’m not responsible enough. (It started when I was very young and my fish died just because I forgot to feed it so that was when he started to say that I’m too young or very forgetful.)

My friends and I sat at our usual table for recess. They asked me what Mrs. Rosalinda wanted and I told them everything. Soon the attention turns to me after Victoria’s new car that I still envied of. The news spread as fast as a disease to the class and possibly the whole school.

School ended quickly. Everyone was rushing out of the class after the dismissal bell rang. I was still sitting in class, dreaming of Australia.

“Do you love school so much that you don’t want to go home, Sophia?” Victoria teased when she approached my desk, ready to leave. How can I not listen for the bell unlike always?

“No,” I said while clearing the books on my desk. Victoria sent me home with her Mini Cooper. The journey back home was faster than going anywhere else. Victoria waved me goodbye and drove away.

I walked up the staircase to my bedroom when I saw a shadow of someone in the kitchen. I looked around myself and found a cricket bat. It couldn’t be Philip. He was attending extra class in school. Not mum because she was supposed to work at her café. It would be impossible to be dad in the kitchen because he was a sports writer. Last night he told us that he would be watching tennis Wimbledon and he will come home late. Who else would have a key to the house?

I gripped the bat and slowly walk towards the kitchen. The stranger turned to my direction.

“How was school?” a familiar voice asked me. I relaxed and put the bat down. I instantly recognized her brunette hair tied in a pony tail and her working clothing.

“Mum! Quit scaring me,” I said. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

Mum faced her back towards me and washed the dishes after she made a face. “They didn’t need me at work so I thought I can make myself useful by doing house chores. How was school?”

“Fine, I guess. Dad’s at work, right?” I looked around myself just in case he was around here. If he really was here, I would have to postpone telling her about Australia.

“Yes, he’s at work. What’s wrong?” She turned towards me again after she switched off the tap, paying full attention to me.

“I won first place in archery,” I explained slowly so I could see her reaction. This answer made her eyes narrow. She was quiet for half a minute until I realized she wanted me to continue. “I won a free two-way airplane tickets to Australia.” My voice was high pitched as I was excited to tell her.

Mum remained silent. She didn’t look thrill with the idea. She looked . . . disappointed. I could tell what was on her mind with her face. Why would she be disappointed for me to go to the country where I was born?

A few minutes later she whispered, “Which part of Australia?” Her face was so pale that she looked like a ghost. She scared me to death.

“I don’t know. They say I could pick anywhere. Maybe Perth . . .” Mum exhaled a small breath of relief. I didn’t even realize that she was holding her breath all this time, “. . . or Melbourne.” Her eyes widen and chocked a little.

“I’m sure there is another ticket for supervision . . .”

“No, there’s only one. One for me alone.”

“How long will you be there?”

“Six months or so. It was an open invitation but it will last for only six months.”

“That long? I considered Perth is a better and wiser choice for you,” she said. I couldn’t believe what I just heard! A few minutes ago, I was expecting “Oh sure, go on and have fun” as an answer but it looks like today was not my day. She was from Melbourne and she didn’t want me to go there? She used to always support my decisions. Until today. What happened to her?

“What’s wrong, mum? Why won’t you let me?”

She didn’t say anything at all. I waited patiently for her excuse. “This is for your own good. What can you see in Australia anyway?”

“Kangaroos and Sydney Oprah House and whatever there are. Oh, and don’t forget Gran.” My last answer made mum winced. “Mum, please?”

She slowly shook her head without meeting my eyes. “The only thing you can see there is an empty desert and dingo that eat babies. I’m telling you that it will be a waste to go there.”

I gave up. I went to my room with disappointment. I could almost feel mum’s gaze at me when I left the kitchen but ignored her. I heard the water running as soon as I left her sight. Waiting for Philip and dad to come home, I felt angry at mum for betraying me. I thought she was at my side. I hoped dad would let me go. He was my only chance.

I dug my drawers one by one until I found my family photo, lying deep under my clothes. Most of the photos were my father’s side. At the last page, I found a picture of mum and Gran in black and white. Mum was in her early teens wearing an old fashion polka dot dress. Gran was on her side, smiling towards the camera. There was a barnyard behind them. Below the photograph written: Mum and I, Melbourne, 1985.

I looked out the window. I spent so much time looking for the photo album that I didn’t notice that the sun was about to set in a few minutes. Then, I heard a door slammed close. I saw dad and Philip were coming out of the Camry. Dad was my only chance or I will have to say goodbye to the airplane tickets.

I quickly walk to dad and I sensed mum was stalking behind me. She must be trying to convince her husband to not let me fly to Australia. What happened to her? I didn’t know this mum anymore. It was like she was replaced by a robot.

“Dad! Let me help you carry your laptop,” I said. Dad stopped walking in front of me but Philip had already entered the house. I strapped his laptop bag at my right shoulder.

“Well, well Sophia. Why are you so happy today? That’s very unusual. The whole day was unusual, in fact! I still couldn’t believe a guy from Japan beat World No 1 Novak Djokovic!” Dad shook his head sadly to himself. He was a huge Djokovic fan.

I grinned at his answer. “You’re right. I’m happy today.”

We entered the house together. I better take the advantage of his good mood. I was planning to tell dad in the kitchen until mum said, “Your going-to-be-a-seventeen-year-old daughter wants to go to Australia and see my mother.” I stared at her in disbelief. Why couldn’t mum let me explain? She flunked my plan just like that. I could never trust her with my secrets again. She betrayed me again. I could tell that she was hoping a ‘no’ for an answer. Dad crossed his arms and sat on the couch in the living room. He was frozen for a moment before I could read his expression that he was deep in thought.

“Okay,” dad approved my request before I could even explain in one sentence. This was not normal. I waited for a sign of humor on his face as it always happen when he jokes. Not one joking tone in his voice and he was serious. Was he actually serious? I really thought that he would say the usual excuse.

“Seriously?” I asked him, wide-eyed.

“No,” mum growled quietly that I could barely hear her. Mum didn’t sound like herself, she sounded like someone else. Dad ignored her even though I knew he heard her. He took out his shoes and socks.

“Yes, unless if you change your mind, then . . .”

“No! I mean yes. I really want to go. Why do you let me?” I raised my eyebrows in confusion. I had no clue to my own question. Some part of me still couldn’t believe what was happening.

“That will be your birthday present since you are old enough to take care of yourself. By the way, I am not paying for your tickets.”

“You don’t have to. It’s a prize for winning an archery tournament.” I couldn’t stop smiling as I was explaining.

“Wait, you have an airplane ticket to Australia for free? How lucky. I rarely get free tickets to overseas,” dad sighed sadly. I couldn’t get myself to stop smiling. I danced to my room. Philip saw me dance. He must have thought I was nuts. Just before I entered my room, I heard mum.

“Why in the world did you say that? Can’t you see where this is leading to?” Mum was hissing at dad. Hearing mum’s unusual voice, I stopped by the door.

“She has the rights to know about your mother and Alice. Why did you even move here in the first place? What if the legend wasn’t true? Anne, she’s seventeen. Sooner or later she will find out,” dad defended me. They were arguing just because of this ‘legend’?

            “She’s sixteen, Anthony! She’s too young. What if she did something there without us knowing like drugs or alcohol or boyfriends? The worst is when my sister can’t keep her mouth shut as usual.”

            “Anne, she’s mature enough. You have to give her a chance to prove herself. I know I’ve been too strict sometimes, but I have to, as her father. You, as a mother, should give her a chance because who knows in the future you will land in the old folk’s home waiting for her everyday.”

“Anthony,” mum said slowly and calmer than before. “I don’t want her to be next in the line. Mum told me she will be even though it didn’t happen to me. I figured that if we move to London, there will be no problem. It will never happen to her just like me.

“Can’t you see that she has nightmares and her vision changes nowadays?” Mum’s voice rose to high pitch that made me flinched. I had never seen or heard mum was this angry before. “It is going to haunt her for the rest of her life! I will never let that happen. I want her to be normal like any other girls. Thanks to you, she’s the bait! Do you want her to get killed?”

I flinched again when she said the word ‘killed’. Was she serious? I blinked and let go a breath. It took me awhile to remember how to breathe.

There was a long pause in the conversation until dad asked, “What about Philip?”

“It will only happen to girls. No matter what, I don’t even dare to send Philip there.”

I think I had heard enough and stopped eavesdropping. Mum and dad never argued about this matter before. They usually argued playfully about whether or not to buy a new car but they never brought up a topic about Australia before. I entered my room and lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. I plugged my iPhone ear plugs. My thoughts were louder than the music.

“Mum?” I asked.

“Yes, honey?” Mum sipped some of her coffee.

“When are we going to visit Gran again?”

“You remembered Gran? You were only three years old that time.”

“I saw the picture in the photo album. When can we visit her?”

“One day.”

The conversation was over and over in my head as the music was in the background. That was the only time I asked mum about Gran. I was five years old that time. We left Gran when I was three years old. We left her alone for almost fourteen years. I thought mum was just about to say never instead. Mum was looking for the photograph everywhere but I hid it in the album in one of the drawers so she wouldn’t take or most possibly destroy the photo. She didn’t know that I was still keeping the photo after all these years to know what was wrong with mum about Gran.

There was a light knock on the door and mum entered my room without waiting for me to answer.

“I’m sorry about just now. I was a little overreacting, am I?” mum apologized by the door.

“That’s okay.” I sat up on bed. She sat next to me after closing the door, making sure no one could listen to whatever she was going to say, especially Philip who always listen from his bedroom. I yanked the ear plugs out of the way.

“Can you do me a favor when you’re in Melbourne?” she asked quietly.

“Sure.”

“You will have an aunt there. Her name is Alice. She and Gran will try to sell you on nonsense and stories. Promise me that if they do, you will tell me immediately. Is that understood?”

She didn’t tell me that I have an aunt there before. I learnt a lot about mum’s family today. I was sick of arguing with her today so I gave in. “Okay.”

“Good. Now, let’s have dinner before you starve to death,” she sighed.

We went to the dinning table for spaghetti and mum’s chicken tomato sauce that I always love to taste and joined Philip and dad. After dinner, we discussed on my flight to Melbourne. I noticed mum was very quiet, her face dark and excused herself early. Philip, on the other hand, was excited of me going there. At first I thought he was jealous of me going there but in the end he wanted me to buy a Nintendo that his friends always gossip about for him. He said that Nintendo sold there were cheaper than the ones sold in local stores.

When I went to my parent’s bedroom to say goodnight to mum, I saw her drinking a bottle of red wine from a small opening. She didn’t even use glasses. She drank straight from the bottle. From far, I could see the labels on the bottle. French, red wine, 1902. 1902! I thought mum was going to keep that particular wine for a very long time so she would enjoy it when she retires, as she told me once. The wine was half empty and I knew she started drinking it as soon as she excused herself from the table. And she was very drunk. The way she walked was almost like she was going to fall any time soon. I decided not to mess her mood as she was drunk so I silently left the room. I had never seen my parents drunk before. Now I did. At least one of them.

That night, I thought of mum, the legend and Australia. Were they related to my vision, as mum called it and nightmares? Could the very same forest is in Australia? Probably. Most part of Australia is desert as my Geography textbook stated. I kept on wondering as I waited for sleep to find me.

A few moments later, I heard mum shrieking at somebody. I was right. She was too drunk. I flinched when I heard something break. It sounded like a glass that broke.

I was ninety nine percent sure that I was dreaming of the same forest. This time, I wore a red cloak with a hood covering my head just like little red riding hood. I had a gun on my belt, bows and arrows tied at my back and two knives each hidden in my boots. Little red riding hood doesn’t carry weapons with her.

The very same sabre-tooth tiger appeared in front of me. I waited for it to spring and kill me. Except that it didn’t.

I couldn’t believe that a month had already passed. It’s February and it wasn’t as cold as I expect to be. I was expected to return to London by August. Victoria, Beth and Sabrina were really helpful the week before I left for Australia. They made research on Australia in Wikipedia. Mum told me that Gran bred horses to race in major races. No wonder they were rich. Gran gave mum some land there but mum refuses to accept. Now Alice had all the land. Mum showed me more pictures she was hiding all these years. Alice owned a race track, farm, twenty five horses and a stable. If mum didn’t refuse, she could have been rich.

Mum never drank wine again after she was drunk the other night. I found her sleeping on the couch in the living room, which was not normal. Dad left for work early and Philip went to school earlier than usual. I knew he couldn’t stand seeing mum like this. I just had my breakfast without bringing up a topic with her. She didn’t go to work at that day.

A few days later, before I left for school, my front layer of hair turned white. I didn’t even dye my hair, it just appear before my eyes. It was surprising after that the layer of my hair changed colour within one night. I just hoped I wouldn’t be a blond. It was quite fashionable. If I cut that layer off, I will look more horrible so I decided to keep it. When mum saw my hair changed colour, her face poisoned with pain. In school, Victoria was the first to notice my hair. She teased me I grow old too fast. She thought I dyed my hair and still thought I wore contact lens.

I asked mum about what she meant about legend once. She told me to not worry about it. She didn’t tell me anything except for that. I decided to ask Alice about it as soon as I meet her in the airport.

Dad purchased my tickets online. He also got me a laptop for my birthday that was coming next month. Thanks to him, I could communicate with my friends through Facebook.

Victoria accompanied me shopping. She was surprisingly a very good shopoholic. By the time I would reach Australia, it will be hot since it would be summer there and winter here in the United Kingdom. She also bought me lunch after a tiring day of shopping. I owe her as much as I owe Beth and Sabrina.

“Ready or not? We’re leaving in five minutes!” Philip shouted from downstairs. I was in my room for the last time before I leave for Australia. I covered my bed and closed the curtains. It was dark in the room and closed the door.

“Don’t touch my room or your Nintendo will no longer be in my must-buy list,” I warned Philip when I saw him in the living room. He used to sneak into my room and wore some makeup and nail polish. He just couldn’t stay away from my room at least one day. He just had to so I would chase him every time I come back from school and see my bed in a mess. He smiled at the reminder and gave an angelic face.

Dad was starting the car and mum was already in the car. I checked whether or not I left anything behind.

On our way to the airport, I received a text from Victoria. She told me to have fun and get her a pair of boots that Australia is famous for.

“Remember what I told you and I love you,” Mum said and hugged me. That was the first time I heard her speak today. She always tried to make me change my mind on Melbourne. Except that I wasn’t hypnotized with that fact.

Philip quietly handed me a few notes and I stuff them into my pocket. “Nintendo,” Philip whispered in my ears as I hugged him. I gave him an evil grin.

“Have a safe journey, okay? Can you do me a favor? Take a picture of the tennis court where the famous Australian Open is held. If you can, try to get a picture of any of their local players,” dad told me.

Finally, I hugged him. “I’ll try.”

I tighten my grip on my backpack after I turned to face the international counter. As I showed my passport, I turned to face my family for the last time.

“This is your seat number. Have a safe trip, Miss,” the lady at the counter said. This was what I wanted and the moment I was waiting for finally arrived.