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Seasons in the Sun

by Marilyn - mywe@pc.jaring.my

...Faith begins to hear noises... voices in her head... and she doesn't know why. When she falls into a coma, her brother Seth is determined to find out what is wrong... what is her connection to Westlife?

Still swooning over the weekend concert that she went absolutely wild at, Faith hummed to herself as she prepared breakfast that morning. She glided over to the dining table as she pretended to be dancing with Westlife. "Morning," she cheerfully said to her parents."So I guess it was terrific last night, huh?" her father asked as they sat down to breakfast. "beautiful, just beautiful," she dreamily replied.
"I hope you're waking up soon," called a voice from the stairs as Seth, her brother, appeared. "We're late as ever this morning." Faith glanced at the clock that says 7.45. She poured a last mouthful of cereals into her mouth and quickly got up. "oaejuea," she mumbled. "I know I'm the best brother in the world but let's go. Got a book I need to pick up in the locker before class," Seth replied, putting his arms around her shoulders and guiding her towards the door."Bye mom,bye dad."
"So, I hear you went wild after seeing some band's concert last night," Seth said as they drove to school. "It was not some band, they're my favorite," Faith replied defensively."Well, it was really good except the fact that I had a terrible headache after that. I don't know, it was really weird. Must be the crowd or something." He stroked her head. "You were never claustrophobic. Maybe you're just worn out."
"Yea, maybe." She started to feel her head spinning again. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing. Go away, she thought.
Despite her headache, school was a breeze that day. As she gathered her books to leave, her best friend Justine sauntered over to her table. "Hey Faith, can I get a ride home from you today?" Faith smiled slyly with a suspicious look. "You just want to stare at my brother don't you? I don't get it. You're both nuts over each other but you won't let each other know. What's the story? Is it some sort of key to a successful relationship?" Justine smiled a little. "I don't know, it's just that your brother never told me. And you don't expect me to make the first move, do you?" Faith started walking towards the door."Well, just be contented with what you have and not lose time. We haven't got a lot of those to lose. Come on now you love-sick soul, behold your knight in little yellow car is waiting for us now."
In the car, Seth and Justine had already started a conversation that didn't seem to get into Faith's head. She stared at them blankly from the back seat of the car and then looked out the window. Laila. What? ,she thought. Strange name. Laila. She heard a voice. In her head. What's going on? Her head started to spin again. A voice kept repeating the word. Laila, Faith. Laila. She heard a far away voice, like Seth. "Faith?" She closed her eyes.

Seth held his sister's hand. She had been lying in the hospital bed for a week now without even the slightest bit of consciousness. Safe for her heartbeat, the only way she responded to anything was when she mumbled. He couldn't catch what she said exactly, but it seemed to be only a repetitious word. The doctors couldn't find an answer to her illness. Then he heard a soft whisper. "Seth." He searched his sister's face for any signs of consciousness. But she seemed to be talking in her sleep. "Faith? What is it? I'm here," he whispered in her ear. Silence.
After a few minutes, she whispered again."Laila. She needs help." Seth was puzzled. "Laila? Faith, you've been saying that name all the time. Who is it?"
"Needs... help."
He tried to shake her awake. Even as he jerked her body violently, she remained weak and soft. Frustrated, he sat down again and buried his face in her hair.
"Help me, Seth. Get help." He looked up. "Faith, help what?"
"Bryan...Laila... Help." After that, she spoke no more and continued in her sleep, as if nothing ever came out of her mouth.
That night, Seth couldn't help thinking about his sister. He decided to go to her room to search for clues that might shed a light on her strange behaviour. As he entered her now dim room, he traced the stencils she had so painstakingly done on the wall. He started looking sorting out her papers, books, clothings and still had found nothing. Just as he turned to leave, his finger brushed past her assignment paper. He jumped back, startled at the pain on his finger. Ouch, he thought, damn paper cut. Beep. Instinctively, he recognized the computer sound and realised that he had accidentally turned it on. He sat down in front of it and waited as it booted. Slowly, he allowed himself to venture into the world of his younger sister. She liked sending cute little cartoon cards to her friends. There was a research on psychiatry that she was working on. Look at all these pages that she bookmarked, he mused. Just then, something caught his eye.As his eyes strolled down the list of sites that she had visited, he noticed at the bottom of the bookmarked websites something different. Westlife fanclub site? , he thought in astonishment. "Great, let's check out what made her so band-crazy," he said out loud. Click.
He read some details about Faith's favorite band. Then, he decided to e-mail the fanclub. "Hi. My sister is down with some strange illness that even doctors could not diagnose. All she does is mumble two names, Laila and Bryan. My parents and I are at our wits' end trying to wake her up from her trance. She, like all of you, is an ardent fan of Westlife. So, please say a prayer for Faith. She needs all the support she can get. Whoever Laila and Bryan is, if you are a friend of my sister and you have heard anything about these two from her, please enlighten me." When he was done, he questioned himself. What am I doing this for? he said to himself. Like it helps. Little did he know.
A week later, Justine turned up at his door. "Hey," she said to him as they gave each other a hug."I came to do some things for Faith.She was waiting for an e-mail from a friend in Germany," she paused with uncertainty. "Do you think I should check for her?" An appreciative smile formed on Seth's face as he led her to Faith's room. "You've got mail," rang the familiar signal. Together they browsed through many wellwishers who had e-mailed to show their support. When they came to one of the last few mails, it was from the editor of the website, Phoebe. She had been so touched by Seth's plea that she had sent the e-mail to be read by Westlife themselves. She had also asked him to provide more information on Faith, her health and location. Then the next letter was a strange one. "Where is Faith now?" was all it read. After answering most of the e-mails, they left Faith's room with renewed hopes and strength.
Two days later, a phone call came. It was Phoebe. Justine could only see Seth's growing excitement as he spoke on the phone and then listened attentively, almost unbelieving. When he hung up, he turned to her with a glitter in his eyes formed by the tears that were starting to well up. "Faith is gonna be fine," he exclaimed. He embraced her and said, "Phoebe has arranged for Westlife to personally pay Faith a visit!" They both cried tears of joy.
That night, Seth brought Faith's favorite flowers, white roses, to brighten up her room. As he walked through the corridors, he thought there was something strange going on. Why are people whispering among themselves? Slowly, he turned the doorknob. He caught a glimpse of blond hair... he frowned. A visitor? He peeped in. There sitting down next to the petite and fragile frame of Faith was a good-looking blond. He seemed to be hesitating. Slowly, he raised his mouth to her ear and whispered.
"Faith?" Silence. "Laila."
He was stunned. "Laila?" he repeated after her. "Bryan," she replied. "At long last it's you." He was even more surprised. "But... but you can't be.. how did you know about Laila?"
"I ...Laila," Faith mumbled. Then her body started shaking left and right. Seth could stand it no longer. Swiftly, he moved in beside her and held her down. "Calm down, Faith. It's me,Seth."
The two guys' eyes met. Could it be.. ? Seth wondered. They both spoke simultaneously.
"You're the one who sent the e-mail."
"Are you the guy in the band?"
"GO AWAY!" Faith shouted suddenly. Then she turned soft again. "Bryan."
"NOOoooOO," she bellowed. "Please, Faith.Please," she said softly.Somehow, she sounded different. As if the voice wasn't hers.She seemed to be battling with herself.
Silence.She opened her eyes.
Then suddenly, she said, "Bryan.It's me, Laila."
Bryan turned yellow. "Laila? How could it be?"
"I just wanted you to know, it wasn't your fault."
He was on the verge of breaking down with tears. "But.. but I was there.I pushed you. And you fell ..." his voice trailed off. "You bled all over the ground."
A soft voice. "It wasn't your fault, Bryan. Someone had unscrewed the wood from the chains of the swing. It simply got loose and I fell. None of this is your fault."
He looked at her, now with tears brimming in his soft blue eyes. "I've never let myself forget this all these years, " he swallowed."I never forgot... the wind that day.. the sun .. and your laugh.The playhouse.. the neighbourhood kids who stole your candies...I never forgot you."
Her face turned to one of sadness. A forced smile.
"Neither did I..that is why I came back. To tell you that it wasn't ever your fault."
He held her tight. Seth, who was already dumbfounded, stood motionless with the flowers that were wilted from the tight grasp his hand formed. Here he felt like his prayers were answered because his sister was finally awake from her feverish state. And the next moment he realised the voice wasn't Faith. It was as though his sister had been replaced by a stranger. A long lost friend who now seemed to belong to Bryan. His thoughts were interrupted by her announcement.
"I'm gonna leave now. I've found my peace at last," she said sadly. Her hand found Bryan's face. "Please, live your life without any burden now. You have a wonderful life ahead of you."
He hugged her one last time. "Thank you," he choked. She replied with a weak smile, "Thank Faith.She gave me a chance to come back. She gave me my peace."
Just then, she closed her eyes.
"Hey, where's my sister? Bring her back," Seth almost shouted. He lunged towards Faith's now still body. Slowly, she rubbed her eyes and slowly opened them to reveal her innocent brown eyes, as if she had just awakened from a deep sleep. She stretched her arms and smiled. "I feel soOoo tired," she sighed. Then, she realized that Bryan was sitting next to her bed. She turned a crimson red.
"Wha... I...," she stammered. Then, she remembered what happened. The voice inside her head belonged to a girl called Laila. She had died in a playground accident when she was only 7, when the swing collapsed and she fell off, the hard metal bars falling on top of her. And her childhood best friend was Bryan, who was pushing her on the swing at that time. The only person she seemed to be able to connect to was Faith.They were drawn together, neither cosmically or magnetically, but just connected. And so she came to her.
"She came back to release you," she recalled. Bryan in turn squeezed her hand and said, "Thank you."

Two days later........
There were lots of people crowding outside Faith's hospital room and there seemed to be a commotion going on between the nurses who insisted that photographs were not to be taken in her room and the reporters who came to find out about her miracle recovery. Earlier that morning, the doctor had pronounced her fit as a fiddle although they were still baffled by her sudden strength. Of course, nobody but the three of them knew what happened that night.
As Westlife- all five of them- entered her room, Faith was anxious and excited. She took Seth's hand and said, "You're gonna have to ask the doc to check my pressure after all this excitement." They both smiled the identical friendly smile and hugged. "You're the best brother in the world.. and you're mine," she said from the bottom of her heart. "hey Faith," five voices said together. She turned and saw her favorite band smiling at her.
"This is so silly but I'm gonna ask for autographs," she said, her excitement showing on her face.
"Hey," a voice said."I brought you your favorite flowers, white roses." Bryan looked at Seth and they smiled at each other.
There was surprise among all those in the room."How did you know...?"
"white roses?"
As those familiar blue eyes stared into her brown eyes, they emitted the light of a million stars. They only smiled, for there was no need to explain. They both knew. She hugged him tight when he opened his arms to her.
"thank you, Laila," she whispered.