The Reyes Mansion. Daco’s Pov.

My heart was beating so fast I was sure the world could hear it, Suddenly i started hearing my name “Daco! Daco! Get up from bed this minute!, get down for breakfast we need to leave on time!” My mother shouted. I got up slowly from bed feeling to lazy to stand then I realized i was only dreaming, by the time my eyes were clear I noticed that I wasn’t okay. Waking up with a heavy head and heart I could not explain why but it gave me a heartache, this morning doesn’t feel right, my chest ached not the kind of pain that comes from sickness, but that feeling that looks like something terrible will happen.

This was not a curse. It was just a feeling.

Downstairs my mother was already awake, baking and cooking. The smell of warm bread filled the house as her voice came up the stairs. It sounded gentle and familiar.

“Honey, get down here. You need to eat before it gets cold, we have to leave early “.

I dressed quickly and run downstairs. My father looked up from the table and smiled at me

“Baby girl, he said to me “are all your luggage packed”?

“Yes father”, I replied everything is ready .

We sat together as a family for breakfast no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t eat. Every bite felt too heavy in my mouth, my thoughts kept pounding in my head, my heart refused to stay calm.

‘What is this feeling’? I asked myself, it was annoyingly uncomfortable.

My mother notice!

“Honey” she asked softly, her eyes filled with concern “are you good”?

“Yes” I said quickly and sharp

She’s smiled, and reached for my head “ don’t worry once we get to Los Angeles you’ll be fine, you’ll make new friends you’ll have so much fun. I know you’ll miss Abaco, but we’ll come back anytime”.

She did her best to put a smile on my face and for a moment it worked, so i pushed my thoughts away and told my heart to be quiet and stay calm

But what I did not know is that my heart was saying goodbye.

Two hours later it was time to leave, friends and family came with us to bid us farewell, we all rode in different carriages.

When we go to the dock, wooden planks crack, beneath footsteps people’s voices echoing, laughter, instructions, prayers were said by some people to their loved ones but too late because God didn’t buy it.

Looking at the ship, in my head I screamed because it was so large. But as i climbed, I held my mother‘s hand tightly afraid that if I loosened my grip, she might disappear.

“Stay close”, she told me, smoothing my hair the way she always did when I was afraid. While she was talking I looked down at the sea. It was massive before my eyes, dark and endless. Thinking it will stay calm that way, but as a child, the sea deceived me. It was ready to take everything the life had given me.

My dad said “look away, baby baby girl the sea can be confusing”.

My dad stood beside us, removed his coat and placed it around my shoulders, even though the evening was warm. He said to me.

“ you’ll be fine, you’re brave you always have been”. I nodded. That was how I could respond.

I swallowed my spit, but my throat burnt, I felt fear.

Around us, I could see people promising their loved ones saying “ write to us. We’ll see you soon. This is only for a while”. They spoke with serious hopes in their eyes, some cried some smile, but yet the feeling was uncomfortable.

My mother bent down and cupped my face in her hands, she was looking at me like as if she was trying to memorize something. I did not know what she was searching for, but it looked like she was afraid of something.

“If anything happens” she said softly, then stopped herself and smiled, “ nothing will happen”. Her voice trembled, and I felt it, as if her heart was connected to mine.

So I hugged her, I did not want to let go, she smelt like flour and soap. She felt like home, I tightened my arms around her, and she helped me just as firmly as possible.

My father cleared his throat “ It’s time”. He said.

We stepped onto the ship together, I turned back one more, scanning the faces on the dock, people‘s hands waving tears falling and smiles forced to appear on your lips. I raise my hand and waved, I did not know it was the last time I would see them all.

The ship horn sounded long, low and final. And with the sound ending my childhood ended.

We all knew the journey would take four weeks.

What, we did not know was that it will take some of us with it. For two weeks, everything felt normal, children played, babies cried, couples laughed, men gambled. There was food, music and peace.

For two weeks, my parents and I stay together.

And then everything changed.

I was sitting outside alone looking at the water. It looks so smooth and peaceful. It looked harmless. Like it was safe, but it was a lie, still the ship moved steadily, cutting through the ocean, as if it knew exactly where it was going. People settled into their daily routines quickly, children ran freely across the deck, laughing as though the ocean was a playground I felt fear for the kids from where I sat watching them because it’s a ship sweet Jesus…not a park! Men gathered in small circle to gamble and drink, women shared stories and meals, pretending the journey was only a long holiday. It was a beautiful morning with an unforgiven and unforgettable evening.

My parents tried to make it feel normal for me.

“See?” my mother said to me watching the waves roll pass. “Nothing to fear”.

I nodded, but the feeling I was having wasn’t ready to leave me. I was sweating uncontrollably like as if I knew what was going to happen.

“ don’t they feel something? Or is it just me who’s overthinking?, Dear God, what is this feeling? Why do I feel like this? what is happening to me?” I question myself and I questioned God, I just wanted to know what was wrong with me. Everybody is acting normal, but the only person who was acting different is me. So I decided to go play with my mates maybe I’ll feel fine and it worked but only for a moment.

Then the night came I honestly didn’t know what I was looking for, so I said to myself, “let me take a walk down the deck” then I did. I saw this man with a woman. I didn’t know what they were arguing about, but I saw her walk away. The man felt the ground heartbroken, shattered. He was crying and then I thought to myself. “ do men cry.? I never thought men would cry, very unusual, he must have been hurt too deep for him to feel this way” I wanted to go to him. I wanted to put my hands on the shoulder to comfort him, but if I go, I wouldn’t know what to say so I gave him space. Sat few distance away from him. But he had a drink in his hands. I watched him finish the whole bottle. Then i left.