1. KATHAROS
Written by: Mel
“This is the world of ‘Katharos’, a world where everything is pure. The buildings, the
roads, the water, the sky, the air and the people living here are all pure. No one is allowed to
enter unless you have finished the race and had reached the goal to find the hidden Katharos
stone. On the hall of fame, the one who victoriously finishes the track could enter the gate to
Katharos-ossss-osss”...the voice suddenly stopped and replaced by the sound of a machine.
With my curiosity, I slowly opened my eyes. Then, I instantly saw the light that is gleaming
tremendously which makes my eyes hurt for a while. I immediately turned my eyes away
from the light and diverted it to other parts of the room. I saw the ceilings and the walls, they
were already old but still they are clean. The room was filled with the different scents coming
from the air-conditioner located in the left part of the room, the alcohol that lingers in my
body and the dextrose that is inserted in my left hand. Creakkkk…The door slowly opened
and a woman in her late thirties comes inside the room. The woman was shocked seeing me
without me knowing what had happened to me. She warmly smiled to me and immediately
checked my vital signs.
“Oh, sweetie, your family will be very glad seeing you awake.” I smiled back to her
knowing about my family.
“Uhm-hmm…” clearing my throat, “Miss, may I ask where are they right now? and,
and why am I here? H-How long did I stay here? an hour? a day? a week? Or a…”, “Ho-ho-
ho…sweetie, calm down…you don’t have to worry, okay? Your family will be here as soon
as I told them about your condition.”
“uhm…h-how about…” “Sshhh…okay don’t be shocked okay? You are almost 24
hours unconscious. The doctor said that you have been unconscious for no reason, because
2. according to your vitals and tests, you are okay. No deficiency, no defects, no whatsoever.
That is why I am, uhm, your family will be very happy knowing that you are already awake.
It’s such a miraculous gift from God.” She wear a smile again as she roamed around the room
checking the apparatuses. I smiled back to her to relieve her, but deep inside me wanted to
know the reason why am I in this room laying on a bed, and being unconscious for several
hours. “Sweetie, take your rest, I will tell your family about the good news.” She makes a
smile to me again and then gently closes the door. I feel the silence again. Only the sound of
the heart apparatus breaks the silence. Wanting to know what happened to me, I tried to close
my eyes again and remember everything, but nothing happened. On my second try, I tried to
grasp a lot of air inside my chest and then tried to remember what happened to me.
As I tried to remember everything I went back to where I am with my best friend Kyla
who is also an author like me. “Hey, Ahu, have you submitted our papers to Miss Larysa?”
“Yeah, she even happily exclaimed that our story will make a boom in our society today. It
will be a huge hit today as she said to me, how about you why are you here? I thought you
have an emergency?” “Nah…It’s just my laptop went blank…he-he” Kyla reassures me with
a smile that she does not have any serious problem. Her smile and her sweet voice, I missed
it…a lot. She passed away from an accident after we met that time. It was my saddest
moment. When I went home my family gave me a soothing tea and hugs me with their hearts.
They told me that this happens for a reason. I gave them a big smile and went to my room. As
I sat to my bed, a tremendous light blinded my eye. I could not see anything but light, only
the light. And then, afterwards, when I regain my sight, I was in a different world.
“Welcome, Madam!” a woman wearing an all-white long dress greeted me after I
passed through the gate that is actually also white. The woman is in her late twenties just like
me, and she obviously smiling all the time. “This is the place where everyone is gathered
before the great race.” “The great race?” as my eyebrows curved in asking. “Oh, I’m sorry
3. madam if I haven’t explained all to you yet. Please come with me to the lobby.” I went with
her to the place that she told me, but still it does not remove the fact that I’m not in my
world? Where am I? And what is that great race? Questions, my mind is full of questions.
“Here we are madam. Look at those people over there. They are preparing their selves
in the great race. This race is called the race to Katharos. Everyone here wants to be there,
just like me.” I was amazed by her descriptions, as I looked around the place. Everyone is
reading something. Some are note-taking details from other people. I was curious about the
race they are preparing to, and the place where they wanted to be which they called
“Katharos”.
“How about you?” the woman look me in the eyes as she asks me. “Aren’t you going
to prepare for the race? You will need a great transformation.” She said while looking to me
from top to bottom. “Uh…I don’t know. I don’t know yet?” She stopped the inspection to me
with her eyes and smiled again to me saying “it’s okay. You’re not the only one. Look over
there,” she pointed to my right side, “Those people over there are somehow like you. They
are not sure about their self. You can go there for now. But I warn you, if you do not decide
immediately your time will run out and you will suffer in the Tierra.” She said to me and
gave me a necklace. “Wear that, for you will need that in time. Go now.”
After talking to her, I walked to the place that she told me to. Wait. I forgot to ask her
on how I could come back to my world. I turned back to where we were, but instantly she
was not on sight. Okay, never mind. I just continued my walk, and before I reach the place,
someone poke me behind my back. As I turned around, I saw Kyla wearing also a long white
dress. “Hi, bestie.” She smiled to me greatly but looking to her eyes, the tears are starting to
fall down through her cheeks. I immediately embraced her tightly and the tears that I had held
back then were flowing like there is no end. I told myself that I will not cry, but seeing her
again makes me vulnerable. “I missed you…a lot. Why are you here?” my question to her as
4. I manage to look to her appearance again. “You are the one I should ask to about that.” “It’s
not yet your time, but why are you here?” after her question, my mind went blank and I heard
a soft voice calling my name. “Ahu…Ahu…Ahu…can you hear me?” I opened my eyes
slowly and turned my head to where the voice is coming. I saw my mother crying and my
brothers are controlling their emotions to support our mother. “Ahu! Thank God you’re
alive!” my mom was very glad seeing me awake. I searched to the place where I am, and I
noticed that I went back to the present. “Mom, have you seen Kyla here?” my mom gave me
a worried look and I instantly remember that it is impossible for me to see Kyla. “Ahm, don’t
mind me mom.” I grabbed her hands and kissed it. “Okay. How are you feeling right now?
Are you hungry? Do you want me to buy you your favorite food?” “Ehe, n-no mom. It’s
okay. I’m fine. How about you mom, you also Chris and Echan? my questions while
diverting their mind to other things. “We’re fine, sis. Don’t mind us; you’re the one to talk to.
What happened to you?” Chris’ question to me. He is younger than me, so he was my
younger brother. He-he. Exactly. Next to him is my youngest brother Echan, in short for
Christian. “We were so worried when we received the news that you were found unconscious
in the forest.” Echan holds my hand with his teary-eyes. “I-I don’t know? I don’t know. I
don’t even remember anything. My last recollection was with Kyla and her death. I was on
my bed one night preparing myself to sleep, when suddenly a blinding light covers my eyes,
and-and when I regain my sight, I, I am in an unknown place?” my family were very serious,
worried and unconvinced by my story. “I don’t know exactly what happened, okay?” I
slightly laugh as if making those a joke. “Mom, when am I going to be out here?” “Soon…as
soon as I paid all your bills here, you can go home. We can go home.” Mom said and hugged
me again and kissed my forehead. “Always remember Ahu, that I, with your brothers, love
you very much. Okay? Don’t be drowned in loneliness and sorrow, we’re here for you.”
5. I gave my mom a big smile. “Thanks mom.” She nodded with smile and helped me fix my
bed. “Take your rest. I am going to the cashier to settle your papers and bills.” “Yes mom,
thanks.” My brothers went outside with my mom to guide her in the elevator.
The laughter and the voices of my mom and my brother disappeared after they left.
Only the sound of my breathing and the beat of the apparatuses can be heard. I slowly closed
my eyes to sleep. Then the darkness came to me in the next couple of hours, but my thoughts
and senses are still awake. I tried to open my eyes but I could not see anything. Then
suddenly a tiny light shows up. I looked to it while it slowly approaches my direction, until it
devours me. When I woke up, I’m in the place again where I saw Kyla. It is the place where
everyone is busy preparing their selves for the race.
I saw a beautiful lady wearing an elegant white dress and holding a big key in her
right hand. “You again?” she asks me as if we know each other. I did not know how to react
to her, that’s why I just smiled to her. “Why are you here? You’re not supposed to be here
anymore. Didn’t we already truce the other time?” she asks. “I-I don’t know what you’re
talking about. And to tell you, It’s my first time…it’s only my second time coming here.
And-and I don’t know why and how am I here.” She looked at me from bottom to top and
stops at my eyes as if she is finding the answer on my face. I raised my eyebrow at her to
show my confusion. And after that, she raised the big key in her right hand and I saw the key
transformed into a book. She flipped the pages and stopped at a certain page as if it was the
page that she wanted to read. Then she looked at me again with sorrow and guilt. She
approached my direction and let the book float on the air. She moved closer to me and
whispered to my ears. Her words are unclear at first but as she continued, I was really
shocked. I could not stop the tears that are overflowing on my cheeks. My heart felt the pain
but knowing that I sacrifice my memory for my friend to get passed to the place she wanted
6. to, I felt relieved. Though I won’t be seeing her again, the news that I got from the lady made
a rollercoaster effect on my heart.
“Go home, and live your life.” said the lady. “You’ve made your part. And it’s heroic.
I did not see anyone like you that would sacrifice for a friend.” She said and gracefully
embraced me. “The race is for those who lost enough time from your world. It is design for
those who wanted to be in Katharos, the place where everyone are pure.” “You’ve finished
the race and found the hidden stone in your heart, because your heart is pure. People who live
their lives with purity will know how to live in this world. Although your friend is not that
pure, you’ve shown to her enough examples on how to become pure.” She continued as she
guided me in the gate of the Katharos. She waved at me for the last time and chanted…
“This is the world of ‘Katharos’, a world where everything is pure. The buildings, the
roads, the water, the sky, the air and the people living here are all pure. No one is allowed to
enter unless you have finished the race and had reached the goal to find the hidden Katharos
stone. On the hall of fame, the one who victoriously finishes the track could enter the gate to
Katharos-ossss-osss”...the voice suddenly stopped and replaced by the sound of the chirping
birds and the waves of the leaves. I did not opened my eyes yet to savor the memories that
will be erased again as I woke up.
--------------------------------------------------THEEND--------------------------------------------------
