Faces

Art by: Anu Sam

Swirling her poison, she eased herself and felt the lingering taste burn down her throat. It was Friday night and the pub was packed with a zestful crowd.

The fancy theme of 80s hits enchanted the flock, as they swayed their heads in vague trance. Joyful screams soared through the night and dazzled through the flashing lights. Champagne bottles popped in celebration as the countdown began. Heaving a sigh, she settled her glass onto the counter and unlocked her phone.

“Three more minutes to go", she thought to herself.

A year seems so far away and the accident felt like it happened aeons ago. Every year, they spent their New Year’s eve having the same drink, sitting at the same spot; but now, things were different. She stroked the nape of her neck, while she took another sip.

“I wish I could spend one more New Year's eve with her", she sighed.

Heart broken, her eyes wandered through the room, trying to focus on the flickering lights. Purple, green, red and yellow danced over the chairs and ceiling.

New year alerts buzzed on her phone as her lips quivered. Two faces on her wallpaper smiled back at her.

“Are you waiting for someone?”

She looked over to her side to see a handsome young man; possibly in his late twenties. His dark blazer stood as still as the night, while his thick rimmed glasses played with the lights.

“Not really...” She trailed off.

“Well, then this drink must be for someone else.” He said pointing to another glass, settled beside her own.

“It is, but she isn't coming tonight”, she folded her hands together on the table.

“I see,” he said. “You miss her don't you?”
She shifted in her seat and glanced sideways.

“Did you know her?” she asked.

“Of course I know her. She keeps mentioning you all the time.”

“Wait, this must be a mistake. You don't know who I'm talking about”, she furrowed her brow.

As she began to climb out of the barstool, the world around her came to a stand still. The music casually faded away, while the flickering lights froze in mid air. She felt a tug inside her belly as the guy next to her stood up and offered his hand.

“It's time to go, she's waiting for you,” he said as he grabbed onto her hand.

The world dissolved into murk as she was zapped through a portal. There was a funnel of thick smoke as she sped her way falling into an endless pit. Her eyes wide and palms clutched tight, she screamed in vain as she tried to grab onto something. Her blurred vision made out grains of stars, shifting through the smoke in rapid motion, like minuscule white lines along the walls of the funnel.

She held her breath.

A splinter of light broke through a gaping hole in the distance. “Calm down, we're almost there”, he said as they emerged through the opening and descended into the white. Strong currents of wind grazed her hair as she kept falling into abyss.

For a second, she felt the winds calm down; she felt her hair settle onto her back. She closed her eyes to feel nothing; she felt no presence and nor did she feel any chills.

As she gradually opened her eyes, she saw herself seated at a round table.

Surprised, she looked around to find a clean white room with no windows; the walls and floor radiated warmth. She felt a bitter rage build up inside of her.

“You!” she said. “Who the hell are you!?! And what do you think you're doing?”

She noticed another man sitting beside the guy who had brought her here. His skin radiated an aura of mixed emotions; of peace, happiness and tranquillity.

Something about him didn't feel right. Dark circles around his eyes seemed to deprive him of his charm. His frail body seemed too small to fit his neatly ironed white shirt.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused,” spoke the guy in the dark blazer. “We don't usually do this, but this time, we were in quite a fix.” As he slightly tucked his chin, she noticed his enigmatic smile. A shade of maroon highlighted his blazer.

“What am I doing here and who the hell are you two??”

“Oh where are my manners”, he offered his hand. “I am Despair and beside me here is Dream. A pleasure to meet you.”

For a moment, she sat still. “Maybe I've had too much to drink,” she thought to herself.
“You do realise that we can hear everything you think. This is real.”

“Okaaay", she leaned back and looked up.
“Hey Sarah", a voice spoke from beside her; a familiar voice that she had yet to forget.”
To her right, Sarah saw the smile that she had seen in the phone wallpaper a few minutes ago. She saw her childhood friend sitting right beside her, alive and well.

She stood up in disbelief and proceeded to examine her face.

“It really is you...”

“Miss, we must maintain decorum. Please get back to your seat", said the guy in the dark blazer.

Wiping away her tears, she let go of her friend. “So what is all this? What do you want?”

“Well”, hesitated Despair. “We have a bit of a situation. Your friend here has asked us a favour and we couldn't resist.”

Sarah couldn't utter a word.

“I've been having a good run lately. Throughout centuries, a majority of people have chosen me over their hopes and dreams,” said Despair.

“My friend Dream has been growing weak,” he said, motioning his hand towards the guy in the white shirt.

“Why so?” said Sarah.

“Well, you see, as time began we slowly came into existence. We were forged as the masks of mankind.”

“In the beginning, mankind was fond of Dream. They dreamt; they worked towards their dreams and toiled to survive. They lived their dreams and conquered the world.”

“Back then, I was confined to the shadows. I knew my day would come. I knew that one day, people would be forced to choose me over their dreams.”

“I knew that at one point of time, people would forget how strong they are; they would forget love and brotherhood, they would forget compassion. I knew that one day people would choose me.”

Dream let out a tired breath. After clearing his throat, he spoke with a gravelly voice.

“As many centuries passed, people became corrupt. Humanity started to disappear and before we knew, the dreams of mankind became corrupt and I had no place to go.”

Sarah crossed her legs. “So why am I here?”
“You wished to be here didn't you?”

She furrowed her brow as she looked at her friend. “Wait...”

“You wanted to spend one last New Year’s eve with your friend, did you not?” said Dream. “You gave up on your dreams, the moment she passed away. You chose the mask of Despair.”

“Your friend has chosen to help you, or perhaps help me in fact. To be true to yourself you must you must re-live your dreams”, said Dream.

“People think of me as something cruel”, said Despair. “But I am what people want me to be. I become the mask they choose to wear. When there is an imbalance, it tends to affect both of us in some way or the other.”

“There cannot be a world where people do not dream, or a world with no despair. As long as mankind exists, we exist.”

“If that's the case, can't you stop doing what you do? People don't like despair, nobody does,” Sarah interjected.

“We don't control people. As I have mentioned, we are merely masks that hide their true inner selves”, said Despair.

With a snap of a finger, two glasses of champagne popped onto the table.

“I guess, we shouldn't keep you waiting; we'll give you and your friend some privacy. We'll be back as soon as you're done.” Within the blink of an eye, they disappeared before her eyes.

After a brief pause, her friend spoke.
“How are you holding up?” she said with a tone of concern.

“I don't want to do this. You're not really trying to help me, are you? You're doing this for them. What am I even doing here??”

“I needn't do anything for you. I am dead. I can't do anything for myself either. But you Sarah, you still have a life ahead of you. Choose wisely.” She said. “You need to get help and move on. I am not coming back; death is inevitable. You have a chance of life that I do not own myself.”

“What is it that you're planning to achieve with all this pep talk?”

“When more people find hope in life, there will be a balance of things," She said. "You doing what you love, and being true to yourself will only send more positive vibes to everyone around you. When Dream gets stronger, like ripples in water, the world soon becomes a better place for everyone to live through their despair. Holding onto your hopes and dreams may well be the only way through this mess."

Sarah hunched forward and held her clammy palms together.

“This is my final wish before I leave the human realm for good. You don't want me haunting you in your sleep. On second thought, that does sound like fun,” she chuckled.

“She produced a triangular locket and placed it in Sarah's palm. “Hold onto this and don't forget to smile,” her eyes lit up.

“It's time to go,” Despair materialised behind Sarah.

“Thank you for the drink,” her friend smiled.
Despair held Sarah’s arm as she felt the tug inside her stomach again.

A blast of lightning blinded her as she shielded her eyes and felt the electricity tingle behind her neck. She snapped awake, back in the pub.

“Are you alright miss?” said the bartender.
She looked around as she tilted her head in perplexion.

“Do you want me to call a cab?”

She looked out the window to see fireworks. The crowd slow-danced to its pops and crackles as the skies lit up to new beginnings; the beginning of hopes and dreams, the beginning of life and a chance to redemption.

“I'm okay,” she sighed.

“Was this all a dream?” she thought to herself.

She looked to her right to see the glass of champagne, now empty. There was an unexplainable feeling of growing warmth inside of her; as if someone has lit a lost flame.

She opened her palm, and as expected, the locket gleamed in the midnight with different colours highlighting its contours.

She held it close to her heart as a faint smile lit up her face for the first time that night.