Chapter 302 - The Wedding (Part Four)

Crack!

The moment we were done kissing though, a toddler jumped up and promptly broke through the floor. 

He didn't go through, his knees sure did. 

Everyone broke into laughter. Even his fellow kids. 

The kid sure didn't find it funny though as he started crying, wailing and flailing his hands back and forth. Apparently, he'd scrapped his knees. 

His mother rushed to him and comforted the poor guy. It wasn't that serious though.

"I guess we should head back," Marg said. 

It'd collapse any minute now- at least that's the feeling I got. 

"Yeah." I had to agree. 

I didn't want to spend another minute in this place. And I had a feeling everyone else also felt the same way.

We all carefully started going out. 

"What was this place anyway?" I said. 

I made extra effort not to break the floor again. 

"A place where we used to hang out." Marg paused. "It used to be a smalltime orphanage. The place was abandoned after a certain incident eight years ago."

Eight years ago? Was eight years really enough for a good building to become like this? 

There were about seven-eight rooms on the second floor- or so Marg's mother told me. There used to be nine children here and three nuns. 

This minister used to visit every Sundays. The guy really was a drunk but he cared for the kids- or so Marg claimed. 

Anyway, we finally got out of the house. 'Is this place vibrating?' I had a bad feeling about that. 

And moments after we got out, the poor house collapsed. It wasn't a gradual one. One second it was there- the next, just rubbles. It didn't even make much sound.

Now granted, I thought it'd collapse eventually. But, really, just as we got out?

It seemed too freaky to be a coincidence. 

"This place really just feels haunted." I didn't feel any presence of ghosts or whatever though. Then again, I never felt those stuff in my life, so yeah.

"That's because it is," Marg paused. "I can still feel their presence. They were probably here to say farewell…"

Her voice had this ominous tone to it. 

Wait…. Goodbye? So, all the kids and the nuns were dead? It wasn't that they relocated, but rather, they were dead?

Was she trying to scare me or something?

I honestly didn't have the guts to ask about it. Seemed like a very delicate subject.

"Yeah, let's not sense the dead. And weren't you supposed to be afraid of ghosts?"

Marg didn't say anything. Rather, she just stared at me. And after a moment, the two of us, or rather, all of us started walking south. 

I wasn't getting my answer, that was for sure. Then again, I guess this place held a lot of sentimental value for her, so she was probably trying her best not to jump around and be scared. She was strong when it came to handling stuff, that was for sure. 

The poor plane and its pilot just sat there, smoking. The guy smoked through his helmet, never taking it off. 

"We'll walk all the way back?"

"They should be here to pick up us."

We still kept on walking though. 

The grass was large and I was kind of squeezing Marg's hand a bit too tight. 

There was nothing in sight but grass, trees-

'One Marg… two Marg…'

-and bugs. 

***

About three thousand years later, a group of servants came our way with cars and whatnot. 

The ground was pretty solid, so it wasn't a big deal. Our dresses were half ruined, so that was something: Mud and dirt with webs as bonus.

We all got on board and roughly ten minutes later, we got to the mansion. 

It was different. Very different. 

Banners here, flowers there; decorations everywhere. 

The servants were well-dressed and there was plenty of tables in the garden. 

Food, drinks, music; this place was packed. 

"How much time are we spending here, again?" I whispered. 

"Enough to satisfy the guests and then we can leave," Marg whispered back. "I'd say an hour is good enough."

There were a lot of guests and they were just waiting for us. Once they saw us, they kind of flocked around me and Marg. 

Some were speaking English while others were speaking stuff I didn't know how to even comprehend. 

Apparently they weren't family but rather famous people from all over the world. No wonder Melheim was so happy and supportive of this wedding. 

Before long Marg's father, Melheim showed up, took us on a stage of sorts, said some words and we cheered. "TO Mag and HELIO!"

Apparently, they were serving champagne. 

I didn't care what anyone said and took a sip!

A frizzy delight! Such bubbles. Such fragrance. 

Such magnificence!

'Aint this just Mountain dew??'

I gave Marg a questioning stare and she came closer. "So, we had a talk. Your mom, me and Elsa," She whispered. "We think it's better if you never try drinking since you haven't already." She grinned. "Besides, I won't either."

I wanted to say, but that's for me to decide, but in the end, I gave up. 

I never actually drank- at least that was my official standing, which was utterly bullshit. After all, mom did have beer in the fridge and as a responsible teenager I had to take a sip to find out what it was. One sip- led to one can and then to about four more. 

Needless to say, I couldn't talk for a good two days after burning my throat and screwing my insides. 

Frail didn't even begin to describe my condition. Afterwards, I dedicated myself to chocolate milk instead. 

At the time mom didn't spend much time at home, so she didn't immediately realize that some cans were missing: she wasn't that much of a drinker either. When she did realize though, I just made up an excuse like how Uncle was here and stuff happened. 

No wonder the guy held grudges.

At the end of the day, I might or might have been pretty evil back then. I kind of missed those days….

Anyway, I didn't really mind not drinking. It was never my thing. I was more like the 'I'm depressed so I'm gonna be depressed' type of guy than 'I'm depressed so I'll drowse it with alcohol' type. 

It was weird, really. 

People started Applauding and- "To Helio and Mag!" 

We drank.

'Was I saying her name wrong all this time or something?'

Surely, she'd have corrected me, right?

Right?