FINA & FIONA

SERAFINA SERAFIONA

"We have to take her to Israel...then maybe she can be well again." It was a last
minute decision of the Patrelski couple.They've been putting off the final say

for weeks now because both didn't want to have a leave of absence from work

in Philadelphia.

Being Jewish immigrants was no easy mill in Uncle Sam's country but the

indomitable pair have survived for twelve years.

"Do you think Fina will like it there? She barely acts and speaks Jewish,"Lenna

bit her lower lip,always fearing the worst for her kindred daughter.

Franco dropped his suitcase gently on the sofa, and made a queer sigh that

hasn't been heard of in years."It's our last recourse."

Lenna, who has successfully quit drinking for sometime now since she has

had Fina, grabbed a red wine from the storehouse and poured a wineglass

half full of it."Then let's get our assess off here and expect a miracle from the

Holy Land!"

They headed to Kiryat,a notable town in Israel. There they were met by a

trusted caretaker who has shielded Lenna's parental home for decades. Her

name was Anna Mildred and stood to be in her 90's.

"My dear Lenna Marie,do you still recall your playful years around this

villa?",the old woman graciously extended her welcoming embrace.

"Honestly Anna, it's you I only know. The others I have a vague recollection

of." Lenna accepted Anna' quick embrace and proceeded to the veranda.

"A pleasant day Anna! I'm glad my wife said yes to a short vacation here.

We've been wanting it for so long."Franco shook Anna's hand in an awkward

way,not knowing exactly how to treat her-whether as a long,lost aunt or simply

as a polite stranger.

"AND I AM SERAFINA...TWELVE YEARS OLD...A MIXTURE OF AMERICAN

AND JEWISH WAYS." The young Miss vocalized in such a braggart manner that

made all of them chuckle.

Anna was not only stunned, she squinted at the fate sunlight and viewed Fina

with an audacity that almost melted the harmless girl.

"Take her to the seas-she will self-heal," Anna whispered at Lenna's willing

ears and held her quivering hand. "It is time you made her aware."

"But Anna, I don't think it's fair. How will I help her understand that she's

partly human and partly..." Lenna cut the words.

"Why can't you voice it out for good? Let it all out." Anna moved a little

closer to Lenna.

Ten generations ago, Lenna's ancestors had mothered a MERMAID.And the

oracle briefly noted that the descendants of this creature would reappear in the

tenth generation-which happens to be Lenna's time.

When she gave an excruciatingly,painful birth twelve years ago, TWINS

came out. And one of them looked just not normal.

"Remember how you screamed your lungs out when you saw the fins Lenna?"

Anna muttered in a sorrowful mood."You wanted to kill your baby right away.

You just couldn't stand the sight of it."

Lenna began to stride in the wooden room."Yes, and what did you do to her?

I asked her to be thrown at sea and never to be seen forever."

"I threw her but she came back often...always with a plea."

"She's ALIVE...? Lenna said in a deafening way.

"She is so pretty Lenna if that's an understatement...You can't tell her apart

from Fina."

"What's her name...?"

"FIONA....SERAFIONA...I patterned from her sister's."

"What does she want?" Lenna seemed uninterested and lit a cigarette. Bad habits

always recurred whenever she was caught off balance. She always promised to quit

smoking.

"To see and meet her sister...that's all..."

"Mom! Where are you taking me?" Fiona had asked a millionth time, as she followed

her mother down the slope of a hill.

"We're going to the deep end of the ocean."

"You're crazy!".

They stopped at a spot where there's a huge stone covering a stretch of big waves.

FIONA couldn's speak.She wanted to scream but couldn't. Her shock was gargantuan.

"Okay FINA, I want you to meet your ...twin sister...FIONA."

Within seconds, Fiona materialized with her famous tail and created minimal splash

in the waters. "Hello sister Fina...I've been waiting for you all my life."

"NOOOOO! NO! Mom,No! This can't be happening!".

"Fina,honey,I know it's out of proportion and quite lunatic but it's true.You have to

face the fact and live on with it."

"But what would Dad say?".

"He knew since you were born. Why do you think he agreed to take you all the way

to Israel and see this?".

"But why mommy? Why?..." Fina cried her heart out and Fiona almost pitied her.

An Angelic Connection

ANGELS? WHO HAVE EVER SEEN REAL ANGELS?

Kendra, an eighteen-year-old college student,has always been skeptical of the world of angels. Eversince she could recall, she has not borne any real image of an angel. When she was in Grade 11,her teacher reprimanded her for leaving a blank page emptier during Art Class. The topic was about drawing one's own guardian angel.And the poor,adamant girl was left with nothing to color. Her mind was totally in dark.Her imaginative powers, which were usually hyperactive, have suddenly become intricate.

Fearing that she'd be left with a grade of 65 or automatic failure,Kendra hastily sketched her own version of a winged angel.She colored the wings ivory white and the cloth dirty white. In whichever way, the color white was not evidently pure.It was tainted with minute particles that had a shade other than white.And she barely knew why. It's as if there was a powerfully clad spirit

leading her to draw such a queer image.

"DO YOU REALLY THINK AN ANGLEL HAS WINGS?" Miss Terry,Kendra's inquisitive teacher inquired.

"Yes, but an angel can hide his wings or display them

even play with them."

"What if I tell you that the BIBLE is quiet about that

fact? They are supernatural creatures but their wings remain debatable."

" I do know,for sure, that angels are neither male nor

female."

"For that, I agree with you." Miss Terry quipped

energetically and motioned for the kid to proceed with her stuff."Now, why

don't you make a clearer, neater, and better version of your guardian angel?."

Kendra dropped her pencil aside and kept her coloring pen-

cils in her bag. " I'm sorry to displease you, but unless I see and angel with

my own two eyes,I'll never believe in such a fanciful theory."

This scenario materialized when Kendra was only eight years

old. Now ten years later, the nosy girl is about to encounter the biggest trial

of her life.

One morning, she reads on a morning paper about a stupefying

news on the macabre death of a raped victim in an alley near Kendra's workplace.

"Wait a minute, I think I now this guy,"Kendra spills her coffee into her collar.

Then suddenly she does remember. The darn guy almost attempted

to disengage her about two days ago.He struggled hard to rape her.But in

the end, he gives up and fleas for his safety.

"WHY DID HE RAPE ANOTHER GIRL AND NOT ME? " Kendra's thoughts are playing sardonically in her mind.

She flees to the town prison and decides to talk to the culprit for once and for all.She wants to settle things out.Peace of mind...is what she so desires this instant.

"Hey Mr., I do not know whether to thank you or not for letting me go.But how come you bypassed me and ravaged your terror on someone else?".

He spits," I SAW A WINGED CREATURE RIGHT BEHIND YOU DURING THE ABORTED CRIME. HE WAS SO HUGE,LIKE A GIANT, THAT I ALMOST DROWNED IN HIS PRESENCE.I RAN FOR MY LIFE BECAUSE HE SCARED ME SO."

The Curse of Christine Brown

Christine Brown seems to have everything in hand-a great career, a steady boyfriend, and an infectious optmism that surges within her. Only one problem though and it poses the biggest threat on her existence-SHE'S CURSED!
How did it all come about? It all starts at her workplace-where's she's a loan
supervisor. Christine has such a soft spot in her heart that she easily gives way to whims and pleas ,even from strangers. That is why her superior,the Main Manager, cajoles her to be more firm in her dealings. She has to be harsh in saying "NO" to loan extensions.After all, their company is a hard-selling business and she can't afford to nurture pity.
So enter Mrs. Ganush, a Gypsy woman from a mixed-race neighborhood. She is about to lose her house where she has lived for thirty years. And she's asking Christine,pleading for a mortgage extension. ALAS! Christine Brown is stern this time, and shows her undemining authority.As per advice of the Main Manager,"No more! We already granted her two extensions in the past!",she summons.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Ganush, but we cannot grant your request this time." Christine tries to explain rest-assuredly. But her charming ardour doesn't work.
"Please, I beg. I'm a proud woman Miss Brown. I humble myself before you.
Please I beg you..." Mrs. Ganush kneels before Christine,and holds onto the hem of her skirt.
"Guard! Help us!" Christne calls,shocked and mesmerized in awe.
"You shamed me!" Mrs. Ganush gets up from her kneeling position
and confronts Christine in a mortifying manner."I begged you and you shamed me!"
Then she steps out,with a mocking face.
The next thing Christine knows,she is beset by one problem after another.
She can't seem to concentrate on her job,she has hassles with her boyfriend,and she has nightmares-terrible nightmares she can't withstand.
WHAT IS HAPPENING? WILL SOMEBODY HELP HER?
She seeks a medium for help,and she is told that a very angry ,mad woman
cursed her tremendously!
BUT WHY? WHY ON EARTH WOULD SHE DO THAT?
Christine suddenly remembers Mrs. Ganush and the wrestle she has had with her in the carpark. How the old woman smashed her car, and almost broke her face. She refuses loan request with her, and now she has to pay the price-TO BE LOCKED UP IN HELL FOR ALL ETERNITY.
For the next three days,Christine grapples with her senses as she is attacked mercilessly by Lamia,the most feared of all demons.Physically, Christine is ravaged and she can't take it anymore.
So she bargains and seeks the soul of Mrs.Ganush from another life.
"But it wasn't my fault!The loan manager made me do it!".
Mrs. Ganush retaliates in a most terrifying wail:"I WANT THE SOUL OF CHRISTINE BROWN!".
To all you dear readers, if you want to know the ending whether or not Christine indeed goes to hell after three days, go rent the DVD of "Drag Me To Hell" written and directed by Sam Raimi. It stars Allison Lohman as the naive,sweet girl Christine brown and Lorna Rayver as the Gypsy old woman,unforgiving Mrs. Ganush .
After seeing the entire film,you will decide yourself whether you believe in curses or not. And tell me more about them.

A Brush with A Psychic

Not so long ago, I had encountered a very well-known and talked about psychic in our neighborhood. I came to her for a consultation because I was confused with a lot of stuff in my life then,primarily concerning education and finances. I was taken aback when the highly-regarded woman spread out a deck of cards before me,and blabbered about my life nonstop. In less than an hour, she was able to tell me about my sordid past,my present predicament, and my future tales. I wasn't just amazed...I WAS ENTHRALLED.
How could such a mysterious woman dictate on my power of reasoning and swayed me with profusions and wonderment? Eighty-precent of what she revealed to me was true, and undeniably existing.
Where did she get her skill? Or is that what you call GIFT?
It's bewildering that certain people possess this kind of gift-and leave the bystander in freeze...begging for more information,whining for a better understanding of life.
And from that time on, I never stopped inquiring about the unknowns of life-things unanswerable and better left unsaid.