Chapter 2: Leaving Kesaf

"Whew, that was close!" Plionay said out of relief as she closed her eyes. She and her friend were finally able to escape from school without getting caught. She then angrily turned to Emuna. "You shouldn't start a fight with them, even if you were defending me! We coulda been in so much trouble on our last day of school, y'know! I already have a bad reputation at school jus' for my physical appearance and you gettin' into fights alone. Do you know what happens if we get caught?! You know I woulda been blamed for causin' a fight from the school staff, even if we were innocent in that situation! Can you imagine being embarrassed from school like that?!"

Emuna displayed Plionay her sad face, feeling bad for her. She thought about how her actions are hurting their friendship. "Okay, okay, okay. You're right, Plionay. Maybe I went a little too far trying to defend you there, and I'm sorry."

"But..."

"But, what?"

"Thank you for keeping me safe from those young men though. I truly appreciate it."

Emuna then closed her eyes and grinned at Plionay, displaying her straight, white teeth. "Oh, you can thank Elohim for that. He did that through me."

Plionay smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right, Emuna." Looking up at the sky, she said, "Thank You, Elohim, for using Emuna to protect me. I truly appreciate what You've done for me. In Yeshua's name, Amen."

"So, are you excited about Summer Vacation?"

"Yes, I am. And you?"

Emuna turned her head and calmly looked forward. "Uh-huh! I so am! We can thank Elohim for giving us a big break from school! I can't wait to reunite with my grandparents and friends on my return to Xenopolis!"

Plionay shook her head in agreement, also looking out forward calmly with a grin. "Yeah…totally! I can't wait to visit my grandparents, my uncle, and my cousins on my return to Aigialo!"

Then Emuna's eyes quickly widened for a second. "Oh, I almost forgot to show you these."

As soon as Emuna dug through her bag and handed Plionay her comic drawn out, romantic comic strips, Plionay looked through them and smiled.

"Oh, wow! Your comic strips are really gettin' better and better everyday! You have a gift for making these!" Plionay exclaimed, handing Emuna back her comic strips.

"Actually, Elohim helped me create these while I was at school today. I believe He'll help me become a comic book writer to write my own series one day."

Plionay agreed. "Mhn, I believe so. I also believe He'll me become an astrologer to discover new stars and planets for human civilization to continue thrivin' some day too."

Emuna smiled. "I'm sure He will."

"Mhn," Plionay agreed as she and Emuna continuously walked throughout one of Kesaf's quiet neighborhoods. The sun peaked its brightness and height at the mostly blue sky.

As they made it to Plionay's appartment, Plionay began to wave her good-bye at Emuna with her excited grin. "Bye, Emuna!"

Emuna waved her friend a good-bye back.

"Don't forget to meet me at the train station later on today. It'll be the last time we'll see each other before returning to our hometowns from Kesaf. So don't be late, okay?" Plionay said.

"I won't! See you later, Plionay!" Emuna exclaimed.

They continously waved at each other, until Plionay finally entered into her appartment. Then Emuna turned around and stood there, grinning out of sheer happiness.

-Alright, Emuna. Time to head back home now. Here we go!

Emuna began walking away from Plionay's apartment and happily walked all the way back home, until her touch screen dumbphone rung inside her bag.

-Huh?! Looks like someone's calling me. I wonder who that is. I just hope it's not a scam caller or anything like that.

She searched for my phone inside her bag and gazed at the screen. It said:

DAD

-Oh, it's dad. I wonder what he's calling me for.

She immediately answered the phone. "Hi, dad. How have you been?...Uh-huh...W-What?! Why not?!...Oh, that's terrible..."

She then display her horrified face, widening her eyes and covering her mouth. "I hope she feels better...Uh-huh...Uh-huh...Uh-huh...Okay, dad. I will...I understand...Bye, dad...I love you too. Tell mom I said, 'Hi and bye, mom. I love you too...' I will, dad. You too..."

She hung up the phone and place it back into her bag.

-Oh, man. My parents won't be at home today, because my Aunt just had a terrible stroke and is currently hospitalized; they're visiting her there.

She turned to her right and looked up at the sky. "Dear Lord, please make sure my Aunt is cured from a stroke through these doctors. We don't want her to face physical death. Please make sure she lives. In Yeshua's name, amen."

As soon as the wind blew from the west, she happily turn back left, began walking away from Plionay's appartment complex, and walked all the way home.

****

Opening the front door, Emuna entered her home, locked the door, took off her school shoes, put on her house shoes, and placed her school shoes on the shoe shelf. She walked towards her room on the left through the living room. She placed the bag on the bed and turned her attention towards her five, white fish swimming in the fish tank.

"Hi there, fish. How have you been? What did you guys do while I was at school? Hmm? Did you have a good time today?" She walked towards her fish and fed them. "Oh, you did? Well, that's wonderful! I'm glad you guys had a good day today! I'm so proud of you!"

After she gave them three invisible kisses in front of the fish tank, she changed into her casual summer clothes from my school uniform for a while. Then she packed her stuff into her two different, oversized summer bags for her return to her hometown. Once she finished packing, she walk towards her fish for one last time and gave them her sad look, sighing.

"I'll be going away today, so this is my last time of seeing you guys for a while. While I'm gone, my parents will be taking a great care of you guys, until I return home around early September. You hear me? I'll miss you guys, will you miss me as well? Well, of course, you will! I know you'll miss me. Oh, yes, you will! Yes, you will!" She declared, giving the fish four more invisible kisses. "Ok, then. Gotta go. Bye now! I'll come back to you guys when I return home."

She waved the fish her good-bye. Grabbing her two bags, she not only left her room but also left her house. After she left, the fish continuously swam around in the tank, enjoying each other's company and minding their own business.

****

After she arrived at the train station and paid for the train ticket, she took a look around the platform and searched for her best friend.

-Okay, Plionay. I'm here now. Where are you?

She noticed a young lady, with deep red, wavy hair and a fat ass, standing there and waiting for the train to arrive. She carried a bag, held onto her suitcase, and wore a big hat as well as her casual summer shirt, a white miniskirt, and sandals on her feet.

-Oh, I bet that's Plionay. I better check and see if it's really her.

She walked up to the young lady and tapped on the young lady's shoulder. "Pardon me."

"Yes, ma'am?" The young lady turned around, wondering who it was. Once she examined the young lady's face, she quickly recognized the young lady as the one she was looking for. Plionay gave Emuna her excited grin for finally being in her presence. "Oh, hi there, Emuna! Thank Elohim for safely guiding you here! I'm very glad to see you again!"

"Hi, Plionay! I'm so glad to see you again! Thank Elohim for keeping you safe and sound while you're alone!" Emuna stood on Plionay's left, and we looked out for our individual trains and at each other at the same time. "So did you get to say your last good-bye to your relatives here in Kesaf?"

"Why, yes, I have. Did you?"

"Only on the phone."

Plionay acted surprised all the sudden. "What?! What happened?!"

"My dad called and told me that he and my mom are visiting my aunt in the hospital, because she had a bad stroke today. So there's that."

Plionay gives Emuna her horrified face. "Emuna...I'm so sorry to hear that..."

She grinned at Plionay. "Oh, it's okay, Plionay. It's not your fault, but thanks for caring though."

"No problem. Let's say our last prayer together, before either train arrives for either destination."

"Good idea!"

The two young women both held hands, raised their arms upwards, and looked up at the sky.

"Dear Lord, please grant us another good summer vacation, like You've done before. Please keep Emuna safe from harm in Xenopolis, along with her grandparents there. And please deliver Emuna's aunt from a stroke and cure her from it," Plionay said.

"And dear Lord, please also provide Plionay safety from harm in Aigialo, including her grandparents, her uncle, and her cousins. And please don't allow sin to tear us away from You. In Yeshua's name, amen," Emuna said.

"Amen." Plionay responded, allowing their bodies to relax, letting go their hands.

"Attention...Train C has arrived...I repeat...Train C has arrived...," The female announcer's voice said, echoing throughout the platform.

"Op, that's my train! Bye, Emuna! Call me when you arrive in Xenopolis!" Plionay waved Emuna her good-bye while she rushed to her train with her stuff. Emuna waved her friend her good-bye back while she stood there. The two young women grinned at one another.

"I will! Bye, Plionay! Don't forget to do the same when you arrive in Aigialo!" Emuna exclaimed.

"I won't!" Plionay entered her train and the train left the platform.

Emuna began to patiently wait for her train.

-Alright, now all I have to do is to wait for my train to come; Xenopolis, grandma, grandpa, friends...Here I come!

Seven minutes later, her train had finally arrived.

"Attention...Train D has arrived...I repeat...Train D has arrived," The female announcer's voice said, echoing in the platform.

-Alright, Emuna! Our journey to Xenopolis has just begun! I'm coming, grandma, grandpa, friends!

She rushed her way into the train to find a place to sit. She peered to the left, spotting two empty, comfy blue seats standing right next to that giant window.

-Looks like I found a place to sit.

She placed her two bags on the seat next to the window and sat on the other seat.

-Op, I need to call one of my grandparents, and let them know about where I am!

So she pulled her phone out of her pocket to give a call. "Oh, hi, grandma! How are you?...Well, I'm calling to let you know that I'm currently on a train that'll be leaving Kesaf and heading into Xenopolis in less than a minute...Uh-huh, and I should be there in three hours...Okay, then...I love you too, grandma. Good-bye, now! And please tell grandpa I said, 'Hi, and I'll be coming to Xenopolis soon...'"

Right after she hung up, the train begins to move forward. She looked out the window in excitement while it left Kesaf behind for Xenopolis for good.