THE DAY. I’ll show the whole world and define the word MIRACLE. Communication with animals was something beyond human capabilities. Some may have claimed success but nothing as compared to what we have found. SSW..as tacky as it sounds, this new finding will obviously create an uproar within the scientific community. I could already smell the success this will bring plus the fame and glory.
I know I have Angah to thank for the project. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t be here. But once this is revealed, there is no need for him anymore. Just the team..and me. Just a little longer, and he is disposable. Just like Raja….
Few more seconds…
I hear my name called out..I’m ready…
“Without further adue, I would like to present Mr Hakimi from Malaysia and his project on “Silent Sound Wave”. Let’s give him a big applause!”
The sound of applause was like music to my ears. By the time I reached the stage, with a grand introduction, the huge maroon velvet cover behind me was pulled up revealing huge aquarium. I heard the audience started to gasp in awe. In the tank, Melur was swimming freely although I did notice the slight show of weakness and in the diving suit, Abu. In his hand was the star like sea shell. The secret of the ocean. The key to the whole project. I’ll get rid of him once this is over, I thought. making a mental note in my head.
I was just about to make my presentation when I heard a crack. It sounded like thunder. I searched for the source and to my surprise, the inner side of the tank that was connected to a passage that leads to the open sea had cracked. I was trying to absorb the situation when I saw that brat Abu was whispering something to Melur. I was distracted. Not because that the tank was about to break or my project will be a disater. But what was happening in the tank. Abu was not using the star shell to talk to Melur. No. He was whispering. Actually whispering. And what was stranger was that Melur was actually responding. It was as if she understood every word and started nodding to Abu. Melur then started hitting the other side of the tank. That was the abnormality of it. What was going on? Is this just a trick that my eyes were playing or what I was witnessing was something beyond explanation?
Then I heard gasps and screams. The tank exploded. Because of the pressure, shards of glass were flying all over the place. Since I was the nearest to the tank, I felt its impact. I felt large pieces of it slashing my face, my body, and liters of water start to spill out. Like the wave of the sea, the water pressure hit me off my feet and I wanted to scream but was drowned by the capacity of the water that had hit me.
I was struggling for my life. The conference room started to flood. Audience were scattered, running for their lives. I could see some, like me were swept by the current. Struggling not to drown. My lungs started to feel heavy.
No! Why me! Not now! Please God! Save me!
**********************************************
I was about to pack my bag when I saw her. She looked familiar. Too familiar.
“Excuse me, do you happen to know Professor Zainol?” she asked.
I was still staring at her when she popped the question and blushed slightly after realizing I was practically gawking. “ I’m sorry. I thought I’ve known you from somewhere. Have we met?”
“Mmm, I don’t think so. I’m not from here. Probably in another life?” she joked.
“Oh, my mistake. What was your question again? Prof Zainol? Oh yeah. He’ll be down in a minute. You are..wait. it’s Amy right?” I asked remembering that Prof Z had mentioned about a couple of girls who will be meeting him today.
“It’s Maya. Amy’s my sister. So I guess Prof Z told you we were coming.”
“In fact he did and he send me to wait for you guys." I stood up and offered a hand shake."I’m Rafee. Nice to meet you.”
Maya smiled and shook my hands. Suddenly the shaking halted and an expression of curiosity was displayed on her face.
“Since you did mentioned it earlier, you do look kind of familiar to me now,” Maya stated. Her hands still in mine.
I smiled. Thinking that if we did meet before, she wouldn’t have been able to recognize me. No one will. Not even Abu.
In the course of 4 years after I disappeared from this face of the earth, I’ve became a new person. For the sake of the knowledge I knew, I had to leave everything that I once owned. My family, my identity. Even my appearance. I had to go under the knife for a face job so that no one would be able to recognize me. Only a handful of them knew. The team, Hakimi..Prof Z.
“It’s just that..” Maya continued,"oh well, there’s just something about your eyes. You remind me of someone but I just can’t grab who.” She let go of my hand, realizing that the handshake took a bit too long. I noticed her blush.
“Maybe in another life,” I joked trying to make her at ease. Maybe, maybe we did meet, I thought to myself. Because if there’s only one thing I cannot change, it is my eyes. Nobody can change that. Not the eyes....