Luscinia

         After a fierce fight between her and her husband, she locks herself in her room and starts crying hysterically. She feels as if she is shattered into pieces. Years after years, she fights to survive. Her mere existence is unbearable to her family. Her only guilt is being alive. She wishes to die and ends her suffering. She always thinks that being alive is an honor that she does not deserve. Her thoughts are always unkind to her. The others not only make her loath her own soul, but also be her own enemy. Her heavy heart makes her feel numb. After two hours with her evil thoughts, she falls asleep. But she never wakes up.

      She opens her eyes and finds a crowd of people around her. Is it a welcome party? Or is it her Halloween party? Or a surprise party that she always wants to have? She is always neglected and feels as if she was on a shelf. Finally, someone cares for her. The idea itself makes her happy. Sometimes, one needs someone to listen, someone to be near, someone to understand everything, someone to share with the happy moments. Only the lucky ones have that someone. Then, one of them approaches her.

“It is your first day, right?” said a young gentleman.

“First day of what? Where am I?” said Luscinia.

“First day of being dead. It is always hard. Actually the beginning is always hard till you get used to them. Then the magic begins,” said the young man.

“Dead! How come! It is a dream, I know,” said Luscinia. “ But you look familiar, what is your name?” she asked. 

“My name is Keats, John Keat,” said the young man.

“Your name is like the English poet,” said Luscinia.

“Actually, it is me. Look, I know the truth sometimes hurts. You’re dead, but I will be with you the first day,” said Keats.

“Is it a joke? Is it a nightmare?” said Luscinia.

“Life itself is the real nightmare. Death is the only reality. You will enjoy being here, as we are all equal and we all learnt our worldly lessons,” said Keats.

        Luscinia sits motionless. She cannot believe that she is dead. How? She is scared to death. How ironic, she is already dead. She is confused. Her wish came true. Why she is sad now? Yet, something in life is tempting. She did not have the chance to say goodbye. But to whom? She does not have anyone. Her death was swift and painless. She should be happy that she finally sets herself free from worldly suffering.

“Aren’t you curious to know what happened after you died?” said Keats.

She answers with a brief nod. She is afraid of knowing how her funeral will look like. She regrets not writing her epitaph, to finally write her feelings and pain. Finally, she could speak up and end her silent oppression.

      Then, Keats accompanies her as this is the only painful moment after death. In a blank of an eye, they reach her house. She finds her husband crying to death as he pretends that he is guilty. He is one of her murderers. She hears him monotonically saying:

I need only one final chance.

I need only her final glance,

To tell her I truly regret,

All my words and threat.

Does he really mean it? Does a part of him feel guilt? How fool is man! Only one realizes the mistakes after it is too late. What is the use of all of the fights and the heartaches? He breaks her with his words. He made her feel that she is nothing without him. His existence gave her life meaning and she is only worth living because of him, only him. She was once a singing nightingale, and her soul was happy. But the cage of marriage silenced her singing. Where was his love? Where was his tender heart? Is he just acting and his tears are crocodile tears? She knows him well. He is a brilliant actor for sure. 

“Do you want to have fun?”said Keats.

“In my funeral! How ironic?” said Luscinia.

“Yes! You said that you have a lovely singing voice, right?”said Keats.

“You want me to sing at my funeral! You poets are crazy. Suppose I can sing, no one would listen to me. I don’t want to shock you, but I am dead,” said Luscinia.

“Let me teach you a trick. Whenever we feel bored, we love to mess with the living,” said Keats.

“How can you do so?” said Luscinia with a smile.

      Then, he whispers in her ears and explains the plan to her. She starts laughing. While her husband is acting, the audience stares at him. His tie is flying! He screams his head off like a child and runs with the crowd to the door. Then, Keats closes the door. The party is about to begin.

    All of her murderers are in one room. It is her perfect moment for revenge. Her best friend is in a relationship with her husband. Her manager is here with all her work colleagues. All of her so-called “friends” who let her down are here. All of them pretend that they are extremely sad as if they lost a unique gem. However, they deep down are enjoying the scene as if they finished an artistic statue of betrayal and cunning. She knows that they deserve what will happen to them.

       Suddenly, the lights are switched off. The room is now lit by the candles. Then, she starts singing:

To those who hurt me

Beware what will happen to thee!

You wish if you can flee,

My ghost will drown you in the sea,

Of regrets and you will never find the key,

Of repentance. You will see,

Her ghost is here!

    The floor literally shakes like an earthquake. The sea of faces looks white as a ghost. They are trapped like mice and they cannot run away. It is too late now. Then, it is the time of truth or show time.

“Let’s start with an applause to my husband and my best friend. Didn’t you know that they are in a relationship with each other. And when I confronted him, he killed me with his dagger of nasty words. But they thought that because I am dead now they will enjoy their life together. I will curse you, my lovely actor to be a monkey. And you, my faithful friend, you will be a donkey,” said Luscinia.

       Her voice sends a chill down their spines. Now her husband sheds real tears, and her delicate friend faints. Keats and the other ghosts burst out laughing after seeing this play. She could not imagine that she is so talented and amusing.

“Our next show will be hosted by my supporting manager and my kind colleagues. Let’s tell people how our work is done. First, they, my co-workers I mean, will start by deciding what they will eat at lunch. Then, the coffee party begins or shall I call it the “gossip party”? Do you know that they called you, I mean the manager, by funny names? ‘The big fatty dog’ is their favorite. After the first party ends, they work hard for one hour only and then rest till the end of the shift. Guess what, ladies and gentlemen? They got promoted, while I worked 8 hours a day without a single promotion, or even a ‘thank you.’ Do you know why? Simply because I did not butter him up. How absurd life is! Evil gets rewarded, and good gets punished,” said Luscinia.

The manager turns red and is about to blow them up. Yet his face only provokes laughter. No one can take him seriously. He is just a big joke.

“My lovely friends will be in the next show. Life is really ironic! For example, they call themselves friends, yet each and every one of them is an enemy to one another. Don’t you know that one of them ruined the wedding of her friend? Yes, I talk about you Nora. She sent a fake message to the groom,” said Luscinia.

    The two friends look at each other and the fight starts. Female fights bring only delight and joy. You will never see blood or any violent act. Only screams, funny swear words, some secrets revealed, and lots of hair pulling. It is a circus now, and this is the grand finale. Then, the door opens and they all run like lightning out of the room. Luscinia never laughs so hard like that entire her life. She finds being a ghost is so funny and amusing. It is her super power.

“Did you enjoy your first day as a ghost” asked Keats.

“It is the best day in my life, I mean in my being” said Luscinia cheerfully.

“I like your name. What does it mean?” asked Keats.

“A singing nightingale” said she.