Take Me Away

Fiona trudged slowly up the path. It was a little difficult, but her exhaustion dissipated as soon as she saw the picturesque scene. ‘No wonder they built a road here. It overlooks such a lovely view!’ she thought to herself.

She positioned herself on elevated ground and looked on at the majestic Maple Mountain panorama. Maple leaves framed the distant landscape of mountains and rivers, forming what looked like an extremely beautiful painting that delivered tranquility at first sight.

"Hello? Fiona, can you hear me?"

She finally came to her senses as Ryan’s voice shouted through the phone. "Yes Ryan, I heard you! What is it?"

"Nothing happened between me and Leona!" he said.

Her heart skipped a beat. "What did you say? That nothing happened between you and Leona?"

Leona stopped, suddenly rooted to the ground. After taking in what she had just heard, she started to tremble.

"I checked the bar’s surveillance video. Nothing happened that night!" Ryan said angrily. "She drugged me!"

Fiona’s jaw dropped as she let out a shriek. She didn’t even think that could happen in real life. She didn’t know what else to reply except more questions. "Are you sure? Do you know why she would do something like that? Seeing the two of you, I thought...

I’m so sorry you had to go through that." He breathed loudly enough that she could hear him through the phone. "Anyhow, I would just like you to know nothing happened between us. When you come back, I’ll tell you everything about it."

"Okay, sure." She was still in a daze.

"Can we start over?" His breathing had slowed down, and his voice sounded relieved and expectant.

"Ryan..." Fiona trailed off, completely caught off guard by his words.

"I said it before and I’ll say it again. I have nothing to fight for in my life but you," he insisted firmly. "I’ve been trying to do the right thing these days. I held myself back from seeing you, though I miss you terribly..."

A gust of autumn wind blew over Fiona and her hair flowed along. As she looked at the magnificence in front of her, her heart seemed to stir once again.

"I should have checked the surveillance video earlier, but I felt too helpless at the time. Now that I look back, I feel so stupid." Ryan ruffled his hair in frustration. "I’d rather believe that this is God’s way of saying to me that I shouldn’t give up on you. And I won’t."

Fiona pulled away the phone from her ear as a weird buzzing noise suddenly interrupted their call.

She looked at the screen, then held it back up.

"Hello, Ryan? Are you there?"

But he didn’t answer, and the signal was left unrestored.

"What just happened?" She sighed and turned around. She froze in her tracks as she saw Leona standing quietly under the shade of a tree, only a few steps away from her. Fiona held a hand over her chest in surprise, and she felt her heart beat fast. "Leona! Why are you here?"

Leona stepped away from under the shade, glaring coldly. "What did Ryan say to you over the phone just now?"

Fiona’s pulse quickened. She felt a sudden surge of worry but pretended as if nothing was wrong. "Nothing, just random stuff. I'll go back first. Others will worry if they can’t find us."

to head past Leona straight to the main

and Fiona felt immensely terrified. "He checked the surveillance video, didn’t he?

eyes. "Why did you do it? He didn’t do anything to you. Do you

laughed bitterly. "Why do you think? Why does he love you that much? Am I not good enough? You already have Mr. Cheng! Let Ryan go, damn it! Do you know how painful it is, every time I see you with Ryan? I

a deep breath and assessed her

stepped back. "Look, let’s calm down.

me how much they despised me. Ryan is the only one who’s ever been good to me! But you!" She pointed at Fiona with utmost bitterness. "You’ve ruined everything. Without you,

taking it too far?" Fiona replied in a shaky voice before her

squared solely at her. She darted towards Fiona and snatched her phone straight out of her grip. Then, with a swift motion, she pushed Fiona

landed awkwardly on a stone, bruising her

was a precipice, with a rocky and steep hillside

at the screen and saw Ryan’s name and phone number. Her eyes glared back at Fiona even more fiercely. As Fiona struggled to get up, Leona threw her

When she finally turned her head, it was too late. Leona had charged at her and was a moment from pushing her off

upon seeing a

there! Leona, calm down!" Fiona held on to the little calm she had left. "Please, calm

understand my pain!" Leona shouted back before a faint smile broke across her face. As if certain about something, she calmly strolled towards

she hurled the rock

wanted to run away as soon as she saw. But with a sharp pain on her ankle, she turned over slower than usual. The rock grazed on her clothes and slammed against the ground, hard. Before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, Leona rushed over to her

became fainter every second,

stopped in

putting on his boots. He turned to Johnson. "You go back

"Yes, sir."

ginkgo leaves on the roadside as the car speeded off. He approached

"Spencer!"

was sitting in a corner table, waving the moment she saw him. "I’m over

his stature taking up a third of the space

him. "I've ordered the dishes. No carrot, no beans, no coriander,

the glass,

"Ma'am, please

"Got it!"

place?" She propped her chin against the back of her palms, then

nodded quietly. He didn’t know why he agreed

you been here since I

"No."

"Why not?"

head. "My heart wouldn’t have been

Sophia had been in the room of a guesthouse overlooking the Maple Mountain’s

us to assemble," Ella came in and

hasn’t come back yet." Sophia frowned as she got out of bed. "She’s taking too long, isn’t

let’s go look outside!" Ella dragged her friend out of the room. "Maybe