"Some feelings sink so deep into the heart that only loneliness can help you find them again. Some truths are so painful that only shame can help you live them again. Some things are so sad that only your soul can do the crying for them"~ Gregory David Roberts

~'~

Germany, Neuschwanstein.

"This is...," Agnes began. She was at a loss of words for the piece of architecture she was seeing. The Neuschwanstein Castle was more than just beautiful or magnificent. It was unbelievably majestic. It was a huge castle with white walls and grey roofs. It lay on an elevation of 800 metres at the south-west border of the German state, Bavaria, near the Bavarian Alps.

"This is such a fairy tale castle," Agnes remarked.

"Aa-ha. You got that right. This castle did serve as an inspiration for the Walt Disney's castle of Sleeping Beauty," the guide apprised them.

"If Agnes was sleeping beauty.. and Jason was the prince ..then to wake her up.. Jason would have to..," Takumi began.

"Haw. Oh mi god...," Akane began.

"Do you want a punch? It's free," Agnes forced a smile. Takumi, Akane and Jason laughed.

They entered the castle.

"This castle was built by Kind Ludwig II of Barvaria who had a reputation of abiding in day dreams instead of reality. Unfortunately only fourteen rooms could be completed before he died," the guide spoke again. They nodded.

But little did they know that the fourteen rooms would be like what they were. They were awe struck when they saw them. They were lavishly decorated. Among them was the exquisite Singer's Hall which was the location of the famous singers' contest which is also featured in Richard Wagner's opera 'Tannhauser'.

The Throne Room, being Ludwig's bedroom featured intricate wood carvings, embroidered draperies and a cave with beautifully lighted waterfalls. Dazzling chandeliers and beautiful paintings adorned every room while the third floor of the castle is devoted to Ludwig's fascination of swan scenes.

Agnes smiled. "I'm blinded by the beauty of this castle, really"

"And Jason is blinded by yours," Akane filled in. Jason laughed, shaking his head.

~'~

"Okay, Agnes I seriously think this is a crazy idea.  A crazy one," Jason said, looking at the candles, a worried expression on his face.

"Why? Don't tell me you are scared of ghosts, Mr. Lecturer," she shrugged.

"No--"

"Now hush hush," she said, settling her candles on the ouija board. Agnes had planned to do a planchette , the method of calling ghosts. She did it at 8:30 pm at night, even though Akane and Takumi insisted on doing it in midnight. She said she didn't want ghosts wishing her on her birthday.

The four of them were sitting in a circle with candles and coins in between them. It was Agnes' insanity and their acceptability that led to this.

"I can't believe I'm doing this,"  Jason said, shaking his head. 

"I think it's fun, huh," Takumi smirked. Akane nodded in agreement.

"No, this is serious alright?," Agnes said, annoyance clear on her face. The three of them nodded, Akane and Takumi desperately trying to supress their giggles. She sighed. According to her, they were going to call the spirit of King Ludwig II.

It was a dark, eerie night. There were no stars in the sky and the moon was half hidden by the dark clouds. The wind was low, slightly moving the flames of the candles sideways, giving the whole situation a horror film kind of look.

"Concentrate and call out Kind Ludwig II," Agnes whispered. They nodded.

Suddenly the wind blew very fast, as if  some supernatural power had it intensifying. Agnes breathed. Jason thought there was something fishy. Ghosts? No.  He could smell a rat in the situation. The candles blew off. Agnes and Jason heard sounds. Someone whooing lightly.

Agnes began to shiver. "I think it's here, Jason..."

Jason sighed. The coins were displaced, the board over turned. Akane and Takumi were absent.

"We need to find them and get out of here! I didn't know it would happen," Agnes immediately said, getting up, her fright increasing with the howls she was hearing.

The bushes moved.

"Jason.. let's run..," she whispered. Jason sighed and shook his head.

He held her hand, all cold with fright and went towards the bushes.

"How is that there's so much of wind here?," Jason asked, skeptical.

"Ghosts.. Spirits.. run.."

"Oh come on, Agnes!"

They moved the leaves and stepped into the bushes.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!," Takumi and Akane shouted.

"AAAAAAHH... OH MY LORD.. AAAHHH," Agnes screamed, falling down.

Akane and Takumi burst out laughing. They moved the branches of a big tree and revealed two huge fans. The intensifying winds. They showed a tape recorder. The howls. Then, they burst out laughing.

"You both are so dead," Agnes said, her face burning up in anger. They couldn't manage to stop and kept on laughing until their stomachs ached. Jason smiled, as he looked at Agnes.

"I told you something wasn't quiet right," he said.

"Ha, yeah. With them, nothing is right," Agnes said, angry.

Akane laughed. "Okay sorry! It was just for fun!"

"Yeah yeah"

Jason laughed as he patted her hair. "No spirits here, Agnes"

"Only two monkeys," she replied, looking at them.

~'~

That night, at 12:00 am, Agnes heard her alarm clock ring.

"Happy birthday to you.. Happy birthday to you.. Happy birthday dear Agnes.. Happy birthday to you.."

It was Akane, Takumi and Jason's voice. She smiled and opened her eyes slightly. The alarm clock went silent and then a second later, Jason's voice whispered from it.

"Sleep off, Cherry. Tomorrow, you need to get up early"

And with a smile and a yawn, Agnes went back to sleep, wishing to have dreams with Mr. Lecturer.

~'~

"Good morning, Cherry," Jason smiled at her as he woke her up. The clock ticked 5:00 am. "Happy birthday"

She yawned and smiled. "Morning, Mr. Lecturer"

"Come on, get ready," he said, holding her hand and pulling her up. She glanced at her watch and made  face.

"It's 5 am."

"I know, but your gift needs time more than anything else. We need to catch a flight later. So come on," he insisted.

She nodded and got up.

Jason waited patiently for her. His gift was different, not something materialistic. Agnes opened the door of the rest room and came out wearing a full sleeved light blue shirt tucked into a dark blue embroidered knee length midi skirt. Jason, in his white shirt and black jeans, held her hand and led her to his farari.

"Where to?," she asked.

"Library," he replied.

She looked at him as if he was an alien who has just arrived from Mars in a spacecraft. "Why?"

"Trust me, Agnes. And you'll know why"

She nodded and looked at the roads.

They entered the library. It was huge with books from the ground to the ceiling. The books were arranged  in such a way that together they formed a sentence saying, "Happy birthday Cherry"

That made her smile. Jason took her to a corner and made her sit on a chair at the table. Then, he took a book and handed it to her.

"Read it," he said.

What on earth was he doing? She nodded and opened the book. A dark chocolate fell from it. She laughed and began reading the book. Much to her surprise, the book pulled her in. It was as if the book was welcoming her into its arms, into its cradle of love and knowledge. She read it in half an hour and returned it to Jason.

He smiled at her and handed one book after the other, making her read them all. And she did. She read ferociously, as if each book was the pole of a magnet and she the opposite one, attracting her and making her read it till the end. A dark chocolate fell from each book, as if along with their magnificent stories, they were giving her a gift too. Jason smiled. He had achieved what he wanted to. The gift he wanted to give her was given.

After some time, he whispered, "Come on, Cherry. It's time to leave"

"No, Mr. Lecturer. Just this chapter.. please!," she requested. Then, she saw him smiling. Realization struck her. His gift!

Jason had given her the most thoughtful present she could ever receive. The gift of reading. The gift of knowledge. The gift of those silent friends, those silent counselors who would guide her when no one will.

She kept the book that lay in her hand and embraced Jason. He had compelled her to do it, to arise the affection in her. He smiled.

"Thank you so much, Jason," she said to him.

"It was nothing, Cherry. Happy birthday once again," he said, patting her gently on her hair.

~'~