The Peculiar Swing
The haunting melody of a lullaby swirls in my mind every moonlit night, leaving me restless and sleepless. Surrounded by trees that are shrouded in mist during winter nights, I sometimes catch glimpses of smoke rising from distant fields. At those moments, the mournful lyrics of the lullaby drift softly through the air, stirring emotions within me.
I have lived here for five years now, enough time to become intimately familiar with every inch of land, blade of grass, and corner of the antique house owned by Mrs. Tam. The house has five levels, not three, and is built in an old-fashioned style. One reason why I grew attached to this old house is that I tutor Mrs. Tam's grandson, Tân, who is lively and loves to run around the spacious yard filled with fruit trees such as mangoes, papayas, guavas, and sugarcane. During the scorching summer heat, the refreshing coolness of the countryside becomes even more apparent... All of these things suit me perfectly since I enjoy the tranquility and openness of space.
However, despite all the joys of living in this house, there is still one mystery that eludes me: the origin of the haunting lullaby that seems to come out of nowhere. It echoes faintly on bright moonlit nights, leading me to believe that it comes from somewhere close by. Moreover, I have learned that there are no children living in the surrounding homes. So, why would anyone sing a lullaby?Elderly people often dote on their grandchildren. That's why I was able to stay in the old house for free, with a responsibility that suited me: to teach Tân to study quickly...
Taking advantage of spare time, I often talk with cô Hai. Who knows, when interacting with this older woman, I would satisfy my curiosity about spooky lullabies...
But everything disappointed me, cô Hai always shook her head when I mentioned the lullaby. Her face turned pale when she heard me mention the melody that echoed into the bright moonlit night. As for Bà Tám, she was more determined. Whenever I had doubts, she brushed them off with a concise sentence: "The teacher is busy, so tired of hearing wrong things." I've lived in this house for over seventy years, never heard anyone singing anything...
Late at night, the lullaby's melody echoes clearly, but the wind sways it back and forth, making it sound distant and faint at times. As I listen closely, I realize everyone in the house is already asleep. Determined to uncover the secret hidden for so long, I gently push open the door and step onto the roof, making no sound at all.
As I approach the swing, my heart races faster, and I dread what I might find. Does the swing move because of my imagination? Did I wake up from a nightmare where I mistook a rooster for a hoe? The swing stays still, and the white mist disappears. What did I see earlier? A sinister thought flashes through my mind, making me tremble, but what's the use of being scared now that I'm too close to the swing to run away?
But not every wish in life comes true! If it did, wouldn't everyone become a fairy? I want a child, but that is my own business and cannot be imposed on others. And when people cannot interfere with personal matters, don't blame fate for being indifferent...
...Sad days keep passing by. Playing with stuffed animals instead of dreams. He becomes more and more absent... I know if I don't have a child, I'll lose him soon. Losing him due to what both of us yearned for. And the most intense burning is still having to face two difficulties at once: keeping my husband and fulfilling a woman's duty...
If one day I'm still alone on this swing, then I can't blame him for leaving a family that only had two people... Sadness is just sadness...!
But for me, if a lullaby accidentally enters my ear on sleepless nights, it's truly happiness. Because the intention of the lullaby is to bring a deep sleep, for an innocent and naive soul...
Comments
Post a Comment