Efiia House

I was walking slowly. The winding road seemed endless. Trees were standing tall on both sides of the road.

I know neither how I got here in the first place, nor where I was heading. Perhaps my sore feet knew. I continued to walk, accompanied by the loyal moon.

Once in a while, I passed by some people. All of them dressed rather formally, as was I. Some of them nodded at me, smiling. I smiled back at them as a courtesy and continued to walk.

It was rather strange. It felt as if I was in a mysterious race. Maybe it was a race against time; maybe it was a race against those people I walked past just now. As my mind continued to be boggled by numerous questions, a few boys cycled past me. Wait, I knew one of them!


"Sean!" Sean heard my call and turned back. "Hey, Luna! Sorry, I’m in a hurry. See you there!" he shouted and cycled away before I could ask him any more questions.

Just great. The only boy I could recognise couldn't stop for just a few seconds to clear my confusion. Oh, well. I'm going to learn where I'm going soon enough, once I reach the destination. So, I continued to walk.

Far away, I saw a very well-lit building. I saw more people walking towards the building, so I assumed that I was supposed to go there too. As I got closer to the building, there was a simultaneous mixture of excitement and nervousness. For some unknown reason, my heartbeat raged rapidly. I started to jog a little towards the entrance of the building.

A tall lady with wide grin on her face welcomed me at the entrance. "Welcome to The Efiia House, where the greatest minds and skills of all places unite," she said loud and proud. With jumbled thoughts all across my mind, I stepped into the place.

The old, Queen Anne style house was shimmering with colourful decorative lights. The front yard, with a few old trees and well-trimmed bushes, was large and crowded with people who had gathered there. I was intimidated by their superior excellence that was radiating in the air. How did I end up here?

As I pondered on the question, my feet unconsciously dragged me towards the door. A few men in their thirties were chattering about quantum physics, while some of the children were building fantastic architectural models. There were sportspeople playing various sports on the other side of the yard.

A particular girl, with sleek, black hair tied into a ponytail, fair skin and long, lean legs who looked about the same age as me, caught my eyes. She was playing tennis with a younger girl who barely looked like ten. The older girl scolded the younger girl harshly everytime the latter missed a shot. I felt sorry for that girl, but I didn't know what I could do to make her feel better.

Suddenly, an old lady who looked very familiar interfered their game. She hugged the younger girl with a warm smile, and told her that she could do better, otherwise she wouldn't have been chosen to be there at Efiia House. The girl smiled and continued to play the game, while the old lady continued to watch both of them. I was amazed that she didn't miss a single shot after that. Now I wonder, why did it feel as though the incident was pulled right out of my memory?

After both girls were done playing tennis, the old lady walked towards the older girl and told her, "Dearie, be kind towards the young ones. A smile and a little motivation could bring someone higher, compared to harsh words which will only drag someone to the bottom".

Those words sounded very familiar. My head started to pound as I tried to recall why was that so. Finally, it hit me. I used to be like that older girl. I used to detest those who fail consistently, and used to mock them. The same old lady made me realise how success belongs to everyone in different forms, and all they need is a little pat on their back. She was also the one who invited me to Efiia House, also known as the House of Intelligence, which is located in a dimensionless space.

I finally understood why I was there; to learn. I was there to gain wisdom. I was there to seek help. I was there to mature. As my memories came back flowing to me, I felt as if everything went into a swirl. I felt as if I was falling, falling into the deepest darkness where knowledge doesn't exist. I reached out my hand, waiting for someone to pull me. Maybe that old lady saw me. Maybe someone saw me. As I wait, I fell further, further, and further...