Can You Hear My Voice

Chapter 1- Death of an Obsessed Fanatic

The sun wasn't even starting to rise up, yet for Francine it's already shining in its peak in Manhattan, New York. It was still 3 a.m, no soul is yet awake well except for some others, the alarm on her phone went off playing a tune from a Chinese bamboo flute on full volume that filled her entire room. Her entire left wall was plastered with customized posters from different Chinese movies and series.

Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms?

Yes, shes got at least 50 posters from that series.

Nirvana on Fire?

The heck, of course! She's on fire after collecting 70 posters.

Beside her wide theater of posters stood 3 proud and tall shelves of figurines and memorabilia from all the Chinese movies and series she binge watched and from friends who was fortunate enough to step on to the precious soils of China. Of course, adding to her collection was the online merchandises she purchased online shipped from China made in China!

On the right side of her room, stands a normal wooden closet, where her normal outfits for work and casual outing is neatly arranged. Beside this was an intricately carved chest filled with her precious collection of hanfu, also shipped from China.

Aside from this, Francine also learned the art of cooking Chinese recipes, embroidering, cleaning, washing the clothes and the dishes. She felt as if all of this was necessary because she would feel definitely incomplete if she doesn't do so.

Francine also tried learning the language, and she did it so whole- heartedly. But it seems like Mandarin doesn't like her back as she was only able to understand the language but can not speak it.

Francine's hand crept slowly on to the sheets then to the phone. She grabbed the phone tight and turned it off without even taking a glance at it. She jumped sitting on the bed, her hair was disheveled but she was smiling. She looked like a total freak!

" I'm going to China!" she rejoiced with the top of her lungs and then started to run around, fixing things, shoving then in the bag, packing them in her luggage.

It was 5 a.m when Francine finished packing up. She took her ticket and passport from her sling bag and smelled it like how rich men would form their money on a fan and smell it. Oh, victory!

" I can't believe it. I'm freaking going to China!" she squealed.

This tour to China was her plan 3 years ago, but she was only able to save enough money for her grand tour now. But no matter how hard it was, it was worth it.

She closed the door and shoved the keys on her bag, only stopping after she noticed a suspicious looking freak woman standing on her gate staring at her. She felt the tiny bristles on her back stand due to the woman's creepy stare. The two stared at each other for a brief moment until the woman bowed down, placing something on the ground, opened it. After that, she went away as if nothing happened.

" The fudge!" Francine exhaled as she tried to regulate her heartbeat after holding her breathe for so long.

She heard a melody playing. It was coming from the thing that the woman left on the ground. Francine took small steps towards it and gently took it in he hands. It was an ancient music box.

"Looks like Chinese, basing from the ornate details." she said.

"I'm gonna take it. Well, finders keepers." she added and happily strode away.

7 am, Francine was just on time for her flight. She can't conceal the large grin on her face anymore. Her grin was comparable to the chesire cat's, though hers was obviously more wider. Her eyes were twinkling. Her dream! At last, its come true!

She took the comfortable seat near the plane window. She didn't really manage to sleep during the night and she woke up early to pack and so with the comfortable chair and with the thoughts that her dreams have come true, Francine drifted on to sleep.

"Ying Yue!" a faint voice echoed in her head.

" Ying Yue! Come back!" it said.

Francine was awakened from her sleep.

" The heck is Ying Yue?" she grumpily asked herself and tried to get back to sleep. Then, the plane started to shake violently.

The passengers, including her started to panic.

" We have just encountered a minor weather disturbance, everything is under control. All passengers are advised to calm down and put their masks on." the voice from the speakers said. It must be the pilot.

Francine did placed the mask on and as she did, a part of the plane exploded. The plane continued to fall from the sky.

Francine screamed from the top of her lungs.

" I can't die! I still haven't stepped into China!" she teary eyed screamed.

Without her notion, the music box that she shoved inside her bag glowed.

" Ying Yue! I beg you, please come back!" she can clearly hear a voice say as if it was directly said on her ears.

What the heck?!

Francine started to lose consciousness. Everything was pitch black.

" Ying Yue!"

A/N: First Chapter Done! What do you think? How about the cover?