(#1) 𝔹𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕥 •𝓒𝓸𝓶𝓹𝓵𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓭 •

Chapter 20 - Blood.

~Alisa~

_ I remember how often I'd slit my wrist, just to get rid of the pain I felt, but I  felt even more pain, as I watched my own blood spill to the floor. And even now, I still had blood on all my whole walls. _
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That night, the strangest thing happened. I heard someone call my name, and I shivered because it sounded so frail, yet so threatening, at once. I had a nightmare. And in that nightmare, I recalled hearing someone repeatedly call out to me. First, it was calmer, then it became way too harsh. So much, that I got scared. Next thing, I was running through a dark passage, but on the floor were shards of glass which sparkled under the ray of light created by the moon. The voice got closer, and I heard footsteps approaching. The only way across, seemed to be through that passage, which had shards of glass over it.

Without thinking twice, I ran. And I didn't stop. But as I ran, and the glasses pierced my bare feet, the voice got closer. And closer. And closer. And then, a hand grabbed me forcefully from behind. A sharp pain landed me to the ground, and I finally took time to observe the cuts, on my feet, which were created by those pieces of glass. But what was even weirder, was that I didn't bleed immediately. Those glass particles remained in my feet, and when blood began to ooze from the cuts created by them, I felt someone deliver a huge blow to my back. Then, I woke up.

And I swore under my breath, because I was sure I could still hear the whispers from the creepy voice in my nightmare. Only this time, it sounded like creepy whispers, which were sprawled out from the shadows.

I couldn't sleep. And I was terribly scared. I didn't want to disturb Kambili, and I equally didn't want to die of my own fears. I turned on the light in my room, and got on my knees to pray. But the voice echoed in my head again, and it felt like someone was actually calling me.

"Alisa?" I shrieked, then realized it was actually someone at the door.

I got up on my feet, and opened the door to my room. I met Mrs. Ekwegh standing there, smiling at me. For some reason, seeing her face sent chills down my spine. I recalled my nightmare again, and I knew that voice sounded feminine.

What if it was a warning?

"I'm really sorry for disturbing you like this," she began, and I tried to act unaffected by it. I couldn't sleep, anyway. "It's just that, I want to talk to you. And since you're the only one who listens to me in this house, I felt it'd be best to speak with you instead. I didn't want anyone to know that I was coming to talk to you, and that's why I decided to come now. Please forgive me for intruding like this." She said, and I nodded.

"No problem." I choked out of me.

"Can I come in?" She asked, and I stiffly nodded my head, and stepped aside for her to come in.

She walked in, and I slowly closed the door. But I didn't lock it, because I felt I might need to run for dear life. Just in case.

"Come sit." She patted the space beside her. I gulped, and stiffly did as told. She smiled at me. "I want to ask a question."

I urged her to go on.

"With what Kamsi had said that day... Do you— do you believe him?" She asked, and I found myself wondering why she'd ask me that. Was she afraid that I knew she was a shady person?