Monster.

Φ Chapter four.

The sound of Zeshan's hysterical laughter was creeping Noah so much that his guts were squeezing and stretching. He was feeling squeamish and was about to puke out his insides.

"Noah. Are you alright?" Wangmo asked in a concerned way which was completely in contrast of how scared she looked.

Wangmo was obviously afraid, not because of Zeshan's ghost, but the peculiar way Noah was standing with his back on the wall staring in horror at nothing in particular. It was only Noah who could hear and now even see the daunting apparition sinisterly laughing right in front of him.

"You are a hypocrite, you know that?" Zeshan said.

"You know you are guilty of killing your friend, you know you should be ashamed and be paying for you sins. But look! Instead you are here making new friends and having fun like nothing ever happened."

Zeshan grabbed Noah's shirt and pulled it so hard that a button came off.

"No. I didn't...I am sorry. I am really sorry." Noah blurted out.

"Your mother is dead. You know she died and still you did nothing! She died because of you, and all you did was run away again, like you did last time." Zeshan told him.

"You are here taking a good night sleep, when your mother might be buried dead somewhere. And you used to say you will protect your mother. You liar! All you think about is yourself."

Noah suddenly stopped struggling. His body started to go weak as if his strength was being sucked away. A strange feeling of dread started to grow inside his chest. Zeshan is right, Noah thought. I am a hypocrite. I am selfish. I am the most worthless being in the whole world. A fire of hatred kindled with the smoke of dread. Noah hated himself.

"Noah are you, are you not feeling well?" Wangmo asked, still on her bed with the same sacred look on her face. "Do you need something? I can-"

"Why did you help me?" Noah asked in a lifeless voice.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Wangmo was puzzled by Noah's sudden question.

"Why did you help me?" Noah repeated in the same tone. "I am not your friend. You hardly talked to me before at school, just like everyone else. So why are you being so kind to me all of a sudden?"

Wangmo was so bemused by the sudden change in Noah's behavior that she couldn't answer him. In truth, she was really scared at that moment and even regretted letting him in her room.

"Oh that's right. You are finally starting to get it." Zeshan said. "Why would she help you? Isn't it simple. She is helping you because she pities you. That girl knew how worthless you are and she is looking down at you. You were the foolish one to think that she was a kind and friendly person."

"That's right." Noah said in a low voice. "You are right. It was foolish of me to think like that."

"That's good my friend. Now you are truly acting the way you should." Zeshan said and then he walked back again into the shadows and disappeared in the darkness.

Noah inhaled a breath deeply and exhaled it back slowly. Then he walked towards the window and opened it. When he was climbing out of the window Wangmo wanted to stop him. She wanted to ask him what happened to him? Why he was acting so strange? She wanted to ask if there was anyway she could help him. But she said nothing. She was just too scared to say anything and after Noah left she finally felt a bit relieved.