Naina, a crazy girl, exiled from her hometown, accused of practicing black magic that took her parent's life. Her unique ability, unknown to the world. It burnt down along with her parent's body. Her name itself held deep meaning. Too many secrets s...
"Why do you keep whining like a baby?" Ammie for the nth time slapped my wrist because of my constant tug on her dress. Her sweet talking with her boyfriend pained my ears as if they would bleed.
"Ammie!" I tugged her again as it was two in the morning and I was way too sleepy to enjoy the music. She glared at me and started kissing him. "Ew, gross!" I said and wandered as far away as I could. She lied to aunt to come here, and I felt like a third wheel tailing behind her to the club far away from our house that she definitely made sure of, making me more suspicious. Her boyfriend, I didn't know he existed until today when I looked at him standing in the middle of the bar and cutting his birthday cake. My sister beamed at him as they shared I love you's.
I cringed when I saw them all over each other's bodies. She forced me to promise her I'd keep it a secret as my aunt would kill her. I wanted to ask more about it but thought it was a general rule put by parents.
Strolling past the drunk people, I walked out of the club to take a breath of fresh air. The crowd suffocated me. Knowing that something bad would happen to them and yet unable to help them would do nothing but add to the guilt that kept piling in my heart.
Taking a deep breath, I inhaled the smell of mildly moist sand after few drops of rain wet it. Greedily inhaling the smell of the wetland, a smile formed on my lips. My fondness for this smell would burn down all the tiredness I ever had.
The area still bustled with horns and people walking. Street light illuminated the pathway, made it look beautiful. The leaves on the road flew haywire as the vehicles passed through them.
"Who's there?" I asked, taking tentative strides towards a dark corner where I caught a shadow. My eagerness piqued as I stepped into the dark alley. Maybe it's a new creature. Aunt would be happy. Utkarsha would appreciate that I'm learning. All these things bubbled excitement in my mind as I continued walking towards where I last saw the shadow.
Scrunching my nose, I cringed at the horrible stench of the dustbin in the corner. Suddenly halting my steps, I noticed a shadow leaping out of the fences fixed at the end of the pavement. "Too fast" was all I could think.
"Hey!" I called him out, but he didn't stop, rather raced as fast as he could. My focus was completely on him, blood pumping faster. As he crossed one streetlight away from the busy road, he looked back and I froze. "Green" that was all I could speak. My legs automatically moved quicker and my mind went numb. I thought as if it was a big deal for me to identify who that guy was.
Those glimpses I saw; the wings, those canines, horns. Everything flashed as if in a rush. Walking past the street, he stopped, but I did not. Someone would say that it's a trap, he'd rape me or more kill me. But I didn't understand why I felt he wouldn't. Having this unknown level of belief in a stranger felt too weird, and I craved to learn why.
"Why do you keep running away from me?" Naina, have you gone mad? You don't even know this guy. My inner self warned me, but I shut it down.
"How often do you follow a stranger without worrying that he might assassinate you or rather rape you?" Fuck, he reads mind? My inner self asked, and I heard a chuckle. I felt goosebumps when I heard it. Damn his tone.
"Why are you following me?" His voice too sharp, too rough, unnatural. Men nowadays lack the base that he had in his tone. Too manly to overpower anybody. My legs shook because of the aura he radiated.
"Will you answer me or keep thinking about my voice?"
"You can mind read?" I blurted without thinking twice. Taking a step further, I looked at him who stood facing away from me. The streetlights didn't reach us, and I continued prying further merely by the mercy of the moon.
"It's not safe for a young girl like you to move around at this time of the night." He responded, and I noticed he continued taking deep breaths every so often as if he was holding back. But why?
"Are you a witch?" I furrowed my eyebrows, regretting my question as I caught a faint movement of his shoulders. Sliding my hands inside my pocket, I took a few steps towards him. I needed to see how he looked. I needed to know why I felt the pull towards him. So many questions and all I got was a grunt as a reply.
"What's your name?" I inquired, still curious why I couldn't control my mouth in front of this man.
"Akul." Wait what?!?! Akul? I racked my head internally as I was sure I read it somewhere. Name too familiar to ignore, but I couldn't remember where I heard or read it. Maybe the alcohol messed with my head.
"Akul." I repeated his name and searched his face for any clue. His eyes were shut and lips formed in a thin line. I furrowed my eyebrows as he didn't move or breathe for a few minutes. I couldn't help as my eyes took in his attire. Ragged clothes with a leather coat, hands shoved into his jeans pocket. As I looked up, I spotted a subtle beard covering his chin. A shadow masking his face on this moonlit night.
"Why do I feel like I know you?" I whispered, a question I did not want to ask him yet wanted to know the answer badly. My mind being like mush. As the wind blew past him, I inhaled the heavenly scent of sandalwood and the smell of sand before a heavy rainfall.
"You've got to go." He announced through gritted teeth. His tone, too strained for my liking, gave me goosebumps. I felt like the storm slapping my face hard after every wave blew past us. Raindrops slapped my cheeks, making me shiver.
"Answer my questions and I will." I deadpanned surprising myself as my voice was bold compared to when I first uttered a word in front of him. I continued, "I saw you that day as well. You were there. You touched me. I saw-" I froze. No no no, I can't let him know my secret. He never met my eyes, and I urged my mind to not think about something that would give him an advantage over me. I had my doubts, but I had this itch inside my heart that compelled me to pry further.
"You have a death wish, little girl." His speech still strained, but it started getting ragged as I noticed him heaving. Shoving my hands slowly inside my pocket, I fisted my hands ready to hot him hard if he tried hurting me. It's better to be ready than to regret later, someone said. Well, I'm that someone as I don't recall anyone ever said this to me.
"Naina!" Oh, shoot! I swiftly shifted away from him, towards where I heard Ammie's voice and saw her waving at me and running along with her boyfriend. Turning my head back towards Akul, I found only his faint smell lingering in the air. His shadow was long gone. Away from the hustle and bustle, into the dark forest that was the only route from where I stood. The sun gently peeked out from the greyish cloud, making me realize that I've been dragging my body the whole night. Tiredness slumping my shoulders as Ammie looked at me, worried.
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Word Count: 8153 words
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