The Curse of the Gift

Part 14

Tayana

I wake up in the morning with a heavy head. The room was empty, and I was beginning to think that I'd only dreamt about Allan last night. But the dream I'd had was very clear in my mind. It was a dream, wasn't it? But it was so real. I felt as if it were real. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't remember the boy, or the terrible shadow that seemed to be death itself hanging over the woman's body.

I shake my head, hoping to forget it like a bad dream. I rise from the bed, and slowly begin to stretch my legs. Then I make a few attempts to get up, and luckily, I don't fall down. Apparently what Marian gave me had already started to work. I reached the door, and it opened with a disgusting screech. A pleasant, morning breeze hits my face, and the air smells of wet grass and pine needles. I go out barefoot and step on the damp and cold ground. It must have rained last night.

It's so quiet, so peaceful outside. It's as if nature is trying to reassure, or warn. The calm before the storm. The thought makes me shiver. Although it may be due to the rather chilly wind and the fact that I'm standing barefoot on the ground in just my nightgown. I want to scream, to ask what I should do now. Which way should I go now? How do I do the right thing? And what does the right thing even mean?

There is a growing feeling in me that this is just the beginning. The beginning of something terrible.

My thoughts were interrupted by a sound that came from somewhere in the shadows. The sun hadn't fully risen yet, so some parts of the forest that surrounded almost the entire area of the small houses were dark enough to hide from prying eyes. A chill ran through my body, and I shuddered involuntarily. My legs still weren't strong enough, and even just standing took a lot out of me. I clenched my fists and took a few hesitant steps forward.

"Who's there?" I shouted as hard as I could so that Izaya could hear me. But all I got was silence. Yet something told me I wasn't the only one here. So I decided to try again, just a little louder and more confident. "Who's there?!"

In response, some bushes moved, and a man stepped into the light. I recognized him at once.

"You..." My voice trembled.

"Hey, sister," Joshua looked up at me, a big smile on his face. But something had changed in his eyes since the last time I'd seen him. Or maybe I just hadn't noticed it before. I didn't want to notice. He looked at me carefully, no anger in his eyes, just childlike interest.

Joshua looked me over from head to toe, and then put his hand to his chest, and his smile grew even wider.

"So glad you're okay now," the guy says with relief. I should feel good that he cares about me, but instead, his every word sent a chill down my spine. "I was so frightened when I found out you were in the dungeon."

What? Scared?

"How did you know where I was?" I started to look around in fear, afraid he might have brought someone with him.

"I'm on your side, Tayana," he said my name slowly, as if tasting it. And with his broad smile, he reached forward and looked at me with a hopeful look. "Now I'll take care of you."

Instead of answering, I took a few steps back. The guy noticed that, too, and took two steps forward, as if mirroring my every move.

He looked as usual. His golden, wavy hair was tied neatly back in a ponytail. He was wearing a lace-up white shirt that wasn't pulled all the way down, and I could see now that he was pretty skinny for his height, but he didn't look that weak.

The dream immediately sprang to mind. Is that him? That boy... is that him?

Only now he was grown up, and in front of me was a grown man who was capable of hurting me.