The Reincarnated Spirit

Chapter 4:The dark surely does consume

One week after Krystila met Emery, her arm was recovering and so was her trauma of getting literally stabbed. She decided to try the brown circles people call ‘contacts’. She stood hovering over the mirrored, crystal clear Lake.

She looked normal.

Finally, after years of rasping her hoarse sobs, She was normal. At least.. She looked Normal? This was still more than Krystila could have ever pictured. She was hunted down for nearly 2 decades for being a black sheep. Maybe this was a sign to start a new life, she thought. Tears began to swell up in her dirt coloured eyes.
That's right.
Dirt. Not yellow. Not gold. But dirt.
She fortified her flourishing joy. One step. Another step. A third step. The last one and…Soon she started dancing like she had just won the lottery. She stopped in her tracks. She believes it. But will others. That. Was the last test.

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She gazed up at the town square. Houses lined up against each other, an adorned fountain in the center with imperceptible flowing, Children scattering  around. Superfluous really. Running around in circles. What do you gain? Krystila tried to recollect her thoughts. She kept wondering. Is it really that fun? To run around with no end. Something she couldn't do as a child. Was she even a child? She had no childhood. No birthday cakes or parties. No gifts. No play dates. No friends. No toys. No human interaction. No happiness. No happiness. No happiness-

All she had was distant memories coming back to her in fizzes. Tiny. Puny. Fizzes. Whenever she tried closing her eyes to recall. A massive migraine would come. It was like her own mind was protecting her from something. Or someone. It was all blurry when she did picture some. She could feel something. A soothing feeling. A ragged,cotton blanket absorbing her. The cold, crisp air hitting against her still unbroken skin. No matter how cold it was. There was always a warm welcome behind her. Holding her. Guiding her. Sometimes when she opens her eyes. It's still there. Like a spirit. A ghost. A gust of wind. It was like the presence of the loss of presence. It felt interwoven with her. Bound and stuck, for all eternity.

A sudden scent paused her trance-like state. Books. Fresh books. Yet to be uncovered. When she was 14 -4 years ago- she found a lost and discarded book. In her spare time she read it and scanned it. Ever since, she has been obsessed with books. She tried finding more. Her eyes did not make it easy. Now that her eyes are changed, she could go to a Library. One of her wishes came to life step by step. She stepped into a brick building made with terracotta. Books. Books. Books. As far as the eye could see. They stretched out. Krystila's lips parted in astonishment but nothing came out. She was too stunned to speak. She has to explore. She took a much needed steadying breath. The sheer power of an 18 year old girl bringing one of her wishes alive was too much. She bolted, rushing downstairs. That was the plan. Start at the very bottom and work her way up. After what seemed an eternity, she arrived at the basement. It was not like the first floor. It seemed old. Too old. Candles and wall lanterns glowed dimly just enough to see the book titles. Vines were hanging on every bookshelf and instead of wooden slats on the floor. It was solid mud ground. With rock slabs placed individually in various places. Still, the sight was riveting.
She was making her way to fiction when she saw a category on Volans.. She was about to choose a book when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Are you lost?”

Her eyes narrowed. Time seemed to stop in its place. The grandfather clock stopped ticking. Her head pounding with anger, questions , threats and cries of anguish. The last person she wanted to see today. Rogan. Her breath quickened..  She just managed to rasp out a word.

“No.”

“Well. Are you okay? You seem shaken?”

His tone was soft. This was unusual for her. He was acting like he never called her a monster or stabbed her. But of course he doesn't know that. She felt herself growing light headed. This was too much for her. No. She literally got stabbed. She can take this. How can the sight of a man scare her so much? Suddenly, he stepped forward. Krystila stepped back onto a rock slab. The sound of her rubber boot sole hit the slab. Click. Wait. Rubber doesn't make that sound on stone. Time was ticking and she still didn't give a response.
“I'm fine. I was just startled. I didn't expect anyone to be here.”
Krystila stepped off the slab and at the edge of the bookshelf. Click. Suddenly, the floor opened up.  Krystila didn't have time to scream. Rogan tried reaching for her arms but fell in with her..

The dark consumed her.

The light from the lanterns faded.

Thud.