The Red Moon

Ch-16:Ericka falls unconscious

I woke up to the sound of my name being called and the feeling of water being splashed on my face. I heard my name being repeatedly called. As soon as I woke up,everyone came closer and tried to ask me what had happened, but two of the teachers restrained everyone and helped me to the nurse's room. I was spared from attending that day's class. One by one I heard the bells ring, and when, by looking at the clock, I deduced it was lunchtime, I took out my lunchbox. Soon Xia, John, Richard, Sky and others came to check on me.
I was told that uncle has been worried about my condition. Uncle had told that Richard and John would take me back home. I really felt tired throughout the rest of the day. I did not even talk to anyone when I reached home. I kept silent and only answered by nodding my head and with expressions.
Clement came to see me in the evening. Fredrick was very much afraid at the fact that I did not utter a single word. He had thought that he would talk to me so gently that I would speak to him. So when his plan did not work out, he called up Clement. He thought that since Clement and I were related by blood, so probably Clement would understand me more than he himself could. He thought that being related by blood Clement would have an upperhand over him with regard to me.
When he came, all of them put me up on a chair and produced me before him as if I was an exhibit of an exhibition and Clement was a distinguished guest. Or, probably, I was a scientific invention made by the company around me and Clement was a great scientist who would examine me and then declare to the world if I would be very helpful to humanity.
Or, maybe, I was a patient on my deathbed, suffering with a rare disease and Clement was a very distinguished doctor. It's funny how the reality was that I was just a little kid of 10 years, who had fallen unconscious in school that morning and Clement was just my stepbrother, still studying in college. 
Clement came closer and sat on his knee in front of me. "They aren't real", he said in a very confident voice.
I looked up at him and murmured, " I have seen them. They look ferocious. I think I know them."

"Do you want to suffer once again ?" Clement sharply questioned.
"No, no, not again. It haunts me. It scares me." I murmured looking down.
"Ericka", he said in a very confident tone, taking my right hand into both of his, " your thoughts are your worst enemy. Get rid of them at once!"

I looked up at him and nodded my head slowly.

He sighed. "Now go back to your room", he ordered.
I obliged.
Clement must have told my 'brothers' and uncle that I shouldn't be left alone. Somebody must watch me while I sleep, so that I feel that someone is with me and there was nothing to be afraid of. Back at home, father used to do this task I remembered.
I quietly finished my dinner. When I was retiring back to my room, Eden called out, "Wait!"
I looked back at him.
"Go, go, go inside the room", he said, calmly.
I obliged. He entered the room behind me and closed the door.
"You are going to sleep, right?" He asked. 
I nodded.
I went to the washroom first. Then came out and prepared my bed. He watched me as I climbed the bed and slipped under my blanket. He pulled the chair from my study table that uncle had recently made for me and sat on it, holding a book in his hand. I wondered how he was reading the book since the only light in my room was the thin moonlight that slid in through the glass windows, I pretended that I had fallen asleep, but intermittently opened my eyes to observe him.

Sharp, striking features, perfect green eyes just like a forest lit by the moonlight, with a confident look and a clear cut jawline. I soon fell asleep as I couldn't think of anything else.
Next morning I woke up to find myself surrounded by pair of eyes glued on me. As an obvious reaction, I sat up straight on my bed in fear. I looked around terrified. My heart was beating rapidly.
"Are you alright?" asked John, being the first one to have the courage for giving explanations for this peculiar behaviour.
"Yes...y-es..." I stuttered.
"You were murmuring and shouting in your sleep" Richard joined in hesitatingly.
I looked into all of their eyes confused.
"We're you dreaming of something bad?" Asked Fredrick, trying to act like a confident older brother, which he definitely wasn't.
Eden remained silent, taking deep breaths. Uncle looked concerned.
I put one of my hands to my head, trying to remember. Then I asked, "What was I murmuring?"
Nobody seemed to have a definite answer to this as they all started to look into each other's eyes.
John ultimately said, " Probably you were calling your mother for help, I guess"
I looked at him startled and asked in confusion, "My mother?"
Richard said, " You were murmuring two names, maybe three, I am not sure."
"You seemed to be desperately calling for help" Fredrick joined in.
Eden stood silently folding his hands.