XV : YELLOW FLOWERS

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[ Laura ]


I felt as if the ground beneath me shook as goose bumps rose up my spine. What was The Devil's Moon? More frighteningly whose was that cold emotionless voice? First those nightmares and now this feeling of being related to this sculpture. Was I going crazy?

"So you've finally met the great Lady Melissa, the guardian of the Deathstars." A warm voice said from behind me. I turned to see an old woman wearing a bright smile. She wore a simple dress and a red sweater, not the kind of clothes the onwer of a manor would wear - normal granny style. Contrary to her smile, her eyes weren't as warm. I couldn't help but notice the weird look in her eyes I couldn't decipher. Like she'd wanted to meet me for a long time. Yeah, right, I was quite good at reading minds. Faking FBI had sharpened this ability. But, well, I wasn't a psychic to clearly read her motives. I wondered who this lady was?

"Oh, how rude of me not to introduce myself. I'm Jane Deathstar. You can call me ." She started but before she could complete what she wanted to say,

"Grandma Jane, the best granny ever." Sebastian interrupted and hugged her from behind. Seeing them both smile, I forced an awkward smile.

"Seb, I'm just sixty. For god's sake call me Aunt Jane. Say Laura, what would you call me?"

"Aunt Jane, I guess." I answered nervously. All women hate being called old.

"See, Sebastian. You got to learn from this young lady". She smiled at me.

"Well, dear Laura. I expect you are hungry, having just one meal in seven days. I'll go and set the table." She walked towards another grand looking room, dining hall perhaps.

Then my attention turned to what she'd said - seven days. Wait. There was no reason for her to know me before yesterday.

"Seven days?" I asked Sebastian who stood watching Melissa with mild hatred lingering in his eyes. There was this thing about Sebastian. He detested anything Deathstar-ish. But wasn't he a Deathstar himself? Since I'd more curious matters to deal with, my brain being hammered twice with all the weirdness of life I could possibly experience, in just one day, I dropped the matter.

"Right. After, well, what happened back at Nicole's, you've been asleep for amost a week." He replied.
I noticed how he didn't make any unpleasant joke this time. Perhaps he was changing. But before I could feel a bit better of the thought, I realised the gravity of what he'd said.

"What?!" I yelled obviously surprised. Yes, I sure was a sound sleeper but no way in hell could I be sleeping straight for a week ! How could I be sleeping 24 X 7 !

Calm down! I ordered myself. Surprisingly, my mind actually stopped thinking about the Sleeping Beauty. But only because I had other matters to deal with.

I still didn't know why demons were after me. I hadn't had found anything about the light and the new questions had already arisen in the form of two horrible nightmares. Then it was about Melissa whom something in my mind referred to as The Devil's Moon. What was going on with me?

"Who's she?" I asked pointing to the Wonder Woman after calming down. Being worried and hyper wasn't going to give me any answers. And more than anything, that voice scared me to death the most. Perhaps I should go to some psychic.

"As Aunt Jane said, she's Melissa, the guardian of Deathstars." I could notice how he said guardian, with sarcasm as if he strongly believed Melissa was quite the opposite. He didn't like Melissa as much as his aunt did.

"Yeah, I get that. But she sure looks creepy to be in such a great mansion." I replied.

"It's a tradition. Melissa to the Deathstars is like some deity, more like a goddess. They think keeping her sculpture in houses will keep them save." He explained.

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