Cara Evelyn

Chapter-12

~Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.~
-Mary Shelley-

Everything in the confinements of our universe undergoes a strange process called 'cycle'. There is a cycle of growth and decay and so is of life and death. Time keeps on rolling the reel of hours, days, months, years, decades and centuries on the casette of its own cycle while seasons go through beautiful changes from summer to winter and spring to fall in order to complete their own universal cycle. After every outburst of wild emotions comes a phase of peaceful silence and the ordinary me was obediently going through this accustomed process like all the other human beings.

The night that had brought with itself sheer destruction in its true essence to shatter our souls had collided into a calm morning devoid of inner turmoils. However, the external world was soon to be hit by a cold summer storm as indicated by the clouded sky. Holding two warm mugs of coffee in my hands, I entered the cosy little room that once belonged to me but things had changed a lot since then and I had accepted all of it because, after all, it was part of this strange process called 'cycle'.

Instantly, I was hit with the comfortable fragrance of old paper that cramped the walls enclosing two very lonely people in the center of our universe. I looked over at her fragile frame sitting quietly in the middle of ruffled sheets spreading all over the soft mattress. Her arms were locked around her bent knees as she looked out at the gray sky from afar. A light woolen beanie rested on her little head and her feet were dugged under the sheets, clearly hidden from the cold dampness filling the air prior to a rainstorm.

Setting the cups down on the floor beside us, I sat by her feet on the mattress and followed her gaze. A loud roar of thunder shook the skies before fat drops of water started falling down fastly. It was like the gates of heaven had been suddenly opened to let out this downpour. Raindrops were pitter-pattering against the glass window and it created a strange nostalgic symphony against the silence inside. I looked at the thin trail of warmth floating out of the mugs and picked up mine before shifting my gaze back to the world outside.

"This child of rain sits inside today." She shook her head sadly and picked up her mug before curling her delicate fingers firmly around it.

"So sad, you forgot me." I feigned heartbreak and clutched my shirt tightly from the chest. A light hint of smile coloured her lips as she nodded.

"These children of rain sit inside today." She corrected her previous utterance and nodded once again before sipping the coffee quietly.

"I would have taken you out myself but..Cara, you're not feeling well today. Putting all things aside, I'm just glad that you agreed to stay inside or else, I don't know what I would have done to keep you from running out into this rainstorm." I nodded towards the window and stole a bitter-sweet sip from the edge of my mug.

"You're good at making coffee. I like it." She sucked another sip from her mug and smiled lightly.

"Thanks to my grandma." A hearty chuckle escaped my throat as I recalled all the times she had fretted over how I couldn't even make a cup of coffee. She had forced me to learn it and I did, though, half-heartedly. Today, however, I didn't regret it even the lightest bit.

"You love her." The oceans in her eyes came to life as she spoke the words adorably.

"Nah. I don't. Wait till you meet her! You'll know why." I winked and sucked at my cup for another sip. Thunder roared noisily outside the confinements of the library.

"I've never experienced this but you know, it feels good to stay inside on a stormy day. This feeling of being secure and safe is very extenuating." Her gaze wavered towards the window and came back to my face before she shuddered.