Irina Mathews And The Cursed Necklace Of Alzema

Strange Pandemonium

The night was as cold as my heart. Constantly altering between hot and cold, it was like an indecisive child struggling to make their mind up about which sweets they wanted. The sky was purple, possessing an element of beauty that words could barely describe: an intoxicatingly rich colour that demands your unwavering attention, my favourite colour. Underneath the silent sky lay the sleeping city far in the distance. City lights faded into a golden blur. Usually trapped under eternally grey skies, I had never before seen so much vibrance in a single glance - only for it to be ruined by a familiar ring.

It was the eve of my birthday. I lay effortlessly in-between the scattered covers that belonged to my bed, my feet peeking out and dancing with the cold, ticklish breeze. Regardless of my constant and unbearable fear of the dark, my lustreless curtains were tied back - exposing me to the world. Whispers bounced across the room, accompanying the monotonous ticking that echoed every time the clock struck. There were only minutes to go . . . The ringing had reappeared again. The irritating buzz that ringed in my ears had, after several relentlessly torturous visits with the psychologists, finally silenced itself. That was until this very evening, and thus every time I began to lose interest in any sort, the unusual ring would cause a commotion inside my mind.

Slowly murdering me as each second passed by, I suffered with my unbearable headache. Dreams and nightmares passed through the night. Rapidly, the ringing transformed into a soft pitch; its volume increasing. The wind whistled as I gazed into the alluring and enchanting purple sky. Only hope could save me from this ongoing nightmare. Exhaustion filled my bones, my body aching and retching - desperate for some rest. I forced my eyes to shut and subjected myself to the tedious caterwaul. If I waited it out, a long-deserved good night's rest would be worth the initial mass discomfort. When would this pandemonium end? There were only seconds to go until the new day would begin. Voices clashed together with an excruciatingly loud bang! My mind felt as though it were on a blazing fire, roasting at a tedious pace. Did I not deserve a moment of peace?

Five,

Four,

Three and the high pitch escalated beyond the roof,

Two,

One...

In that very moment, all the glass shattered into millions of minuscule shards. The room was silent. The house was silent. The universe was silent. For once, my overactive mind wasn't exaggerating. There were no fireworks. Time stood still: the clock, frozen. Curious, I dived out of bed, racing out of my bedroom door and sprinting through the abode's hallway. How could anyone have slept through that racket? Why was nobody celebrating New Years? While questioning everyones presence, I ran into Lisa. She met my eyes with her own, accompanied by her younger brother George. Fragile, yet so strong: I had always admired her bravery. Concern painted her face, but blame was on her mind-and she blamed me.

"What is going on?" She yelled, tears lingering in her eyes. Had fear overcome her? No, it had overcame me.

I had always struggled to talk to Lisa. I couldn't even begin to explain how much she despised me. Ever since the incident with Erin... But, you didn't need to know about that. If I had told you, you would only have hated me as well. I didn't need anymore hatred surrounding me. All I needed was sleep.

So, do you want to hear Lisa's story? Lisa and her brother have lived there, with the Leicesters', much longer than I had. They have lived there so long that Patsy, our foster mother, even loved them like her own children. I had always wondered about when exactly Patsy knew in her mind that she would adopt them. Was it a direct reaction to the news of Lisa's diagnosis? Was it a natural attachment? Was it when George began to refer to her as his mum? I guess you could have said this adoption had been an obsession of mine, but I would have argued that it is natural to be curious about family matters when you're a new addition.