Timeless - Mark Tuan

Chapter 18

Mark

I was a bit confused when I opened my eyes and I was in a different room. My head was aching so hard. It was as if something was banging on it, asking to get in. I heard that voice again. Not Annie's ... the other one. She was shouting from a distance and I couldn't get what she was saying. 

I gritted my teeth at the pain. "Get away!" I hissed. "Get the fuck away from me."

Then I felt it again. Like a pressure from within me pushing outwards. Just like that, the pain was gone and so was the voice. 

I laid on the bed longer, trying to remember and understand what just happened. But, what came to mind was the paradise I was in last night. 

Annie!

I immediately got out of bed and into my clothes. I called her name countless times and searched the upper floor, opening every room. I went to the study last, but, that too, was empty. I was about to close the door and head down when a thin box at the corner of my eye caught my attention. I wasn't sure why, but I was suddenly curious on what was in it. 

Yesterday, when Mae took me in this room, it was also the first thing that I saw. It was just a simple box, the one they use to move stuff. Maybe it's because it was the only one that wasn't unpacked ... or maybe something else. 

I lifted it from the floor and put it on the table. I gently lifted the lid and my heart started to run wild when I saw what was inside. I bit my lower lip and smirked. 

So ... she had my portrait?

I wanted to laugh. But, the smile on my face soon disappeared when my eyes went to the bottom corner of the painting. 

SHIT! Is this even possible? It was done more than two hundred years ago. 

I stared at the face again. Although there were details on it that didn't match mine ... But ... Fuck ... 

What was Annie doing with this? Luke! She called me Luke the first time she saw me at the club. Could it be this guy? But .... this was ... centuries ago ... How ... ?

A girl that looked exactly like Annie came to mind. It was her, yet she was dressed in very old clothes. She was sitting on one of the branches of the highest tree in what looked like a forest. I was looking up at her. 

Shit! What is this? 

Then, another image of me on top of her on the ground. Both of us were completely naked. 

And another. It's of a woman .... I know that woman ... She was one of my parents' friends. I've only seen her a few times. But, I knew it was her because she always creeped me out whenever she was around. Her hair was on fire .... wind ... like tornado surrounding her ....

The ringing of the doorbell pulled me out of my trance. I quickly put the eerie painting back in the box and carried it to where I got it earlier. 

What the fuck was that?

I had to go down because no one seemed to have heard the door. Still a bit dazed, I opened it. 

My questions just earlier were pushed at the back of my mind when I saw the guy standing in front of me. I didn't know why, I haven't met him before, but I felt so angry towards him. There was a different kind of fire building from inside. It was as if I wanted to kill him. 

I furrowed my brows, taking deep breaths. "Who the fuck are you?" I glared at him. I could feel the heat spreading all through out my body. 

"Where's Annie?" He asked, glaring back at me.