Tell Me A Story

Chapter 25: The Fateful Decision

The last blood-red petal from what was once a rose fell off. The baby looked at it in a state of awe, his eyes following it as it drifted away in the air. He took a step or two forward. And then he took off after it at once.

"George!" Amelia sprang up and sprinted after him. He had learned to walk quite recently only. And the boy never lasted two seconds on the ground. Winter was on its way, as indicated by the falling petals and frosty air.

Amelia halted for a moment at the edge of the forest. She peered into the cluster of woods for the sign of a small boy. Nothing. The woods stood proudly as if they'd promised someone never to let their guard down.

With an exasperated sigh, she rushed into it, swivelling her head constantly to right and left. As she ventured a bit deeper into the silent woods, panic began to grip her heart slowly.

Where had he gone to?

She leaned across a thick trunk as she tried to catch her breath. The air felt like a drenched bag of cotton in her throat. She closed her eyes. That was when she heard footsteps right next to her.

With a jolt of horror running all through her body, she opened her eyes and looked around. She couldn't believe who was standing before her.

No way!

"Amelia!" he called, his voice surprisingly sweet for his wild demeanor.

She tried to respond but all she could do was choke.

"George..." she finally said.

He staggered toward her at the mention of his name. For years he'd yearned to hear her utter his name once again. When they were finally close enough, he extended a hand to her and she touched his fingertips with hers.

Something seemed to have completed itself in that magical bliss of a moment, like the blooming of the last flower among a bunch.

But Amelia felt a warm sensation on her fingers and as her gaze dropped down, she noticed that they were smeared with blood. She shot a look at George immediately, who gave out an evil laughter, revealing the fangs in his mouth.

Behind him, in the distance, she saw something lying still on the forest ground. Something that looked like the carcass of a small boy.

With a snarl that made the leaves around her rustle in the branches, he lunged at her.

Amelia woke up screaming. Once she calmed down and realized it was just a nightmare, she gasped for air and let her sight sweep onto her newborn child. It'd been only mere hours since he emerged into the mortal world. The nightmares she thought to be long halted had resumed.

She put an arm around the baby, who was fast asleep beside her, unaware of anything and everything. After a final heavy drag of air, she lied down again.

However, sleep never came to her again that night.

~~~

A gentle breeze found its way into the room as Andrea opened a window, ruffling her hair. She closed her eyes and pulled in a deep, energizing breath. And then she turned to Aranchis, who was standing clueless before her.

"Wondering why I called you at this hour?" she asked him.

"No, Your Majesty," he said casually, trying his best to suppress his curiosity. "What is it that Your Highness requires from me?"

Andrea was silent for a few seconds. She again let her gaze wander off into the midnight sky adorned with stars. For a moment, she seemed mesmerised by the twinkling stars as if she had never seen it before.