Cannabis

Chapter 9

Location : Well Being Rehabilitation Center

Abigail stood aimlessly in front of the door which had a signboard reading, "23". Seeing the number 23, she came back to her senses.

She hadn't gotten enough sleep for herself last night. Her entire being was torn up between two polar opposite decisions she had to make. She never realized how she got up from the bed, got dressed and came all the way from her home, to this desolate building.

It felt as if she had been in a trance. As if her entire perception was clouded by the thoughts of someone or the consequences of meeting that certain someone. She felt possessed by that entity, who dragged her all the way defying her sanity. If that wasn't true, then why was she muttering his name constantly like a possessed girl? Erose....Erose....Erose.... her mind went on.

Her eyes widened at the number 23. Her mind was going haywire, ceaselessly searching for answers. Why was she here?

Then she realized what her mind had decided. No matter how much Erose wanted to push her away, she'll be there, if not for him then for her own mental tranquillity.

She understood, what her mind held for him was something more than every feeling she'd  ever had in her life for anyone. But she was yet to decipher what her heart wished for.

Mustering enough courage, she stepped into the room.

There, she saw him. He was cuddling under a grayish blue quilt, wearing his regular full sleeved white tee, his ebony locks falling all over his radiant face. He was blankly staring at the quilt and plucking at it's blue threads out of boredom or as a result of being subconscious.

As soon as he saw her, he sat up on the bed, looking straight into her eyes. As for Abigail, she felt heat rising up to her cheeks as the fairly handsome boy looked straight up to her.

Abigail noticed a glint of guilt in his eyes.

"I'm really happy that you came. Also, I'm sorry." Erose cleared his throat.

"Don't apologize. It was me who literally forced you into telling me about your personal life. I was at fault too."

"No, don't say that. You only wanted to help me. Seems like dealing with heartless demons have made me a demon too. But don't worry, Azure, I've mentally prepared myself to open up to you. That way, my heart will grow a lot more lighter."

Abigail was momentarily taken by surprise as she heard Erose address her as 'Azure'.

"Err...seems you've forgotten my name. It's Abigail. Abigail Slater."

"Ah, yes, Abigail. But let me just call you by this name. Think of it as a nickname from your friend."

It took Abigail by surprise. She had never seen Erose so friendly, so light hearted. Was he doing better these days? She made a mental note to talk to Dr. Windscuttle.

"Uhh.....promise me you'll not think otherwise!"

"I won't. Now tell me, I'm all ears." Abigail giggled.

Erose took a deep breath and started. A sudden gloom overcast his entire being which Abigail found a little ominous.

"As I said earlier, I was the youngest resident of the Miller household. I can't recall the memories of my early childhood clearly. All I remember was that I had a father, a mother and an elder brother."

Abigail rested her head on her palm and listened on with a solemn expression etched on her face.

"My father, Daniel Miller, was an army officer and almost all the year round, he was in the border, serving the army, leaving mom and brother and I alone in the home. Whenever there was a holiday, he used to return home and stay at our house for a couple of days."

"Every year when he came, I never got happy in any way as brother or mom would usually be. To get him back home was kind of a festival for them, something in which I never took a part. I loved my mom a lot, but I never felt even a tiny bit of emotion for Daniel Miller. He would talk only to mom and brother, but never me. Not that it was much of a problem. To my mom and brother, he was the ideal husband and father. But it didn't take me long to understand what a rotten heck of a man he was!"

Erose's rage bubbled up and his fists were clenched. He took deep breaths and controlled himself. Abigail reached for a glass of water and handed it to him. Taking a sip, he continued.

"It all happened....the day....when I....when I turned...fourteen...", Erose said between heavy pants. He was shivering intensely as before and cold sweat was visible on his forehead.

What could've possibly happened in the day when he turned fourteen?

To be continued....