Jinn & Curses

Chapter 17- This is Mine

I wasn't planning on posting today, but here it is! Reason being I just looked at my books today and discovered both Jinn & Curses and Beasthood are moving up the genre ranks, so it made me happy! This chapter is dedicated to @shunnyday as they have been voting and voting a lot! Thank you! And I hope you enjoy! Please vote and comment! xxx

Chapter 17 – This is Mine

She stood there. Watching me. With those icy eyes. I could feel them on my neck like knives digging into my flesh. I couldn't move. Transfixed on her face, her gaze hypnotic. She leaned forward, her body stretching like it was made of smoke and elastic. I pinned myself into the bed I lay on. She grabbed my arm. I gasped at the searing pain as if my arm was hanging over a fire. She smiled, her mouth a black chasm. Her lips parted and she screeched, “This is mine!”

I woke up, my throat tight from a scream I'd released. I saw Dawud in the corner of my eye as if he'd just run into the room. I was panting, unable to ease my beating heart. I sat up from my bed and my arm stung. With my gaze on Dawud, my eyes widened. I slowly looked down, not wanting to see what I knew was there. I saw the fingermarks burned on my forearm and wheezed.

I stood, the room spun and I fell forward into Dawud's grasp. He muttered words to me I couldn't comprehend and I found myself in the bathroom. He turned me towards the mirror and I saw her. Watching me in place of my reflection. I let out a yelp and Dawud came in front of me, blocking my view of her.

“What's wrong, Cora?” he asked, his eyes hovering of my face. I clutched his arms and leaned to this side inch by inch until I could see the mirror. She was gone.

Dawud said nothing about it. He saw the burn on my arm and brought antiseptic cream. He asked me if I wanted my mother or sister to come. I shook my head. I barely knew Dawud but his presence was a relief. I didn't care if he judged me. I couldn't stand to feel my mom's concerned eyes on me. It made my skin itch just thinking about it.

He stood there waiting for me to put the cream on. My fingers were shaking I couldn't even twist the lid. He said he'd be right back and left. Moments later Fatima walked in. I couldn't look her in the eye. Like Dawud, she didn't say a word or grill me with questions. She gently held my arm and applied the cream onto the burn.

Dawud left and once Fatima had finished she looked at me and I met her gaze. “How did you get this burn?” she asked softly.

I didn't answer.

She nodded as if she understood.

If only.

*

It was a miracle when Dawud and Fatima acted like nothing had happened. It was almost as if I dreamed it all. But then the burning, itchy skin would remind me otherwise. On the plus side, I thought, at least the burn is high enough to hide under my t-shirts.

We sat down to dinner and everyone laughed and enjoyed the celebrations. The food looked delicious but I could barely taste it let alone eat it. I couldn't appreciate the friendly company, the festivities, the food or the new friendships.

All I could think about was her. I could feel her hands on me, like they were still there. Whenever I got that feeling, the burn would sting even more.

For three nights I had nightmares. I didn't scream when I woke and that was a good thing as far as I was concerned. Only Dawud had heard me the first time, perhaps because he was walking by my room when it happened. Looking back, I was glad it hadn't been anyone else. At night, I may have been terrorized by real demons, but at least I didn't have to deal with the questions.

Two days before the wedding I sat in the garden, helping to wash fruit and vegetables with Fatima. Sadie was playing Monopoly with Ali and Hassan. The flirty boy had learned to tone it down in my presence and once we'd established that understanding, I found him a really nice guy. Ali too. He was still quiet but had definitely come out of his shell since we'd first met.

He called to me to join them and I declined. We'd played for two hours the day before and Sadie was the unbeaten champion at Monopoly. I was more of a card game kinda girl anyway.

I looked at them when Hassan groaned because Sadie had taken more of his money, again. Fatima followed my gaze and we sniggered. She teased him in Arabic and he grumbled something back.

“Do I wanna know what he said?”

Fatima pursed her lips. “Probably not.” She grinned. “How's your arm?”

I tensed at the subject. “It's fine. Thank you.”

I knew she was watching me as I washed another plum and placed it in the basket.

“You had a nightmare?”

I looked up. Her eyes scanned my face. I nodded.

“Dawud heard you cry out.”

“I sometimes do in my sleep,” I said, my voice so quiet I wasn't sure she heard me.

“You didn't just scream, you said something.”

I stared at her, my hands in the water as I froze. I pulled out the fruit and dropped it in the basket. “What did I say?”

She gazed at me a moment before she carried on working. “You said, 'This is mine.'”

A breath lodged in my throat. She looked up to see my reaction. I couldn't stop staring at her. Dawud approached and I managed to force a smile.

After a few minutes of his presence I didn't need to force it, the smiling came naturally, and I forgot about my horrors for a while.