The Handsome Devil

Chapter 38 - Loose mind

Deya's trembling body was crouching in the corner of her bedroom, the dim moonlight infiltrating through the window being the only source of illumination. For all she knew, it might have been hours since they dragged her in her, but right now, she found the concept of time more meaningless than ever. In fact, it was as if the importance of everything suddenly diminished, shadowed by the events that took place in the coldness of the basement.

Her mind was hunted by the sight of the enormous amount of blood pouring through her fingers as she desperately attempted to stop Gabriel's bleeding. Needless to say, her efforts were useless and it took less than a minute before she noticed the way his steel eyes clouded, a sign that his life has evaporated.

Anything that happened from there was not dissimilar to a dream. She knew someone eventually dragged her away from the body but had no recollection of who and whether it was only one person. At the point, her mind was way too overwhelmed by the high pitched sound tearing on her ears. The one she now realise was her own hysteric screaming.

How did I even get here?

One moment she felt the hands holding her tightly, and the next she knows, she's in the bathroom scrubbing her arms viciously to get rid of the blood. There was no recollection of walking through the house and her bedroom. However, the way her skin burnt every time she brushed her fingers against it told her she has spent quite a while washing them in the sink.

She slowly took in the shade of pink of her forearms, but instantly froze once the fresh blood stain on the inner side of her right elbow came in view.

How?

Its size and location told her she couldn't just overlook it when she washed her hands. But how else did it get there?

Is it a God's way of punishing me?

She frantically tried to wipe it off as the eeriness of the situation fell upon her, but it seemed that the more she tried, the more spots appeared. She felt her sanity slipping away, but refused to give up until she weighted all possible explanations.

Is it Gabriel mocking me from the other side?

The man was certainly cocky enough to do something as petty while he was still alive.

The girl sped up her movements, not caring a bit about the pain her sharp nails were causing in the process. She could hear her furious heartbeat, and her breathing took it as a challenge and tried to match the pace.

This is it.

Soon, the tunnel vision started to set in, and she was sure her time has come. If it wasn't for all the unpleasant physical sensations, she might even feel relieved.

At some level of her existence, she registered someone squeezing her shoulders gently, and she thought about all the weird experiences people talked about before death. There was no white light, and she hasn't seen her life replay in front of her eyes - fortunately so. But, is it possible someone from the other side came to guide her where she belongs to?

Is it my mom?

Her chocolate orbs welled with tears. Has she, perhaps, finally find her peace and forgiven her? Or is it a sign the place she's about to go to is not a pleasant one?

No.

The moment the stranger's hands moved to cup her face, she knew they were way too big to belong to the petite woman that gave her birth.

It's a man.

Maybe it was the melancholy of dying, but the first face that popped in her head was Timmy's. Even after the years, he was the most important man in her life, with all the respect to her own father.