¹⁵| THE LADY IN BLACK
"I'll be here before you even notice. Stay safe," Axel whispered before kissing away the worry lines formed in my forehead. Had I not gotten used to Axel's mind altering gesticulations, I would feel like sitting on a stove with my body on fire.
To clarify the situation Axel's travelling across the city borders for something important-a rendezvous with the boss, he said just as I had gotten off with my therapy session yesterday. Finding tranquility in Axel's liveliness would come off difficult especially when he's got his boss nagging him all the time. Guess we all are stuck with someone we could never send packing.
"You too," I whispered back, making way for him to power stride towards the exit. The moment Axel's figure disappeared along with the car, the loneliness I felt first at the beach revolted back.
Allowing my eyes to follow every inch of the house did realisation dawn upon me making me find nothing more amusing than how Axel left the entire house filled with his personal possessions in my trust. I walked around thinking of all nonsensical deeds I could do. For the first time, perchance, I settled on to the notion of taking a stroll around the house. Despite the fact that I've been to fewer places in the exterior small yet interior large house, the thirst for knowledge kept picking up at me. Giggling, I skidded happily across the hallway towards Axel's room. Swallowing the risk of angering him- if he'd come to know about my little parade inside his room- my fingers cautiously wrapped around the doorknob- silver and cold, reminding me it's not too late to turn around and walk away.
What in his room had I developed a fascination upon? I, myself have no answer to that either.
The moment the doorknob twisted an unsettling feeling brushed past me in the form of the quiet creak of Axel's room door. A step forth the room and the next thing I know is I'm kneeling on the ground, clutching my head with an attempt to cover my ears mustering all the power I've got despite my weakened state. It's the noise again.
"Go away!" I screamed looking straight ahead while my fingernails kept digging into my skull. "Axel! Please, I want you," I cried like a toddler seeking for an adults comfort. Only Axel could make me feel untroubled and buttoned up and now that he's gone I felt vulnerable. Cradling my quivering body for and back wards like a lunatic in their cell room marked by fate, I waited and waited until the noise die down. A torturous minute or two later it did. There was a pause to my nightmare yet the emotional and mental abuse driven by this unknown, invisible nature didn't stop, for, I started seeing flashes of my memories again.
It was a woman, probably in her early thirties, who had her back towards my direction with her black jacket cladded arm clutching tightly on to a brief case. Judging from behind, the posture the woman held was promisingly strong but I had a feeling the rigid back she had on wasn't out of childhood habit that her parents moulded inorder to transform her into a proper lady with manners. No that wasn't it! She's tensed. But why?
"Mrs. Moretti," the gruff voice which belonged to my father spoke from behind and just as he stepped beside me I felt a jolt, swaying me to the side. Looking down I realised I was in the swing. "Good day!" The lady turned around at the greeting of my father. I was under the impression that this particular lady was some angel disguised underneath the form of a human who prefers dark suits as I continued worshipping her perfections.
Her Amber like eyes spoke although her lips didn't. "Mr. Foreman," She acknowledged shifting her gaze from my father to me. It was a polymerase chain reaction that elicited a sweet smile from me when the lady did. Mrs. Moretti whom my father referred to as, took a step forward- her heels cautious yet insides staggering; one could assume I'm as fragile as a lily where one touch could wither my petals away judging by the way she was approaching me.
The lady crouched down to my level, making me believe that I'm a fine piece of art she's openly admiring through the glass of her orbs that reflected my younger self to me. "What's your name, Sweetheart?" Mrs. Moretti queried indistinctly as her perfect brows arched with interest.
Allowing my eyes dance across her face with matched taste for knowledge, I responded. "My name is Elenora Foreman. What's yours?"
"Hello little Elenora, my name is Poppy." We exchanged our names along with a shake of our hands-her big yet soft palms caressing my small ones. I knew she had so many queries standby but to her unluck my mother's arrival reverted a break of events. Poppy straightened up bringing the brief case to my line of vision. Now I'm even more intrigued.
"Did you bring the amount we asked for?" The authoritative tone used by my mother went unnoticed reflecting a frown upon me. Without further ado, gone were the representational images of my past into the air of mystery and distance. Attempting to put a snare onto the fading memories only fanned the flames as the supply of air into my lungs was cut short.
Designed in my head like someone's observation on my struggles are over, I'm given the liberty of breathing room followed by an echoed whisper, Let Go.
Releasing a quavering breath I let in the drowsiness takeover me hoping the memories I acquired anew would stay intact by the time I wake up.
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Waking up with ease has never been in my side because when I did, all I could clap my eyes on was the sweat coating my entire form like glitter neath the half light along with a pulsating heart-twice the normal. Why? Because of the memories that didn't slip away, thankfully. In my head, an idea popped in getting me off the bed, onto my feet before one could say Pablo Picasso. There's no way I could visit Max, my therapist at this hour plus, not a single landmark is etched in my head. However, I could jot my visions down in a paper and discuss it with Max, the next day.
Pulling my lips into a tight line, I initiated summarising it all down from my head, through the pen tip, straight on to the paper that felt a thousand times heavier with the unloading.
Mr. Foreman
Mrs. Moretti
The brief case
My parents involvement
My real name... Elenora Foreman
A smile so bright appeared on my face as I repeated my name out loud. "Elenora Foreman, Nora for short." My contentment remained only for a short while when an atom of questions with neither a start nor an end occupied my mind.
It's clear poppy had my mother's fulfilled request packed inside the briefcase. What was their business?
Before frustration and anger could get the best of me, I stopped thinking further placing the paper securely underside my pillow. Axel is the only solution I've got so I have to wait for him.
Checking the time only produced a grumble in my stomach when I realised I should be having lunch. Finding it odd to sit alone in the table having no companion, I racked my brain for something different. For someone, rather. A long lasting grin plastered on my face when a particular name rolled off the tip of my tongue, at response.
"Kylie."
YOU ARE READING
Mysterious Chime (Book #1)
Mystery / ThrillerInching closer to me, he whispered my name once again. "Nora." All I could see was Axel's lips nearing mine with every passing second. Gulping at the building intensity between the two of us, I moved back slowly with an attempt to meet his eyes. Ax...
