।।THE OPEN NOVELLA CONTEST LONGLISTED।।
Life...Limerence... Love
When duty and desire clash, what will you choose? Can you give up the love which may kill you?
When a family tradition rips apart the peaceful life of Aaron, it's up to him to reign in...
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Red.
Red.
Red everywhere...
I seem to be drowning in a sea of red. A red so vivid, it could be blood. I almost wish it is blood. It would seem more threatening than those mere petals, strewn all over the dusty path leading to the forest. A forest where no human dares set foot.
But no, those carnation petals sit comfortably on the road, looking so innocent, blissful even, as if nature has made a beautiful trail to take a lazy walk. Only this trail leads nowhere and Poppy has disappeared down this trail.
No, I didn’t believe it at first. I mean, it isn't every day that you get up in the middle of the night to see your younger sister sneaking out of the house, wearing nothing but her flimsy nightdress.
I wish I could’ve seen her face. I wish I could have known that she has disappeared of her own free will just like the other one…
No, I can't bear to think of her, not yet. Poppy’s missing and I need to find her. I can't let her be lost.
I look at the small trinket gleaming in my hand. A little ruby, set within the delicate silver heart. I have the details memorized now. One small heart, two hands enclosing it.
‘Two hands, One heart, Two minds, One start…’ she used to chant in her singsong voice.
I jolt myself awake.
Not again.
The trinket was a gift from her. The locket which my sister insisted on wearing even after she was gone. We had fought over and over about that little silver piece, but somehow, Poppy was attracted to it. She had refused to let it go for all these years.
I shove that object into my pocket. Looking at it brought back too many memories, mostly the unhealthy ones. They will leave me unfocussed.
Instead, I try to concentrate on the path ahead.
The woods are silent, except the shrill cry of a cicada and the occasional hooting of an owl.
The carnation petals have been strewn from my threshold and the carpet of flowers ends here.
Surprisingly, there is no way my sister could get hold of these petals. I am pretty sure she had no flower basket when she left.
Besides, it’s winter and carnations are rare in these regions. Petals like these could cost a fortune and we certainly don’t have money.
Since the day my mother died, we have been living off my part-time job at the local grocery store.
The day my mother died is something I remember very vaguely.
Maybe it had been the cold, or the shock — my age, whatever, I don’t remember the day or the date, just some garbled words she had tried to speak.
She had been half delirious with fever but the moment she had caught my hand, I had seen the fire in her eyes. I knew she had tried to tell me something, but she could utter only ‘Poppy’.
She kept desperately pointing towards a silver chain she was wearing.
I remember it very well. It was jade, a precious piece which had been with us from the times before dad left.
I practically don’t remember my dad. My mom refused to talk about him at any time.
As far as my memory goes, we were told that he disappeared without telling anyone of his whereabouts.
Why do all the people I know have to disappear?
What the heck is wrong with my family?
Mom had tried to say something to me about that necklace. Poppy has disappeared leaving this behind.
