The Wishing Flower

Chapter 3

I woke up to an unfamiliar looking ceiling with several layers of quilts and cat fur piled on top of me. I pushed the quilts off of me, so they fell on the wooden floor with a soft thud. This night, I dreamed that I lived in a jungle that was tucked away in a little island in Indonesia, but actually I was the only human there and only had the animals to keep me company. It was absolute bliss. Too bad, the only animal I had here was Mrs.Darcy's century old cat that villainously hissed at me whenever I got too close to her.

I thought it was a bit strange that I had such blissful dreams, after going through such a horrifying day. Maybe my brain was trying to make me forget all about what had happened, which wouldn't be the first time something like that happened. But now I had to get up, and get through the day, with one foot in front of the other, just like everyone else. Right? Isn't that how everyone got through their days?

I remembered Sajal, and quickly checked my phone for any messages from her. Nothing I got up off the sofa and washed up in Mrs. Darcy's creaky old bathroom. I headed to the kitchen and hoped for some food, so I could eat away all my sorrows. Thankfully, Mrs.Darcy was already in the kitchen whipping something up on the stove.

"Oh dear. You're awake! Good, good!" she squealed,"How did you sleep? Oh you poor thing!"

Sleep? I almost choked and suffocated on cat fur at three in the morning. That feline was really out to get me, but I kept my thought to myself., " I slept fine, thanks,'' I said hoping she wouldn't hear the insincerity through my voice.

"Eat up, dear. You need the strength to get through the day", Mrs. Darcy slid a plate in front of me. I looked down to see a sunny side up, and two strips of bacon looking right back up at me. I pushed the bacon away to the edge of the plate, and poked my spoon into the egg.

Mrs. Darcy pulled out the chair across me and sat down at the dinner table with me.

"So dear, you know that I want nothing more than your safety and wellbeing. You can release all your burdens here. You can tell me everything that happened. I know you were probably afraid to speak to the police, but here you don't have to feel afraid" she said as she leaned across the table, moving herself closer to me and my plate of food.

I looked at her confused, why did she suddenly think I wanted to release my burdens with her. Quite frankly, even if I wanted to, I didn't remember anything that had happened, so I would have nothing to say. Right.

"Thanks for the food, Mrs. Darcy", I ignored her plea for the juicy reveal of the who dunnit mystery, and got up to leave. But before I could leave from the kitchen, she grabbed my arm and yanked me back into the chair. A sudden look of ferocity washed over her wrinkly face.

"Listen here girl. I heard the screams last night. Do you think I'm deaf ? Of course, I'm going to hear all the fighting that is happening at your place all day. I blame myself for just assuming it was one of your guys daily shenanigans and not calling the cops then." she said every crackling bone in her body shook as she held onto my wrists. Her cloudy blue eyes were bulging out of her head, and I thought they would pop out of her head any minute and fall onto the kitchen floor.

" I live less than twenty feet away from you, girl. So if there is a murderer running rampant in the building, you need to tell me. Especially if the crazy killer is from one of you lot.", her bony hand tightened around my wrist, her grip was strong for an old lady.

"M-mrs. Darcy", I said to her, my voice cracking a little, "I can assure that I am not a cold-blooded murderer and neither is anyone from my family. I want to find Hany's killer as much as you do" I took a deep breath and said shakily, "So p-please Mrs.Darcy, let go of me."