entwined

Part 1

"Come down for dinner" said Aunt Zia, who is best cook in the world according to Alina, her niece, as she just finished setting up the table. 3 years had gone by since Alina moved into her aunt's home. It was a cozy two storey apartment down Livingston lane where they currently resided. 'I won't tell you again, get ready before seven "as Aunt Zia gave a stern look at Alina while slurping on her a soup. Aunt Zia was not the type of person who should not be meddled with punctuality especially when coming to open her bookstore. It was the most sought-after bookstore considering it was the only one in their small town. Alina graduated from college with an architect degree, which now hanged in her room, withholding nothing but painful memories.

Alina worked hard to make her life better. She was not miserable nor happy, she was just content. Working in the bookstore made her forget about the past and the customers gave hope of the possible future that lay before her. 2 months ago, she had seen a boy passing through their bookstore buying a couple of books on nursery rhymes. She didn't give much attention to the 20 year old but rather the tattoos on his hands which stood out. Alina looked at it and a moment thought it was moving.She started to follow him behind the bookshelf and to her surprise,he was gone.Not a trace of him ,except the book he had in his hands a few seconds ago lying on the floor.

The air felt strange, while she picked up the book and placed it in its place. She found it rather odd and her wandering mind was distracted by the call of a customer at the front.She never saw him again.Closing the shop up sharply at eight, she walked upstairs to her room recalling that day she saw the boy with tatoos.She sat down on the sofa gorging on a bag of chips ,while waiting for her favourite TV show to be aired. "Aunt Zia , do you remember the time I told you about the boy with the tatoos and ow he magically disappeared into thin air?"While her eyes fixated on the TV with chips in her mouth Aunt Zia relied "Yes, what about it?"Did you see him again?" "No" replied Alina."I just can't seem to forget the tattoos on him ,I am sure it was moving and also what disturbs me....." " Guess you were daydreaming again" Aunt Zia interrupted her and shushed her as the show started.

That night , Alina couldn't sleep .She carefully slipped from her bed and went down to bookstore with a torch in hand.She found the book and opened it and read something peculiar and before she could realise what she uttered, she was pulled inside the book.Whirling towards endless pit , Alina stood at the same place from whence she had disappeared, in the bookstore. She didn't know what happened but something was different. She heard shrieking voices from outside Her body shriveled but curiosity made her walk through the door without her realizing it. She looked around and saw a couple of people chasing after a creature with strange weapons. Alina screamed in fright at the sight of the creature and ran. She came across the coffee shop around the corner and ran through it ,again for the second time she did not realize what she just did.She hid herself behind the counter top and wished she had never opened the book. The loud noises were fading away and she was kept herself calm as not to be found. She looked up the counter and a bright light hit her face and before she could see what it was, she felt something hard on her head.