Exitium

🌹 t w e n t y o n e

🌹 t w e n t y o n e

♛

Silence. Everything was in chaos, her eyes sought out for anything only to see that everyone was opening their lips screaming for help, screaming in horror, but all she could hear was silence.

Can silence be heard? She could feel it deep in her bones, the silence provided her comfort from the growing chaos inside the hall. It echoed in her ears, creating tiny tremors of fear that seemed to make her entire body tremble. But this fear wasn't the fear of being killed. No, she was not afraid of what was happening. She feared for what could happen. She feared she had to kill again. But was that really fear? The emotion felt too much like excitement.

Can silence be heard? Then why can't her mother hear her?

Mother.

Mother?

She's here.

Why is she here?

"Mom." She felt herself whisper. But a whisper meant speaking quietly and Aiyana wasn't speaking at all. She stared directly in front of her. There, a lady stood, she was looking at Aiyana, her huge black hat almost concealed her face, her long dark gown kissed the floor. And her face. Soft brown curls danced to frame her face, that same azure eyes she has, her pointy nose and her proud cheekbones. Her feet slowly moved towards the woman. Aiyana wasn't stupid and most of all not blind, this woman was her mother, there was no denying it.

"Mom!" She screamed. And it was then that everything seemed to break the silence. A lady near her screamed in pain as she was cradling her injured hand, a man she almost stepped on cried out in agony as he pressed more pressure into his leg. Blood oozed out and even that seemed to taunt her with its sound. Another man, sputtered out blood while he was lying on the floor staring at his shot chest. And behind her she could hear a familiar voice pleading for her to stop. The voice felt broken and wounded and sorrowful and hurt but she paid no heed to anyone. All those deafening sounds and all she could hear were her mother's soundless voice, "Selene."

That same stern look her mother had before was now staring back at her but there was almost a hint of disappointment and sadness to it. No. She didn't want her disappointed. She didn't want her sad. "Mom."

Before she could take another step, a man walked to stand beside her mother. The man was wearing a mask. The very same phantom mask the actor wore on the musical before. She had stopped walking and could only stare at the both of them. She could feel another presence beside her and she didn't know how, she might not be looking at the person beside her but she could feel the comfort he brought just by standing close to her there.

"Love." He seemed to say but she was too engrossed on solving the puzzle in front of her. Why was her mother there? People passed by, running and screaming, it took a blink of an eye for her to realise that her mother along with the mysterious man was no longer standing there.

"Aiyana!" She felt herself being shaken out of her thoughts. Aidoneus' worried face came into view and she just realised how worried he must have been after he called her so many times without her even responding.

Without any warning, Aidoneus carried her, his men tailing them. They stopped at the empty theatre. He instructed his men to wait outside before closing the door. Aidoneus had treated the entire shoot out as a norm. And now he was looking at her, his face unreadable, devoid of any emotion. Maybe she wasn't blind but she was sure she was stupid at this point. He must have been worried, wondering what happened to her and she was unconcerned about anything but herself.

"I'm sorry Aidoneus."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"Because..." She paused, not knowing where to start.