Masked

《10》

•{ the four kids }•

With a small smile-unknown to him-etched on his lips, he mindlessly brushed his fingers over the bridges of the many books that stood beside each other, in straight rows on the shelf. He didn't know what he was thinking then, but soon, as his gaze landed on a certain book with a certain title, he felt his mind become void of the thoughts that were perhaps present in there before.

Don't go, Mama.

His mind read for him, and much to his disbelief and dislike, bought out the very visions he did not want to see then. Visions of his past that came in front of him so rarely, yet whenever they did, they would cause a havoc of emotions in his empty heart. And even if he so wanted to have a taste those emotions in him, he never liked them when they came all together, all because of those visions.

Oh no, these visions again-

"Agh..."

His lips now held a cry caused by the pinching headache that came when he had barely even taken a look at what his mind showed him. Tears caused by his pain started clubbing in the corners of his eyes, and he tightly closed them to get rid of the small drops that now rushed down his cheeks.

He felt himself become unstable, and the pain in his head only kept increasing, along with the sound ringing in his ears that did no help. Faintly opening his eyes to catch a glimpse of his surroundings, he dragged his wobbling feet forward. His sweaty palms that had taken support from the books slipped from over them, dropping a few on the floor with a loud thud.

"Agh! S-sorry! Sorry-"

He mumbled, still looking down, hoping that his unsteady words of apology reached those that looked in his direction now, because of the sound he had made.

His mind wasn't helping him, nor was any part of his body on his side, and all he could do then was force himself to get back to normal, until the hour of his anxiety would be over and he wouldn't need to do it anymore.

Unlike the last time, his breathing was normal, but he still gasped for air as if that was the only way he could desperately cling on to, to get himself back to normal. And so his breathing increased, and with eyes still faintly opened, tears forming in them and ending down to his cheekbones, his pace quicker than usual, he half ran towards the end of the shelf for cover.

And soon, he was on his knees, as his feet had given up, and the hour too was close to its end. With eyes now tightly closed from anyone who was looking at him, he calmed himself down, since no one could do so then.

"Mr S-Saalim?"

His breathing halted for a second, when a faint voice entered his ears and echoed in his mind, that was already raging with unfamiliar voices. As he looked at her now, he found his tears dry up, the feeling of overwhelmingness lessen then what it formerly was.

The visions that had been playing in front of him, turned into fine dust, and her worried features were the only thing in front of him now, that he could see.

He hesitantly looked down, his eyes still widened from before, his hand still in its former position, on his chest. He took in a final breath before resting both his hands now on the floor, for support to lift up his still shaky frame.

"What happened? Why aren't you saying anything? Is everything okay Mr Saalim?"

Asmah asked for the final time, her eyebrows furrowed and her emerald orbs lined with question over what she had witnessed.

"I-It's nothing. I just-just got overwhelmed for a moment there."

His medium deep tone was still trembling as he spoke, brushing the dust away from his knees. He looked up at her, and they locked eyes again.
She looked at him with the same questioning look, unable to understand what he had meant by got overwhelmed.