Find me

Chapter 53

Alice

I don't know where am I. All I can see- is the darkness. I'm lying on something hard, don't know what, but feels like a floor. I tried to pull my body up but I can't move an inch, it was like I'm frozen there. I tried to speak but nothing comes out. I'm stuck there. And I have no idea what will happen to me. Tears are streaming down my eyes, praying that somebody comes to help me.

I heard a whisper sound somewhere far away. I focus on that voice when another sound come and I realised that this time source of sound is closer than before. I shivered. It whispered again like that person is just a few feet away from me. And I can feel it.

This time that person whispered in my ear "You gonna die soon". It's a female voice. It's the same voice which I heard on the day of the explosion at the canteen. She must be the same one who tried to kill me that day. I can hear my pounding heart. She continues "You're still alive because I let you". I tried to yell but I can't open my mouth, everything is frozen. She slides her finger down my cheeks "You've so many undone works and before that, I can't let you die" she stated.

I tried to focus my eyes in this darkness to see her. But useless. Darkness has completely engulfed the surrounding. But her fragrance is familiar just like her voice. Whoever she is, I just met her somewhere before.

"And after that I slowly....... slowly kill you with my own hand" she hissed. And this time I don't get scared. I feel like something is burning inside me, feels like I'm on fire. I pivoted my eyes to my hand. It's burning, fire is sprinting through it. My eyes widened at the sight. I moved my eyes back to her. But she's gone.

My eyes flicker open, and I'm panting. It was dark outside but my curtains were still open. The moon was high, the stars casting streaks inside my room. Everything is silent. I can move. I can move my body. I can sit now. But I'm sweating right now, suddenly feeling very hot, like I felt in summer. My T-shirt is soaked in sweat.

I'm safe. I realised with such a flood of relief it took me another second to notice the searing pain in my hand. I flicked on the light and stared in horror at the burning mark on my hand. There is a circle across the palm of my right hand, seems like someone had placed a burning ring on my palm and it left a burning mark on it. Did I burn myself in my sleep?

With a blink, I realised, that my hand was burning in my dream. Is that real? I glanced down on my bedsheet for any sign of burning equipment but found none. Instead, I found a broken part of a bracelet. It's a small key, not the real one. It looks like a showpiece. It doesn't belong to me. If it's not mine then whose could it be?

If my burning hand is real then that voice must be real, not just a dream. And it might belong to her.

This is when my eyes dart to my bookshelves, something is gleaming there. Did I place some light there? I doubt. I move closer and can't believe my eyes.

The light is coming from the book which I brought from my father's house. Ever since I brought it here, this has happened for the first time. reddish-orange light is flickering through it. It's blinking and my room is filled with its light.

I raised my hand to grab it but quickly remove my hand from it and it fell to the ground, still glowing on the ground. It was hot, too hot just as the iron remains after coming out of the furnace. What the hell is this? And, how could it be possible?

I sit on my knees, staring at it. 'What is this thing?' I ask myself. And after taking a deep breath. I again raise my hand to hold it. It takes me by surprise. It's not hot anymore. While staring at it, I whisper to myself 'Is it trying to give me some message?'