Fire in My Soul

Chapter 3: Dealing with the Nightmares

2nd June, 2018.

I was standing outside an abandoned factory. All I could smell in the air was a foul smell that comes from unwashed and untouched things. I could hear the rustling of dry leaves. I was having a strange kind of feeling. The lady walked towards the entrance of the factory. She opened the gate with her hands and it opened giving the rusty sound that comes from abandoned iron materials. We moved towards the door of the factory that was slightly opened.

I turned my face towards her and asked, "Is my mom waiting for me over here?"

She said, "No she isn't waiting for you in here. But she told me she'll be here by tomorrow morning. You'll have to wait for her till then."

I peaked inside the building through the door that was slightly opened. All i could see was huge spider that was weaving its net continuously near the door. The cockroaches were flying nearby. One of the lizard got a hold on one of those flying cockroach and was starting to eat. I immediately closed my eyes with my hands. "I'm afraid of the insects. Mommy knows that.", I said with a shaky voice.

I was peeping through the little gap that my fingers formed while closing my face with them. I saw a strange grin in the woman's face that I couldn't decode.

"Yes, your mom already said to me that if you want to meet her you'll have to be here for tonight. Otherwise she won't come to meet you. Do you want a lollipop?", she said.

"Okay", I said. She immediately handed me a pink lollipop which i assume is my favorite flavour, STRAWBERRY!

Just when I was about to finish the lollipop I felt dizzy. I couldn't open my mouth to say anything and all I recall is losing my balance in her lap.

When I opened my eyes, my hands and legs were tied with cable-ties and my mouth with tape. I couldn't move an inch with those tight cuffs that was hurting my soft skin like anything. The more I tried to move, the more it was bruising my skin. I was screaming at the top of my voice but it wasn't hearable. Tinted black windows was making creaky noise which was adding more horror to my already confused and traumatic brain.
Suddenly i heard clicking of the heels coming towards my direction. Click, click, click. The sound was increasing constantly with every step that was approaching me. The closer the sound seemed, the more I was sweating. I was breathing heavily. Now I could see those red heels that stopped at the door.
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"Sunaina.", I heard a voice calling me in my head.

"Sunaina.", I heard that again but now with a slight jerk.

"Sunaina. Wake up. You're having the nightmares again. Come-on open your eyes now".

I opened my eyes and it was Neha.
I was breathing heavily and shaking with horror. Since Neha was living with me from a long time, she was used to see me like this every month.

Neha Verma is my friend from the orphanage with whom I shared my room now. We were living in a tiny 2 bed room apartment with common kitchen and attached bathrooms.

Neha knew about those nightmares that I was having from my past that has to do with my kidnapping. I was rescued from the sight by the sister from the orphanage. I couldn't gather courage to tell anyone about whatever that happened over there.

Neha respected my privacy and she never forced me to tell her about anything. She was a fair looking girl with big beautiful black eyes that was defined by the kajal she applied on them. She had straight long hairs which went upto her thighs giving her beauty a rise.

"Hey, are you alright now?", she asked me with those big eyes scanning me as if I had an accident. We were more like sisters than friends throughout those years that we've spent together. She was worried for me and her concerns were glistening through her eyes.

I hugged her out of fear. "I'm alright now. I don't know what I'll do without you."

Living in an orphanage for 10 years taught me to hold onto little things and look for happiness around me. In the beginning of living in there, I hardly spoke to anyone. I only used to answer in yes with tilting my head and no with shaking my head. It took me a while to open up to people, to talk to them.

Sister Krystal used to spend time with me regularly. She used to bring me all sort of toys to take me out of the nightmares that I used to have whenever i closed my eyes or saw spiders. I hardly slept. Dark circles formed all over my eyes looking like someone punched me. Sister Krystal then gave me a drawing book and oil pastels and said, "Art is a reflection of what you feel inside. Draw your heart out. Let the fears settle down in those sheets only". It was then when I decided to put my fears into my drawings.

I used to draw those red heels a lot. Those scenes that I recalled from the incidents, my parent's accident, my relatives, I draw them all. It was then that Sister Krystal decided to take me to a therapist, Dr. Reena Bajaj. Its because of them that I started a new journey again. My nightmares were reduced from frequently to once in a while. That was the moment when I met Neha. She was a new child that was brought to the orphanage. A pale looking 6 year old with wounded arms and roughly chopped hairs wearing a dirty, old and torn dress. She was shifted to my room and was given a fresh cloth to wear. I was sitting in my bed when she came in the room. She smiled at me and I smiled back. That was the first time that I genuinely smiled after the kidnapping incident and that's how our friendship began.

"Go back to sleep now. I'm here with you. Its midnight now, you have to deal with a new client tomorrow", said Neha stroking my hairs.

"Ummhmm", I slept in no time.

Trrrrreeeeng. My 8 AM alarm's sharp buzzer rang suddenly resulting me to wake up with it. Its the thing that I hate the most waking up hearing to. One thing I realised is that no matter what your alarm ringtone is, the more melodious the ringtone, the harder it becomes to get up. Have you heard Dhinchak Pooja's song? I think no one in this entire planet will be able to sleep after hearing her song. I should put 'selfie maine le li aaj' (I took Selfie today) as my ringtone.

Before I fall into the zone of sleeping again, I got out of the bed. Wearing my house slippers, I went to my closet to select the outfit I'll be wearing today to meet my client. I forgot to mention what I do for a living to own this apartment. I am an established event organiser. My task includes wedding/anniversary/birthday planning for rich people mostly because they pay well. I plan everything according to the client's need and trend. By the end of the day, the happiness and satisfaction I see in their faces does the job for me.

I have a meeting with a couple who are going to marry soon. So I'll have to select a dress which should describe me as how professional I am in my field of work and how neatly I can handle their occasion. You know, first impression is the last impression?

I selected a peach coloured bodycon knee length dress to hug my curves in a professional way. I actually like the definition that a bodycon dress gives you, it isn't revealing much of your body but shows your figure at the same time. Taking the towel from the chair, I stepped into the bathroom to freshen up. After brushing my teeth, I walked right into the shower. I like to take time in the shower. It is the only time that I dedicate on taking care of my own body and I like it that way.

After drying myself, I slipped into my matching underwear and the skin coloured stockings I'll be wearing with the dress. I put on the bodycon dress and went to the dining room to have my breakfast. Time flies whenever I take shower. Neha was already having breakfast and she made a sandwich for me to have for the breakfast.

"Shit, I'm getting late again. Thankyou for the breakfast.", I quickly grabbed the sandwich and thrashed it in my mouth.

"Have your breakfast properly na", Neha screamed while I ran towards the door.

"Sorry I don't wanna be late for the clients honey!", I managed to speak with my mouthful while I was wearing my wedged heels.

"Don't be late tonight we're going for a double date tonight.", Neha growled.

"Okay", I said before closing the door.