Aurora : Temptress Of The Dusk

Chapter 4

   I was four years old when it first happened. A man walked in my room and I think he was talking to me. But I didn't understand anything. I assumed it was in a different language. But that's not what scared me. His appearance did. He was dressed in a black sack and he was pale, as if he's sick. His hands were covered with scars from a whip maybe and his bare feet were wounded. In one single stride he covered the distance between the door and my bed and that's it. I snapped. I was screaming like a Banshee. My voice was a loud shriek. The sound that came out of my throat was high-pitched, piercing and almost painful to endure. My mother entered my room almost instantly and my father followed after a minute. He was panting, clearly he just ran through the hall and a flight of stairs. My mother was worried but she didn't look anything like my father. She was scared for me but collected at the same time. As if she knew what was happening and how to stop it. She walked towards me taking slow and small steps. Cautiously, as if I was a ticking bomb ready to burst into shrapnels. It was a little past midnight and the only light apart from my lamp was the shimmer of moon across the window. The lamp was my aid. I never slept without it, ever. My mother was sitting by my side now. Her facial features giving nothing away. Her blond hair wrapped in a messy bun and a few strands set loose here and there. I had clearly disturbed everyone in their peaceful sleep and I felt bad. My mom was wiping my tears away with her soft doughy fingers and she slowly collected me in her arms. I wrapped my little hands around her and she shushed me to calm me down. After a few minutes, my heart conciliated and I was now breathing normally. Her soft hands were brushing softly up and down my back  and it gave me an immediate sense of relief. She kept me in her arms for a few more minutes and I felt my father's hand softly brushing my hair away from my sweaty forehead. As soon as I felt both their touch, I felt absolute tranquility. I was safe. No more bad dreams. I drifted smoothly into peaceful sleep. That was the first time I experienced such an intense nightmare. My parents took me to some Hakim and I've been taking these capsules everyday, without fail. Everyday except that night, the night of my 10th birthday.
                         *        *        *
                   Evelyn and I walk into the school lobby and I'm excited. It's my 10th birthday tomorrow and I'm going to invite everyone! As we walk through the passage way, Evelyn takes some books from her locker and we part ways as she is headed upstairs for her classes. This is what I hate about school. Evelyn and I are one year apart and she's basically my only best friend and also my cousin.
                  I am about to open the door when I hear Barbara Mathews mumbling something and giggling. She said something like ink on her... will be funny... it's my revenge... she will never scold in front of everyone... What? Half of it was unintelligible. I enter the classroom and she was alone sitting on the first bench. Well that's wierd because she never takes the first bench. She's a back-bencher. Was she just talking to herself? Within the next few minutes the class is full and Miss Diaz enters the class. She's very beautiful and always cheerful. As soon as she enters the class her eyes dart straight to Barbara and I think she's a little amused that Barbara is sitting right in front of her after what happened last week. Miss Diaz caught her slipping wet toilet papers in everyone's lockers and yelled at her in the passage way where everyone could hear her. Miss Diaz is not an angry person, but that day everyone could see she was pissed. But today there was a hint of smug smile on Barbara's face and her hands were twisting under the table. Within seconds I connected the dots. Barbara was pissed because she was embarrassed by Miss Diaz in front of everyone and today she was going to throw ink on her as payback. Before I knew it, I was jumping out of my table and tackled Barbara to the ground and the ink fell on her face. The class was now filled with hard chuckling and laughing and banging benches.
"Aurora, are you out of your mind?",
I heard Miss Diaz tell in shock as she pulled me by an arm and helped me stand on my legs. Barbara was crying like a baby and making a puppy face and I knew I was the bad guy here.
"No Miss Diaz, I was just-" I was cut off by her harsh shush sound and she took my arm in her hands again but this time a little harshly and asked us both to wait in the staff room. Barbara wasn't crying anymore and was actually looking bored. After around thirty minutes, I heard my mom outside the door. Miss Diaz and my mom were talking in hushed voices and I didn't understand anything. After a moment, mum came inside the room and asked me what happened and why did I throw ink on Barbara. I told her that was absolutely wrong. I didn't throw anything on anyone and I explained everything to them. Barbara was now full on sobbing and breathing heavily to show that I'm lying. My mom knows me better than that, of course. They talk again for a minute and my mom takes me home. I didn't even get to say bye to Evelyn. The drive back home was quite silent. As soon as we entered the house, mom abruptly stopped. She looks at me with a steady glare and her face giving nothing away.
"When you heard her say it, did you see her too? Was she talking to you or someone else? Were here lips moving?"
She asks in a low voice. Too low for my liking. My reply is an equivalent response,
" No, I heard her. I was on the other side of the room. She was talking to herself I guess."
Her eyes open wide and there's absolute horror in them.
"When was the last time you took your capsules?"
Her voice is now loud. Not loud enough to send me running for the hills though. As I think about her question, I'm a little scared to answer. But I answer her anyways,
"Last night I was tired and the medicine was in the hall cabinet. So I thought I could have them when I come down to drink milk but I forgot. So in the morning I took the medicine as soon as I remembered. But don't worry nothing happened. See? I'm okay."
I wave my hands up and down my body to emphasize my last words and her facial expressions turn to stone. The next words that fall from her lips sound unfamiliar. Unlike her. She sits on her knees and grabs my shoulder and shakes me hard and yells,
" Aurora, you can never, never ever forget to take the medicine. Not if you're lazy or tired, or even your legs are broken or you're fainting. No matter what, you can NOT forget your medicine. Am I clear?"
Her words pierce me and before I know it, I'm crying. I shake out of her tight grip and run upstairs and shut my door with a bang loud enough for her to know that I'm angry. I change into a long t-shirt and balloon pants and go to sleep.
                     A soft touch wakes me up and dad is sitting on the edge of the bed with a sandwich and apple juice on a tray. I want to decline it and go back to sleep but I didn't eat anything in the afternoon and I missed lunch break at school. The sandwich smells absolutely delicious and before dad even offers for it, I grab the biggest slice and bite it halfway. I gulp the entire sandwich in less than a minute and sigh in relief and dad makes a slight laughing sound, teasing me. After I'm done eating, he stands up and asks me, " Do you want to come downstairs and watch some TV?" I consider his suggestion for a minute and I think I want to go down. But at the same time I am not ready to face mom yet. I'm still  piqued with rage and I just want to sleep. "No I'm good. See you tomorrow dad." I say sweetly and he leaves. I think I'm forgetting something but whatever it is can wait for tomorrow.
                          *        *        *
                I'm walking down the woods as usual and the weather is pleasant. It's cold but not cold enough to send me shivering like it's snowing. I'm wearing a loose sweater and jeans so the temperature won't bother me much. The sun is setting and it's just beautiful. I like walking by the woods at this time. This vesper twilight is my most favourite scenery in the entire world. There's something about this location or the dusk that pulls me like a magnet. My mother doesn't like the fact that I roam around the woods this late but even at this young age, I am mature compared to the other gullible, imbecile kids. Suddenly I realize that I've been out too late because it's dark. My mom agreed to adjust a little with curfew but she won't appreciate it if I'm too late. I start walking back but I stop when I hear someone move. I'm smart but not foolish. Before I say something, a young girl walks out of the bushes. She's wearing a black sack like wierd dress and she has multiple rings on all her fingers. Something about her appearance is familiar but I can't quite put my finger on it. She looks  fifteen or sixteen years old atleast. She smiles in my direction and it's warm and sweet. I reflect her smile and she walks towards me. Before I know it I'm walking towards her. She opens her mouth and her lips move and she says something in a different language. I frown at her words and she grins. Raising her hands in front of her she nods her head in a gesture for me to take it and I do just that. As soon as her hand touches mine, her sweet, warm smile turns into an evil grin like a Cheshire cat. The soft touch becomes a hard grip on my hand and she pulls me towards her. I shrug out of her grip and immediately run as fast as I can. My legs are going to be soar but that is least of my problems right now. She catches up to me and pulls my sleeve so hard that it tears and separates from me. I loose my balance and tremble on my knees. It's too late. I immediately stand up to sprint again but she grips my bare arm and it burns. I hear a loud shriek but it's not my voice. There's a piercing pain in my arm where her palm touches my skin but something's wrong here. She's wails like a mournful widow and I can see that it is hurting her more that it hurting me. My eyes bolt to where her hand touches my flesh and I see the faint black thread my mom tied on my arm a few months ago. It's an old Indian talisman and it's called TABEEZ. It is laced with the Holy Ganga and it will always protect you sweety. I remember her words and I can see the result as clear as day. The girl yanks her hand away and I think it is burnt. She's now angry and it is crystal clear in her eyes. The woods, trees and bushes vanish instantaneously. I'm in my room standing by my bed and so is she. What? Were we in my room all this time? Is this a dream? Am I halucinating? Her breath is a raging sound now. Like a bull. Her eyes are jet black and she is angry. Angry? This word can not even remotely explain her hostility. She lets a hot breath out and rants something in unintelligible language. Her voice is merely a funny mumble rap. Well not funny with that expression. But she is apoplectic with immense rage and I think I'm in trouble.
"You little bitch. I came here to play with his vessel. But you are such a pain in the ass. Let's see how you take this."
She says in a Russian accent and hoarse voice. She gives me a death glare and her eyes pin on me. There's a hint of smirk on her lips and... And no! I scream. I scream so loud that I might actually loose my voice. I can feel my larynx vibrate. My body is on fire, literally! It's burning. My flesh is melting and I can smell the pungent odour of my skin burn. I scream and scream and cry. I'm howling and screeching like an animal and she's laughing.  My squeal is now barely a sound and I think I'm finally mute. The burn is so painful that I don't feel anything anymore. I think I'm dying. It is in this moment of my near-death state, that I remember something.
    I forgot to take my medicine again.
Adrenaline rushes through my body like a rocket and I jump up and run down the hall. For some reason, the girl doesn't follow me. I run down the cabinet and gulp a capsule down my throat. I sit down by the sink and collect my breath. My eyes burn and I'm crying now. My mom rushes through the door and I jump into her arms and cry into her chest and promise her that I will never skip my medicine ever. I didn't mention what happened earlier. I know it wasn't a dream but I also know it wasn't real. But I promised myself as well as her, I would always take the pills.
                         *         *         *
          
              I kept that promise and never ever skipped my medicine. Untill now. Davon knew the capsules were important to me. He didn't know how important or what happened if I didn't take them. But he knew it was important enough for him to drive through the rain. He was driving for me. For my medicine. The capsules that I haven't taken in days. Weeks actually. But nothing bad has happened. No hallucinations. Maybe that condition is now better. Maybe I'm fine. But that would mean that Davin died for nothing. His death was a waste. Because of me. I don't even know where those damn capsules are. I don't even know where his body is. I don't even know where my parents are. Damnit! What do I do now?

      (Author's note : Hey guys Thank You for 100+ views ! We are #20 under #wing and #341 under #teendrama. Keep reading and voting. Ily xo)