Mysterious Chime (Book #1)

C H I M E 11

¹¹| EPHIPHANY

𝘌𝘱𝘪𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘺
1) 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘶𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯

It's been over a week and I still haven't figured anything out. The only thing that has kept on with my life on constant basis was the haunting noise and it was just two days ago have I had another one of those illusions. At the time I was at the swimming pool in the back yard, dipping my legs in the water which seemingly looked like I was enjoying the warm, English weather. I did, actually,  but my happiness is like a luxury which cannot be bought easily. My legs had been dragged by an invisible force underneath and it felt like someone was pushing my head from above drowning me with a purpose of getting me dead. The scroll from the beach had come to my mind.

I'll make sure you join your parents on the other side.

I had declared it was the end of it all. Axel, however, didn't let me finish the chapter of my life that easily as he brought me up to the surface. I gasped for air when Axel pumped a bit of water out of my system.

"What were you thinking? Are you out of your bloody mind, Nora?" He had ask me, anger written clear on his face with cheeks red.

I had no way of saying what happened because if I did he would assume me crazy. If I had told him that I felt another presence, he'd even think of admitting me in some rehabilitation centre.

"I- What happened?" I had asked part innocent, part confused.

"I was watching you from the distance while working on the fence. I saw you jumping into the pool but you never came to the surface. I thought you were taking rounds underwater but the stilled water made me come rushing for you. God, woman give this man a break. That shit was literally a suicide. Have you gone mad?"

That day, after hearing his explanation of what he witnessed had I realised that something keeps happening to me, testing me and tearing apart my sanity. It was either I'm having illusions and are being fabricated to the third party or what Axel witnessed was his part of illusion.

Today I planned on solving the mysteries bit by bit but the question was how. Although memories flash they were all from my childhood which wouldn't assist the present situation.

"Axel," I called out exiting my room. The hallway was quiet enough for me to hear whisperings settling in the air of his room. The door was opened ajar so I took the liberty to stand in his doorway. The shoulders that were tensed turned even more upon his acknowledgement on my presence in the room.

"Boss, you need not worry," Axel spoke while his eyes fixated on me. He kept nodding like the deuce until the line from the other side disconnected.

"Your boss gets you in a stew every time he call doesn't he?" I questioned  observing the crease on his forehead resembling that of a tattoo—permanent.  The corner of Axel's mouth quirked up as he said,"Quite the curtain twitcher aren't you? Although I couldn't agree more with your statement."

"Sometimes I regret meeting you because I can never keep up with your British lexis," I complained with a frown etched on my face.

"An American girl bantering about verbal complexities while having her bottom landed on the British grounds." His mockery was unending even-though I myself agree that there's truth behind it. How did I even get myself here in the first place?

With a serious mood on, I turned to Axel. Probably noticing my unbreakable gaze on his face he smirked,"You can admire this face all you want, love. Not that I'm complaining, ofcourse but don't you think a picture would last longer?"

I groaned when he mistook my intentions. I wanted Axel's help to assist me with Amnesia in spite of that for some strange reason seeking Axel's guidance felt wrong in many ways building insecurities regardless of the sustenance I've received from his voluntary hands. These conflicting feelings had made me get lost on his face which Axel clearly mistook. How can I speak up?

"I can see the wheels turning in that pretty head of yours, love. You can talk to me alright?" His voice softened with concern. "I know I've told you that countless times, Nora. It's your choice to keep battling your inner demons or let it out. Although keep one thing in mind, no one can go for too long internalising their problems, burdening themselves. Make your pit stop sooner before late, love."

"Am I suffering from some sickness?" I couldn't believe it myself exactly when that question, out of all, rolled off my tongue effortlessly. 

"Why do you ask?" he retorted with a raised brow and eyes filled with inquisty. Imagining him to act taken back would have assured me but this reaction was something I was taken back of. The irony. It was as though he was waiting for me to throw it at his face. Shoving it off I welcomed the anger with open arms when everything that's been happening came flashing in my head.

"Why don't you tell me, Axel." I snapped before continuing, "Eerie events are happening in my god damn life, I don't know if its all in my head or if someone's trying to trick me into oblivion and that someone being you who I can think of. I mean why even play Angel-whoever-thats-holy to a lost person like me? Is it you? The one who will be responsible for my downfall...my demise?"

Axel clenched and unclenched his jaws while repeating the actions for the phone which was fisted tightly. A part of me-scared for what the outcomes would turn out to be-slapped myself for overstepping boundaries and speaking my mind off. Letting my verbal accusations digest he remained silent for a while before dragging my hands with his.

"Come on."

Avoiding any possible eye contacts Axel grabbed my hand leading us towards the living room. The first thing I spotted was the wooden craft Axel was obssessed with eversince he got it out from the mall.

"What is this?" I questioned fully unaware of what's going to happen as soon as I was forced down the couch.

"We have a discussion to do," Axel replied in a clip tone planting himself next to me making sure to leave a safer distance between us.

Allowing my silence fill his mind from where to start off I waited. The growing silence from both of us told me that no one's making a move. Either that or we have so many things in mind blocking a proper entry.

"To say," Axel started before scooting forward from his spot with his knee inches away from mine expressing his need of closure. "I don't know what got you worked up so much that gave you the blind right to accuse me. The things you are going through, Nora, you need to talk it out. I don't mean to pry and I never did since the time I met you. Hell I didn't even consider you an enigmatic person with a bag full of secrets after what happened in the mall. It's this pull that made me talk to you, love. Do you think I would be sitting with you trying to work things out or atleast offer a stay for you until you get your "stuff" done? Ofcourse you can still have your doubts, Nora but remember I opened up to you  so I suggest you do the same unless you want to create bad blood between the two of us."

"The question about this sickness," he pressed his lips into a firm line with his hawk like gaze set upon mine, "What made you ask me, Nora?"

Taking a deep breath I decided its time to let him on.