I glanced out my window at the sight below us. There wasn't much to see except a bunch of tiny toy-like buildings and a few specks that were moving cars. But it was open, completely free of any walls or any obstructions. Which was why I had wanted the window seat during my flight, I would have gone nuts being by so many people in any other seat.
The attendant was passing by my row, asking the passengers if everything was alright. I had to give her credit, we were around three hours from touchdown after being on a plane for two days, and she was still putting up the charade of being a caring host? That was a big accomplishment, or at least to me it was. I waved her down and asked her nicely for a glass of water. In less than a minute she was back with a glass, filled with ice and water, condensation running down the side of it. I thanked her and she moved on to her other charges.
I took a sip of my drink and sighed. Three hours until I could walk off this metal contraption and go to my aunt's house. Three hours until I could walk through those doors which I vaguely remembered and start my new life. There I could hopefully forget about everything that had happened in Egypt. All of those horrible memories. I immediately tried to concentrate on something else, but it was too late.
My teeth clenched involuntarily at the thought of those scenes and sounds. My hands turned into fists on the armrests of the seat I was in.
On the ground, back against the stone wall of the temple we met at. Feeling the biting sting of the rod physically while a million needles went into my mind. A dark figure standing over me as he drove the metal piece into my skin.
"You are mine Nura, you were put on this world to serve the new King, no one else!", a hissed voice in my ear as the pain went on. A kick in the stomach before I felt relief from my torture. It was a punishment for disobeying the group, for endangering the purpose of them. I had learned my lesson, I looked up to my attacker's face to beg forgiveness-
"Are you alright?"
My eyes snapped open and I swung my head around, looking wildly at the people around me and out the window. The man next to me had actually pulled his ear from his damned phone to touch my arm, which I jerked from, and had asked the worried question. I saw that he was in a business suit and had kind brown eyes. I also realized I myself was sitting like a straight-edge, my spine completely clenched and my muscles like steel. I even had a bit of sweat on my brow. I relaxed, feeling my body molding back into my seat. I smiled politely at him and nodded. He kept an eye on me for a while before he was once again immersed in his phone.
The scars from that experience were tingling and I wanted to get rid of the sensation.
As soon as I was free from his sight, I shot a hand into my bag and pulled out the colorful bottle of anti-depressants I had been prescribed. Pulling the top off the child-proof bottle I popped two of the emotion-sucking pills into my hand and shot them back into my mouth. Another sip from my glass of water and the white pills were on their way to my stomach. As I waited for them to take effect I glanced at the movie our attendants had put on. A drama movie, full of cheating wives and back-stabbing husbands. I watched the movie play out until I felt the rush of hormones in my system.
With a happy mind to be content with, I let my head fall back to my head-rest and decided to spend the rest of the flight asleep. After a few deep breaths to clear my mind, I slowly let myself fall into a more peaceful place.
Three hours later
It was the captain's voice that woke me out of my slumber. There was a crick in my neck and I rubbed at it as I listened to the captain's instructions to buckle up. I strapped the seat-belt around my stomach and started to collect my things. I didn't want to be trapped by people who were trying to find their belongings once we had landed.
After hitting the ground and coming to a complete stop, I jumped out of my seat and past the attendant who had come to tell us that we were free to go. Down the steps and into the building I tried to find the luggage rack. The signs were in Japanese. After five years of being in Egypt, the language was a little rusty to me. Thankfully I asked a person and they pointed me in the right direction. After pulling my two black suitcases off the luggage rack, I turned to the crowd that was nearby and started combing the swarm.
My Aunt Shira was supposed to be the one picking me up, along with my cousin Tristan. I started looking for a familiar face when someone tapped me on my shoulder. Alarmed I turned around, ready to pummel the person. And stopped in my tracks.
My cousin Tristan, seventeen to my sixteen, was standing behind me with a small smile. He had gotten way taller than the last time I had seen him, and was now towering over me. But he still had the same crop of brown hair and brown eyes, though it looked like he had spiked his hair. Next to him was my aunt, who was also smiling at me.
"You okay, you look like you were about to hit me", Tristan joked, raising an eyebrow at my raised suitcase. I let my arm fall and forced a smile onto my face.
"Nura, it's been such a long time, and you've grown so much", my aunt started gushing and I felt a blush come onto my face as she directed all of her attention on me. After going on and on about my appearence she just leaped forward to wrap her arms around me in an embrace.
They both hugged me and I let them, a little nervous around my own family. They hadn't seen me for a while and I could see my Aunt scrutinizing me despite her kind words. Then her face got a little serious as the excitement of seeing me slowly faded.
"How's Aito?", my father's name had come up and I shrugged carelessly.
"He's okay, still sand-happy as usual", I smirked weakly. My father was a archaeologist, in fact a couple of his discoveries had been put in the museum of Domino City, the place I could now call my home. My aunt and cousin chuckled at the joke. We started walking out of the place and to my aunt's car. Tristan helped me put my things in the trunk, and we both climbed into the back-seat.
I began to space out half-way on the car ride to their house, Tristan had been telling me about the school I was going to. He had described it as a pretty cool place, if you could call an educational place cool. After he had gotten past what classes I had there, he started talking about his friends. I made sure to add a few 'hmm's and 'ahh's into the conversation, but really I just wanted to get to the house and settle in. I suppose I had jet-lag, but I was really tired.
"Welcome to the Taylor residence", Aunt announced as the house came into sight. I smiled, it seemed homey and warm. The house itself was two stories with light green sidings, a gray roof and Victorian gutters and decoration. Tristan came up as we got out of the car and gave me a pat on the back.
"Your room is probably going to be that one", he pointed to a window on the second floor and I smiled. We both got my luggage back out of the trunk as my Aunt unlocked the door and held it open for us. I entered the house and immediately got a whiff of dinner cooking. The place was almost the same as I remembered it, though a few pieces of the furniture had been moved. Tristan got my attention and he lead me to my room, telling me the different rooms of the place.
After setting my luggage down by the door and telling me where the bathroom was and when dinner was ready, he left me to explore my room. It was painted white, and there was a dresser, a twin-sized bed, a desk and a regular size closet. I detested the light color of white, but there was nothing I could do right now about it. I flopped down on the bed and sighed, so this was my new life. It didn't seem that exciting, but at least I was free. Free from my tormentors.
I shivered inwardly at the thought and once again, stretched for a different topic to think about.
"Nura, it's dinner time", my Aunt's voice carried up to me through the floor and I got up, grumbling as I did. I went downstairs to find everyone around the dining room table with a aroma of lasagna surrounding the room.
"I made you your favorite meal as a welcoming gesture", Aunt Shira smiled at me. My uncle was at the head of the table and he smiled at me. Feeling obliged to do so, I went over and gave him a quick hug before sitting back down in my place. As soon as everyone was seated, we dug in. Throughout the dinner, between mouthfuls of my Aunt's delicious food, Tristan relayed his day to his parents. I listened a little here and there. I got the idea that him and this guy named Joey were the tricksters of the school as I heard about them going around and goofing off.
I also saw my aunt and uncle giving each other glances after looking at me. I knew they were worried about me. I had been a bright child before, but now I probably looked like a broken doll. I had seen a mirror and knew that I had dark circles under my eyes, along with a few bruises on my skin. But I ignored them and continued eating my dinner.
After washing the dishes, I went up to my room and Tristan went to his, which was right across from me. Changing into my pajama's, I put the rest of my clothes into the empty drawers of the dresser and put my shoes in the closet. I dug the rest of my things out and put them in their various places, trying to not give them the idea I was a slob. Ready to go to bed, I slipped a few more of my anti-depressants into my mouth and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. In the mirror that was in there,I saw my reflection.
I had been right about the dark circles under my eyes and a few bruises on my arms, but other than that I looked okay. Except for the sad look in my eyes, which refused to disappear. My hair was dark until it reached mid-length where it turned a pure white. Maybe it was a genetic mutation, but I had always had white hair near the bottom of my scalp and dark black hair at the top. If you could see through the melancholy look in my eyes, you would find them a foresty green, with a light gold around the pupil. Despite my days in Egypt's sun, I still had somewhat pale skin that couldn't tan unless I painted it. I focused on my chapped lips, a skinny lower one, with a curvy top that gave me my trademark smirk. I smiled at this, even if I didn't have much of an inside, I still looked okay on the outside. A sudden though occurred to me and I turned around and lifted my hair to above my neck. It was still there.
A golden eye, the eye of Ra, was still imprinted on my neck. It had formed on my neck during my stay in Egypt, and had brought me a lot of trouble while I was there. Being away from the cursed country I had hoped it would fade away. I sighed and let my hair fall down into place, maybe it was a life-long scar. I shuddered to think it was, I hated the thing with a passion and had even thought about cutting the skin off once. Unfortunetely the skin was around my neck, so that fact had hindered me from following out my plan. Until I could figure out another way to be rid of it, the eye would have to stay on my neck.
I heard my aunt and uncle in their room, their hushed voice whispering fast enough to make me think they were arguing. I turned my ear to the door to get a better hearing of what was going on and heard my name. Biting my lip to keep from going in there, I went on my way and walked back to my room.
Jumping into bed and curling up under the covers, I felt the pills once again pulling my sad thoughts away, giving me more cheerful ones. I was afraid of going to sleep here though, my dreams were one thing when I was in a place surrounded by people and in an uncomfortable seat. But now, under soft blankets and on a fluffy mattress, I felt safe. Which only meant that my mind could bring up the nightmares again. I crossed my arms, tucking one underneath me and putting my palms on my shoulders. Nightmares or not, I needed sleep to get rest, rest that I dearly needed tomorrow if I was going to get through starting a new school.
Slowly I did my breathing exercises again and my mind got cloudy, until I finally went into the same blissful state from before. Of course it was too good to be true and I unconsciously put a mouthful of blanket into my mouth as I started moaning and shrieking in my sleep.
Alright, first chapter is up. *cues confetti and purple sparkles to fall* It will be a different person's POV next and soon Nura will get a surprise.
