For Better or Worse
Chapter 5 : Monochrome
Heavy snow poured forth, casting a spell on the beings in the town, sinking half of the city in its terror. He watched the world behind foggy windows of his mansion, while keeping an eye on the sleeping figure. Winter was particularly harsh this year and the agony it carried with it was even harsher. He had lost an important person during winter years ago, something he had intended to forget but never managed to. Even so, he had once adored the snow for its pureness and fragility. The infinite colour of white would never fail to lull him to wonderland, a miniature world where he could find true tranquility and peace. He would lie on the lustrous moor for hours, watching the heavenly white particles succumbing helplessly onto the inviting earth while weaving an unfathomable melody with the help of his little magic. Curling like a tamed kitten right beside him would be her, a gift that was besieged to him by the Great One. She was a caring and decent lady with features that rival the beauty of an angel and wisdom that went far beyond history that would put men into great shame. She was everything he ever wanted, a blessing for his desperate soul. She was the women of his life.
The woods burned slowly, radiating heat into the gloomy, dark chamber. Eriol crossed the room towards the fireplace and settled onto the cozy worn-out chair. His gaze fell upon the burning hearth and his thoughts were lost within the flame. And while fiddling with the strings that came loose from the cuff of his shirt, he would bring his fingers in contact with his glasses once a while as the night slipped away. He was tired and restless but he just can't ease his heart to peace. Constantly, he would dart his attention towards the petite figure whenever he heard a small grumble or a scrape of the blanket. Oh…she reminded him so much of her – the reason of his existence and…the reason of his deep hatred towards himself.
She had stood on the garish plateau that very day, enjoying the winter breeze and dazzling sight of London when suddenly she fell and all he could hear was…
A touch on his arm and a call of his name.
Without his realization, he was only inches away from the source of the voice and was looking eye to eye with the figure on bed.
"Hiiragi…zawa-san?"
[Eriol]
The whisper was so faint and soft, I thought I was dreaming. Yet the touch was real.
I shot bolt awake and found two beaky eyes on me, so stunning yet lifeless, penetrating through my vulnerable self as I stood before her, stigmatized. An unearthly silent fell upon the room as she squinted her eyes to adjust her sight to the ray of moonlight that had just illuminated the room a little with its presence.
A second later, her lips moved.
"How long?" The bare whiser of a question. The fear in her eyes had gone but all those sleeps seemed useless to her as there were bags visible under her eyes. She must have gone through a pain of hell, I silently concluded.
"Two days," I replied huskily. "And I thought you were dead."
She was quiet. She didn't retort liked she used to. Laying flat on her back while staring at the pitch-dark sky outside the window, her once amethyst, cheerful eyes now replace with a livid colour shifted back at me. "I wish I was."
My eyes widened and my stomach gave a strange jolt. Subsequently, my hands moved towards the spot of the suppressed old wound and I could feel the quickened beats of my heart. I knew how she feel, the wrenching agony of not being able to end your life when all doors closed down on you. The chilliness…like an arctic stiletto stabbed onto your chest and the numbing feeling that you could never get rid of. Her words were slowly probing into my conscience and the old image appeared before me -- a silhouette of her.
Nakuru paced across the corridor with a tray of light delicacies and a cup of warm brewing liquid. More like skipping across the corridor, she hummed to herself and managed to stop short before reaching the particular wooden door that lead into the guest's chamber. She leaned against the cold door and exerted a small push to it, allowing herself to enter the chamber without knocking.
"I've brought you some midnight snack –" Nakuru paused momentarily. "You're finally awake!" And she pounced onto the poor Tomoyo, giving her a big, long hug; the tray of the 'midnight snack' long forgotten on the floor.
"I know you miss me, Nakuru…but please," Tomoyo could barely choke out the words, "Have mercy."
"Why you little missy…" Nakuru playfully ruffled Tomoyo's already messed up hair. Locks of ebony hair fell upon Tomoyo pallid face and she brushed them off easily with a swift of her hand. "That's what we got for keeping you in custody for two days? You ought to thank us more than that!"
Tomoyo forced a smile and distinctly cast an eye at Eriol. She thought he saw him moved the slightest but he remained stagnant and her eyes reflected off his cold self.
And the headache kicked in once more.
She hunched and Nakuru gingerly laid her flat on the bed, grabbing the sheets and covered it up to her neck. "Now move no more and get a good rest. Look at you, you've slept for almost two days and yet you look like someone who has not sleep for ages! Drink this," Nakuru gently lifted Tomoyo's head and forced down the fiery liquid from the cup she brought in not long ago that burned down her throat. "It'll make you feel much better."
Nakuru then turned around and called out for her master who was now no longer standing there. "Eriol?" she called out. Nothing but the echo of her own voice answered back. She should have known. He wasn't that kind of person who would express his concern over someone who he hardly knew about. This was Eriol after all, the one who had non-attachment sealed within his soul ever since the certain death of his beloved one. The one who showed naught a flicker of interest and emotion towards anyone at all, let alone her and Spinel in the past. The one who she was afraid might die in the seeping darkness that enveloped him throughout these years. The one…who needed to be saved from the state of self-destructing. And she hoped that the one who can save him is…
"Goodnight, Tomoyo."
Tomoyo blinked weakly and the first thing that came out from her mouth was –
"…gizawa-san…"
"He's not here. I'm Spinel, and I shall be your caretaker for the day till Nakuru comes back from the grocery shopping."
Tomoyo stole a look from under the blanket and could dimly make out a levitating figure that resembled a cat with weird butterfly wings. Spasmodic flashes of her previous nightmare snapped her by but she had quickly came in focus when she violently shook her head with all her might, earning herself a curious stare from the floating creature.
"Do you want some brown liquid that Nakuru prepared for you? Or would you rather have breakfast now?" Spinel spoke in a monotonous tone. "But you look like you need the medicine more. You look pale." He added on cleverly after observing her for a while.
"I'm not hungry…and I don't want the brown liquid as well. It's bitter."
"Hmm…"
"Erm…Spinel?" Tomoyo slowly brought herself up and was now pointing at the soft-toy liked creature intriguingly. "What's with that nurse cap and that…that thing around your waist?" She could have sworn she saw a blush crept onto his face.
"It's that idiot idea. Say I look more convincing and capable as a caretaker while she's gone." And he furiously threw the nurse cap off.
"But it looks cute on you." Tomoyo pointed out, a genuine smile formed playfully at the corner of her lips.
Grumbling a cuss under his breath, he glared at the nurse cap in denial and ushered Tomoyo to get out of the bed. "Sleeping would only do more harm. You seem fine without the medicine anyway."
"Is that how you treat a sick guest?" Nakuru spoke from the hallway and patiently waited for a reply. "I should have known that you're not a capable caretaker anyway." There was an awfully long silence.
"Wait…no debate? No complains? No lectures? Wow…you must really enjoy the nursemaid role-playing."
Spinel glared at the figure by the door. "Thought you will be back after two."
"I thought I could come back early to check up on my favourite nursemaid. God knows what he may try to feed my patient while he's still on probationary period." Nakuru chuckled indistinctively.
"Shut up. She's all yours." He announced unceremoniously and flapped out of the room.
"Ah, that's sound more like him! Nothing's like having a pissed off soft-toy and a cup of traditional medicine to kick off the morning eh? Here, this is for you." Nakuru hopped in with a cup of brownish liquid.
"You could have been nicer to him you know…and…urgh!! Not that again!!!" Tomoyo spoke in a disgusted tone when Nakuru sheepishly offer her the porcelain cup. She tried to decline but was awarded with a sarcastic remark from her.
"Ah, prefer a cute little looking soft-toy to serve isn't it? Won't take medicine from an annoying, ugly, bossy, irritating me…"
Tomoyo sighed and briskly gulped the content of the cup without a blink of her eye and handed back the empty cup with much desperation. Nakuru smiled with a spark in her eye and happily announced to herself, "I won."
"That's my good girl. Now, go down and have breakfast."
Tomoyo got out of the bed, stuck her tongue at Nakuru's back and strode down the stairs without much difficulty. She had not got out of bed for three days and was surprised that her muscles didn't cramp or so whatever. She pattered over to the living room and headed slowly towards the garden through the opened sliding doors. She allowed herself to be steered into the monastic world of tranquility as she padded across the snowy garden with bare legs and a protective cloak around her shriveled body. Those lifeless orbs began to explore the world around with much innocence liked a kid taking in the wonders of the world for the very first time.
[Tomoyo]
It was a beautiful shred of white. The moment I lay my eyes on the world beyond, I could picture myself standing on top of the cliff, looking down on the peaceful city of London, basking in the warmth of morning sunlight. The gaiety sound of the chirping bird was nothing but melodies to my ears. And the sky was crystal clear with smooth channels of clouds floating along. It has been a while… I muttered under my breath.
That very moment, I heard a ruffle of unnerving lithe footstep beyond me. I was paralyzed. My eyes darted here and there and finally rest upon a big stark tree that was plagued with snow all over. I stepped forward uncertainly. It could not be them… There is now way they could find me here. I'm half way across the globe and it's not easy for them to track me down.
I mustered all the strength and courage within me and took a great step forward. Slowly I raised my head. A shadowy figure leapt passed me and a flash of blue streaked across my vision. My clutched that piece of parchment that appeared long before I could register what it was with all my might, afraid of what the contents may state.
And a familiar voice hovered by.
It was Eriol.
His eyes were looking beyond me.
[Eriol]
It was that unnerving feeling again.
I knew she was hiding something from me – the reason of her presence here and the truth of behind the black men. But why…? Why am I so worried over such pathetic matter? Why am I so eager to learn about her? Why?!
"Good morning."
I stared at her for a moment and responded to her greeting with a gentle nod.
"How…" The words began to form slowly, "How…are you feeling today?"
It took her sometime to reply. I continued to stare at her slim frame which much confusion.
"I'm…just fine."
I could barely make out that cloudy expression on that façade of hers. Her hands were trembling and if possible, she looked paler then the days before. Before I could express my concern, I heard her sneezing loudly.
"It must be because it snowed previous night. Look, I'm all sick again!" She exclaimed to no one in particular for she was not facing me. I tried to blurt out something, but the moment I caught the reassuring smile, my heart was put into immediate ease even though clearly, there was something amiss.
"I'm going to have breakfast now, Hiiragizawa-san. Care to join me?"
I gazed at her, emotions overwhelming some part of my mind. Her trembling had ceased but only with much difficulty and she seemed to carry herself a troubled mind. It might have just being my imagination, but ever since that peculiar incident, her merriness had vanished bits by bits. I could almost feel the hidden emotion of her true self that she had been trying to suppress all this while. And to add on to that, that evil aura a moment ago was the same one I felt two days ago…
It might be…
"Hey! Are you people planning to wait for the cows to come home or for the sun to set in the east?!!" That familiar irritating voice drifted by, startling both of us from awkward silence. I bit my lips and mumbled flatly to myself. "The kitchen better on fire."
Series of giggling ensued from the ebony-haired girl and I stepped into the mansion, feeling a bit awry and lost…
And a huge amount of snow fell onto the ground with a loud thud.
I know I can never compensate for the long break I took just to write this chapter but I was busy…very busy and didn't had time to do other things. It was a hasty year and well…this chapter is rather hasty as well. More mystery and dark events are likely to happen in future chapter but I'll try to slot in some funny scenes. Ahah, me and my crazy muse. Inspiring me in the most inappropriate moment. Drop in some review so I could be 'inspired' to write the next chapter as soon as possible!
Signing out,
Psychokyugurl