10
I would like to ask all of you a simple question. what's better: (a) Watching people you care for being tortured.
(b) Being tortured.
Tough choice, isn't it? well, that's what I have to choose between each night. It has been 4 days since Zia told me about Ian's secret, and my head is still dizzy. I'm not sure whether I want to remember whatever that weirdo kept saying, but I do wish that my nightmares would stop. For the past 4 nights, I have been having dreams of being tortured. The pain feels real. After each session, there is always that crimson-eyed boy to calm me and most of the time I wake up and find myself wrapped in the same person's arms. I would feel relief at the touch, and then feel miserable about it. I kept telling myself that he was a monster, but the care with which he would handle me would throw such thoughts out of the window. Still, I never gave in to him. I knew that once I crossed the line, there would be no going back.
Despite all this, it was hard not to want him. Life would have been a lot easier for me if he was just as cruel towards me as he was to others. But no, he always had to reserve that soft side for me. The most painful thing was that he would talk to me. Last night he asked me whether I would like to be with him, forever. Life could be easy, just the two of us, away from this society. while he was speaking, I envisioned a world with just the both of us. A world where I wouldn't have to care about shielding anyone from him. I had long ago accepted that girls didn't interest me, and I had to admit, If Kai wasn't what he was today, I would have been heads over heels for him. but this was a big 'If'. Was Kai that unworthy of a second chance? I recalled how losing my memory had given me a chance. One which I messed up just as badly as the first. If I got one, he deserved it too. This train of thought was interrupted when I heard him conclude, "All of this is possible, Once Boris is removed from our way." I didn't respond to this. But made up my mind. The boy I had known at 5 was gone. He was just another unreported victim of that Fire.
Ignoring all the voices in my head, I enjoyed the little treasures of the daytime. I had never felt this alive in my whole life. Kai and I spent days in Zia's storeroom, playing with Wyatt or transforming the room. I got used to painting while listening to his songs.
This evening we had gone out to shop for more black paint. [ and dyes to help Kai maintain his disguise.] I also bought a new kind of rose to plant in Zia's tiny collection. We entered the house through the backyard gate this time. I removed the cover of the plant and kept it in a vacant pot. I noticed immediately that Zia was back from work early today. Her shoes were there on the rack. Instead of taking the front door, we entered through the backdoor. This way led to our rooms while passing through the hallway in front of Zia's room. We were walking to our rooms when Kai stopped and I bumped into him. I recognized the reason for this. We could hear hushed voices from the other side of the door, and judging by our hostess's voice, they were arguing. I couldn't make out the words, but Kai looked like he wasn't missing a word. He had way better senses than I had, but the last part was loud enough for me to hear, "They will be ready at the city square, no change in timing."
Within a second Kai broke the door open and darted in. Zia looked like she had seen a ghost.
"Who was that?" he demanded, and before she could delete the number, he seized the phone from her hand and redialed with the phone on speaker. It was answered even before a second ring.
"What's wrong, dear?" Boris's voice vibrated in the room, and I felt my bones turn liquid. My reaction was only rivaled by Zia's horror. Kai cut the phone and I saw him look at Zia. "H-h-i-wa-t-t-ari? she stammered. But he did not react. That's what made the situation scarier. He did not yell or throw tantrums like a normal person would, Instead he pinned her down with a mad stare. He walked to her side in slow motion and whispered something maliciously. Just when I thought she was going to be beheaded, he turned around and walked right past me. He walked out of the building.
He did not return.
The story is coming to an end. If things go according to plan there will be 2 more chaps and maybe an epilogue. So Please don't forget to review! Thanks!
Ember 2022