Chapter 8- The Surprise

Amira stood, transfixed, unable to process what had just happened.
The old man... she could not understand who he was. The people around him, the stone at the center of the circle, everything confused her. It made her mind go wild with theories and what they could be doing there.


She walked out from the building, the door closing shut behind her on its own.
She noticed the detailing in gold on the door... it seemed to be of a language she couldn't understand.

Walking away from the building, going over everything that had happened to her in the room, Amira just knew that Something or someone was behind this and that all this was way more huge that she could imagine.


The sun had travelled his course for the day, hanging low on the horizon. He painted the sky a shade of red, a color so irresistible, that all she wanted to do was stay there forever, staring at it.

She remembered the draganoid from the other world, his horns gleaming in the sun. A sense of loss washed over her, because she sensed that she could have learnt so much more from him.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't know her feet walking on, retracing her steps back to her home.

She found her parents cars in the driveway, the lights on in the house.

Amira knew today was going to be rough at home. She was way more late than she usually ever was. And Rima was rarely ever a help. She couldn't lie and she never would.

Ringing the bell of the house, she waited for someone to open the door. Amira could see someone walk up to the door, hesitation in every footstep.

Slowly, the door creaked open, the light from inside shining out to the front porch.

Amira was, to say the least, pleasantly surprised to see the person behind the door. She ran in, hugging him, a huge smile plastered on her face. Her eyes showed tears, her laugh echoing throughout the house. He hugged her back, his arms holding her, a strained smile at his face.

Chapter 5- The Block

Flying down to the ground, He set her down on the floor, ever so gentle. He took a wayward strand of hair and tucked it back into place. 

His nakedness bothered him, as did hers. She wished to be clothed, that even the robe she had on before seemed like a blessing. 

And suddenly, She was clothed. And so was he. And fashionably too, in a pair of shorts and a snug tshirt. 

He seemed amused at what she had done for him. She could hear his laugh echo through the pathways of her mind. 

'Being clothed is nothing to laugh at', She said, even as his laugh continued. 

'I am happy the way I am. But if this is how you wish to see me, so shall it be' he said, his voice breaking from the strain of not laughing. 

She turned and walked away, hoping to get out of this place and return to her world. 

'You could have said that there was a hole behind me before' she said, her voice accusing him. 

'I was under the impression that you knew' he said. 

After an awkward silence in their minds, he decided to break it. 

'You didn't ask what you wanted to know' 

She was shocked when he said that. His voice had turned serious, the mirth in his eyes long gone. 

'I do not want to know anything. I don't even know why I am here' 

He must have understood she was saying the truth, because he walked closer to her. She tried to walk backwards and allmost tripped. 'Careful' he said, letting go of her hand. And then, with his index finger, touched her forehead. 

And suddenly, she could feel another world, a world where she was standing frozen in place, her mind trying hard to stop the swarm of minds around her. 

His eyes turned sad as he seemed to understand what was happening. 

He took a step back, his eyes downcast. 

'I realize that I am just a block for you' he said,' Something to stop those people from entering your mind' 

He continued, telling her about he was surprised that she had been able to do this. 

He didn't know that she was surprised at what she had done as well. 

He told her to imagine him and walk out of the room, stabbing at anyone who dared approach her with their mind. He thought her a few things, which she seemed to grasp quickly. 

She seemed to not notice the time passing in this world. But soon, she understood it was time to leave and get back to her reality. 

As she walked away from him, what he said stuck in her mind. She hoped with all her might that she may meet him again one day. 

He seemed to have understood what she was hoping for, as he shouted 'Till we meet again', as she left his world. 

A quick glance back showed him, waving his hand at her, smiling, the horns on his head shining in the light of the rising sun. 

Chapter 1: The Road

Mist surrounded her. She was walking on a road, a road she now knew led nowhere. In the beginning it was just her, the mist and the sound of someone following her.

A faint light seemed to illuminate her surroundings, showing her the beautiful shrubs and trees beside her. 

Fear had conquered her the first time she had been here. Unable to move, she broke down and sobbed into the night. She stayed there, till her mother woke her up. It took a long time for her to open up to her parents about this. And even much more time before she could even stand and move around. 

She did not stop walking. A sense of purpose shone through her. And it showed itself in every step she took. She did not speed up, even as the footsteps behind her continued to follow in pace. 

She had never bothered to look back in fear of what she might see. But tonight, coaxed by her parents and her therapist, she finally summoned the courage to turn around. 

And she was greeted by darkness. The light seemed to stop at her. The moment it reached where she was, it disappeared. 

No one stood in front of her. Even the mist seemed to be afraid of what was following her.  

She stood there for a while, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness around. And she was able to make out the faint outline of a being far away. A human perhaps? 

She walked towards it and it walked forward, it's dress rustling in the silence of this grim world. 

As it walked closer, she could finally see what had been following her for so long. 

She saw a hood pulled over its head, it's long dark robes stained. Unable to see its face, she walked closer. 

Closer and closer... She walked till she reached in front of it. At this point, she was positive that 'it' was a human being. 

And finally, face to face, she dared to grab hold of the hood and reveal the face behind. 

The face behind it sent through her waves of shock and exhilaration. 

Her gasp, an unwelcome visitor to this world, reached the ears of the being in front of her. It's eyes seemed amused by the sound, almost laughing at her shock.  

She took a few steps back, her mind spiraling down into an abyss. She did not know how to respond, for in front of her, stood a being that resembled her. If she did not know better, she would have called it her twin. An evil, ugly and monstrous twin. 

It's blood red eyes, pointed ears and sharp teeth reminded her of vampires seen in movies. Even the blood dripping onto its robes and it's thick tongue slithering out from her grinning mouth and her frizzy hair sticking out from her hood ensured her that this being was not even human, let alone alive. 

It's webbed and clawed hand stroked her face, ever so gentle and caring. She recoiled at its touch, but it seemed to not notice it.  And then, in a silky, mesmerizing voice it said...' Soon'

It's tongue slithered around her face, leaving behind it a trail of foul smelling saliva. It noticed her flinching at each movement it took. And suddenly, the laughter in it's eyes vanished. Cruelty took its place, It's smile vanishing.  It's hand turned into a fist and pushed her away, turning and walking away. But instead of the ground greeting her, she felt herself falling into an abyss Unknown. Her breath knocked out of her, she gasped for air even as a drop of black ink fell on her from above. 

Prologue

Staring at the pictures on the wall, he couldn't help but smile a little. He smiled at the picture of him and his wife, when they were pregnant with Amira.
He still remembered the day she was born. Vividly.

It started out as a normal day would, he leaving for work, visiting her at the hospital on the way to work. 

She seemed happy. Ecstatic even. She pestered him to go for work, even when he said he would take leave.

A couple of hours later, he got a call from the hospital. She had gone into labor. He took leave from work, his co workers seemed happy. His boss smiled at him, wishing him luck.

He rushed towards the hospital, taking all shortcuts he knew, trying to reach before she gave birth.
He reached in record time and waited outside the labor room. Some time later, a nurse came out and told him that it was a girl child. Her smile seemed too stiff, but he pegged that down as her being tired. 

After sometime, he was let into the room. 

He saw his wife, exhausted and happy, but something was wrong about her face. He couldn't put a name to the expression. He just knew that something was off. 

He smiled at her, happiness filling out of him like the rays of the sun. 

He took a glance at his daughter and took a step backwards, horrified. 

A huge black dot adorned her forehead. It seemed to ripple with some unknown energy, mesmerizing him. He extended his hand to touch her forehead, when his wife made a disapproving noise.
He withdrew his hand instantly, but the damage had been done.

He could see that the noise had woken her. She was stirring, her tiny hands moving, her tiny mouth opening and closing. And finally, she opened her eyes.
As a reflex, he recoiled due to fear. Her tiny eyes contained in them blood red irises.  None could have guessed her tiny, beautiful eyes could hold such horrors.

She smiled at something he couldn't see, up and above him, and dozed off again.