'I see Barsad, and Cly, Defarge, The Vengeance, the Juryman, the Judge, long ranks of the new oppressors who have risen on the destruction of the old, perishing by this retributive instrument, before it shall cease out of its present use. I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss, and, in their struggles to be truly free, in their triumphs and defeats, through long years to come, I see the evil of
this time and of the previous time of which this is the natural birth, gradually making expiation for itself and wearing out. 'I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous and happy, in that England which I shall see no more. I see Her with a child upon her bosom, who bears my name. I see her father, aged and bent, but otherwise restored, and faithful to all men in his healing office, and at
peace. I see the good old man, so long their friend, in ten years' time enriching them with all he has, and passing tranquilly to his reward. 'I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence. I see her, an old woman, weeping for me on the anniversary of this day. I see her and her husband, their course done, lying side by side in their last earthly bed, and I know that each was not more honoured and held sacred in the other's soul, than I was in the souls of both. 'I see that child who lay upon her bosom and who bore my name, a man winning his way up in that path of life which once was mine. I see him winning it so well, that my name is made illustrious there by the light of his. I see the blots I threw upon it, faded away. I see him, fore-most of just judges and honoured men,
bringing a boy of my name, with a forehead that I know and golden hair, to this place— then fair to look upon, with not a trace of this day's disfigurement —and I hear him tell the child my story, with a tender and a faltering voice. 'It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest
that I go to than I have ever know…..'
Everything made sense now. The story of Lucy, Sydney and Charles. Emotion swirled
around my head as I lay still on my bed rewinding the electrifying moment I just had.
His soft lips on mine as he embraced me. I didn't know that he meant it to be exclusive or not. But all I knew was that I had fallen in love and that it was indeed a beautiful feeling. I took my blanket till the edge of my forehead so that I could stop blushing. It was an awesome feeling, falling in love's chasm. I was going short of words. Is this real?
Or is this just what my heartfelt? Or is this the way Lucy felt?
I realized that if I really hugged my bed at 6'o clock itself, I must be really exhausted. I got out of my bed and kicked my shoes out, got in my pajamas and went back into the soft cushions of the bed beneath. I closed my eyes and suddenly my head swirled in oblivion.
The next day was utterly changed of emotions. Mark stopped wearing his piercings but his dark brown hair still swept through the streets. He walked fiercely till my side and I was dragged out of my hallucinations just when he kissed me on the forehead. I have never blushed three days in a row. Leila was the one, who said it first,
"Wow, something going on between you two huh?"
Mark smiled, straightened his back and replied her,
"You and Mickey back off, Leila. Cause we are the new couple of the era." And he slid
his hand inside mine which perfectly fit into each other. Mark lead me down in the
homeroom where we sat next to each other.
The next instant Adam Boyce approached me. He was wearing a leather jacket and
straight denim. His had the same dark eyes as Mark but they weren't that luring
enough now. For once, I saw what other girls saw in him.
"Hey."
I was mouth-tight but I realized he said that to me. "Hi!" I replied.
"I just…..uh….wanted to apologize for what I did. For that day." He was stammering
sheepishly.
"Oh, that was alright, Adam. I didn't mind that. Everyone thought I was a sorceress. I
don't blame you."
"No, but I need to make up for that. How about a small talk at the dinner tonight at
Raphael's?" I thought I dreamt it. Adam Boyce was asking me out! I was just going to
say 'I would love to!' But then Mark happened.
"Hey, Man. Asking my girl out?"
Adam was startled for some time. Then he said, "No, I was just…"
Mark lifted his collar while I warned him, "Mark…" but he was deaf to my ears.
"Listen, guy. I do not know anything but you'll stay away from her. Far, Far away."
And after talking right in front of him, he let go of his collar.
Adam gulped down, faced me ; there was terror in his eyes and ran out of the room.
I faced Mark again, red with anger.
"What the hell are you doing?"
He made that innocent little face like a kindergarten boy.
"What?"
"You don't need to keep boys away from me. You don't have a right on that!"
"Why not?"
"Because we have just kissed once, Mark. We are not yet exclusive!"
There was a pause before he asked,
"What do you mean by exclusive?"
"That we are not officially a couple yet!"
Mark's face was filled with shocks.
I realized what I said.
"Mark…" but he shushed me.
He stood up and went outside. I tried to follow him but Leila told me to give him some space. I didn't see him the whole day afterwards.
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
I walked the whole way home from school that day. It was exhausting but I didn't like
the taxi systems. I opened the gate to my house. I wasn't surprised that no one was at home. My mother and Rick usually went somewhere else to have some fun. Hot
springs, lavish dinners and trekking were a part of it.
I went to my room, slung my bag off and hit my bed without switching on the light.
And as I got to get my blanket on, I saw a shadow in my room. I screamed. But the
shadow shifted and something clapped my mouth shut. A hand. I could smell a familiar scent of Lavender soap. The light came on and I saw a slender but handsome figure over me. Mark. His deep black eyes hypnotized me to stay calm while my organs were jumping apart. But I nodded. He took his hand away from my mouth to my forehead and started playing with a strand of hair.
"What are you…" But he put a finger on my lips.
"Shh…. I brought a present for you." And he took out a small black velvet box and
showed it to me.
"You said we were not lover, right?" He opened the box. A small real ruby ring shone
out. The body of gold and the hand too. It was the most beautiful ring I had ever seen.
"Would you like to be my significant other?" He said. Tacky, I thought. Who says
significant other in the 21st century? He wanted to say more but adrenaline pushed
inside me and I hugged him so tight that it felt that we were inside each other. "Yes!
Yes! Yes!" I screamed.
He got apart and slid the ring in my ring finger while saying,
"It was my mother's. Now, it belongs to you."
And then he kissed me. It was the most electrifying and incredible kiss ever.
But then he moved apart. "You are exhausted."
"No, I am…." Dizziness washed over me and I found extremely exhausted. He smiled
like an angel, kissed me on the tip of my forehead and the last words I heard were,
"Good night, sugarcake."
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
A red sky so dark in color. It looked almost a mirror dimension of Hell. Canons spread around both the sides of visibility and people in uniforms saluted…..me. I heard myself say, "Halt" and when I saw my hands, they were not the same. Instead of being slender and delicate, they were fierce. A red fluid covered them. Blood. I wanted to run and hide. But I stood there watching and making strategies to kill. I had gone crazy. I felt a bloodlust and above all, I craved for a murder.
I saw a man coming with a blade towards me. He was not aiming it at me, just carefully keeping it by his side. His face was not visible due to excessive light but surprisingly relief flushed inside me. As he came nearer, familiarity increased inside me. I recognized him when he was just a few inches away.
Mark.
His smile was the same devilish sort. He hugged me in the middle of the battlefield. But in a matter of seconds blood started pouring out of my back. He had stabbed me. Mark Hannigal stabbed me. My realization was not even over when darkness consumed me…..
I woke up with a start as reality switched over. Same room, same bed and same smell.
And when I looked down at my hands, the same ruby ring Mark gave me. I was
sweating. Suddenly, I felt truly attached to him. It has just been some days and I already have a promise ring. Humor washed inside as I thought that with this speed, my pregnancy wasn't far away. As a normal girl, I over thought, but as a unique one, I
cherished the present. I forget about the dream and went to get dressed. I wanted to
look good. Not for Mark, but for my satisfaction to lure him. I showered and dressed
up. As I went downstairs for breakfast, I saw my mom and Rick on the dining table in
the kitchen while the TV was on. They were talking in low voices.
"Hey!" Rick exclaimed when he saw me coming.
"Good morning. Anything new? I heard you guys whispering." I told them.
Rick and mom exchanged a quick glance and then he said,
"Nothing much sweetie. We were just discussing about a robbery in the Metropolitan
Museum of Art."
"Robbery? Of what?"
But before she could answer me, the news reporter on the TV did,
RECENT NEWS SAYS THAT THE RING OF QUEEN MERABELLA WHICH WAS
STORED FOR 5000 YEARS AND WAS DISCOVERED ONLY SOME YEARS AGO,
WENT MISSING FROM THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART. THERE ARE NO
TRACKS FOUND YET AND THE THEIF HAS LEFT NO CLUE TO TRACE HIM/HER.
IT'S SAID THAT THE RING IS WORTH FIVE MILLION POUNDS AND IS A FORTUNE
IF POSSESSED.
And then they showed the picture of the ring. My heart thundered down. A ruby ring
cut so simple with gold body. It shone radiantly through the glass box.
It was still on my finger. Before I could say anything, I slid my hand in my pockets and gulped. My mother must have seen my expression, because she asked,
"Breakfast, Sweetie?"
"No, thanks." And I slammed the door and sped up to school.