The power of emancipation is indeed powerful. To me, the word has many meanings and not just freedom from slavery. It portrays freedom from thoughts that no longer needs to be imprinted in my mind, it portrays freedom from a life that got ruined by some pranksters and lastly freedom from a society where people still possess stereotypical mindset.
.
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My back was aching and the reason was the ground I was laying on. My left hand felt numb but I could feel my head on something squishy. I made an effort to open my eyes and finally after some struggle when I opened them, the scene around me was otherworldly.
I could not recognize my surroundings since it was not my bedroom. The usual ceiling above my head was definitely different and my blurry eyes were making it difficult to analyze. Upon further thinking, my head started pounding with a bad headache and so I gripped it with both my hands. Faint memories of the time I spent with Dayligh started flashing one by one. Anyone who just woke up could easily tell that those were the flashes from a dream, but almost everything seemed real. I lifted my head and tried to observe the surroundings more carefully. I became flabbergasted since I was not sure if it was still a dream or the reality around me changed overnight.
I could see bubbles or more like capsule-shaped translucent floating objects in the air but I was in the same boots as well. I was also entrapped in transparent walls. The surface below was glass so probably they were made of glass but nothing was visible underneath nor over my head. The only thing visible was those other capsules at a distance through a transparent wall.
My head that was already pounding decided it to be a dream. Yeah, in dreams nothing makes sense so this is probably one. I checked myself in order to know what I looked like but the strange thing was that I was still wearing the same clothes from the flashes that appeared in my head. I decided to look for a mirror and hence on observing further, I realized that I was not alone and the squishy thing I felt earlier was Dayligh's arm.
The fear and the excitement I felt at that moment made me stand up in surprise. Everything at this point felt strange but someone's presence was surely assuring. I carefully stood upon the ground as I was afraid of how delicate the glass must be. But things were surely translucent or maybe what was below me was not visible to my morning eyes. So, does that mean the memories in my head were real and right now I am in a dream? But why him of all people?
He was lying on the floor just like me 10 minutes ago while I observed Dayligh now from a distance. Meanwhile, I totally forgot about exploring the place and my glancing eyes were busy checking him out, the sound of footsteps became audible as I was compiling my thoughts. A lady appeared out of nowhere as if she passed an invisible wall and looked at us with not so convincing look.
"What is he doing there still sleeping? Wake him up and follow me," she ordered me and I who still gazed at her in amazement remained quiet.
If this was a dream, then I wanted to live and believe, but if this was somehow a reality, I was afraid of what the next step holds for me. The lady who was dressed as a maid, similar to our age, reciprocated my gaze with an expressionless face and approached Dayligh. She started hitting him with his foot and it was at that time I realized that I had to take action.
As I rushed towards Dayligh I saw him stretching his body as a person does after waking up. He then yawned and rolled his eyes which laid upon me. He was totally shocked and was about to yell something before going back to sleep again when the maid lady interrupted, "Since you both woke up now, let's get the day started.'
"The day.....Uh....Is this really a dream? It feels like more than an anime with a messed-up plot and bound to have low ratings. But wait it's the 21st century, people usually are intimidated by these types of plots. Ahhh! wait where are these thoughts coming from? It's just a dream, a really messed up dream furthermore she is really rude and her expressions are crystal clear about disliking us", I thought to myself while getting halted by a loud noise.
"Huhhhhhh! What? What exactly is going on here? Hah! This is one twisted dream I had in a while, yeah a dream, so I better get back to sleep and when I will wake up, I would be in my bed", shouted Dayligh while tossing around to sleep again. You lowly being, stop loitering around blabbing nonsense. The chores are pending and you haven't even presented yourself in front of the house mistress, so let's get going, her order was stern this time. As if Dayligh's body reacted by itself he stood up like a robot, without any rebel, and followed her. "Alright! I'll play along just once", he spoke as if he was talking in his sleep.
I, on the other hand, avoided his eye contact and was already ready to follow her. The room was crystal clear but still, it felt like we were enveloped by objects. Just follow me straight without diverting from your path or else you could get injured. The lady reached the transparent door probably since she halted and raised his hand in the air as if using it as an identification mark. We then headed outside as she halted again after certain steps. I, too, stood right next to her but Dayligh went ahead and bumped into an invisible wall.
"Ouch! The hell, what is that?" He then started feeling the wall with his hands in order to see how long it was. "It looks like we are enveloped from all sides", he made this remark after observing a little.
"Our destination is the 4th floor since this house has 4 floors so be ready", the lady in maid costume replied when we experienced a push indicating that the lift has started. Dayligh on the other hand, bumped to one of the lift walls as he was startled while I stood there calmly but only on the outside. Because inside my head millions of questions marks were dancing.
The pressure was no more felt as we escaped that horrific experience. "Keep following me and don't wander around or we might lose another one", she spoke as if she was warning us. "Lose another life?" asked Dayligh in an unclear tone first looking at her in amazement and then glancing towards me in support. But I again averted my eyes and she just shrugged her shoulders but this time Dayligh abided by her commands with a deep sigh.
"My Lady, we are here to report our presence", she halted in front of, again maybe some wall or a door, and spoke those words. "Come on in", a voice of a lady was heard from inside and we entered inside. All I could see was an elegant lady floating in a seated position in mid-air. She possessed long black hair and her appearance was surely phenomenal. The red robe she was wearing was contrasting perfectly with her white skin. Her slender body was proof of her maintained physique and her voice demonstrated her eloquence.
But it was not like these things appealed to me but they surely were a certain someone's taste. We both bowed our heads as the maid told us to do so and I glanced at Dayligh while he was mesmerized by her beauty. "It's alright, first wear these then you will be able to see everything clearly." She handed out chokers to us the ones similar in fashion nowadays. It had a small locket and our initials were engraved on it.
"Ha! You must be kidding right! Hah! hahaha okay okay...Enough why the hell am I not waking up? What is this?" Suddenly my confused companion turned towards the lady and started shouting. "You think I will wear this...this", he pointed at the dangling choker, and continued, "You think I'm your pet."
She smirked and leaned towards him then replied "YES". At her remark, Dayligh's eyes enlarged and made him flustered. "You may be beautiful but sorry I'm not into these things."
A sudden silence followed. "Oh! Alright, alright, this is a prank right! Okay, come on guys you caught me. This is some good stuff you guys prepared. I appreciate your efforts miss and yours too," he glanced at both the ladies. "You too were a part of this I'm amazed Altraz. So, now can I see the cameras", he waited after expressing his emotions that he was no longer able to hold but still nothing happened. He kept on waiting for some more time and then with a stern expression glared towards me.
I could see fear in his eyes with curiosity having the upper hand. I was also desperate like him to find the answers but I decided to let the situation take over the control and not to act recklessly.
Suddenly the lady in maid costume sighed and spoke "My lady I apologize but since you know it is not the first time this thing is happening so I hope you bear with it." She bowed in front of her and the lady opposite to her seemed to agree so she nodded.
Meanwhile, I, who was observing everything decided to put on the choker. I don't know if it was because of the pressuring gaze of Dayligh or due to the hypnotizing effect of the lady who was probably floating or sitting on an invisible chair midway.
At that moment I was the one who had to take any action and calm down a panicked Dayligh. This time he depended on me and it could have been probably the first or the last time that he expected something from me. He was not looking at me with hatred but instead, his eyes were about to cry.
So in order to calm him down and prove myself worthy, I did the most daring thing not knowing the next step but the experience after putting that thing on was indeed otherworldly again.
tO. bE. CoNtInUeD...
Sneak peek at the next chapter.....
Dayligh turned towards me and grabbed me by the shoulders with both his hands. "Is this because of the choker?" I nodded in embarrassment as he held me tight and was almost facing me and looked directly into my eyes.
"So, you mean it's all true?" I again nodded. He released me and placed his right hand on his head. He then took a deep breath and looked in the direction to which Edina was facing.
She finally reached us and told us to follow her again. "This time I am going to give you a tour of the house and explain everything that has been bothering you."