WHERE ARE YOU NOW?
Nathaniel to my surprise is astonished at how I quickly get up after a few minutes. From his facial expression, I assume it should have taken more but for my case, nay.
'Aren't you coming?'
Nathaniel still looks there confused whilst kneeling. He seems to have not wrapped his head around all of this. 'What did you see? How did you...'
'How did I what? It'd be better if you read minds, I can't speak now, my throat's sore.'
'Please answer, it'd be of great help to me.'
I am discerning which is better. Rummaging through all the solutions in my mind. I should just tell him or shouldn't I? No, I won't, he might be a part of this.
'I don't know how, I just stood up. Let's get going with Laylah, we can't continue dragging this on.'
We drive to a place I'd never been before. And I ask myself, do I go out? Why not? I would have but humans are a bit scary. The way they live. The way they interact with others like they've known them for years. Or how someone you thought was your best inseparable friend could ditch cos you of a reason or the other. It's crazy right. I might not have mingled at all but I'd say from watching them, I know a lot if not all.
Boy Nathaniel keeps on driving with speed. We get to a narrow road almost too slim the chances are some cars might not be able to pass through. But to my surprise, this one did. This car I failed to part with.
We get down, boy Nathaniel and me. He indicates that I get Laylah but with a little confidence. I guess after the incident he fears me a little. *scoff* Weak.
I do as I am instructed after all he's the teacher and I am the student. His face still drips red ink. He's still bleeding. He pays no mind to it. He shuts the door after him. We're in the middle of where I haven't been before and I can't even remember the way we came how'd I go back if he was to try something funny.
He stands a few centimeters away from the car door. He backs me. Nathaniel with inbuilt courage and a high threshold of withstanding pain pulls the glass out of his face one which is the size of half my palm (7.5 in length, 3 in width). I doubt if it's right. I remember that I took its measurements with a measuring tape one time I was with someone. Mathew to be precise. He's dead now so...
I can see him in pain and I stay there looking at his back. A hot cord strikes within him. Immediately he pulls it out, I felt flogged with a whip, continuously. Headache came rushing in. I hold the sides of my head but the pain is too much to bear. What's this? Why is it? I am trying to find something to hold to but there isn't. I feel unconscious again!
I trail the body of the car for any hooks but there isn't. As I fall to the floor, I don't hear my body thump against the floor but on another, Nathaniel?
'Arghhhhh' I barely call out. My voice is soft like whispers. I can't feel myself. Too many thoughts flows inside of me. I can't stop it. I've unlocked it. I've unlocked it! I've unlocked her, Anne.
The swarm of waves of words in my head almost maddens me. Why can't she just stop talking? But she just can't. I can feel my veins being taken one by one. The pain...numbs me.
"Why is this happening? I noticed it happened with Laylah. Yes, that's when it started. The irresistible pain."
'I can't...' I hear my faint voice and think to myself "I'm waking up, aren't I?"
Laylah's in the car. She's slowly getting out of the equation cos if this continues to happen we wouldn't get to our destination. What is all of this? What am I to do? We've been on this one for a long time, three days?
---
'Hey there. Miss me. Why don't you listen? I told you I couldn't be evaded but you wouldn't listen. If you had just dealt with Laylah on your own. If you had just not come across the Top. If you had not just been you, everything wouldn't have happened. Even this pain you're feeling. None would have happened. If you had just listened to me. Let me rule you. It's as simple as that.'
She pauses. Lets out a puff of air. I can hear her breath on my face.
'Just make me you. No...no that came out wrong. Make you me. Yeah, that's more like it. Hmm? Won't you? I assure you if you let me in control of your...everything, it'd all return to normal. Like the twinkle of an eye, you'd be able to have a good night's rest. Hmm? I want the best for you long time friend. Uh? Hun?'
She blows me air kisses. Shall I do as she says? Will everything truly go away? I'm tired of all of this anyways. Boy Nathaniel is there holding me. I'm holding him back not that I care but the prey has been long due for a sumptuous meal.
'O..'
As I was about to say that. To say yes to her. To give her ultimate power over me. That's the best decision, yes it is. He covers my mouth from saying anything further. "Why did he?"
"Yahhhhhh!" He can't hear anything but my mumbles. Has he has been reading my mind. Let me surrender to her, I say in a shaky voice. But he wouldn't let me even breathe. He closes my nose probably thinking words will come out of there. I don't even know what he's thinking.
"I...I am suffocating. Boy Nathaniel...no...no...Nathaniel, I...apologize...please...I..I..can..t...brea...the." I am struggling with my last breaths. Trying to keep it and stretch the minutes I have left but it isn't working. I am unconscious so I can't move. Let me just surrender to everything. First Anne now Nathaniel.
I swear I'd been on my way like I was the last time this happened but he did what he does best and he serves me well. I grasp air immediately and I get up jerking forward. "What was that? How did he? Why is he?"
He looks at me longer than he'd normally. I feel things on a deeper level now no wonder I'm feeling this sensitive. I don't know what's wrong with me. "Cutaway from the gaze" But I didn't listen. He erased Anne, I don't know how. I don't know a lot of things. He still stares at me. I can feel it as I felt Feline's. They have a connection, I suppose. Looks don't lie. Psychology says when two people share glances for more than a minute, there's something they both feel that can't be explained. I feel that. I'm sure he did.
"What is this? Where have I gone to?" We sit on the grass floor amidst tall trees - canopy trees. There's no snow here. It feels like summer. We sit here. Laylah's cut between all of this. Anne's gone for good? Mrs. Hussein's worrying about her daughter's welfare. And I am here worried for my safety. I can't be this person. I want my old me back. The one without emotions.
WHERE'S MY DAUGHTER?