Present day …
Lily sat, staring in horror at what she had just drawn. A strange creature! Again? She had been relieved when the strange drawings had stopped. But now, staring at it, she knew the incidents were back again. The incidents started about four years ago. That day, on her twentieth birthday, she felt like sketching and had asked her mum, Eucharia for drawing papers and colour pencils as her birthday present. Her mother had been surprised as Lily had never shown an interest in artwork, until that day. Her mum already gave her gifts and one could imagine her shock when Lily had asked for drawing apparatus instead.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Her mum had asked.
"Sure mum, why?" Lily asked, looking at her mum, wondering at the reason for the question. Her mum just shook her head. Hence, Eucharia bought them for her and left for the night duty at the hospital. Lily remembered the first day vividly, her drawing was indescribable. What did it mean? Not having any idea, she had told her mum, who looked at her, saying nothing at first.
"Maybe it is what you saw in your dream or let's say, it is your unique way of communicating now." Eucharia had said at last.
"I can't remember seeing this in my dream. But then, I see lots of strange things lately."
"Can you at least tell me baby?"
"Yes mum. I have been seeing two men, one in his fifties and the other in his late thirties."
"And what did they do? What did they tell you?"
"Tell me?" Lily thought for a while. "Nothing, they just looked at me … yeah the older man's eyes were sort of bloodshed … I'm not sure mum."
"You're not sure of what baby?"
"The older man, it's like he wants to talk to me, but can't. It seemed something stopped him from talking to me."
"Oh baby," her mum had hugged her for a while and whispered in her ears. "If he wants to talk to you, he will eventually. Just wait for him. Okay?"
"Okay mum."
"How about the middle aged man?"
"That one? He was smiling like a clown," when her mother didn't say anything, perhaps thinking her daughter was going nuts, Lily continued. "What I mean is, he looked too friendly."
"Make sure you stay away from them baby. Okay?" Lily nodded, undecided on how to answer the question. How was she going to stay away from them in her dreams? Being not in control of herself in these dreams. It didn't seem possible but her mother didn't have to know that right?
The dreams continued repeatedly after that first drawing. Her last dream before her weird sketches ceased, was a bit different. A third man in his late thirties, like the friendly looking one, joined the two men. This third man looked stern, unlike the other man. He stared at her with what looked like contempt. This increased her dilemma. What did this all mean? Did it mean she was in between three men? Why did she keep having the same dream day after day? What were they trying to tell her or probably warn her of?
The last drawing incident had occurred a year ago. So, after about a year pause, she drew this again? With just a month to her twenty fourth birthday? At this time, she was in her study room at home. Her mum was cooking lunch. Lily couldn't help it and called out to her.
"Mum mum!"
"Honey!" Her mother replied "Coming." Eucharia ran to Lily, to see her staring in horror at another of her weird sketches.
"Not again." Her mother muttered. Lily held on to her tightly, shaking.
"Mum, am I going crazy?"
"Of course not baby."
Eucharia kissed her forehead and whispered soothing words to her. This did the desired effect, it helped calm down Lily . Minutes passed, she fell asleep.
With Lily asleep, her mum studied the paintings her daughter made. They looked sort of familiar with the previous ones. She looked deeply into them and left Lily to sleep. Eucharia had things to do. First of, she opened her wardrobe and bought out a box. The box was golden and was inscripted with the sign "PrE" .
********
Lily woke up with a start, some sort of noise had woken her up. She glanced over and saw she was alone. Her mum had left her at some point. She looked to see it was her phone ringing. Lily yawned and slowly took her phone. Her best friend, Jane was calling. This lifted her spirits. So, smiling, she picked up.
"Hey."
"Hi Lily, what are you up to?"
"Nothing much, just here."
"Like seriously? You promised to accompany me to shop for my birthday. You forgot?"
Lily closed her eyes, she had forgotten her promise to Jane. Lots of crazy things were seriously happening to her.
"Oh Jane, sorry I … it's alright. Let me take my bath. I'm coming over."
"Yeah … but seriously, if you're busy, I won't bore you with my problems, you know."
"Oh no. You are no bore at all. Sorry it escaped my mind. But I want to get ready. Meet you in 30 minutes?"
"Okay Lily, I'm waiting for you girl."
After the call, Lily sighed deeply. The weird events have totally taken over her thoughts, these past years. If only she knew the loads of them coming, she wouldn't have gotten tired over the few ones experienced. Anyway, she got up from bed and headed to the bathroom. Moments later, was dressed and ready to go. But the thoughts of her drawing came to her, she looked at it one last time and snapped the image. Her mother would eventually dispose of it, as she had others. Having taken the picture, she left her room and called out to her mum.
"Mum, I'm going out to meet Jane."
"Okay love, be back as soon as possible."
"We are going shopping for her birthday dress."
"Its all good baby, take care of yourselves."
Lily left the house wondering why her mum didn't come out to hug her like before. Could be she's attending to other things, Lily thought.
*********
When Eucharia heard the bang of the front door, that was it! Lily had finally gone to meet her bestie. So she was alone and free to make one important call, without any fear of someone eavesdropping. She put the box back into her wardrobe, got her phone and dialed a number.
"Hello." It was a deep voice, male.
"Its me."
"Okay," The caller obviously knew her voice. "I haven't heard from you all these while. Has it started?"
"Yes, although there was a break, but it is back again and the final stage is yet to come up."
"Wow. Don't you think we should act now? Or should we wait for the final stage?"
"We should act now. This is obviously the right time, Give me time to get everything ready."
"Sure. We have to act as soon as possible. So, I will be there, let's say in three days time. Is that okay by you?"
"Its very okay. Thanks."
"You're welcome and Eucharia?"
"Yes?"
"No mistakes. Any mistake at this point is lethal."
"No worries, I got this."
After the call, Eucharia sat thinking. The time was now. The time to act fast was now, before she lost everything she had worked so hard for. Yeah…