Chereads / THE VOICE BEFORE US / Chapter 5 - CHAPTER   4                ONCE UPON A NOVEL

Chapter 5 - CHAPTER   4                ONCE UPON A NOVEL

I see my life flashes right before my very eyes… I was gazing at the sky for a second, and the moment I looked ahead was the moment I knew, I died…. I wasn't prepared, I was scared as pieces of abstract slowly starts falling apart. I see it at the edge of my eye and I'm just waiting to be struck as I see the last light of my entity to be done.

My mind felt like flying in midair, still confused if I met my dead end, still questionable– curiosity dig me in, how is it possible that my ears start to reactively hear the sound of lashes and jangles of swords? I mean. Is it too late to dream of such a thing now? hearing the clashes and loudness of a soldier mourning out of mischievous grief. Coldness surrounds her as if she's not ready to embrace her faith. She'd be all at sea, yearning to go home… but instead woke up in a middle of a war.

This is madness! She Wasn't hoping for any paradise but certainly didn't expect to be awakened by a battle that seem to take place in the early 90s. Soldiers were heavily armored, looking like common nights as they called on fairytales. Spears and shields were wielded continuously, non-stop of blood spread and splattered on the steady ground.

I was scared but now terrified as various faces with massive horses started coming towards me. Like I'm a prey in the middle of savage predators. This was the moment I was supposed to be in peace… But it didn't take long, as the numbness and fragility of my entire body hit me that this time… I have to run.

Fearful thoughts go in and out of Noel's, wondering when will it ever end. She is still unaware that at this very moment, there's no escape. For it was only the beginning of her journey.

***

In the dark creepy woods, a cat found itself stuck in a bush. Trying to get out of a serious situation but the branches and leaves were too strong for him… Almost like gobbling him up. The cat screamed at the top of his lungs but all there is to hear is a loud meow echoing throughout the place. All he can see was pure trees, green, and a strong air passing by. The cat's fur was pitch black and its eyes starts to widen as it twitches its ear. Aware that someone is finally coming…Someone can finally help him. He yowled in what seemed to be joy. But its tailed starts curling once countless soldiers passed by. Help hasn't arrived but a resume to a battle widely known. It was hopeless for the poor black cat, he was struggling and wasting time on a bush he couldn't even free himself from…

"I hate my life" he sulked

By himself, with the leaves and sky, alone in the most unwanted place. The cat was having a flashback on why did he even end up in the woods. He was in the village casually stealing food from the market when a strange man came on screaming and running

***A CAT THIEF! EVERYONE MAKE WAY***

The black cat starts running faster, it does understand human language. She swiped and jumped here and there, he looks back only to see the man multiply and there are more people chasing him. At that moment he got scared and found a small gap having no idea that it leads to the bewildering wood, or as the villagers say, "The dark Forest"

"Finally, It's gone," a villager said, together with the rest of the crowd who seems to be sellers of the market. After chasing the black cat, they decided to go back to mind their own business.

The cat doesn't feel a bit of guilt as he was used to it, but he would have thought that a day would come when he would be needing help or at least someone that could give him a hand. Nevertheless, he didn't regret his life decision as long as he waits patiently. Although he's very impatient so he wiggles and moves around to free himself, but it's useless. Almost like it's getting worse than before. Only this time he can't breathe properly and it's getting hard to make movements as he was getting poked and scratched from the thorns of the bush. There's nothing he can do but stare at the blue sky and be buried in his thoughts. But just before he could close his eyes peacefully he saw a silhouette right above him.

"Is it a miracle? No, it's an angel in disguise! " He cried as he can finally ask for help…

Not so long a girl with long-dark blue hair appeared and jumped recklessly from above the tree. Which shocks him a bit but was at ease when it saw him. A helpless cat begging for help. Meow~ he waited for so long.

"Lady… P-please he–"

The young lady snatched him with no words and start running. The cat was too stunt to speak.

"What's up with this woman?!... Is she being chased by someone?" The running felt endless and after a while, they finally stopped. The young woman fell down to her knees trying to catch her breath. The cat slowly turns its back without saying anything.

"Aren't you even gonna say thank you?! Hah, so ungrateful" She said as she wiped some dirt around her dress but the cat was somehow unbothered and didn't mind her. "Hey stop pretending… I know you can speak"

This made the black cat stop and finally look at the lady… No matter how the cat sees it, the woman in front of her was known by a noble family. So the cat doesn't dare to disobey her.

"Yes? M'lady Gladwine?"

The young lady was surprised by his response. Although aware that the cat in front of her is not just any ordinary pet. She knew everything about the cat so it's normal for it to talk so formally to her… The truth is she was astonished by how the cat addressed her.

The name Gladwine… was familiar. but to keep her cool, she just ask the cat "Which way is the village?"

The cat continued to walk to direct the lady as a sign of gratitude and to repay Lady Gladwine for her kindness. As soon as they got out of the forest the black cat confidently walks through the village as if nothing happen. She looks up, only to see the lady standing in front of the shop's mirror, dumbfounded at her own reflection.