"Yes, yes. Follow me child"
She turned around and walked along a shelf of books placed to the side of her desk. She bent down and her fingers traced the books in the third row from the bottom and pulled out the seventh book from the left, a boring plain brown hardcover and a thick book. The type people would rarely touch and leave it dusty. She flipped through a few of its pages at its centre and placed it back in and pushed it with her index.
She stayed still for quite a few minutes while I wondered what she could possibly be doing. I tried my best to keep an unbothered face, unlike the most uneasy feelings I felt within, when suddenly the shelf moved and slid sideways opening to a secret passageway from the wall behind. It was dark and I couldn't make out anything except a few steps and a railing against the walls along the passage that disappeared into darkness. Genelia expectantly looks at me. Does she expect me to go in there? Who knows what she could possibly do?
"Don't worry I am not trying to kill you!"
"Did you read my mind?"
"Nobody needs mind reading to know that, it's practically written all over your face"
"Oh yeah! Then my face must already show my rejection as well"
"If you don't even give me a chance to explain, how will I tell you anything?"
"Why does it have to be in the middle of nowhere?"
"It's confidential"
" You seriously expect me to go there when you have annoyed me to the point I have to come here. And when I do, you try to use your powers on me, then laugh like some maniac saying it was just confirmation. And now this!"
"Listen, I agree it's my fault. I want to make it up to you which I will one day. Besides, I do like your fearless attitude."
Another masochist.
"Hey, how am a masochist?"
"Did you just read my thoughts again? You said you wouldn't"
"You were practically laying it out for me to read it."
"Doesn't mean you have to look at anything opened accidentally, when you know you shouldn't be."
"Fine alright, my fault, apologies young lady."
I nodded with a plastered smile and motioned her to keep walking ahead so I could follow her.. she was still grumbling…. I guess she isn't too bad. But still I will keep my guard up. While we walked down the stairs, I asked her about how she reads my thoughts when my level is higher than her. She explained that it's not that she can't read them at all… it's just that I had let my guard down. She could use her powers on people with higher levels, but it would depend on the person, how they would retaliate and form a strong fortitude. When I first came into the room, my guard was down so she was able to read my thoughts… but once I became aware of her she could no longer do it. The mental fortitude of a person is what can help repel her powers. People with higher levels than her can do it rather easily than the lesser levels. Usually people below hers can almost never escape from her powers. Moreover, mind reading ability is almost like an innate ability, even if she doesn't want to…. they just pop up.
"Why did you willingly explain all of this to me?"
"Like I said, I wanted to gain your trust."
"Why?... You just met me."
"If we are to work together, then the most important bridge is trust. Moreover… I get this feeling that you're a genuine person."
While I was still stuck in a dilemma, a bright light shone suddenly, it would have almost blinded me if it weren't for my sunglasses. So I just gawked as my mouth fell open. It was like I had entered a different world filled with tech. There were holograms opened up, a few sitting in front of a computer… while others conversed with each other. Some of them were experimenting on gadgets. It was much more intricate than when I had entered SIB. I was stuck in a daze. Until, two fingers snapped before me. I snapped out of my trance and turned slightly to stare at Genelia.
She probably expected this reaction out of me and had this proud look on her face and asked me to follow her. She walked to one corner of the room and clicked a button on the clear screen that stood on a stand fixating into the ground. A wall grew around us, giving us privacy. Once more, I just stood there with my mouth open. She clicked the screen a few more times, and holograms of some old newspapers popped up around us. She took a deep breath and proceeded to start a story I would have never imagined.
"Well, exactly five years ago, a few bodies turned up at random places. The police started investigating the unusual case of murders. What deemed them unusual was that the bodies had turned to bizarre inhuman looking forms. Their skin had turned brownish grey and black veins popped up throughout the bodies. Legs were no longer legs, rather they looked like bird claws. Their eyeballs were completely black as well.
When their bodies were found, blood almost turned black flowed from every opening of their body. They were a horrendous sight to look at. DNA tests showed they were no longer human.
Before their murders, the human they were identified had disappeared for a while according to the missing persons reports filed. They were the most perplexing and bizarre cases that had left the country in mystery. No matter how hard they tried… they couldn't find a single lead about what happened. Later the government chose-"
A shiver ran down my body as my hands unconsciously tried to cover my body. My vision turned hazy and my breathing started to get uneven. I took off everything that covered my face and dropped them on the ground.
That guy.
I took a few steps back. It was getting harder to breathe…my head got fuzzy and my legs felt weak. No matter how much I could pretend to be tough… I was still afraid of him. His face and the thought of him coming after me haunted me. I lost my balance and Genelia immediately stepped and swooped me up. Her face had a worried expression, I was surprised and if it wasn't for my current condition, I would be scoffing and rolling my eyes at her. Her mouth moved as she said something but I couldn't make out what she was saying neither could I answer… I just couldn't. I felt suffocated. My hands moved to clench my throat. Genelia's eyes glowed and I could hear her words in my head…. I will save you. My hands clenched on her clothes and my eyes shut.
*****
I was running in the dark forest, he was coming after me. His repulsive gaze on me… I fell on the ground. I tried crawling further, his one hand grabbed mine. I screamed my lungs out… Please let me go. A hand glowing appeared before me… I grasped it for my dear life and, it pulled me out… and-
"Haaa…"
I gasped and my eyes opened, I found myself laying down on a sofa. Genelia, who was standing a little further from me, quickly stepped closer and kneeled next to me. She had a motherly gaze while she desperately asked whether I was okay. I just stared at her.
Tears formed in my eyes and I hugged her, words weren't required. Her arms covered my back and pulled me in closer, it's all over, she spoke again in my mind. We stayed that way for a moment, before I regained my senses, and I felt embarrassed. I couldn't speak, so she brought me a glass of water and sat next to me. She knows it. She cleared her throat.
"I am sorry for invading your memories, I-"
"Umm… it's alright… You helped me." I felt awkward.
"Do you find it that embarrassing?"
"You can't imagine how much I want to bury myself underground. I was putting up a tough act and the next moment I broke down. I just… I don't know what to say"
"Hahaha… oh sweetie, You are still a kid and I am an adult who should look out for you after all, I am almost as old as your mother." A look of reminisce on her face. It confused me but my mood darkened when she mentioned my mother.
"I don't have a mother…. no family for that matter." I said frustrated.
"I am really sorry, but you do have Novak-"
"Don't mention them, they mean nothing to me" I raised my voice a little higher this time.
"I see…I have no problem becoming your family"
"Woah! Woah! Aren't we progressing too fast! It's true you saved me but you are getting way ahead of yourself, I am still not open to such things." She had a dejected look on her face and I felt I had to say something.
"I prefer to take it slow."
She smiled but still continued to say bull crap about calling her aunt or something. I don't understand why she is going this far for someone she just met.
"Why are you being so nice? Do you perhaps have a relationship with me?"
"My best friend's youngest daughter"
What? She said what??