CHAPTER FIVE: (Part 1) WHEN INFLUENCE STARTED TO SOUND LIKE FREEDOM
1083 Words
Prisca did not know she was changing until people started treating her
It was not a change.
It was things.
The way Prisca paused before answering questions.
The way Prisca stopped laughing even when something was funny.
The way Priscas eyes did not follow conversations fully.
Prisca was still in school.
Prisca was still wearing her uniform.
Prisca was still sitting in class.
Something inside Prisca had started to change.
Diamond noticed the change in Prisca differently.
Diamond did not need explanations to understand people.
Diamond only needed to see how people behaved.
One afternoon after school Diamond waited for Prisca outside the school gate like she had done times before.
Pina arrived after and she was quieter than usual.
They walked together for a while without talking.
The city around them was loud and busy.
Cars were honking.
People were shouting.
Music was coming from shops.
Life was going on like it always did.
Diamond was the first to break the silence.
"You are too quiet these days " Diamond said.
Prisca looked at Diamond. "I am normal " Prisca said.
Diamond laughed once. "No you are not " Diamond said.
Prisca did not say anything.
Pina looked at them. Did not say anything either.
Diamond continued, speaking in a voice.
"There is a place I go to sometimes after school " Diamond said.
Prisca did not react immediately.
Pina frowned slightly. "What kind of place is it?" Pina asked.
Diamond shrugged. "It is a place to meet people and talk and forget about stress " Diamond said.
Prisca looked at Diamond now.
That word "forget" made Prisca think.
Forget stress.
Forget pain.
Forget memories.
Prisca did not say anything.
Prisca was listening.
That night Prisca sat at home with her Uncle Samuel.
He was reading something on his phone when he noticed Priscas expression.
"You are thinking much again " Uncle Samuel said calmly.
Prisca blinked slowly. "I am not thinking " Prisca said.
He looked up.
"That is worse " Uncle Samuel replied.
Prisca did not say anything.
He put his phone down.
"I heard from your school " Uncle Samuel said carefully. "You have been distant " Uncle Samuel said.
Prisca shrugged slightly. "I am fine " Prisca said.
He looked at Priscas face for a moment.
Then he said something quietly.
"You keep saying that but I do not think you know what it means anymore " Uncle Samuel said.
That sentence made Prisca pause.
Prisca did not argue.
Because part of Prisca knew Uncle Samuel was right.
The day Diamond came to school with more energy than usual.
Diamond had a kind of excitement that did not belong to school life.
"Today you are coming with me " Diamond said immediately.
Prisca hesitated. "Where are we going?" Prisca asked.
Diamond smiled. "Just trust me " Diamond said.
Pina frowned. "I do not think—"
Diamond interrupted. "Relax nobody is forcing you to do anything " Diamond said.
Diamonds eyes were fixed on Prisca.
Not Pina.
Prisca felt that.
Something inside Prisca changed slightly.
Not agreement.
Not refusal.
Just curiosity.
That was enough.
They left school earlier than usual.
The sun was still high. The heat was pressing down on the streets of the city.
Diamond led the way confidently through paths.
Prisca followed behind Diamond.
Pina stayed close. Pina was uneasy and silent.
The deeper they walked the more Prisca noticed the environment changing.
It was less structured.
More chaotic.
More alive in a way.
Diamond greeted people casually along the way.
Some people responded warmly.
Some people laughed.
Some people looked at Prisca with curiosity.
Prisca did not return their stares.
Prisca just followed.
Eventually they stopped near an area where groups of young people gathered, talking freely without school uniforms or structure.
Diamond relaxed instantly.
"This is where I come sometimes " Diamond said.
Prisca looked around slowly.
It did not look dangerous.
It did not feel like school either.
It felt like something in-between.
Pina stayed behind uncomfortable and observing.
Diamond turned to Prisca.
"You think much about sadness " Diamond said lightly.
Prisca blinked. "I do not think about it " Prisca said.
Diamond smiled slightly. "That is the problem " Diamond said.
Prisca did not understand.
Diamond continued.
"You are holding onto something that already left you behind " Diamond said.
Those words stayed in the air.
Prisca did not respond immediately.
Because Prisca did not know what Prisca was supposed to say.
For a while they just stood there.
They listened to conversations.
They watched people interact freely.
They heard people laughing.
They heard people arguing.
They saw people living without hesitation.
Prisca noticed something
Everyone here seemed unburdened.
Not necessarily happy.
Lighter.
Like they had stopped resisting life.
Diamond noticed Priscas expression.
"You see?" Diamond said.
Prisca looked at Diamond. "See what?" Prisca asked.
Diamond smiled.
"This is what normal feels like when you stop carrying much memory " Diamond said.
Prisca did not answer.
The idea stayed.
That evening when they returned home Uncle Samuel was waiting.
He did not speak immediately.
He just observed.
Diamond waved casually. Left quickly.
Pina said a goodbye and followed.
Prisca remained at the gate for a moment
Uncle Samuel finally spoke.
"You came back late " Uncle Samuel said.
Prisca nodded.
He studied Prisca carefully.
"Where were you?" Uncle Samuel asked.
Prisca hesitated.
Then Prisca answered simply.
"I was with Diamond " Prisca said.
His expression changed slightly.
Not anger.
Concern.
"Be careful " Uncle Samuel said.
Prisca frowned. "Be careful of what?" Prisca asked.
He paused.
"People do not always lead you out of pain " Uncle Samuel said slowly. "Sometimes people lead you deeper into pain without you noticing " Uncle Samuel said.
Prisca did not respond.
Prisca heard him.
Even if Prisca did not fully accept it.
That night Prisca lay in bed again.
Sleep did not come quickly.
Priscas mind kept replaying the day.
The people.
The noise.
Diamonds words.
This is what normal feels like…
Prisca turned on her side.
Prisca stared at the wall.
For the first time, in a long time Prisca did not think about her parents.
Not because Prisca was healed.
Because something else had started occupying space inside Priscas mind.
Something quieter.
Something that felt like escape.
Prisca whispered into the darkness:
"I just want things to feel normal again."
Even as Prisca said it Prisca did not know what "normal" meant anymore.
That frightened Prisca more than Prisca could admit.
- Writer
