ENTANGLED

DEVIL IN DISGUISE

I sighed heavily, tucking myself into bed. My head wouldn't let me sleep since I kept hearing the augurs' word in my head over and over.

'The darkness is coming your way, it's tempting but resist it, if you get lured by it's charm, it will nab you like a fugitive"

  “No, no, no sleep Annabel, don't think about that woman” I tried convincing myself but honestly, I wasn't thinking about that crazy fortune teller but her words.

What was happening to me? I never believe in such things, then why was I so affected?

Or rather scared?

This was all Lydia’s fault if she did not insist on wanting to know about her love life then the fortune teller wouldn't have touched me.

She must have hated me for no reason, I mean I didn’t even want to know about my future but she still had to touch me.

More so how comes my life was to become darkness while Lydia's a garden of rosses. This was so unfair. I thought again.

Suddenly the room started shaking, was it the earth quake?

No it wasn't, something huge and dark like a cloud descended in my bedroom, it came with a strong wind which made the papers from my desk scatter all over the place.

I held my chest trying to breath since the air was leaving my lungs.

What was happening? 

The cloud circled in front of me for some seconds then a booming voice spoke

"I am brownout and from today I shall make you mine"

“No," I screamed

"Never, Never, Never" i tried covering my ears and eyes but still i could hear his laugh.

"Ha ha ha ha" I tried to scream back but it only came out as a whisper as I was terrified at the same time shivering like a leaf during winter.

I couldn't believe that the fortune teller was telling the truth- well some part of me did believe I just didn't want to. Am I making sense?

“Someone help me! Mom! Dad!” I tried calling out for help but I couldn’t find my voice.

“Hahahaha no one will help you, no one can hear you! Don’t resist" it said maliciously.

“Nooooooo!” I woke up screaming, dad and mom were in my room in an instant.

I was sweating all over not to mention trembling

“Anna darling, come down its just a nightmare” said my mother embracing me.  It was 10 am, apparently, I was dreaming,

oh thank you God,

I let out a sigh of relief and hugged my mom tightly 

“A nightmare, nothing but a nightmare” I kept repeating trying to calm myself down.

My mother had a concerned look, glancing at my dad

“Honey, you are sweating all over, go on and take a shower then join us down for breakfast” she said getting up from my bed.

I quickly headed into the bathroom and took my shower though the splashing sound kept on bringing back the farmiliarness of the nightmare.

After finishing up i headed downstairs but when I reached at the top of the staircase, someone came from behind and spooked me. I yelped in panic and slipped rolling down the staircase.

                                 ***

When I gained back consciousness, I was at the hospital bed, my little sister Joan was watching over me with a concerned looked.

“Annabel, how are you feeling?" she asked with a soft voice.

I tried to move my leg and lift my head but pain sharply coerced through my body denying me the pleasure.

Mom stood up quickly preventing me from moving and I laid down still

“Well apart from my head and leg I think am okay, what happened?” I asked trying to remember what really happened

“You fell down the staircase!” answered my mother.

I tried moving my leg again to ensure I wasn’t paralyzed

“What are you doing? Doesn’t it hurt?” she asked concerned

“Well at least there are no pipes connected to my nose, so I think i will survive” I winked at her trying to lighten her mood.

“what I fail to understand is why you fell down you are never the clumsy one” My mother said

  “The last thing I remembered I was about to walk down the staircase suddenly someone spooked me and I freaked out then slipped, that's all”

“The loud voice was apparently your brother’s” said my dad with anger

“Eddy, where is he?” I asked struggling to get up but the pain stopped me again.

My dad shook his head and stepped out when his phone rang.

“I don’t think he will show up because of of guilt but you know he cares don’t you? He didn’t know you would fall” Joan whispered so that my mom wouldn’t hear

“Poor Eddy...”

“Poor Eddy? It’s Poor you, we could have lost you” mom lashed out

“but I did not!” I cut her short

"Am okay mom" I assured her softly

“Am sure he didn’t meant no harm, you know he likes teasing and pranking me all the time” I continued

“Even at the staircase?” my mom’s voice was now raising.

She woke up suddenly and left the room slamming the door behind her making my head to hurt even more.

Joan and I looked at each other and she just shrugged.

Even at 9 years she knew so much than her age allowed.

‘Try to understand them they were worried about you and you don’t have to pretend that you are not hurting, I can see through your façade” she said looking so serious she was so cute whenever she acted like an adult, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Hey who are you and what have you done to Joan” I countered back pinching her on the cheek she swabbed my hand which I dodged easily.

“Am being serious Annabel consider mom and dad’s feeling too” she said then hugged me gently

“Whoah! When did you grow up?” I patted her head and hugged her back.

We stayed like that for a while until the door opened.

“Eddy” I called his name in a whisper

“you came” i said excitedly Joan got up from the bed when Eddy strolled up to my bedside.

He didn’t say a thing, I could see guilt written on his face and I didn’t like that one bit.

We were very close as a family and I knew he would never hurt me knowingly. We liked to prank each other a lot and he has had quite his share.

“Am really sorry Anna I swear it was never my intention” it was a plea he took my hand into his and brought it to his face.

I tried to open my mouth to speak but he stopped me.

“shhh… don’t say anything lemme finish.” He took a deep breath before continuing.

“Mom and Dad are right, I should really grow up and be responsible for my own actions and I promise from now on no more endangering games in the name of pranks.”

“Ok enough seriousness lighten up I forgive you so can you please smile I hate being serious and you are gloomy right now” I failed miserably trying to lighten the mood he just nodded and when I looked at Joan she just shook her head warning me not to make any jokes.

Eddy left just when my parents came back with the doctor. It was time for my check up again and it wasn’t amusing.

I hated anything that had to do with hospitals. After the doctor was done to my disappointed when I heard that I had to stay the night for observation.

Joan and dad left after a while but Mom stayed behind to look after me.

To be honest I was glad she stayed I didn’t want to be alone and I almost regretted my decision when she started fusing over me during dinner. She knew I hated hospital food so she had our nanny bring me food from home.

If she wasn’t cutting my food into little pieces then she was trying to make me drink the soup or adjusting my pillow and wiping my mouth after every spoonful.

I tried to complain but she wouldn’t let me. So finally I gave in. as soon I was done I just wanted to call it a day and sleep.

I was now full and to top it up felt drowsy because of the pain medication.

I don’t know how long I slept but I woke when I felt like someone touched my cheek and when my eyes flattered open.

For a moment I thought I saw a figure beside my bed. I rubbed my eyes to see clearly and whoever was there was no more. My mom was sleeping on the couch,

‘I must be seeing things” I murmured and went back to sleep.