Birth of the Queen

Chapter Two: Old Faces

Prita P.O.V.

 I took an emergency leave and got out of the office and started walking . Suddenly I stopped to think. What am I doing? Where am I going? I realized I had unknowingly taken the sidewalk and was very near to the alleyway. I didn’t know what I was doing but my gut kept nudging me to take that alley. I stood at the sidewalk for a while. I don’t know how much time. Then I did the craziest thing I had ever done in my entire life. I walked into the alleyway. It was past midday. But the alley had its usual cold and shady look. I stopped in front of the gate where I saw that man yesterday. Then, I did something even more stupid. I opened the gate which was half broken and I pushed in. I could feel the danger I’m walking into. Even if there’s no one here, these buildings are fragile and I could see huge chunks of cement here and there. I didn’t know where to go from here. I gathered the rest of my wits and turned back to leave, when I heard a deep male voice from behind, “What’s wrong with you?” I turned around and saw a man wearing a hoodie and jeans. It took fraction of a second to realize that it was him, the person I saw yesterday. He was wearing pretty much the same clothes, except he wasn’t smoking. I froze at the spot. I could neither speak nor move. That guy didn’t bulge too. “Are you insane or do you want to die?” he asked gruffly. I couldn’t say anything, as if somebody had stolen my tongue. I don’t know how long I stood there and the man said nothing either, nor did he show his face. Standing there for a while, I could only form three words, “Where is Rome?” The man asked me in an annoyed tone, his expressions not visible, “What the hell is Rome?” I was again lost. Then he suddenly took a step towards me and then two and three. He kept coming closer but I couldn’t seem to back off. I kind of felt that I didn’t need to, though my mind kept saying that he could be potentially dangerous. He stopped when he was a few steps away from me. “What the hell?” he seemed like talking to himself. His tone rose, “You? Do you know who I am? Anyway, you’ve come to the wrong place. You better f**k off before you get hurt.” I seemed to have found my voice, “I don’t know you. I’m here to look for Rome.” “Oh! Not again. Who is Rome? And why would he be here?” he sounded really annoyed. “You know what? I don’t give a f**k. You can just go if you don’t wish for a painful death. I don’t want to ruin my day by killing a stupid faggot like you.” He threatened me and he sounded serious. But I somehow stayed there. And I don’t know where those words came from but I heard myself saying, “You’re not someone to hurt people. Stop pretending.” What? What am I even saying? This guy just threatened me and all I’m doing is provoking him to do harm to me. The man did not answer. A strange air swirled around us. I shivered a little, not because of cold but something else. Suddenly I got my senses back and I felt that I should run and I did. I looked back one last time and made sure that he is not following me. I saw him standing at his spot and I dashed away.

 I got out of the alleyway and checked my phone. I had seven missed calls from Aaron, five from Benny, two from Ma, three from Moira and five from Rome’s mom, but none from Rome. I rang Aaron’s number first and he picked up right away. He told me in a tense voice, “Prita, where are you?” “I am at Baxter Avenue near my office. Have you heard from Rome?” I asked as calmly as possible. “Yeah. That punk called me half an hour ago and told me that he had an emergency bill payment and he wanted to meet you at Roland’s Wonder Café as soon as possible.”He said breathlessly. “Okay. Fine. But why didn’t he call me?”I would be lying if I said I wasn’t surprised. “He didn’t? He said he would. Well, ring him now. I would have come but he said it’s something private.” Said Aaron. “Yeah. Okay. Bye. I’ll let you know.” I tapped the red button. I walked to the nearest bus stop and opened Map online to see where this café is. The map showed some distance of three kilometers. Strange! I have walked through this area so many times but I never found or heard of a place like Roland’s wonder. Anyway, before taking off, I called Roman. He finally picked up but the signal was very poor and I couldn’t hear his voice and only my voice kept echoing. It’s a common phenomenon these days. So, I decided to waste no more time and opened the online map and started heading towards my destination. It took me about 30 minutes to reach the place. The café was off the road in some small neighborhood and very few people were there. I walked inside the café and saw no one. I felt a bit eerie but decided to go further in. I saw a wooden staircase going up. I took it and after a few steps I could hear music. I hurried up and opened the door and rushed in but found no one but a man sitting at a table; his back towards me. Looking at his back, I knew that he wasn’t Rome. I got a very weird feeling in this place. But I was here to meet Rome. So, I did what I thought was the only option. I went to the man and asked, “Excuse me?” The man turned around and I saw someone I hoped I never met in this lifetime. Tristan. A smirk broke through his curved lips, “Welcome, bestie.”

I felt like someone sucked the air out of my lungs. My stomach felt like it would fall out of my abdomen. I didn’t realize I was shaking. Tristan got up from the chair and started stepping towards me and as he progressed I retracted my steps until I hit the wall. He stopped right before me and stooped down so that our faces were at the same level. He tilted his head and started checking my face. His eyes stopped at my eyes and he said, as if he’s complaining, “Your eyes are smaller than I remember.” I trembled as his breath brushed my face. He stood up straight and chuckled, “But I have to admit that I am impressed by your change.” Again, he turned towards me and said, no, complained, “How did you get that burn on your left leg, huh? And, that too, in that ugly bow shape. Haven’t I always told you to be careful?” I was shocked. I was wearing a full length jeans and a top covered by maroon blazers. How did he see that mark on my leg? No, he can’t see that. How did he know? But, that’s impossible. I burned myself accidentally by a match two years ago and I haven’t seen Tristan since I turned 18. And very few people know about this because it wasn’t a major accident and the burn was on my left thigh and basically nobody saw it except for my Ma. He seemed to know what I was thinking. He stepped in front of me and said in fake assurance, “Don’t worry. You’ll get your answers.” He again turned around and said, rather, whined, “But I am a little heartbroken that you’ve found yourself another bestie. I wanted to kill him right away but I stayed my hands just because I wanted to see you.” I plucked up courage after a long time and said in a broken voice, “Where is Rome?” Tristan faced me and his eyes looked like he was hurt and then they changed into something else. He said emotionlessly, “Here I’ve been waiting for you and all you ask for is Rome. What is he? Is he really your best friend or have you guys already hit it?” At first, I couldn’t understand what he just said and when I did my blood started to boil. All these while, I was silent, trying to absorb the situation around me but now, he hit the wrong vein. I shouted, “What? What did you say? You Fucker! That’s what’s wrong with you. You tried to ruin my life once and Now, you’re doing it again. Get your filthy hands off my friends or else you’ll regret doing all this.” He looked alarmed and then he looked pleased, “Good. That’s my Prita. Always the feisty one. But I want you to hold your fire for a while, Bestie, at least, until your best friend arrives and I cut out every fiber of his body.” I was scared but I could not let that beast win. I demanded, “Where is Rome, Tristan? You give him back now. Right now.” He clicked his tongue and said, “Did you forget that I can’t let another living being around you? Can you not see my pain? I’m doing all of this for you. Haven’t you learnt that you’ll get hurt if you keep doing what you’re doing right now?” I was about to retort but I was caught midair as I heard footsteps. The kitchen door opened and I saw some men carrying Rome inside. He was half unconscious. They sat him down on an empty chair. I ran towards him and sat down on my knees. Tears threatened to fall down as I saw Rome’s bruised cheeks and hands. But thankfully, he was breathing. What did they do to you, Rome? I turned my head towards Tristan and asked, “What the hell did you do to him?” Tristan puckered his mouth and said in a disgustingly whiny tone, “Oh! Are you hurt seeing him like that? Relax. I just touched your baby. He isn’t dead. But he soon will be if you don’t listen to me.” I could n0101o longer control myself. Tears of anger, fear and disgust rolled down my cheeks. I got up and faced Tristan, “What do you want from me?” “Not much. Cut out every connection you have with people.” He said plainly. I looked into his eyes and asked, “Then, what? What would I do? How would I live? Or, should I just die? If that’s what you want.” He clicked his tongue and said in a very dramatic voice, “Oh no, no, no, Bestie. You cannot die. Never. You’ll live with me. We’ll be there for each other. You won’t need anybody because no matter what, you’ll always have me.” He started drawing closer. His eyes looked serious, strangely confident; he continued, “You’ll realize that you’ll need protection always, otherwise things like that” – he pointed his left index finger towards my left thigh – “will keep happening and you won’t be lucky every time.” I moved away from his closure and shouted, “What the hell are you talking about? I really don’t know how you know about this but that match just slipped and it wasn’t even a major accident. Why are you creating such a fuss about this? And moreover, you don’t have the right to say any of this.” I didn’t realize that I forgot to breathe. I inhaled sharply and felt my eyes starting to sting again; I continued, “You always wanted this. Didn’t you? I will have no one but you while you live happily with your so-called friends. That’s what you always wanted. Didn’t you? Answer me.” I yelled the last part. I slapped him hard on his right cheek and cried, “Answer me.” He brushed his right palm on the reddened part and spoke slowly, looking into my eyes, “See Pri, here’s the best part. I won’t need anyone else if you’re with me. I don’t want anyone. I’ll gladly leave everyone, be it friends, family, anyone. But you never understood. You never tried to understand that you are the air I want to breathe. I don’t have to look for anything else because being with you would be enough for me to live.” He shifted his gaze from my eyes to my hands which were grabbing his shirt tightly. I couldn’t remember when I did that. He put his hands on mine and I jolted back. “Don’t touch me. You disgust me.” I distorted my face in hatred. I can’t believe I was friends with him once. God! Have I been stupid! He became a psychopath. Actually, no. He had been a psychopath all along. The only problem is that I realized it much later, after everything went beyond repair. I realized that shouting and blabbering won’t do any good. I had to save Rome. I put on my best pleading face and requested in my most soothing tone, “Look, Tristan. This isn’t the way you negotiate such things. I told you before that this is not normal. You can’t do that to anyone. Okay, I shall listen to you this time if you let Rome go. Can you do that for me, please?” His eyes turned black and his voice fuming with anger, “See. After all of this, you still can’t let him go. Why?” his eyes looked crazy, “Now, I’ll be sure to kill him. I won’t let him harm you. I can’t risk your life.” He turned towards the men and madness boomed through his voice, “Kill him.” One of the men took out a knife and started walking towards Rome. My whole world seemed to be spinning. I didn’t know what to do. So, I did the only thing that came to my head. I pushed Tristan with all my strength and dashed forward and I saw the knife coming towards Rome but I flaunted myself in front of him before it could reach his throat. The sharp blade slashed through my flesh. I could feel a warm liquid flowing from my left shoulder blade. And I felt an excruciating pain but then something happened which I could not quite perceive. The man who was yielding the knife screeched and screamed and his hands turned blackish and he wriggled as if he was burning. I could not see clearly. My head was light and only thing I could see before I passed out was that Tristan was rushing towards me.

I woke up with a headache and I couldn’t quite remember how I got on a sofa. I sat up and tried to absorb my surroundings. Then I heard a voice behind me. “You should rest, Pri.” Wait, I know that voice. I turned my head towards the person and saw Tristan. At first, I thought I was hallucinating or something. But, everything started becoming clear in my head. I remembered how Tristan came back and how he had tortured Rome. Wait, Rome. Where is Rome? I jumped out of the sofa, still a bit dizzy. I tried to compose myself but a pain on my shoulder made it even more difficult. I saw a bandage on it. Still, I faced Tristan and shouted as loudly as possible, stammering a little, “Where is Rome?” Tristan kept staring at me blankly. I dashed towards him with full force and asked, more like demanded, “Let me see Rome. NOW.”  Tristan sighed, as if in defeat. I was genuinely scared that he might have done something to Rome while I was unconscious. He clapped his hands and his men brought Rome through a door. He looked fine. His face lit up as soon as he saw me. He ran towards me and embraced me in a tight hug and cried in joy, “Pri. Thank God, you’re okay.” And all I could say was, “Me too. Are you fine?” I broke away from him and took his hands in mine and saw the bruises, but fainted. How did the bruises heal so easily? I guessed I had no time to think about it now. I looked at Tristan who seemed to be looking at us all the long. He finally stirred and said, “Now, if you two are done. Pri, will you keep your promise?” Rome looked at me and asked, “Wait. What promise?” Tristan sounded impatient, “Oh come on, Pri. We don’t have much time. Come with us fast. We - ” Rome cut him and said, “What? Where’re you goin’? Absolutely not”, he shifted his eyes from me to Tristan and continued, “She’s going nowhere with you, you jackass.” Tristan scoffed, “This attaboy has a death wish. Doesn’t he, Pri?” and then he continued with murderous eyes, “Tell him to shut up or else, I’ll cut his tongue out.” I grabbed Rome’s hand and told him calmly, “Let me handle this.” I walked towards Tristan and he instinctively straightened up a bit. I stopped a few feet apart from him and said, “Tristan, don’t do this. You’re not this person. So, don’t be this person.” I didn’t know why I felt that I should tell him this. Maybe, I thought there was still hope. But Tristan smirked, “I knew it, Pri. It’s one of your tricks. You’d never come with me. So, I already had everything set.” He gestured something towards one of his men and went on, “But I wanted to believe you for a moment. That was a mistake. I told you Pri. I told you that I can do everything for your well-being.” His men brought some cans and started spraying liquid all over the floor. A weird smell hit my nose and in a moment, I knew what they were trying to do. I pleaded, “Tristan, please stop. What’re you doing?” He went on like a madman, “I told you, Pri. I can’t let you die. You have to live. But I shall kill you for the rest of the world. Everyone will know you’re dead while you’ll continue to live with me.” “Tristan, please. What are you saying? It’ll kill us all.” I cried. He looked at me and said with a smile, “See. You and I, we can’t die in such a petty thing. But they will. My men are ready to sacrifice. But your Rome will be a sacrifice too, whether he wants it or not.” The men were now done spreading the oil and I could see them take out the lighters and burners. No. No. No. This can’t happen. Please, somebody save us. Tristan was laughing like crazy. “Let us burn together, Pri. Oh! It’s gonna be so much fun.” He clapped his hands like a child. God! What do I do, now? I tried to run away grabbing Rome’s hand. Tristan barked, “Oh, no! You can’t do that. You can’t get out of this room. There’s no window or door. It’s completely sealed.” He was right. I just came in through the door on the back and now this room didn’t have any door or window or any kind of outlet whatsoever. How? How is that even possible? Did the door disappear? Oh God! This is crazy. Tristan came closer to my face and said with a pout, “Why don’t you want to join me for a little bit of fun? I told you the two of us can’t die in a fire. The, what are you so afraid of?” I don’t know how but I knew he was telling the truth. But I wasn’t scared for myself. I was scared for Rome. He can’t lose his life because of me. I could see a lighter drop down on the floor. Rome was screaming and Tristan was laughing. I froze. This couldn’t be the end. No. Someone, please, save us from this devilry. I could see one flame rise from another, hugging and hissing. The men were chanting something weird, looking at the flames. Smoke rose and I could feel Rome choke beside me. Astonishingly, I found that neither the heat nor the smoke was bothering me much except for a slight tingling in my nose. Tristan seemed to be enjoying. His attention was towards the flames until a crashing sound came from behind us. I seized Rome’s hand and darted my gaze towards the sound and saw someone approaching us. At first, I couldn’t see that person but when he was close enough, I could recognize him right away. Black hoodie up to his chin and the black denim. The hooded man from the alley. I don’t know why but a smile naturally broke through my face. “How did you get yourself into this mess so soon?”, he walked past us, rambling and continuing towards the flames and stood very close to it and within a moment, what looked like the flame reverted. It was like they consumed themselves or something. He turned towards me and spoke, sounding tired, “How many times do in have to save you from stupid things?”

I realized that the fire was gone and the smoke were whirling out although I didn’t see where the exit point was as the room was fully sealed just like Tristan said. Tristan was flabbergasted. But he seized my left arm in the blink of an eye and barked at the hooded man, “Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?”  And he was right. The room had no door or windows. The man did not take off his hood or anything. He sounded bored when he said, “I have no time for your whiny details.” Then he moved towards me and asked, “You. What did you think you were doing, venturing in unknown places? When will you learn to not do what you’re not supposed to do?” I was too shocked to answer but I tried to form words and they came out like this, “I di..didn’t..” “Oh! Stop. I don’t know your deal but I’m really getting tired of saving your ass every time you f**k something up.” He said, raising his hand to stop me from answering. Did he just say My ass? What does he mean? When did he save me except from today? But I had a feeling that I wasn’t gonna get any answers now. So, I didn’t try. I looked at Rome who seemed to have gotten back his composure and said in a low voice, anxiety oozing through every breath, “What’s goin’ on? Who are these people?” but I had more important concerns at hand than answering him. So, I blurted out, “Mind your damn language. And when the hell did you save me?” “What? You’re so ungrateful. I just saved your damn life and you just ask me questions instead of thanking me?” he sounded a bit surprised. What he said was right but I didn’t feel like thanking him, so I crossed my hands before my chest and said, “Fine. You don’t have to save me anymore. I can take care of myself.” Tristan was standing beside me all along and finally he said, “Who is this punk?” The man replied, “You’re the one who should be interrogated for what you did. I wonder how I don’t know who you are but I’ll find out. Remember, you’re dead meat.” Tristan laughed and said mockingly, “Oh! Really? Then, you’ll complain at the High Council. Won’t you? Let me tell you something, princess. I don’t take shits from old women like yourself. This girl over here” he pointed his thumb towards me, looking at the man, “ – she is the One.” He stopped for a bit and then continued, “But, I guess you knew that already.” What is he talking about? Has he gone mad completely? The hooded man didn’t reply right away. He looked like he aws thinking and suddenly he said, “Okay. Whatever. I don’t care about you or her or anyone, as a matter of fact. And for your information, b***h boy, I wasn’t gonna report you to high council. I don’t do such gnarly things. Those are for little children like you.” I was looking from Tristan to the man and trying to understand what they meant. I was growing impatient by the minute and finally I couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Stop insulting each other, you two! And tell me what’s going on. What is this High Council?” I couldn’t even get to complete my sentence before they said in unison, “You don’t need to know right now.” I felt like my brain was gonna burst out of my skull but I said with a sigh, “Fine. Do whatever you guys want to do. I’m not a part of this. Just let us go. Tristan, now.” Tristan was going to say something but the man spoke up first, “There’s a door behind me.” I furrowed my eyebrows and was about to say, “What? There’s no..” but then I saw a door appear out of nowhere behind his back and I swear it wasn’t there a minute ago. I froze. It was like thunder hit me hard on the head. But I didn’t have time to think upon it. So, I strode across the room grabbing Rome’s hand. Tristan got hold of my free hand and pleaded, “Pri, don’t go. Don’t you want the truth?” I shook away his hold and said, “No, Tristan. I don’t wanna know. I don’t care. Don’t come to find me ever again.” Then I looked towards the man. I couldn’t find the proper words. So, I just gave him a glance and walked through the door. In a moment, we found ourselves on the street in front of the café. From outside, it looked completely ordinary. Nobody can ever imagine that so much was happening inside. It was evening. So, I guessed we had been in there for a good few hours. We walked in silence for a while. Finally, Rome broke the ice and said, “Should we report it to the police?” I shrugged. Rome continued, “Nah. I also don’t think anyone would believe it. Everybody would think we were on drugs or something. Man, I can’t believe my own eyes.” He stopped a little as if trying to remember the incident and then he said, “Okay. We should rest. I’ll drop you at home and if anybody asks we’ll say that I was busy with some paperwork in the bank and it was an emergency but I solved it at last and then called you. Okay?” I just nodded. We took the bus and he dropped me off at my door and then he left. Neither of us asked how we got in this situation. We were too shook to even think of asking. But as I sat on my bed after a shower, it became clear to me that my life was going to be very different from now on.