Zenobia: The Last Queen Of The Mountain

Chapter 2- The Becoming

Sighing, I began to look around my room. I saw the finished jug of coffee and the still open novel i had been reading. Even the coffee had not helped, even it could not keep me from sleeping and having that dream. I was stretching out to get the book again when the pain came, I screamed bending over, but it wasn't coming from my back this time, it was coming from my hands. Both hands around my wrist precisely. I carried both hands up, looking at them as i winced in pain. Then i saw it. It started like lines around my wrist then upward. I felt pain every inch the line extended to. Few minutes later the pain stopped. On my right... Was a drawing of ... Of a snake coiled around it with the head on the back of my hand and the tail pointing to my elbow. The scales on the body were colorful and beautiful, smiling, i moved my left hand to touch and caress the drawing. I jumped in Shock when I saw it move. The drawing around my arm moved as though it was a real snake.

What is going on!

Curious, i tried touching and caressing it again and it did move and stir and recoil, then it did the weirdest thing I've ever seen. The head lifted and turned looking at me, eyes on me, it smiled.

Shit!

I jump out of bed freaked out. A snake just smiled at me! Am finally going insane! Scared, i peek at my right hand until i finally have the drawing in view but it had gone back to being just a drawing. I heaved. I won't touch or caress it ever again, I'd rather it forever remained just a drawing or tattoo or any inanimate thing. Looking down again at my left hand, i realized I had a whip around it, and i had just one little moon left on my hand. Just one. By 23rd of next month the last moon will be gone. Would i stop having the dreams then? And what will happen after they are all gone? Could this get any more weird and scary?

*

I changed my wardrobe. I discarded every piece of clothing i had which didn't cover my entire wrist, and bought new ones that covered all the tattoos perfectly, I couldn't let anyone see my wrist not even Josh. Even when i went into the operating room, i wore things that covered my entire hands even before putting on my gloves. I kept them hidden still times even when i visited Mum at the care home. But that didn't keep the feeling of them stirring or seeming to move from time to time, especially when i was scared.

Like one of those nights when i had finished operating on a patient a little past 23 o'clock, i was heading for the garage when i noticed that the lights in and around the garage kept going on and off. Grabbing my keys from my bag i rushed for my car. It felt as though someone was following me or pursuing me, so I walked faster then began to run for my car. I was close to my car when it felt as if a hand from the shadows was about to grab me. I screamed and turned around at that same time, the snake around my hand came alive and snarled, snapping it's head at whatever was in the shadows i wasn't seeing. I took my car key from my right hand and tried unlocking the door of my car while still keeping my right hand with the snake's head standing, stretched at the dark. I only retrieved my hand after entering my car and igniting it. As soon as I drove out of the garage into where they was light and out of the hospital, the snake layers back its head on the back of my hand and went back to being just a drawing. This continued to happen whenever i was scared or felt as though someone was following me.

This wasn't the only strange thing that has been happening. I sometimes looked at the mirror and saw the unveiled face of that lady that looks like me from my dream. Where i was supposed to find face I always found hers, dressed in the same way she was in my dream but with her face unveiled and with that same smile she'd given me that day after i unveiled her face. When i had first seen her face in the mirror instead of mine, I had screamed and even broke the mirror, but as it continued to happen, i gave it no care, even when it happened at the hospital.

Now i heard a voice that always called out for Zenobia even when I was working and not sleeping, even when it wasn't 23rd night. But in this case, the voice was a cry or should I say a plea, as though mourning or calling out to a lost or close relative to please return to them or come help. I tried taking another therapy class from one of the best doctors in the country for two weeks and when it wasn't helping or he kept telling me I was fine, i stopped going for it.

Another thing, when the money had arrived this month, it had a letter inside it for me for the second time since I began receiving the money. Curious, i rushed to open the letter.

"It's almost time

and am almost here

Astropos"

That's it? That's all he or she had to tell me? Sighing, I picked up the envelope of money and went to my room. It wasn't as if i expect a letter of introduction anyway after all these months.

Josh called one of those days asking for an outrageous sum of money. I asked him what it was for and he promised to explain later after i send the money. I dis send the money, but he never offered an explanation, not even two weeks later. What had he needed all that money for? It was five times bigger than his annual University fee which i had already paid, so what had he uses the money for? Was he in some kind of trouble? I hoped not.

It was fourteen days to my birthday and things were going more bizarre than i thought. And yes, someone was definitely always watching and following me, because sometimes I even heard their footsteps behind me but i and the snake always turned around and saw no one. What made it creepy was that it always had this evil aura around it. What is happening to me?

Nine days to my birthday and I almost died in a car accident. What happy? I don't know. I was driving carefully as i always did when the snake stirred and the rope coiled more around my wrist as if they were both warning me about something. The snake hisses many times as though telling me something but i wasn't listening. I was busy chanting to the song playing in the car. I saw his eyes glow and a smile cross his lips before the man ahead of me almost ramped his car into mine. By some unexplainable speed, i was able to quickly dodge it but ended up ramping into a street light on the highway. I must have hit it really hard because the light pole came falling on my car. I was lucky enough to be able to jump out of the car before the light pole fell on it,because it squeezed the entire car into junk. At where i had fallen, i could feel blood dripping from difference parts of my body. People began to gather and soon i could hear the ambulance siren from a distance.

"Try to calm down lady, you'll be fine." One of the nurse from the ambulance tried to console.

I was carried onto a stretcher and wheeled into the ambulance. The last this i remember was them putting an oxygen mask over my nose before i drifted away.

I woke up due to the rays of sunlight entering my eyes. I looked around and discovered i was Ina hospital wearing a patient gown. My eyes widened. Gown! Short gown! They... the nurses here or who ever had undressed me had seen all my marks especially the ones on my wrist. My left hand claps around my right wrist as it to hide the snake drawing.

"Oh! You're awake!' A nurse said putting down the notepad she'd been taking notes on. Seeing the way my left hand covered my right wrist, sh smiled. "By the way, what lovely tattoos you have."

"Thank you." I said glancing a look at her to see if she had curiosity on her face. "What's my condition?"

Smiling she picks up the notepad again. "Surprisingly you're okay. You were bleeding almost everywhere when we arrived the accident scene, but by the time we arrived the hospital, you had no scratch on you."

I shoot up my head to look at her. "None?"

"None. Makes us all wonder where all that blood came from."

"My cat." I cut in not knowing where the lie was coming from. "I had a cat with me, did you see it? Must be where all the blood came from."

"A cat?" The nurse asked looking at me.

"Yeah. White with one eye and a broken tail." I said eyes on a cat in the room opposite mine.

As if sensing where my eyes was, the nurse turned to look at the cat across the room. "Just like that one?" She asked looking back at me

"Yes. Tom was a good cat." I said faking a sniff and sob.

Putting a hand on my shoulder. "Am so sorry Doctor Melissa for the loss of your cat. Am sure Tom was a really good cat. We called your brother and he should be here anytime soon. And since you're okay, every check-up on you says you're fine which is a bit miraculous too, all you have to do is sign your discharge papers, your brother arrives and signs his, and you're free to go home. Is that okay?"

"It's perfect. Thank you."

"It was a pleasure attending to you, Doctor. And once again, nice tattoos."

Josh drove me back home from the hospital and no matter how hard I tried convincing him I was okay, he kept insisting he'll stay until he was sure I was okay. It's not that i wasn't happy.y brother would be staying with me and taking care of me, it's just that with the way things have been happening this days, i really didn't want him staying so he doesn't get entangled in it or think am crazy. I was lying on the couch in the sitting room when I saw him return from the car with a travel bag.

"You packed a bag?" I asked surprised.

Nodding. "Yep. I'll be staying for quiet a while." Josh answered.

"Considering how big that bag is, I guess for quite a while. What's going on Josh? What about school?"

"You're the most careful person I know, the most obedient-to-driving-rules driver I'd add. But I get a call in the middle of classes telling me you've had an accident. It almost gave me a heart attack Mei."

"Am sorry Josh, am sorry I scared you. But this things happen even when you're careful. I can't really explain what happened, but it happened. Okay!"

Nodding "Okay. But while am around, I'll drive you to wherever you wanna go-"

"No." I say sitting up. "I don't agree with that. What about school?"

"I took a two weeks break from studies."

"No Josh. No! You can't do that."

"But I did. You know what scares me most? The fact that your birthday is in a few days and the last of that mark whatever it is, will be gone. It could mean anything Mei, and I can't let you face that alone. Whatever its gonna be or become, we'll face it together. Like you always say, I can't afford to loose anyone else."

"You won't loose me Josh, I promise." I say opening my hands. He drops his bag and walks over and hugs me.

"I know." He says sniffing and leaning away from me "And ... I might be in some kind of trouble too."

"Josh!"

"Don't worry, I have it under control. Nothing will go wrong."

**

"So we'll have a home party?" I asked him.

"Yeah. We'll just have a home party, you and me. It's gonna be fun, trust me."

"Okay, I look forward to it brother."

He winks at me with a smile before walking out of the dinning. "One more thing." He says walking back in. "You hav a blind date on the 25th."

"Josh!"

He laughs. "I love you too and you can't say no or I'll put out your personal information on all dating sites and hook you up with more guys than you can say no to."

"Josh!"

It's time you get a man."

"I hate you." I scream

"I love you too sis." He yells back finally leaving.

So with Josh around things got less weird and creepy. I mean, I still see her face instead of mine each time I look at the mirror and the snake still stirs restlessly most times am alone in the office or at home, but that was the height of it. With Josh taking me everywhere, I was totally fine.

And for my birthday, Josh wanted us to have an indoor party. He wouldn't even let me visit Mum like i always do every other year. He said my birthday is the first day after all the moons disappear from my hands, so the day could be dangerous. Backing himself up with movies, he said that how it always happen. I don't know if he's just scared something will happen or he has watched too many magical movies.

**

"Happy Birthday in advance Doctor." Many said as i walked pass the receptionist.

"Thank you. Thank you very much. I appreciate." I say smiling and waving.

Today was 23 and I was getting tomorrow off duty. Perfect. The entire day and next all to myself, enough time for all of Josh's plans. I throw my bag through the drivers window at Josh and he catches it.

"I see you had a great day at work."

"All my patients are fine and smiling, so yes, I had a great day at work." I say climbing into the passengers seat.

He passes me my bag. "So we head straight home?"

"No." I say pushing some strand of hair behind my ear. "Let's stop by that big pharmacy down Stonil streets, I need to grab some drugs."

Josh turns to look at me. "You just walked out of a -"

"I know Josh, but I don't want eyes on me or anything. The pharmacy is safer." I turn to look at him, his eyes were still on me. "Come on Josh, it's nothing harmful, am a Doctor, remember. I'd never take anything harmful. I just need something to loosen me up a bit. I've been running around all day."

We finally stop by the pharmacy and I grabbed some packets of Provigil. I needed something to keep me awake tonight especially since coffee couldn't do the job last month. I believe Provigil is gonna give me the sleepless night I need tonight. It's been tested and trusted even by military men. It can keep you awake up to 40 hours with no sleep. But I wasn't gonna take chances tonight, am gonna take an overdose of it.

"Do you want me to sleep with you tonight?" Josh ask as we clear our dinner plates.

I smile shaking my head. "No. Am not sleeping right away anyway. Am gonna watch some movies. Are you in?"

"Sure. Am not feeling sleepy right away either."

So we hit the sitting room and watch 'Wrath of man' starring Jason Statham. When it was done, we began to watch Cruella.

"Zenobia !" A voice called pulling me into my dream land. When I open my eyes, here I am standing in that all too familiar wilderness. The voice had dragged me here from my sitting room. Did that mean I was asleep or awake but in a trance?

Sighing, i began to stroll towards that's big building, I was not going to run, today might be my last day here, so I'll take my time and take in all the sight. That lady that looked like me, am gonna have a very good look at her and then ask her questions. As soon as I get to the door, I unlock it and there was the Lady her face unveiled just like I had left it last time. She smiles at me and then bows.

"Who are you?" I ask.

She smiles more. "I am you, the past and present."

"What !" I exclaim confused.

"Now you're ready."She says walking towards me. Before I could step back to avoid her bumping into me, she walked right into me. I gasp in shock and could feel her smile inside me.

"Zenobia !" That voice always calling out for help, that voice that had dragged me here tonight, called again. It called a few more times and it sounded like it was coming from the uppermost part of the building. I stepped i side and looked up, but could see no end to the buildings height.

"Let's go get her." A voice said from within me.

I looked around and took note of the building. Nothing but stairs, not even an elevator was in sight, so how was i suppose to go get whosoever is still calling for help.

"ibi me accipere." The voice from within said.

"What?" I asked"Just say 'ibi me accipere' It means take me there."

I don't even know what that meant, but I've known no meaning to a lot of things lately, so damn it. "ibi me accipere." I say.

Just as soon as I finished saying it, a great force of wind picked me up taking me up the building. I screamed at first, but soon stopped and just looked around as the wind took me higher. Soon, I was at the last floor of the building and I believe this was in the clouds because all I could see for a long distance all around me was nothing but clouds. Finally, the wind out me down.

"Zenobia !" The voice called with acknowledgment this time. I turned around and there, in front of me was a huge white wolf in chains. "Zenobia." It called again, smiling this time.

First a snake smiled at me and now a... a... a wolf!. Bigger than any wolf I've ever seen in movies, discovery channels or internet. A few inches more and it'd be the same height with me. I wanted to scream, but instead I found myself moving closer to it.

You're beautiful." I said caressing it on the head. It purred sitting on it's butt and wagging its tail, batting its eye lashes many times. A she. It was definitely a she. This wolf was a she! Without thinking, I bent down and tried to see if I could loose it free. As i touched the chain, they melted under my hands. Surprised, I looked down at my hands and then continued. In no time I was done melting the chains and freeing the wolf. Shaking its body, it roared into the sky that even the ground beneath us shook as if an earthquake would take place.

What have i released into the world? I asked myself as i watched this mighty wolf. Finally, it stopped roaring. Am sure the entire Universe heard it roar, and now i was thinking straight, it must have been a terror that's why it had been chained up here. The wolf turned to me and smiled again.

"Who are you?" I asked eyes on her.

She took two strides forward, eyes on me. And now I was looking at it, she had my eyes.

"Who are you?" I asked again.

"Astropos!" She said smiling. Even before I could react to the name or answer, she leaped into me and I scream.

I woke up on my bed screaming. Wait! My bed? I thought I had been watching movie in the sitting room, so how did I-

"Mei !" Josh's voice screamed from outside the room. "Open the door or am breaking it down."

Jumping out of my bed, I rush to the door and unlock it. "Josh!" I call as i open the door.

He grabs me by the shoulder. "Are you okay Mei?"

I nod my head. "i guess i was screaming again." I said moving into the room.

"This time was different." Josh says following me. We sit on my bed. "You spoke at some point, then screamed in fear as if you were dying at another point, then finally you roared, like a beast before screaming in fear again."

"What!" I exclaimed eyes widened on him. So all the dreams I couldn't scream in my dream, I had screamed them out here, and then the roar. "How exactly did I roar?" I asked curious.

"Like a ... ehm ... how is that animal called-"

"A wolf?" I cut in.

"Yes, a wolf. You roared like one."

I was speechless. Two things have gone into my body in one night, two strange things. And I-

"Mei, your eyes!"

I look up at him again. He was pointing at eyes with a bit of fear on his face. I jumped out of bed and headed straight for my mirror. I thought of going to on the lights in my room but even before I could make a move the lights came on. Neither me nor Josh had turned it on. The girl in my head smiled. So she had on it. I almost freaked out when I looked into the mirror. In the mirror stood the girl from my dream dressed in my clothes. There was no resemblance or reflection of my real self in the mirror. I was gone. In the mirror stood a completely different person, that girl.

I turned to Josh who was now standing behind me. "Josh don't you think I look different?" I asked.

"Apart from your eyes that keeps changing and is beginning to freak me out, No you don't look different at all."

I looked back at the mirror, that was when I saw my eyes and gasped in shock. My iris were changing from one color to another, from one animal eye to another.

"Stop!" I snapped covering my eyes. By the time I opened them, my eyes were back to its ice blue color.

"Damn Mei. I don't know if I should call you special or a freak."

"Don't tell anybody." I say moving into my bathroom.

"No one would believe me even if I did." Josh said from where I left him. He yawned. "Sleep is finally catching up to me, so I'll go sleep. Do you want me to sleep here?"

"No. I'll be fine."

"I know you will. Goodnight Mei, and Happy Birthday."

"Thank you." I say before the door shuts.

***

Strange things keep happening today, and it's suppose to be my birthday. So far, Josh has kept to his promise of making it a fun filled indoor day for me. We've danced, do e home karaoke, played chess and scrabble, ordered lots of food from an online store and eaten them all. Yet, he says the main cake cutting and party will be that night, I was having lots of fun. But yet... each time he left the house to get something outside or left for another room, something always came for me from the shadows, with glowing eyes. Some vanished immediately Josh returns, while some died before then. One had almost strangled me to death when fire ignited on my hand and burned it to death.

Josh had returned and saw me sweeping the ashes into a dust pan. He looks at me for explanation.

"I wanted to try a DIY I saw on Tv but ended up burning an entire textbook." I told him.

"I hope not mine." Josh said dropping the pizza box on the table. He seemed to be satisfied with my explanation.

We were still eating pizza and watching a Romcom when Josh had a phone call. After that same number called thrice, he finally picked up his phone and left the sitting room and went outside. I wanted to know what call had suddenly changed his facial expression so I got up from my seat but even before I moved, I heard him. I heard everything clearly, both what Josh was saying and what the caller was saying.

I was right, Josh was in trouble, someone was blackmailing him.

"Look, am coming over right now, give me some minutes and I'll be there." Josh said into the phone.

"You better be. Twenty minutes. If you're not here by then, your sister will get to hear from -"

"Don't you dare touch my sister." Josh warned the caller. "Do t even f*****g go close to her. I said I'll meet you. Twenty minutes? I'll be there." He said ending the call.

Few minutes later, Josh walked back into the sitting room with a fake smile on his face.

"Is everything alright, Josh?" I asked

He smiles and nods his head. "Everything is fine, Mei."

"Who was that? You never take a call outside."

"It was the cake shop. I didn't want you hearing the prescriptions." He says with a smile.

Why are you lieing to me Josh. I thought as I watched him.

"Look eh, Mei." He runs his hand through his hair. "I'll be going to pick the cake now, shouldn't take up to an hour, okay?"

"Why not have them do home delivery, I'll pay or we go together."

"No!" He cuts in. "You're not going outside today, remember! I'll just go pick the cake and few other things, alright?"

"One might think you're the grown up here." I say managing a smile.

"I may not be the grown up here, but am the man here. So listen."

"Sir, yes sire!" I salute

He laughs, then grabs my car key from the table. "See you soon. Stay indoors, watch cartoon maybe."

I scoff rolling my eyes. Smiling, he leaves.

Guess what I do next few minutes after he drives away. Yes. I pick a cab and follow him. He drives pass Saint Nop street into the dark alleys and parks the car. Stepping down, he treks deeper into the alley. I pay the cab man and make him stop few feet away from where my car is parked. The driver drives away as soon as I step down cursing about being made to drive into a death alley.

"You better get the hell out of there before you die." He yelled at me still driving away.

No am not leaving. If Josh is not with me, am not leaving this place. I'll find my brother and settle what ever problem he's having, then we'll leave together.

Looking around, I begin to head in the direction Josh had gone, soon, I came to a two way alley. Now i was confused which way Josh went, then i began to hear voices. It was coming from the left alley, sighing, I went that way. They weren't there, they were in the alley after the left alley. But from where I stood, I could hear and see them clearly. Josh was in the middle of seven guys.

"I told you I don't have anymore money." Josh said eyes on one of the guys. I presume he is the group leader.

"You don't have? Or you're being stringy with it." The guy asks. He was the guy that had called, the voice was the same. There was another guy in the middle of the group with Josh, he was on his knees, head bowed, he had bruises and blood stain all over him. They had beaten him up.

"Not stingy man, I don't have. I gave you so much money last time and you promised that was gonna be the last."

"I did, but we ran into some situation and we need money."

"Then go ask your parents or theirs. Why should I be the one to give you money to clean your mess."

The guy punched Josh across the face. I wanted to interfere but stopped. "Don't you dare talk about my parents like that. You can't insult them just because am asking for a little help from you."

"A little?" Josh questioned. "You've been bloody blackmailing me man. You threaten to hurt my sister if I don't give you the money you need, not to mention you threatening to go to the police to accuse me and my sister of a crime you committed. That's blackmailing man!" Josh screamed.

"So you're not giving me the money?"

"Am not. I can't get such money from my sister for you again and I don't have it. Besides, how do I believe you won't come threatening me again after the money is all spent up."