INTO THE UNKNOWN

5. BIZARRE STORMS

Hello readers...

Its the next part.. Hope you are liking the story and I am looking forward to all your views. Though it’s my first time in writing a supernatural fiction like this, I am really enjoying the plot. Its something I’ve always wanted to create and here I’m...

Okkk, enough of my blabbering..

Its time for you to read...

Please excuse the mistakes because this chapter is unedited..

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Sunrays kissed my face as I stared out of the window, my mind lost in yesterday’s thoughts. I can never forget those red eyes, the eyes, which only gave away the danger signals. They were demonic and the fact that actually perplexed me was my own reaction to that wolf. My running through the forest in that speed seemed natural as if I was meant for the run. Strange I know, but that’s the reality. After I got out of the forest I never looked back.

No, it wasn’t because I was afraid or terrified. Something in me prevented me from taking a look at the forest and me being always driven by my intuitions, I followed what my heart said and ran out of the place. By the time I reached home, no one was there just as I expected. Ana was already in her home and that’s why I didn’t disturb her.

All the things that had transpired in those few hours killed my hunger and I straightaway went for the bed without anything in my stomach. And perhaps that’s the reason why my stomach is grumbling like an angry tornado and I’m trying my best to shut it down. I wasn’t an early riser but my sleep was disturbed by this infuriating stomach of mine that could never understand the importance of the morning sleep.

Grouching, I got down from the bed and walked out of the room in search of some leftovers. I wasn’t going to make something for myself at this hour of the day when the sun was barely out and the insides of my kitchen were still gloomy. After I rummaged through the entire fridge, I was finally left with a bar of cereal chocolate and a carton of fresh orange juice.

Oh! What a perfect breakfast!

I cringed at the thought as my feet made its way towards the balcony. I lived on the twenty-ninth floor and one best thing about my apartment was that it faced the far-off woods, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Yes, I lived in the secluded part of the city as I am in much favour of sounds, chaos and the continuous buzzing crowds. As I stood in the balcony, leaning against the railing, my gaze swept through the forest boundary, trying to move past the tree line. The path from my building to the tree line was unexplored, courtesy of the rough contours and the boulders, al distributed over the planes.

Once, out of curiosity I tried to explore the backyards but ended up in the hospital for one long week. After that incident, I had stopped wandering in the place but that didn’t stop me from looking into the woods and getting lost in my thoughts.

Just as I was about to turn around, something sparkling caught my eye. Confusedly, I tried to focus on the object as I leaned forward over the railing; trying to figure out exactly what it was when all of a sudden, I felt a force pushing me backwards, away from the balcony. A silent screech escaped m,y lips as I tried to grab the railing tightly but I couldn’t.

A strong gust of wind came swirling at me as I was compelled to stagger back, losing my balance in the midst of saving myself from the hurling winds and falling on the ground. A pained scream left my mouth as my leg hit the corner of the tea table. I didn’t even get the time to turn when a loud, angry howl filled the silent air, making my body go still with fear.

Somewhere I knew the howl was not unheard, especially because the way my heart leapt at the sound. But I wasn’t going to let my mind run into some fictional imagination, not when I was having the worst time of my life with a swollen toe. Somehow, I dragged myself inside the room and closed the shutter door, cutting off the violent winds from getting inside the room.

Leaning against the glass doors, I closed my eyes and tried to remove the disturbing events from my mind. I was naturally a curious person and if such bizarre incidents continued to happen to me, then I’m telling you, I’m going to kill all those persons who are behind these happenings.

Taking deep breaths, I calmed myself when I heard the ringing of my house phone. Somehow getting up on my feet, I walked towards the landline, still feeling shaky from the earlier incident. Never in my life had I witnessed such a strong storm that has the power to make me stagger back. I have seen the videos of many tornados and even the cyclones, but I have never seemed the humans flying away due to the air force. Then what type of storm was this? A new one?

Shaking my head, I let out a frustrating groan and picked up the call. The sun was rising from the horizon as the golden light slowly flooded the hall, making me sigh in relief. Sometimes, I just hated the nights, especially when the incidents of the dark time are unwelcomed.

“Jean, darling, you know that we have to reach the Regulus headquarters by 10’o clock sharp?”

It was Michael and by the way, his voice was coated with honey, he knew he was going to have the worst from me. But then I thought he actually called me because I do have a habit of running late, something that I couldn’t afford today.

So reigning in my anger, I plastered a smile on my face and replied, “Yes, Michael dear. I’m well aware of the meeting and by the way, I was awake so no need to sugar coat me”. I was about to cut the call when his next question stopped me in mid-action, “Why were you up so early Jeanette? As far as I know you, you are a late riser. And now its 6 in the morning. So why are you up so early?”

I didn’t know what to answer. In fact, I myself didn’t have the answer.

What should I tell him, that instead of going into my room after eating the choco bar, I went to the balcony because I felt the need to?

How should I tell him that I am experiencing some bizarre, unexplainable and insane incidents from last night?

“Jean, are you there?”, his frantic voice brought me out of my reverie and took in a deep breath and concentrated on what he was saying, “ Jean, if you are not feeling well, I can ask Ana to come over at your place to stay with you”.

I thought for a bit but then decided against it. She needed her own time after yesterday and moreover, we all needed our time to prepare for the event. As far as I’ve heard, no one amongst us knew who this Christian Regulus was since it was Michael who has discussed with the business heads of the Regulus industry and as for his information, the CEO wasn’t there.

I thought for once to google his name but that would have made me more stressed and I wouldn’t have decided to go out. So, I somehow controlled myself and finalized on facing this business hulk in person. I wasn’t a girl who would get intimidated by some bulky man but something about this Christian Regulus told me otherwise.

“No, don’t tell her anything. She will unnecessarily freak out and I don’t want any of us to give even a percentage less than our best. And moreover, I need my own time to make the disguise. After all, I wouldn’t be meeting them as the one who studies in a university and hates the history classes”, we both chuckled at the same time thinking about the disaster I was going to make.

“Ok, I will pick you up at 8 sharp. Be ready”, I hummed with him as the line from the other side went dead, indicating that he had disconnected the call. Taking a deep sigh, I decided to go over the presentation once again. You know, the final preparations!

Taking out my laptop, I made a cup of coffee for myself and sat down on the couch, with the machine on my lap while my back resting against the soft cushion. To say I was focused would highly be an injustice to the honest minds. In fact, I was everything but not focused, not when my mind replayed yesterday’s events every now and then. From the time at the café where I came face to face with that mysterious man who was somehow able to set my heart on an erratic drive to the time I was running in the forest with a predator behind me, everything replayed in my mind like a movie, making my brain a messy place.

I spent that one hour in getting the least of the things into my brain. Even though I had another hour more in my hand before Michael would reach here, I decided to utilize the time in forming my disguise. Wearing the mask seemed to be too far-fetched and that’s why I decided on a makeup disguise.

I wasn’t any makeup artist but I had learned the ways from the online tutorial videos because I always knew, situations like this could arise anytime and I had to be prepared for facing them. Working on my eyes, I chose a dark look and wore the contacts to hide the true colour of my eyes. My face wasn’t too contoured but today, I focused on the contours and highlighted them, keeping on a dark and light combinational makeup.

Choosing a red pencil dress with black pumps, I let my hair fall into the natural curls. As I took a look in the mirror, I was myself amazed at my work. Never had I thought I could present such a look and on top of that, I actually failed to recognize the girl standing in front of me. She looked so different from me, so confident, so bold in appearance, something I could never be and something I always wished to be.

Letting out a tired sigh, I picked all the documents that I needed along with my clutch and my phone. It was already 7:50 AM by the time I locked the doors of my apartment and gathered everything together. Cooling at my I realized Michael had already called me thrice but as my phone was silent, I couldn’t pick up their calls.

Rushing down the stairs, I reached the entrance to my building within five minutes; guess I had the roller coasters attached to my feet. Michael was glaring in my direction as I walked up to him, smiling sheepishly. “Sorry, my phone was silent”, I said meekly, trying to get past his hard glares. Stopping at a distance, I waited for him to move away from the car’s door when he folded his arms and looked at me questioningly.

“Jean, I told you I would be at your entrance at 8 sharp and still then, you were late”, he said exasperatedly while moving his hands animatedly in the air. “I told you that my phone was silent. And Michael I’m just five minutes late. I was busy doing my makeup and by this look, you can judge that it wasn’t easy to hide my real looks. And by the way, where is Annaise?”, my question earned a discomforting look from Michael as his eyes shifted to and fro between me and the car.

“Michael”, I said warningly as my feet moved forward towards the car, “what’s the matter?” His eyes held a guilty look as he slowly came towards me and grabbed me by my shoulders firmly. I tensed under his touch but didn’t show it, not when I wasn’t sure what both of them were up to.

“Jean, please just stay calm”, he said in a pleading voice as I looked at him in question. He motioned towards the car and nudged me to get into it. Still not completely convinced with what he said, I got in the car along with Michael who sat in the driver’s seat. Just as I turned from the window after ensuring that, the door was properly locked, I turned around only to let out a horrified scream.

“Annaise, is that you?”, I asked the unknown woman sitting beside me who nodded in a yes and looked at me with the same guilty look that Michael had given me. “Why are you in a disguise?” I asked her while my eyes scanned the look she had done. Like me, she didn’t do anything huge to hide the contours of her face but yet she was not looking like her usual self.

“Jean, please just be calm”, she repeated the statement that I had already heard outside and by the way, the frowns appeared on my forehead, I knew I was slowly getting frustrated. “The CEO of the Regulus Industry whom we are going to meet today, who is the business mogul and the most ruthless person in this corporate world is the same man whom we met yesterday at the café. The one with whom you were playing the staring contest”, she finished her statement while gulping down her saliva nervously as I sat there shocked, registering her words in my mind slowly.

Moments passed away but none of us said a word. When I didn’t respond, Ana slowly reached out to me and grabbed my hand in hers, squeezing my palm a little. “Jeanette?”, I heard Michael’s voice calling out my name but my mind was busy in remembering the face that had haunted me in my dreams last night, the face that made my heart race and the eyes that told so many tales.

The eyes of Christian Oren Regulus!

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That’s all for now...

Now for all the readers, here is a little question that I would like all of you to answer!!!

Q) By now you have understood that Jeanette had a rough past. But what do you think what she faced?

I would like to have some suggestions from my readers....

Till then, good bye!!!

Seee yaa!!!