A Promised Neverland

Beauties

Chapter 2:

'It's warm.'

There is something warm that keeps on traveling over the surface of my body.

I have no idea what those were, but it doesn't matter.

Tonight, the breeze was really cold, freezing even. It keeps on pricking at the exposed skin of my body.

I'm not comfortable when it's cold. And those warm things that won't stop touching me are really comfortable.

The wind made another howl and with it was the freezing breeze that pricks on my skin. I shivered and trembled, wondering why is it even  freezing in the first place.

Did I left my window open?

I'm sure I didn't though.

Feeling suspiscious of the freezing wind and my current situation, I slowly lifted the heavy lids of my eyes.

The sleepless nights for the preparations of our finals and thesis still have yet to leave my body and let me recover from it.

I feel terrible.

'Ah, I shouldn't have pushed myself to my limits.'

The warmth of my bed seems heavenly that I don't even want to leave it anymore. However, I have no choice but to leave the comfort of my bed and get up to check on my windows.

It was the darkness that first greeted when I opened my eyes and sat up. Then when my sight gradually became accustomed to the darkness, I was able to see through it.

From the right side of my room I caught a glance of something moving. I looked at that direction and found out that I really left the window open last night.

Another howl from the wind and it sent the curtains fluterring.

When the curtains fluttered, it gave me a brief moment to have a glimpse of the glorious and magnificent celestial object that reigns over the vast canopy of darkness and of stars.

I could feel the little monster within the safety of my chest fluttered as well as though mesmerized by the beauty of the moon.

In spite of still being so tired, I willed my feet to take a step forward, then another, and another, until I arrived in front of my window.

The overlooking scenery of the city lights and night sky made my chest warm.

'So beautiful. I want to paint this.'

I have yet to recover from the fatigue from working so hard for the past weeks, and yet my fingers twitched in excitement and anticipation of holding a brush.

I could imagine the scent of acrylic paints lingering in my nose and the wooden texture of the paint brush against my fingertips.

Just the mere thought of those wonderful things makes me warm and comfortable.

I remained standing in spite of the freezing wind. Choosing to watch the moon and the thin layers of clouds fluttering over it.

I was honestly overwhelmed by the beautiful scenery that I had forgotten about those things that had touched my body just a while ago.

And so when I suddenly felt something warm on the back of my waist, I was really startled that I nearly shrieked out of fright.

'What... I-It's a hand!'

As the thought crossed my mind, the owner of those hands dragged his fingers from my tail bone and up. Traicing my spinal cord with his hands gently as how a potmaker would when touching the clay ready to be turned into a pot.

I wanted to move, to say something or to pushed whoever it is that has been touching me all this time without my permission. However, it was as though I was spellbound and I couldn't do anything but to stand and tremble beneath the mercy of the intruder.

My knees shook under my weight and I am aware that it's not long before they finally give up, sending me down against the cold hard floor. I wouldn't want that, of course, so before that happens I immediately grabbed onto the frame of the window, gripping violently as though batlling with the violent movements of my heart.

The pair of warm hands then changed it's direction, skillfully making their ways to the front of my body. The large hands then gently cupped the front of my neck, one caressing my neck with it's fingers scratching against my earlobe, whilst the another one tilting my head up.

My naked upper body shivered upon feeling the touches of those immoral hands. Its rough textures brushing over my soft skin.

I didn't dare open my mouth, worried and scared that something else other than words is going to escape past the safety of lips.

I clenched my teeth and silently suffered in this fearful situation I unknowingly had gotten myself into.

'Damn. What's happening to me? Why do my body... reacts like this?'

As soon as I thought of that, a hot breath travelled the space between me and the intruder, falling right against my ear.

"Ngh!"

The damn intruder just blew in my ear. Having a sensitive ears like this is not really a good thing at all.

My lips trembled upon feeling those hot breaths fanning my ear, sending warm and strange sensation all over my body.

And even though I could see everything through the darkness just enough to distiguish each things from each other, I couldn't have a glimpse of the person who thought he has the right to touch me like this.

"Y-You..."

His hands travelled down my torso, momentarily brushing against my n****e. The sudden touch made me hold my breath. Then the rough and large hand gripped my waist, the tips of its fingers brushing against the waistband of my pajama.

But the person didn't do anything further than that though, much to my relief.

"S-Stop..."

'Damn it, Andrew. Make a proper use of that mouth of yours---'

I was halted in my thought when something wet and warm touched my neck. It slowly, ever so slowly travelled upwards, as though memorizing every nook and corner of that certain part of my body.

I couldn't move to trash around. I couldn't say anything to call for help. So I just stood there like a damn lifeless doll waiting to be devour.

When the lips stopped at my earlobe and the owner of those lips made a noise akin to that of a growl, my knees eventually lost all its strength and not even my arms and hands that grips on the window frame could support my weight.

Both of the person's arms embraced my body from behind before my knees could even touch the cold, hard floor.

"L-Let go... Let go of me!"

My head was pulled and my chin was tilted upwards, then I felt a pair of warm lips covered mine.

A deep and rough voice resonated through out the place and had even engraved itself deep within my mind and chest.

"An..."

I woke up and opened my eyes with a fright.

I roamed my eyes over the entirety of my room, searching and looking for that someone that dared intrude my personal space. However there was none and that was when I realized and had managed to convinced myself that it was all just a damn dream.

That's what I thought and yet my body was still trembling and shivering. Even with the absense of the actual person, I could still feel those rough hands travelling and touching the surface of my body as though they owned every part of it.

Damn it...

I pulled the blanket off of me and looked down on my lower body. And there I saw a buldge on my pajamas.

Fucking--- Damn it...!

I stared dumbfounded at the window. There was no longer moon at the sky and instead it was the sun the reigns over it now.

Strings of golden lights slipped through the gap between the opened window, then past those fluttering curtain.

I supposed it's almost eight in the morning. I felt the sunlight nibbling against my pale skin and I sighed.

After tending to myself and doing my usual routines, I made my way into the dinning room. There I saw Grandma, Mom and Dad sitting at the dinning table, foods properly set at the table in front of them.

The scent of the foods lingered in my nose. I felt my stomach growled, and my mouth salivated realising that I haven't eaten that much last night upon arriving because of exhaustment. 

I quickly ran down the last steps of stairs and happily approached the dinning table. All three of them raised their heads at my arrival, greeting me with three sets of smiles.

We exhanged 'good mornings' before I sat down on a chair and eyed the food hungrily.

Upon sitting down Mom quickly gave me a plate, putting as much food as the plate would allow her to. I didn't complain because I am really hungry right at this moment.

Grandma briefly left to retrieve something from the kitchen. When she came back into the dinning room, a steaming cup of hot chocolate was carefully clasped between her hands.

She handed it to me with a warm smile that made me regret not visiting her for the past years.

I reached for it.

"Thanks Grandma."

"Oh, you're welcome." My Grandma sweetly replied, ruffling my hair before going back to her chair.

I brought the mouth of the cup into my lips, the sweet scent of chocolate lingering in the air before swiftly making its way into my nosetril. When the smooth and warm liquid touched the surface of my tongue, I hummed in satisfaction, clicking my tongue and licking the remains of the chocolate from the corner of my mouth.

I happily ate as I listen to the adult's talks.

We arrived at my Mom's hometown last night. Since Grandpa's tenth death anniversary is today, we planned to pay him a visit later.

I have my own plans though.

This past years I didn't visited him and I know he doesn't like that. So I decided to pray for his forgiveness.

Grandpa and I were very close then. In spite of losing my memories of the last summer that we were together ten years ago, I haven't forgotten how much we adore each other ever since I met him for the first time.

He was a great person and I truly miss him.  It's just a pity that I don't remember the last moments when we were together.

The sun was glaring at us. The harsh sunlights nibbling against the exposed skin of our body. And even beneath the protection of our clothes, I could still feel the heat from the sun.

We peacefully had a picnic in front of his grave at a local cemetery. In spite of the glaring sun, we still chose to spent a few hours of our time happily talking and eating in front of him as though he's still with us.

I silently sat in front of his grave. My eyes glued at the words engraved at the stones of his grave whilst I silently apologize for not coming and visiting him sooner.

The visit ended shortly after the clock striked two in the afternoon. Since there's a distance between the local cemetery and my grandparents' house, it was already three in the afternoon when we arrived back at home.

Totally exhausted because of the heat and long drive, I immediately excused myself upon arriving. I slowly and weakly made my way up the stairs and into my room, dropping face-first on the bed. Sighs of relief were muffled against the soft mattress and not long after I went to bed, I fell asleep.

One hour later and I woke up.

In spite of the severe sleepiness that continue to render my brain unproductive, I just can no longer fall back to sleep.

I sighed.

Realizing that I wouldn't fall asleep anytime soon, I decided to take a walk outside for a breath of fresh air.

Even though it's already four in the afternoon and the sun is no longer at it's peak, the breeze was still hot and uncomfortable.

I fanned myself with my hand, ocassionally grabbing the neck of my shirt, pulling it slightly away from my body to let air soothe my sweating self.

Under a huge tree outside my gradparents' house there was a bench. I happily made my way towards the bench and sat down.

I lifted my head up and stared at the sky. The calm blue color of the sky now slowly changing into a more aggressive shade of red and orange, indicating that night will soon approach the town.

In the corner of my eyes, I saw something colorful moved. When I looked at it, I found out that it was an enormous butterfly, its wingspan probably even more bigger than my hand.

Intrigued and amazed by the butterfly's enormous size and colorful appearance, I ran after it without second thought.

I was so focused not to let the butterfly out of my sight that I didn't even noticed that I have already gone far from the house.

Not that it bothers me since it's very unlikely that I would be lost in this place where a lot of people lives, so I chose to pursue the butterfly even further.

I spent the next two minutes just walking after it, memorizing every curve, color and pattern of it's wings. The mystefying appearance of the fragile creature was truly undeniably beautiful.

When the enormous butterfly finally stopped flying and instead rested on a flower to feed itself of the flower's juices, I smiled at myself and slowly approached the beautiful creature.

Upon sensing my movement, it immediately took off. However, when I raised my hand I was truly amazed when it landed there.

I didn't dare move in fear of scaring it and having it flying away. But that happy moment ended shortkly when the wind brushed past me so hard it scared the enormous butterfly away.

'Ah, it left.'

I watched it fly away and continued to admire its beauty until it fades from my sight.

When I averted my eyes from the distance where the enormous butterfly disapleared from, that was just when I took notice of soroundings.

Before I arrive at this town, I didn't expected this place to be somewhere unforgettably beautiful. However, now I have proven myself wrong for what stands in front of me is an art.

This town is an island and so it is sorrounded by the sea. And the overlooking view of the sea behind the enormous house covered in veins of wild plants made the house look like an abandoned castle from some fairytale.

Additionally, the house was also adorned by a different kinds of flowers, beautifully sorrounding the house. Different hues and colors, ranging from lights and darks complimented the view of the glimmering sea and darkening sky.

I inhaled a sharp breath and thought that if only I have my brush and paint right at this moment, I would not waste a second and would immediately paint this.

I smiled at myself for discovering such beauties.

Upon observing the place and the house and realizing that the house is most probably abandoned, I took it upon myself to be an intruder even for once.

Curiousity got the best of me and the thoughts of finding something as beautiful as the butterfly and the scenery, or something even more beautiful than those made me braver.

Surely, no one is going to sue me for entering an abandoned house, right? And if I ever get caught, I'll just say I got lost, which is the truth.

I reached for the iron gate covered in dust and rust. It creacked as though if I am not careful it will going to break.

I walked in the middle of the flowers and grass that sorrounds the house before arriving in front of the main door.

I looked around first before reaching for the door and pulling it. It didn't opened though, so I thought it must be locked.

I sighed in defeat before looking up the sky.

The once bright sky now has turned into a dark canopy. The stars now starts to appear.

Realizing that it wouldn't be a good idea to be out in some unknown place at night without any source of light, I decided to just go back home.

I hid both of my hands inside of my pants' pockets and started to make my way back to my grandparents' house.

When I was already nearing the woods where I came from, a sudden sensation took over my chest and I couldn't help myself but to look back.

Just when the sun successfully hidden itself, I saw a figure of a person, most probably a male based on its body structure, standing behind a window on the second floor of the abandone house.

I couldn't see his face at this distance but I knew, that person is looking directly at me.

'I thought it was abandoned...' I thought.

The wind brushed past me and I blinked. And when I opened my eyes once again, the male figure at the window has already disappeared.

'...must be just my imagination.'

With that in mind, I immediately find my way back home with no goal in mind but to eat my Grandma's foods.

When Mom asked me of my whereabouts awhile ago, I didn't dare lie since I don't see any reason to do so.

I told them everything, well, aside from the person I saw at the window because personally, I think it's must have been just a part of my imagination and nothing else.

When I couldn't take the curiousity anymore, I faced Grandma and asked her who is the owner of the abandoned house.

Grandma didn't stop cutting her meat whist she answers me.

"That house?" She brought the meat into her mouth and chewed slowly. I waited patiently for her answer.

I don't know why I'm even this curious about that place, but I guess there's nothing wrong in being curious.

Grandma sipped on her glass of water and answered.

"It's Elise and Gerald's house."

Mom hummed.

"Ah, right." Mom faced me. "Maybe you don't remember it, but when you were a child you often spend time in that house?"

"Me? Why?" I asked, not really aware of the reason why I even spent my time at that house.

"Elise and Gerald was David's owner."

...David.

"But that house has long since been abandoned." Grandma started.

"Why?"

"Hm. A few months after you left ten years ago, the couple decided to live with their daughter in the city after David died. That poor wolf, he died a sudden and tragic death it really made the couple sad to the point they decided to leave this place."