Chapter 3

What is happening to me? Is it normal to have hairy palms?

I rubbed my eyes, trying to wake myself up, hoping that this was only a dream. But the hair is still there which makes me disturbed. When did it grow? This is crazy!

Instead of screaming out my confusion, with trembling hands, I instantly opened the hanging cabinet and grabbed the razor out of panic. This isn't normal! Who would have a kind of palms like this? It is acceptable that hair can grow thicker in my arms, but not in this area.

Why didn't I notice it earlier?

I started shaving my palms, reminding myself that all of this is normal. The unsteady feeling almost smashed me. As soon as I finished it, I put back the razor on the cabinet.

"Aksha!"

An abrupt knock startled me.

“Aksha, are you done? I need to pee now.”

“Yes! Wait a minute.”

I put the razor back on the cabinet as I fixed myself before going out of the bathroom.

“Thanks!” Feyra blurted out and immediately got inside the bathroom.

We do not usually eat dinner. So after changing into PJs, I fell into bed right away. Without further ado, I turned off the lights and closed my eyes. Falling into a deep slumber.

The coruscating light blinded me as I opened my eyes. Adjusting my vision, the barren welcomes me with a breezy air which sends shivers down my spine. Gradually taking steps into unending darkness, I felt a rash heat arise within me. The land began to wobble as the clouds turned out glimmering; colors played from blue to white, and gold which made me glow.

"Aksha…"

The disembodied voice filled my ears in desperation. I clutched myself as I turned around, but no one was there.

"Who are you?!"

"My child, come and see the light. Make it glow to your heart as the aureate eyes emerge. Accept the changes because fate has arrived to rule again."

"What—"

"Lunaria is the name…go, and seek for who I am." The illuminating light swallowed me wholly, and heard her add, "The one who lights the world when the dark comes."

"Who are you—"

"Aksha Beatrix Aslenovie!"

I heard someone shout in my ears, snapping me back from reality. And there, I saw Feyra’s edgy face. Holding my breath, I instantly sat on my bed, scanning the surroundings.

“Are you having a nightmare?”

“I don’t know,” I answered.

That dream looks real though.

“Wait, you look different, Aksha.” My brows creased at her statement. “When did you buy that contact lens? I can’t remember seeing you yesterday wearing it.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You wore that last night after taking a bath? And you slept with that? Don’t you know that contact—”

“Enlighten me, please. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said.

“Have you knocked your head into something or what? Don’t you know that you’re wearing a gold contact lens right now? And dude, that looks so natural!” She grabbed the mirror on the vanity table. “Take a look at it yourself.”

My eyes widened as I saw a pair of golden orbs. I rubbed my eyes a bit just to confirm that this was real, that what I was seeing right now was the reflection of my eyes, or maybe it would go back to black once I closed my eyes. So I tried but nothing happened! They’re still gold.

“Where did you buy it?”

With trembling hands, a flash of memory has come to me. Last night, it was my palm, then that dream, and now this? What is really happening—

"Your hair too!"

I immediately looked at it in the mirror and almost dropped my jaw on the floor when I realized that some of my hair strands were golden. The pounding sound of my heart drowned me to the point that I couldn't hear what my Feyra's saying, I only saw her mouth babbling without any words that were coming out.

Maybe because I'm too preoccupied.

"No…" I mumbled.

"Aksha? Aksha? Earth to Aksha!"

I held my chest as I ran to the bathroom. Slamming the door shut, leaning on the back of the door as I tried to digest everything.

"Aksha?" Feyra knocked. "What's happening to you? Open the door please, you're making me anxious. Honestly, it looks good to you, and if you're upset about my reaction…sorry, I'm just surprised because you didn't tell me about your plan to change yourself. It's fine for me, though, just buy me one too so that we'll look like twins."

I shook my head and bit my lower lip. No! This isn't my doing.

T-that…that Lunaria! Is she some kind of a witch?!

---------------------------------

"Here's the mini pick-up truck key, Aksha. Be careful on the road. Colambi is kinda dangerous, you knew about the news, right? So keep safe, and be alerted," Mr. Ty said.

"I will."

"Alright, you may go now."

I only nodded and left the shop. After the weird things that happened to me earlier, I immediately broke my piggy bank to buy a black contact lens to hide my eyes. However, Feyra thought that I just removed those golden orbs of mine which made me insane because she wanted to see them. Good thing she bought my excuse.

The breezy air greets me as I open the door and get in.

"Aksha."

My brows creased as I heard a voice, it sounded different from the voice in my dream. Who the hell was that? There's no one here aside from me, or am I just being paranoid?

I shrugged my shoulders and breathed out as I started the engine.

After three hours on the road, I finally arrived at the entrance of Colambi wherein I could clearly see an old rusty signboard on the left saying "Welcome to Colambi" which absolutely crept me out. It's as if I'm in some kind of horror movie right now because of this empty place. All I can see is the dried leaves and some birds in the sky.

Keep calm, Aksha. Ghosts aren't real as well as wolves.

I accelerated the truck to move as fast as it could. And when I reached the factory, I parked at a distance with a packed of braveness. This is kinda odd, knowing that this factory is lying at the end of Colambi's road, the dead end.

Why did Mr. Ty choose this place to get the resources? Weird.

"Excuse me, Mister," I hesitantly called a man in his forties. "I'm Aksha from Jowell's Café—"

"Oh! Are you the new pickuper? Corteu must been hard for letting a girl like you get those heavy stuff for his business."

I scratched my head. "It's fine." I handed him the receipt. "There."

"Alright, let's get inside. I'll get the boxes."

This uneasiness began to boil inside me. My hands started to tremble as I followed the guy while scanning the place. Some workers here are glancing at me from time to time like I am some kind of criminal that they caught. Well, I only gave them smiles but they just gave scowling faces.

Rude.

When we entered the factory, the freshly ground aroma of the coffee had overrun through my nose. It is amazing to watch the large machineries that is currently doing their jobs, grinding the coffee beans, and packing the powdered ones. Honestly, this is my first time seeing a well-maintained factory without the need for a lot of manpower because of the equipment that they have.

"Just wait here."

I nodded at him and sat on a monoblock chair.

Time check: 7:00 PM

It's almost three hours, but no sign of a man carrying boxes. Their services are too slow, or is there any problem that causes them to delay for that long?

"Sorry for the inconvenience, Miss," said the man who was pushing a cart with three big boxes. "Here are your orders. I can help you put these on your truck, just lead the way, Miss."

He walked after me as I stride my way back to the pick-up. The wind blew my hair as I stepped out of the building. The moon is now full and at its brightest while the surroundings are dark. As soon as the staff put the boxes on the truck's bed, I immediately thanked him and left the place.

In the middle of driving in Colambi, a strange feeling arose as I heard some howling voices. I'm not sure if that's what I heard, but it sounds like it is based on the movies I watched.

I stopped over as I heard it again, this one is much louder compared to the first howl.

What kind of animal that madly howls?