Chapter 3: ESCAPING

Still wondering, I heard someone knocking on the door. It was dad he had followed me. Maybe he wanted to scold me again. I opened the door and then he came inside.

" I am sorry my dear daughter. You know I didn't mean to hurt you this much but you have made me so mad. How could you step out of the house.

You see my intentions are pure for you. I only wish you the best this world could provide. I am your father, protecting you from any danger is my responsibility. Please try to understand your father.

When your mother was pregnant with you, she went into the jungle and met a stranger woman who told her that she will give birth to a beautiful girl child and that that child will get married to a monster. The son of the devil (the king of the jungle). 

We had planned to do something to you but the happiness you brought to us was and still is incredible so we decided to raise you and not letting you step out of the house in order not to meet with the devil's son anywhere. 

And today when I found you outside, I couldn't control my anger but I know you are innocent since you didn't know why we are not letting you move outside the house.

You are now 21 years old.  You can make decisions for yourself so that's why I have shared this with you so that you can always think about it as you are going to take any decisions." He said while crying.

At first I behaved like I was not listening to him but when he mentioned about the stranger woman's words to my mom, I became so attentive to get it all well. It was really scaring but I wondered why I didn't get scared at all. 

I thought that maybe he was trying to scare me so I can stop moving out of the house.

But why would he keep me inside like this if all this is a lie? I kept asking myself after he has left my room.

A familiar voice whispered in my that whatever dad said is true. 

" How do you know that?" I asked as if I was taking to someone yet I was the only one in the room. I kept quiet for a moment waiting for the voice of the unknown person to reply to me but it never did. I was getting used to this voice and I wasn't scared of it anymore but I wondered whose voice it is.

I wanted to find out but from where since I was kept inside all the time. I couldn't share with my mom what was bothering me since she knew nothing about my tattoo and how I got it. I knew she wouldn't keep it a secret if I told her about it. She would scold me and then tell Dad about it which would mean trouble for me.

Ignoring this voice, I went out of my room. I needed to find answers from my mom.  I knew if all this is true, she will tell me everything while crying and she won't cry if it's all made-up stories.

"You look worried dear, what's the matter?" Mom asked me after seeing me panicking.

"I need to know why you are keeping me inside the house like a prisoner mother. Am I not like other people? Why are you doing this to me?" I asked sounding soft and hurt.

This left mother with no other choice but to tell me everything. I wasn't surprised when she told me the same story. So that's when I believed dad's words.

They were doing everything to protect me and as for me I kept questioning them every time and again. I needed to apologise.

In the evening at the dinner table after our meals, I got a strange feeling. Something was forcing me to say sorry to my parents, "what could it be?"I wondered. So there I started.

"Dad, Mom, am very sorry for being a bad daughter to both of you. I kept questioning your intentions for keeping me inside this house like a prisoner. I didn't know you were doing all this to save me from meeting with the devil's son. You are the best parents one could ever ask for in this whole universe. I love you so much." I said as tears rolled down my eyes.

"Don't blame yourself my darling daughter. We are the ones to be blamed for this. We kept the truth from you thinking you would be shattered after hearing this scaring news. We are so sorry please. Forgive us if you can."said both mom and dad.

After sometime we went to our bedrooms to sleep. 

Dreaming had become my daily life. That night in my dreams I again met with my friend Bat. This time he wasn't alone, he was with a very tall and giant old man who had red eyes that were glowing in the dark. They were both coming to me.

I tried to run from them but it wasn't helping me at all since these guys could flutter in the wind and then land in front of me.

"What are you doing please friend Bat. Who is this strange person you are with and why are you chasing me like this. You know am now scared of both of you. I can't believe you want to let your friend feed on me." I cried.

Opening my eyes, I was on my bed. 

"Oh thank God it's just a dream."I comforted myself but I was still so terrified about the dream.

I forced myself to sleep again but couldn't find sleep. Maybe I have started to fear falling asleep again.

"Am sorry to say this, but that wasn't just a dream. It's your reality which is looking for you. You can't run any longer. You have to accept your destiny and welcome it willingly my dear. That's all I can share with you right now. I will go."the familiar voice said to me interrupting my thoughts.

"Destiny? Reality? What are you trying to tell me." I asked the voice forgetting that it would never respond to my silly questions.

Everytime I asked, it just ignored me. It was my stupidity to think it was going to reply to me this time.

Soon I fell asleep again. This time I slept peacefully till morning but whenever I recalled about the dream I had, I could feel extremely worried and scared. 

For a moment I thought of telling my mom what was going on with my life. But I would imagine how she would scold me and then thought what would happen if father gets to know about this, due to much fear I continued to keep it with me. I didn't want to get them worried. I thought this would end soon but this wasn't the case instead it was the beginning.