My quivering heart won.I wanted to meet my mother. I wanted to know her.Yes, it might be too soon. Yes, it might come with consequences. But I needed to hug her. I needed her arms around me. If the worst comes to worst, I would stay with Diana and her family. Just let my mother know that I was alive. Let she be bereft of this hurtful pain.Still, Dora? Really? You couldn’t think of a better name that didn’t have the same syllabic pronunciation like your real name? My mind chided me, yet I looked unfazed, refusing to give my feelings away.I hadn’t been thinking. I hadn’t stopped to think of the best name to give my mother. ‘Dora’ had just escaped my mouth, before my brain had dwelled on it.But that wasn’t what was causing my heart to race against itself. No. The name given to cover my identity was secondary to the cause of my nervousness now.My heart raced as if it had a mind of its own, each beat quickening with the building anticipation. The thud in my chest echoed in my ears,
As I stepped out of the vibrant party hall, a rush of cool night air greeted me, carrying with it the distant echoes of laughter and music. The sight outside was a stark contrast to the pulsating energy within—people danced under the luminescent glow of string lights, laughter intermingling with the soft strains of music. Couples shared stolen moments of intimacy, lost in the euphoria of the night.Huffing in mild exasperation, I navigated through the jubilant crowd, my gaze sweeping over the scene of revelry. Seeing others lost in embraces and kisses heightened my sense of detachment. While the atmosphere buzzed with celebration, I yearned for solitude, a reprieve from the clamor of the festivity.Seeking solace in the quieter, darker side of the valley, I wandered away from the lively throng, my steps guided by the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the trees. In this tranquil haven, I found refuge, a space to dwell in my thoughts undisturbed.As I settled in this serene sol
Stranger? I mused sardonically. Strangers indeed. I huffed and looked away from him as he leaned against the same wall where I sought solace, a perplexing silence settling between us, punctuated only by the faint whispers of the night breeze. The air crackled with unspoken words, the weight of the recent events lingering palpably.His unexpected presence ignited a tumult of conflicting thoughts within me. What was he doing here, standing beside me, when he should have been immersed in the realm of his chosen mate or comforting his grieving girlfriend? The intricacies of his life, entangled in relationships I didn't fully comprehend, stirred a simmering curiosity within me, even though I had no intention of voicing them out. It was best we remained in no speaking terms.As I stole a glance at him, his profile bathed in the soft glow of moonlight, a myriad of questions swirled within my mind. The enigma of Adam's presence beside me in this moment of turmoil and vulnerability tugged at
Adam’s words hung in the air, laden with an unspoken challenge, a line drawn in the sand. The gravity of his ultimatum reverberated through the silence, sending a jolt of apprehension coursing through me.Conflicting emotions surged within me—fear, uncertainty, and a tinge of indignation at the sudden intensity of the situation. His unexpected proposition caught me off guard, my thoughts spiraling in disarray as I grappled with the significance of his words.He would kiss me?Caught between the walls of silence and the impending threat of an unwanted advance, I stood frozen, my mind racing with a tumult of emotions. The weight of his demand bore down on me, a choice looming between breaking my silence or facing an unwelcome gesture.He wouldn’t dare!Ignoring my blaring alarming bells, I scoffed, and tried to get away from him-wondering later why I had done this, if maybe a little part of me had wanted him to rise to his challenge.Adam effortlessly drew me back with just one hand int
The resemblance in the faces of Daniel and Adam, when they were delivered an insulting blow was strong and comical. Adam was looking at me like I had punched his gut. It took him a full minute to recover from the punch. By that time, I had already taken two steps backward, my eyes darting to the lightened entrance in case I needed to make a head run away from this monster, in case he decided to get physical. He didn’t. “Why did you say that? Are you calling me a shit?” He asked rather, still looking perplexed. I was sure he wasn’t accustomed to being dissed by a girl.“At least you aren’t dumb.” I muttered, aware that he could hear me. “As I mentioned before, I don’t have the time for a chit chat. But if you are looking for someone to warm your bed tonight, then find someone else. Although, I will suggest you freshen up your mouth first, it smells like fish and garlic. Not a good combo if you ask me.” I stated nonchalantly, folding my arms across my chest, a smirk threatening to
As I glimpsed the familiar figures in the distance, a rush of adrenaline flooded my veins, setting my heart pounding against my ribcage. My breath hitched, catching in my throat as an unmistakable wave of panic surged within me. It was them—my other tormentors, approaching from afar.My muscles tensed involuntarily, and my mind raced with memories of the torment they had inflicted upon me, the scars both visible and hidden. The air felt thinner, suffocating me as I grappled with the sudden onslaught of fear and distress. Every nerve in my body seemed to vibrate with an alarming urgency, warning me of the impending confrontation.My hands trembled, and a cold sweat formed on my brow despite the mild night breeze that whispered through the trees. I fought to control the rising tide of panic, but it was an uphill battle, a war against the haunting memories and the raw emotions they evoked.I desperately sought an escape, my instincts urging me to flee, to hide from the impending confro
Adam“As much as her fire and sassiness turns me on, I don’t understand her one bit. Why was she crying?” I heard my brother, Daniel ask, and sighed. She baffled me. Dora. Was that even her real name? The name sounded like something that had been made up out of whim. I could bet ten percent of my inheritance that the name was fake. It wasn't her name, and it only made me more curious. “Adam..” Noah called me. I turned and stared at him, wondering why he and Daniel were even here. Shouldn’t they be finding more girls to go to bed with? What am I even thinking? Why wasn’t I happy that they were here? Why wasn’t I happy when they had called Dora a slut? I had laughed to get on with it, but deep within, I just wanted to chase them away. I just wanted to take Dora to the secret cave and unravel her. I shut my eyes as I remembered the last girl I had taken there, the girl that had disappeared without a trace. I shook my head. I refused to dwell on that. “Adam, your mind isn’t even he
Adam.I stood at the entrance of the hall that had been chosen for this unnecessary event, my gaze sweeping across the extravagant décor that adorned every corner. The ostentatious display was a testament to the lavishness that my father had spared no expense to achieve, a grand gesture intended to curry favor with the Queen. Intricately carved pillars adorned with gilded accents soared towards the ornate ceiling, shimmering under the golden hue of chandeliers that hung like beacons of indulgence. Every surface gleamed with meticulous polish, reflecting the wealth that had been poured into crafting this spectacle of grandeur.My jaw tightened as I surveyed the ostentatious tapestries, each woven with threads spun from the finest silks money could buy, depicting tales of heroism and triumphs of our lineage. The exorbitant amount spent on each piece was a testament to my father's relentless pursuit of the Queen's favor, a desperate bid to secure alliances and sway her opinion in our f
“Is there a problem now?” I asked the girls, stamping down, with all of my will, the panic that was threatening to rise to the surface at the prospect of me being bullied in the store room. I could see one of the girls, Nina, bring out her phone from the slice in her jacket. They were going to video whatever was going to transpire here, whatever they were about to do. For a full minute, I regretted stopping here to eavesdrop. But then, would I have escaped this? They would have still waited for me. It was better that I had even eavesdropped. That way, I did have some hold over them. But then, I knew that I couldn’t use it now. It would be forcibly taken away, and my leverage would be gone before it could even be used. No, I couldn’t do that. But then, what do I do? How do I get free from this entanglement? I wondered, wishing almost frantically, that Raul would come here, to perhaps take something or anything at all. I wished that would come to check on me, and taunt me. During
Why hadn’t the fourth girl spoken? I wondered, letting my eyes roam the lanky figure of the girl, who was short and wore nerd glasses. The girl had slightly spiked hair, as if they had just been pulled. My eyes rested and remained on her hands which were clasped in front of her. She wasn’t looking at me, rather she was staring at the floor like it was telling her something of importance. She was also carrying more than one bag. Now that I see it clearly, she was carrying the bag of the blondie. I knew because the blondie wasn’t carrying any. She was rather staring at me with annoyance mixed with faint curiosity. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was Chyra, noting the stance which reminded me of Peter and his brother, Dim. Yet, my eyes withdrew back to the fourth girl whom I hadn’t heard her voice. Another Levina. Of course , I could tell that she was their foot mat, another of their bullied. Was Rachel aware of this? I thought, remembering that I hadn’t seen the girl near them
“Oh…that? I haven’t met her particularly since she was born. I can’t bother myself with something of no value. That family grates on my nerves for some reason. I would go as far as saying that I hate them. I share my parents’ feelings about them.”I balked, stepping away from the door. Partly because of the hate I heard in Chyra’s voice, and partly because my mind had told me to. But I didn’t consider my mind’s individuality at the moment, rather on Chyra’s hate. Diana was six years old, or perhaps seven. And she didn’t know the girl that was my closest ally? At least you should know the names of your enemies. I thought, sinking my fingers into my hair, ruffling them out of anger and mild frustration. “You know, Nina. I don’t know which family we should be afraid of the most. Chyra’s or Rachel’s?” Nina. The name of the third person. I listened keenly to get her own voice. “I think we should fear Rachel’s the more. At least Chyra’s parents don’t have blood on their hands yet.”
Minions of Rachel? Interesting. I thought, taking another bite of the chocolate bar, the last one actually. My stomach grumbled when I was done, but I ignored it and stood up from the chair. I was done hearing them speak. I walked to the dustbin that was just next to the door, and dropped the wrap inside. “But to be honest, she might not go with the idea. As a matter of fact, she hasn’t responded to any of my texts since yesterday, or is it only me?” I paused, wanting to hear this. “Not at all. I think the queen might have confiscated her phone, or she just doesn’t want to talk.” “Well, I don’t blame her. She had been humiliated in front of the whole school. If you remembered, she hadn’t said a word after the cafeteria incident. Reasoning it now, I don’t think her mother had seized her phone. She just doesn’t want to talk with us. Perhaps, taking the days to process what exactly had happened. I’m still not sure why she didn't fight back.” “Yes, me too. Now that I think of it,
Finally. I mused, looking at the time. It was half past six. I yawned, feeling hunger yanking my intestines and stretching. The sumptuous food that the matrons had filled up my plate with at the cafeteria seemed to have evaporated. I knew that the principal had been behind it, the food I mean. I had expected the matrons to hiss and maybe spit in my food, but there had been a relief look and somewhat happiness shining in their eyes as I had kept passing my tray from one matron to the other. It was then I had understood that they had wanted to report the bullying scenario, but had been afraid for their lives, and for their families. I was not sure what Rachel had used as a threat over them, but it had been enough to keep their mouths shut, and I wouldn’t understand that if I wasn’t in their position. It was probably the only reason why I had given a short smile to Sinclair when our eyes had met in the hallway after school had dismissed. He had stumbled in his steps, but I was al
When I got to the shop, the first thing I noticed was that it was too crowded. When Peter and I had come here for the first time, when he had introduced the first shopkeeper whom I believed to be higher than the other one, it had been in the evening. There hadn’t been many people buying and selling in the big store then. Yet I had thought them many, I had thought I would be able to cope, having made the calculations in my head. I scoffed at myself now, at my mundane brain. Would I survive here? I found myself asking, taking in the bustling and shuffling of plenty of feet. “Dora! Over here!” I sharply turned toward the caller, relief tampering my nerves when I saw that it had been the first shopkeeper who was jovial, who Peter had introduced me to. Mr. Francis. “Good afternoon, Mr. Francis.” I greeted, when I got to him. “Good afternoon, Dora. How was school today?” He asked with a small smile on his face. Was he ever not smiling? Just throw a container of milk on the floor
I waited for ten minutes; I waited till I was sure that Sinclair wouldn’t be coming. Then, I went into the library, having been amazed by the sculptured cat just by the entrance. As I stood amidst the hushed aisles of the library, the scent of aged paper and leather bindings enveloped me like a familiar embrace. It was strangely comforting, this sanctuary of knowledge, amidst the chaos in the hallways. With a faint smile, I decided to explore the shelves, my curiosity piqued by the prospect of uncovering hidden secrets within the pages of dusty tomes.My first class teacher would have to forgive me.Approaching the front desk, I greeted the librarian, a stern-looking woman peering at me over the rim of her glasses. "Excuse me, do you have any books on magic beasts?" I inquired, trying to sound nonchalant despite the excitement bubbling within me.The librarian's expression softened slightly, her curiosity evident as she regarded me. "Magic beasts, you say?" She murmured, her gaz
I was dreaming.I found myself in a dense forest, the trees towering above me, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The air was thick with mist, curling around my ankles and making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead. Shadows moved just beyond my sight, elusive and fleeting. The soft rustling of leaves accompanied by the distant call of an owl filled the air, creating an eerie symphony that sent chills down my spine.As I walked deeper into the woods, a strange feeling washed over me. It was as if I was being watched, a presence both comforting and unsettling, like an old friend you hadn’t seen in years. My heart pounded in my chest, a mixture of fear and curiosity driving me forward.Suddenly, the trees parted, and I was face to face with a beast. Its eyes glowed with an eerie light, and its body seemed to be made of shadows and mist, shifting and swirling as if it were barely contained. It stood on four legs, each one ending in claws that dug into the earth, ye
At my question about the Queen’s vigilante beasts, Laura jerked and glanced at Peter, who in turn looked at Diana before finally landing his gaze on me. “How do you know about the beasts?”He asked, his tone taking a stern quality.I knew that it was on the tip of his tongue to ask if I had seen them, but then that was impossible, so he didn’t. Yet, it showed that Peter assumed anything was possible when it came to me, showed that I had a penchant for being at places or doing things quite spectacular. I could read that at least in his eyes.“Levina told me all about it when we had left the school’s premises. According to her, the beasts are being deployed as vigilantes in the community. Have any of you seen them?”Laura shook her head. “Levina must have told you that already. So, I don’t know why you would ask that…” She paused, probably seeing the slanting of my mouth in a smirk. “Quench that curiosity, Maya. Nothing good will come out of it this time around. The beasts aren’t Pro