Chapter 4

The cake comes back into her view as the man moves it towards her holding it in his hands. She looks at it with bigger eyes in disbelief.

It is no longer bloody and appears as an ordinary heart-shaped pink cake. She takes a long breath. The tingling around her throat stops. "I don't want it," she says in a meek tone and turns towards the exit gate. 

As soon as her right foot steps out, the cold outside grips it. She feels as if the cold has claws that are sinking into her bisque soft skin. She keeps it in midair and looks towards the bald man. 

He is counting cash behind a counter till his waist. He turns towards the small glass window in his right and curses the stormy night for low collection. Putting all back into the drawer he closes it with a bang. His eyes fall on the girl still deciding on going out.

"Need an extra push?" he yaps. She steps out with her weakened legs.

The wind outside is slowing down. Clearer wind is showing the emptiness of the streets. She walks on a wide street lit by several street lights and buildings at places.

She's now going in opposite the direction of the hospital she came from. A narrow alley shows up in her right. She looks towards it. 

After few meters, the alley is completely dark having no street lights or buildings. It has only trees on each side. The whole street between the trees is empty except for two red backlights, indicating a car stopped at least one kilometer away.

She takes her eye off the distant car and looks in her front street going straight. The shrilling sounds of the wind now muted. The way appears totally clear in her front. 

A large building of Garnet and Grace appears on her left. The yellow-lit showroom behind the glass reveals several mannequins standing inside. One white dress with queen anne neckline catches her attention. Her mind slips into her memory from three years ago. 

Emma is lying over her bed in her comfy white pajamas with small black dots. A dark orange top is over her flat belly. Her head is supported with two fluffy pillows. Big square eyeglasses with a very thin black frame are over her bisque nose. 

Her eyes are focused on the thick book she is holding with her right hand. A pencil is dwindling in her other hand. She underlines the word bipedalism in the book and takes the pencil to her face. Her milky white teeth grip the pencil as she gets lost in thought.

A thudding goes over her door but she stays lost in her world. A light brown hand lands on her shoulder. She gets startled, the pencil falls down. She looks towards the familiar face.

Elora is dressed in a light yellow maxi till her knees. "What has got you so lost, Muffin?"

"Nothing," saying, she puts her book on the bed and gives all attention to her stepmother.

"Let me see what my cute little muffin reads," she picks up the book. Her eyes start twitching reading the texts in the book. She turns it to see its cover. Evolution by Douglas J, says the title.

"You've just finished college...take a chill dear," Elora says in a sweet voice.

"It's just for fun," replies Emma, shrugging her shoulders.

Elora takes a good look at her from tip to toe. "You're supposed to read romance, hunt boys at this age," she purses her lips out.

Emma extends her hand to get it back but Elora makes it more distant from her. Emma makes her eyes bigger. "Okay...do whatever makes you happy dear," she gives it back to her and leans towards her to give a peck on her forehead.

"Muffin, what are your preparations for Shelly's wedding?"

"I have got everything covered from the dress to shoes," she lifts her eyeglass a bit by its right hinge and then leaves it. 

"Nice.. show me your dress," Elora runs her hand over Emma's medium brown hair. She doesn't budge as if already knowing she's not gonna like it. "C'mon!" on getting another request she stands up on her feet.

Walking to her wide and long closet she slides the silvery door on the upper part. She takes out a white gown and looks at the poker face Elora.

"Shelly won't even let you enter."

"She's my cousin...why won't she?"

"There's nothing wrong with you, Muffin...but that dress," Elora waves her hand in front of her face as if the dress had made her vision hazy. 

"What's wrong with it?"     

"Everything...the way you dress you won't have a single pair of eyes over you even till my age," she explains jokingly.

Emma puts the gown back into its place and turns to her. "What is your age exactly?" She puts her both hands over her hips.

"Dress up and come outside...We're going to Garnet and Grace," she walks towards the door.

"Are they my distant cousins?" she asks with an innocent face.

Elora smiles and runs her hand over Emma's head. "You'll get to know...now quick."

Switching her pajamas with a pair of grey jeans she walks out in a minute. Stepping down from the half-circle staircase. She walks out of the house into a bright porch with white pillars. A shiny blue BMW stands in front of her mansion.

As soon as she sits in the back beside her stepmother, the driver moves the car. "You can remove those...we're certainly not going to a library," says Elora pointing at her big square specs.

She puts off her glasses and leans on the back seat. The nerd mind of her always seeking something new finds the ride boring and in few minutes she drifts off to sleep. Her head slides to Elora's shoulder. "Come here," Elora puts her head slowly in her lap and puts all her hair behind the ear.

A few minutes later, Elora brushes her fingers over Emma's soft cheeks and whispers, "We're here." Emma opens her eyes and sits straight, "That was a good sleep," she says opening the door. Elora smiles at her, "I know."

Going in they browse through the clothes that look no less than royal. "How's this one?" Emma goes on asking and gets "Not that good," on her each choice. 

Taking out a white Organza dress with ruching and queen anne neckline, Elora waves at her. Emma's tired face lightens up. "Try this...go on," says Elora.

Emma comes back dressed in the organza. Elora drops her jaws in amusement. Taking her to a full view mirror she says, "All the eyes will be on you only, muffin." Emma smiles looking at the beautiful dress.

The smile on her face fades out as reality sinks in. The dress in her present vision appears almost the same except the ruching in the lower part but her life has turned upside down. Taking a left she walks with her legs now freezing with the cold.

A whistle goes in the alley she just stepped in. She turns back to see five men staring at her. Their faces are not visible as a street light is just behind them. Two cruiser bikes are parked on the left side of the alley.

Two men leaning on each bike are dressed in pair of jeans and jackets. The color of their clothes is not clear enough as their back is turned towards the only light source. Their eyes are not distinguishable but with the posture of their head, it is clear that they are looking at her uncovered legs under bodycon till her thighs. 

One man bit forward from the four makes a whistle with fingers in his mouth. "Come here, babe," he says in a beery voice. The other four stand up on their feet and pat on each other's shoulders, cheering.

Emma takes her eye off them and walks in the opposite direction at a faster pace. She can hear the footsteps following them that only keeps getting louder. Her heart rate increases, she clutches the baby tighter to herself. 

Another whistle goes off in her back that feels almost like one step behind her. "You're not getting away that easily," roars the man behind. 

From the corner of her eyes, she gets a glimpse of a slivery blade shining in the air. Despite the cold night, sweat runs from her forehead. She turns to the man fearing a blade might just go into her back anytime.

"I have a BABY with me," she cries out loud.

"You're sexy too," says the man. He swings his slivery knife in the air at her face level. She stumbles backward. He steps forward quickly and scratches the knife over her dress on the left side.

Her bodycon tears down from her waist to thighs on the left side. A red strap appears around her waist under the bodycon. Her whole naked left leg gets on display for evil eyes. She puts a hand gripping and joining the two torn parts of her dress.