Light of the day
With
a smile on her rosy face, she entered the forest. The young
child sat on a log suspiciously, shifting her light pink
dress onto the sides of her skinny body. Her lovely blonde
hair swirled about friskily, as if it had freedom of its
own. In a puzzling way, she fixed her gaze at the cloudless
sky above. Her figure almost danced in the breeze. If only
she could fly… If only she could jump on the moon.. If only
she could go where ever she pleased…
The mid-winter sun shore,
attempting to warm up the chilly air. Damp wind carried the
sweet smell of scented flowers, whispering mysteriously to
the trees.
It was just after
midday,
but the glorious weather remained balmy. The leaves rustled
continuously overhead, dancing to the same unknown rhythm,
but never bowing to the audience beneath. At the same time,
each shared its rightful place in the hands of Mother
Nature.
The forest was filled with
enchanting plants, rich in colour. They all stood
peacefully, surrounded by an endless sea of smooth grass.
The cracked surface of the trees felt coarse under her
hands, similar to the spindly leaves of evergreen trees.
The night was almost
moonless and dark, with a chilly wind blowing from the
south. A low owl’s boot echoed through the lofty trees,
while the frail moonlight wove itself around the thin
branches. Lakes nearby shimmered, revealing their glory.
Hephzibah leaned against
the roots of an oak tree, starring at the ground. Her
extensive claret veil covered most of her slim body,
outlining the slight curves. Without warning, abrupt
raindrops attacked the hillside, while rapid dim billows hid
the moon from her view.
Hephzibah shivered as she
raced for nearby shelter, drawing her cloak closed across
her chest. A chilly gale stroke her pale face, sweeping the
decaying leaves transversely.
Rigid with tension,
Hephzibah crouched against the jagged rock. She made a
longed for, tepid fire, which flicked unsteadily. Hephzibah
took off her exquisitely garmented veil, illuminating her
wrinkled ageing pastel face and a weak frown on her dry
unspoken lips. Grey hair flowed without restrained over her
fragile shoulders, following the form of her waist.
The hollow walls of the
cave encircled her, leaving a crevice on the northern side,
which served as a door. The tunnel was dank from lack of sun
shine and fresh air.
Her deep thoughts seemed to
engulf her completely from the reality surrounding her. The
frown vanished. With a quick glance, her eyes exposed a
gleam.
Outside her shelter, the
winds roared. Rains wiped the grounds, leaving them bare and
soil less.
The child stared out,
through the window. She was able to feel, the moisture in
the atmosphere due to the rain. Patricia could still
remember last night; the thunderous winds, the sound of the
drizzle… Wouldn’t it have been exciting to run like
lightning across the landscape?
Bizarre images rushed into
her head, making her dizzy. The world around her blended
into one, undistinguishable figure, which stretched towards
Patricia. She was taken in by an unknown force, blurring
her vision once more. Her heart thumped with fear and
panic. Two eyes started at her, not letting her go, giving
her an impression of something being demanded of her...
It was all over.
Everything happened in the split of a second. Her head was
still hurting, although she didn’t mind. But the origin of
the flash still troubled her and she couldn’t make any sense
of it.
Heat rushed into her
face. “No, not again!” Nevertheless, her scream came out
as a sigh, as she penetrated the new terrain once more.
The air was warm an
stuffy. It was getting hotter, as the day continued to
develop. the blazing sun was soaring in the sky, towering
over the Earth like an emperor.
Occasionally, the wind from
the sea escaped through narrow spaces among the shrubbery.
Hephzibah stumbled ahead,
sweating and burning under her rags. The grass tickled her
feet and small insects bit her skin. Her footsteps became
slower and weaker, until she was completely exhausted.
“Mum!...” Tired,
bewildered by her own insights, Patricia lay still, feeling
tense and confused, unable to recall what had happened to
her. She collected all her energy to remain alert, but the
darkness and empty space roused her.
Soon, she became aware of a
woman standing beside her, massaging her palm. Gentle hands
touched a tender spot on her head. “Darling, darling.
Mum’s here. Are you all right? Oh, it must’ ve been a
nightmare.”
The words floated in the
air, carried away by a gush of wind. Patricia realised the
window was open. A cool current of air hit her flaming
cheeks.
There was a knock on the
door. “I’ll be back...” The echo reached Partricia. She
stirred about, in discomfort, burying her face into her
arms.
“Good morning,” exclaimed
Patricia’s mum, surprised at the visitor.
“Good morning to you,”
replied the old lady. “I’m Hephzibah and I must talk to
your daughter.” Without an invitation, she hurried inside,
past Patricia’s mum. In an instant, she was next to
Patricia’s bed, holding her hand.
“My child, I must help you
get rid of this sickness.” Patricia swung around, shrugging
indifferently. Her eyes gazed at the elderly woman, as if
there was some hope in that wrinkled beam. “I know a way,
but it has to be tonight. Meet me by the lake,” she
whispered faintly.
She was gone.
At each step, her aching
head jolted back devastatingly. The shadowy figure of
Patricia crept stealthily, further to the north. She rushed
beyond the narrow belt of trees. Eventually, the lake was
within her view.
Hephzibah appeared in her
long mysterious veil. She beckoned Patricia to come over.
“Look in the lake,” she murmured and pointed her long finger
towards the shimmering water.
Patricia paced through the
silky meadow. Her eyes widened with shock and panic as she
grasped the image reflected on the surface of the lake. She
twisted in the opposite direction, facing the slopes.
Gripping her long half-grey curls and sliding her fingers
across her crumpled face, she darted through bushes and
trees, up a sheer, pebbly hummock, howling, yelling, and
pleading to die, until she tripped over an undersized stone.
Hephzibah loped over to
Patricia, who cursed herself. “Please,” she sobbed, “Please
let me die! Do you understand?! I don’t want live! this
is not my place!” Patricia placed her finger on the earth,
dragging it.
After a while, Hephzibah
looked Patricia in the eye. “If you die... then I die.”
For an instant, they both became silent. Patricia stopped
moaning and stared at the old lady. “We are one,” she
continued, “I am me and you ... and you are you and me, the
same as the earth, air, water and fire are all one.”
Her face relaxed when she
sensed the understanding that passed between them. The
cries of small insects disturbed the peace and the
tranquility of the night, which swam around them, like calm,
soothing waters of the lake.
Suddenly uneasy, Hephzibah
touched Patricia’s hand. “You still have the chance to save
us and restore our youth...”
Patricia glided her fingers
across the mountain’s surface. She paced across the middle
of the hall, sighing at the sight of the fabulous marble
columns and beautifully carved statues. Cool air her
immediately, bringing sudden relief to her wary figure. The
detailed iron latticework mesmerised Partricia, leaving her
whole body immobile with pleasure.
“My dead brother!?... My
dead sister!?... How? Why?” Her screech was lost in the
footsteps of the advancing lifeless young people. Their
pale, hard faces exposed nothing. They stared sullenly into
the darkness.
As they drew nearer,
Patricia’s heartbeat increased. With all her strength, she
pressed clear of them and hid behind a fountain. On the
antique stone surrounding it, an engraved star glowed,
producing a dim light.
A young woman, with a
beautiful, but sinister appearance stepped forward. “You
can, but you can’t hire from me.” Her baleful smile was met
by Patricia’s grin, as she stepped forward to confront her
enemy.
Coldness struck the
mountain. The wind howled through its rugged curtains,
which swayed back and forth. It outstretched its cheerless
hands to any victim passing by. It waited there, silent and
still.
It was frigid inside.
Patricia’s hands kept shaking as she paced along the
stone-made floor. The walls consisted of stones, too. The
large room was motionless, just as its victims.
Patricia breathed in,
trying to stay calm and relaxed. She was aware of the
hatred and greed that existed in those two clear blue eyes.
“I love you as much as myself.” the adolescent woman
disappeared. The gentle words of Patricia burnt her.
The
young lifeless people, along with Patricia regained their
stolen, youth, finally finding the light of the day. Their
laughs vibrated across the land. |
