The Night Fair

t e n

I am alive, lol. I really, really would advise you to read what happened in chapter eight and nine. In chapter eight, Kaia was telling them about the fair when a bleeding man appeared; and  chapter nine, it showed exchange between Kaia and Madhulika.

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AVIKA THOUGHT SHE IS BETTER AT RUNNING THAN STAYING. That's why she ran as fast as she could, when Kaia shouted at them to run. The orange man, who was bleeding purple, was walking slowly towards them. It would have been a straight up color comedy; if this wasn't anything less than a horror show. His screams took Aditya another second to run away. He kept glancing back, as if having a feeling of indecisiveness. 

Kaia shouted, her hands shooting out orange fireballs, "Aditya, he is going to be fine. Right now, we need to get to a safe place." Aditya was startled but didn't decrease his speed. Panting, he increased his speed. His legs ached; it had a been long, long time since he had to run. A dark shadow flickered across his face; as he thought of the time he had to run. His eyes pricked and he gulped. Not the time, he thought. 

Since, Kaia could float (is there anything she couldn't do?) she was standing some fifteen feet away, shouting at them. Avika beside him was also running, her face devoid of any emotion. Whatever time they had spent together, he knew only knew one thing, she was brave. But he had never seen any emotion flicker across her face, as if she was a robot. . .

By time he finished his trail of thoughts, he and Avika were standing in front of Kaia. He was panting hard, as Kaia poked, "Weak," and Avika as usual was standing quiet. Clutching his sides hard, he said, "W-what about the bleeding man?" 

Kaia impatiently sighed, as the brown fireballs got bigger, causing them to cover their eyes momentarily, "Again, he is not a man, he is a ghost."

Avika blurted, watching the fireballs with widened eyes, "A what now?" Kaia flashed daggers at her, and slowly repeated, "A g-h-o-s-t. And he is going to be fine." The screams coming from back did not reassure them. Aditya kept glancing back, and Avika kept staring at orangish-brown fireballs, which made her feel queasy. The intensity of the fireballs made the entire are lit up; increasing Avika's anxiety. She took a deep breath; hoping Kaia knew what she was doing. 

Kaia sighed. Holding the three fireballs in her one hand, making sure it doesn't burn her sparkling blue dress; she grabbed Avika hand and thrusted one of fireballs in her hand. Avika's eyes widened, and she almost dropped it. A small scream was let out by her, and Kaia shushed her saying, it doesn't hurt. Aditya wanted to yell, but its supposed to be a fireball. How cannot it not hurt? Before he could, Kaia thrusted one in his hand too. His stopped breathing for a moment, too stunned. Kaia shook her head, and snapped her fingers. 

The next moment, they were standing in nature, fireballs gone, and the Night Fair, far far away. Avika was too stunned to even breathe. She was, um, — standing in middle of field of tulips. Touching one of the long petals of white tulip near her, she ran her hand over its rough, wet tips, as if it was going to disappear. The sun seemed too bright, her eyes being more accustomed to darkness, and the blue skies almost seemed surreal. Aditya let out a laugh, not able to contain his thoughts on absurdity of situation. He stuttered, "I—I—What—"

His rest of the words were drowned by the waves that clashed loudly against the pearly sand, startling them; for sudden silence that feel too weird. Even just for a few hours, they were more used to screams of The Night Fair than silence? To Avika, it felt as it had been days since she had seen a clear sky and sunny skies. 

Turning around in the direction of sound of water, she saw a beach a few feet away from the end of white tulips. A small giggle left her lips as she stared at water mingling with sand, disappearing and then re-appearing after a few seconds. Small white stones and shells that shone against the surface— it was beautiful. Smell of salt and fresh dew filled the air; she took a deep breath, enjoying the freshness of everything around her. The air felt slightly humid, so she tied her hair up. 

She was almost living her dream, until Kaia broke it, by coughing loudly. Avika whipped her head in her direction, her eyes widening, as she had almost forget how they arrived here by holding — a fireball?

Aditya was also startled. When he was finally beginning to feel as he was away from that nightmarish place, Kaia had to break his moment — didn't she? He was watching the small flecks on light dance on tulips, white fluffy clouds smiling from sky, but no, someone had to ruin it for him. 

Kaia smirked, saying, "Don't get lost; its all a illusion." Avika then, noticed her dress. It was like she was some ten years younger than she actually looked. Her hair were suddenly drawn into a stylish bun and she was wearing simple jeans and t-shirt. Her cheeks were still sharp, her blue eyes cold; but still she looked a little — human? 

Kaia saw her staring and mentioned her with her chin, to look at her own dress. Instead of her usual t-shirt and jeans; she was wearing a long, flowery white dress. Her hair, just like Kaia's were tied in a stylish bun, expect a delicate tiara made of flowers was also hanging on side of her head. She looked— felt like a princess; but then she saw her hands. She screamed, taking a step back. Tracing the long red rashes that lined her brown hands, she said, "This—this—how—"

Her words were drowned by Aditya's shrill scream. She looked up, surprised. He was, just like her, wearing a formal crisp white shirt and pant. But. . . but his hands and face were covered with spots. Small purple spots made Avika almost puke. Aditya made a disgusted face; yelling: "When? When did this—"

Kaia loud voice brought both of them out of their revive, "Stop! Stop screaming!"

Both of them stopped and looked at her, fear settling deep in their stomachs. Avika gulped her anxiety as her eyes kept darting to the red lines that were painted on her arms. Aditya was shaking, his hands lightly touching the spots. Kaia swatted his hand away, and said, "Stop touching. You will make it worse."

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "This spots—" looking at Avika and pointing at her rashes, she continued, "— are result of the Night Fair. Often you do things you mi—t not be awa—e of."  

 Avika frowned and said in horror, watching Kaia fade in and out, too sudden and quick for her to even comprehend, "K-Kaia, you are disappearing—"

Kaia cut her in between by saying, "I know. That's the re—n why I t—l you to—"

Aditya pitched in, "We cannot understand."

Kaia sighed in frustration, and flipping her half faded hand, she whipped a small note. Opening in hand, she passed the small note to Avika. "F—n me there."

Avika's widened eyes were enough for Kaia to understand, they did not get her words. Plucking one of the tulip leaves, she signaled her fingers to write, 'Find me there,' on the petal and then disappeared. 

Aditya snapped, throwing his hands in the air, "Great! This is all I ever wanted!"

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thoughts?

constructive criticism is welcome.