Mirror The Light

BEFORE

           She always heard them. She tried to see them but failed. Thought it was her head playing tricks when they wouldn’t gossip, but the next day they would come back to prove her wrong. They heard her every second, minute, hour of the day. While she heard them only when they wanted her to.

          They have been discussing amongst themselves what was to be shared with her and what was not. No, nothing like a formal meeting of sorts led by any kind of leader; it was purely chaotic. Even now as she lay on her bed, dreaming of her desires and wishes and goals, they were running rampage around her. But unseen. Unheard. That was the sole reason they wanted to do anything that would not make her go insane, and would stop wanting to hear them. Because only she ever listened. Could listen.

          When they heard it. A sound so deafening that could tear apart the silence of midnight, weaving its way through the halls, creating echoes that caused imbalance in their chaos. Not one, but four five six. Yet only a shift of movement was there from her as she twisted in her sleep. They knew what it was and had been fearing this moment the very same time a week ago. Though they loved her in a way indescribable and unusual, they couldn't ignore it because it would hurt her. It must be known to her.

          But they forgot that they heard a few minutes earlier than it reached her ears.

          They didn't wait for one of them to act out, because all of them had their own mind and thought of their own accord. They all began whispering at once.

          " Sound. Loud. Bang Bang. Four five six. Scared. Bad. " Words that couldn't be stitched to sentences were poured into her ears. A curse they have come to accept. The ability to think but not speak what was in their mind was a curse they had to bear for an eternity.

          She twisted and turned as she began hearing them. It wasn't her first nor her last, but she felt a pang of fear grasp her heart. Her eyes jolt awake, sweat covering her forehead. Her intuition was screaming fear at her and so were the voices. She hated this. Despised not knowing what was to come when her entire body could feel it, when they could hear it. She felt like being left in the dark but had to bear with it. Because there was nothing she could do to hear or see the future.

          Until she heard it. Ringing in her ears, few many screams, sounds echoing through the halls. She felt like the entire house would shatter in just mere seconds. Her eyes grew wide as her heart went wild. Pounding at a millisecond per hour.

          Rushing out of bed, she headed towards the door. On unlocking it, she heard the faint sounds of men speaking and footsteps in a hurry. Her feet at the maximum speed, ran through the hall floorboard and down the stairs but she was too late.

          Her eyes found those that shouldn't have happened then. A sight she could never forget. A feeling she wanted to rip apart.

          There on the once pristine marble lay three bodies of those she held closed to her heart. Scarlet liquid flooded the floor, contrasting it from the whites. Her sight followed the trail of blood only to be met with more. Her hands began trembling with fear. Her mouth, dry as a desert. Filled with tears that had taken form from when her mind echoed what her heart pounded for, she turned one of the bodies. Her worst regret.

          What she saw would remain etched in her head. A Reminder of if she had been quick enough. The sight of her beloved ones laying there, with their eyeballs rolling back to their head adorned with a bullet hole between their eyes; an image that would haunt her for the rest of her lives.

          She ran as fast as she could, hoping to catch whoever did this and for whatever reason it was. Her feet bleed as she ran over the cobblestones, as splinters pierced; she thought at least she too deserved to be bled just like they all did. Her hair as dark as the sky, fluttered behind her as her muscles ached. She didn’t know where to go; what to do anymore. Tears pooled her eyes thinking of what would happen, what will happen if…

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          The wind grew thicker. The night felt like an everlasting eternity. Leaves breathed in the moisture as it swayed in the dark. The moonlight, unbeknownst to what has been happening below, shined her bright, illuminating even the thickest parts of the dark forests. Yet the city lights overshined it.

          She stood leaning against the railings of the brightly lit bridge, her eyes looking over the city from the distance. Perhaps, she thought no one would ever know if I plead for redemption from this pain from under there.

          They heard her thoughts too and were desperate to do anything to relieve her from the ache. But even they could do only so much. Their words would never mean as much as they wanted it to mean. They do not want the only person who ever listened to be like them; souls who had craved to be redeemed. Though they couldn’t see, they heard. They felt. A flick of fire burning so strong inside her but caged so deep, needing to be fueled. And they had decided through unspoken phrases that it was their goal too, to set it ablaze. But amidst it all the vague footsteps nearing her didn’t go unheard.

          Her sight was towards the waves that splashed beneath her. One leap and I could redeem as much as I want. But do I want to? She pondered for a while as her gaze peered into the sea as if she could decipher out all the mysteries hidden in its depths. Her eyes shifted to the skies. Faint stars scattered over a vast endless space. Tears sprang up, but not out of guilt or pain. But of rage and the need to know. A wildfire growing in her heart. They did it.

          As she made her mind and was moving to the safer side of the ledge, she heard them for the second time.

          “ Careful. Someone. There. Nearer.” As she landed, her head was in search of someone. She turned towards the railing thinking if he was there. But as soon as she faced back, she was met with a shadowed face.

          “ Now it’s your turn,” and she felt the wind moving against her as she fell. The waters hitting her back, as harsh as a rock. As painful as a stab. Her breath slowly was replaced with water. She gasped for air, in turn getting filled with more liquid. Her dark locks flowed seamlessly as if it was supposed to belong among the depths. Her eyes began to falter as her heart gracefully sunk. Her head was almost filled.

          They were running rampage, a chaotic mess. As soon as they felt the sudden fear, it dissipated when hope was found.

          " He comes. He comes. Save. Help, " She heard them vaguely. Then she saw. A blinding light, coming towards her. Like an angel it appeared. With hope, she stretched her arms as if begging the light source to grab her. Her hands began to fail as she gradually began to lose all her senses.

          But I, she thought, I need my revenge. As she breathed her last breath.