Dancing With The Masquerade

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: DARKNESS

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DARKNESS

In that single moment, my entire world came crashing down. I stared at her lifeless body. My heart raced so fast that it felt like it was loud enough for my hearing. Every other sound cleared out, and it felt like we were the only two in the world. Only when something stood in my path did I eventually look up to realise it was aunt Ruby, her eyes still red from crying and fresh new tears formed a river in them, ready to trickle down any second.

"Can you see... have you seen what you've done to your cousin?" She asked, her voice shaky. Her hands grabbed my arms. "All you had to do was get married... that was all you had to do... now, they've taken my only daughter." She added as the tears rolled down her cheeks and by this time, I felt shaken, my vision growing blurrier by the second because of the tears that gathered.

"I... I'm sorry." That was all I could mutter even as mummy came closer to console her and her hands fell back by her sides.

"She's supposed to get married today. Everything is ready. She... why Chidera? Why does it have to start with her? They could have taken me first... why?" Aunt Ruby sobbed some more. This time, I'd lowered my eyes from her, unable to meet any of their gazes or look at their faces.

Have you seen what you've done to your cousin? Her words rang in my head. I couldn't take it any longer, so I turned away and hurried out of the room, down the corridor and into my room. I stood in the center, in front of the bed, my heart still palpitating because of what I'd seen, what had happened.

An image of Chidera's lifeless body lying on her bed, still in her nightwear refreshed in my mind, which heightened the well of tears inside me. I stared at my hands. They were shaking and I couldn't stop them from doing so. My recent nightmare flashed across my mind, the pain I'd felt, the way I'd stared at my hands, and how I'd cried watching the house burning nonstop. They were similar, then I realized... That was really a warning. That was a glimpse into what could be the future.

I slumped down onto the ground and burst into tears. Aunty Ruby was right... Why Chidera? She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve to pass away this way. Chidera couldn't even marry the man she had so lovingly looked forward to since the holiday began. It wasn't fair and... it's all my fault. I did this to her... but I never wished for any of this. All I wanted to do was save them all, from the present and also the future. Was I in the wrong? For the first time in a very long time, I cried my eyes out.

I stood by the window, staring out into the compound, and watched as everything that was set up for the wedding was being taken down simultaneously. Someone stood at the gate, letting visitors know the wedding wasn't holding anymore and kindly asking them to return. This wasn't right. It really shouldn't be this way. The more I thought about how Chidera didn't deserve death, the more infuriated and beaten I felt. Once more, my eyes grew teary even though I'd just calmed down from crying so much. I couldn't control the tears anymore and they trickled down my cheeks. I walked away from the window and took my seat on the bed.

For hours, I haven't stepped out of the room. I felt too guilty to face any of them and stepping out means facing reality, accepting she really passed away. Gently, I brought my legs onto the bed and laid down on my side. I spaced out, staring at nothing in particular. There was a knock on the door. I pretended not to have heard it. Really, I didn't want to face anyone right now, at least not yet. Regardless of what I wanted; I heard the light creak from the door after someone had pushed it open. Hopefully, once the person sees my back, he or she would turn away. I heard footsteps approaching, and then it stopped. I lifted my eyes to realise it was mum. She held a tray in her hands.