Six Years Before, Gay Ever After

Chapter 12

Outside the door, Namaari was getting annoyed, she knew there were people in there, she heard small whispers. Her serlot was looking weirdly at the house too, as if there was a familiar smell.

Knocking harder, she said again, "It's Chief Virana's daughter. I've come to tell you it isn't safe here, you need to move to the palace until the Druun infestation is resolved."

The door clicked and Auntie Cai popped up, "Oh I am so sorry I didn't hear the first knock. Old ears can't hear anything anymore." The door was only open ajar to show Auntie Cai, Namaari thought she saw another shadow moving behind.

Overcometh with sympathy for this old woman, Namaari repeated again this time more slowly and clearer on what she said earlier. She saw Cai's eyes widen and Cai mumbled something under her breath, before smiling at Namaari, "Hold on, there's something I need to take care of." She very quietly closed the door and left Namaari standing there in confusion.

Suddenly, a howl that sounded too familiar was heard not too far away.

Druun.

Namaari looked around nervously, not now. She also heard more talking inside the house, what the hell is going on inside there?!

The howls sounded nearer and more hungry.

Not waiting anymore, Namaari banged on the door urgently and shouted, "Madam, I need you to  come with me RIGHT NOW."

Still the door did not open, the argument going on inside was almost as loud as the Druun coming closer and closer, Namaari still stood outside, looking at the blob of destruction swarming faster towards them.

"Shit shit shit shit shit SHIT—" Namaari kicked down the door and boomed, "COME ON THE FUCKING DRUUN IS HERE."

The Druun was now meters away from the house, right when Namaari ran in, she saw someone rush past her out of the door, "NO!" She ran out and grabbed the person's arm, everything was in a blur.

A blue glowing object dropped to the ground, the woman flicked head towards Namaari when she grabbed her arm, two brown eyes glared into hers and Namaari gasped, "Raya?!"

Raya pulled her eyes away and was in horror that she dropped the gem because Namaari stopped her, she instantly pulled out of Namaari's grip, she heard a scream, Auntie Cai!

She wanted to get back the gem on the floor, but it was nowhere near her. But she turned around, the Druun already multiplied to two, which meant—

The purple doom snaked away from a new statue made.

Cai was gone. With the gem glowing a few inches away from her.

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Everything felt as if in slow motion, Raya screamed in agony when she saw the motionless grey figure rooted there. The Druun was gone after they felt the gem's power when wanting to get Raya and Namaari, with a howl they dissipated.

Before that tragedy happened, Cai saw that Namaari made Raya drop the gem, but the Druun was inches away from her, hence she ran to grab the gem off the floor, the gem held off the Druun for a few seconds while Cai kept trying to push it away from Raya, but in her haste, her brittle legs tripped and she fell, the gem rolled off her hand, she glanced up and the Druun was inches away from her.

And within those few seconds, the Druun had consumed the woman.

"No. No. No no no no no, it can't be you, it's someone else," Raya cried as she ran to the figure. But it was Auntie Cai, her small figure, hair in a bun, now all tuned into stone. Raya screamed, this time she couldn't hold it back, tears streamed down her face as she held the stoned face.

She turned her head then saw Namaari standing there, and she weeped angrily, "Why in the fucking world must you always ruin my life? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Namaari stood there in shock, "I...I'm—"

"No need. Not like you even said it the first time you had the chance," Raya said angrily as she picked up the gem and walked past Namaari back into the house.

But Namaari was concerned and ran into the house, "You're just gonna stay here? Here isn't safe—" A blade was drawn inches away from her face, "No shit Princess, this land has an overpopulated amount of binturis I've ever known."

With that, Raya grabbed her bag and went out the back door, Namaari was in a mess, she couldn't leave her again. "Raya please, I'm sorry! Please, don't go—" she caught up with her and grabbed her wrist again, now not to pull her away from danger, but to pull the widened crack she made years ago.

Raya whipped her head around at the warm touch and she swore under her breath, and caught Namaari's teary eyes. They locked eyes for a second and Raya felt her cheeks go hot, but she turned and let go of Namaari, "Stay away from me."

She jumped onto Tuk Tuk and rolled off to the vast land of emptiness, her figure growing smaller and smaller. While leaving Namaari at the house, which was now empty.

Namaari fell to the floor with her face buried in her hands, she was so close, so close to where I was. But now Raya was gone, straying further and further away, like a crack in two ends of the ground pushing further away from each other.

"Stay away from me."  Those words kept repeating in her mind. Stay away. Stay away.

Namaari whispered through her tears, "I'm so sorry Raya. I'm so sorry." A howling wind blew past her, and the wind seemed to whisper: Too late.