Nightingale

Chapter 1

a guest

          Just like the trees unveils at the end of the season. Death greeted our unbidden morning. Apart from the disaster, the storm had affected the village in way more unfortunate.

          Three families died from a landslide. Melancholy became the wind singing along with the people's cries and, murmurs with pity in their eyes. 

          The bodies were wrapped in a white blanket across the church while the priest spattered them with holy water. My chest was congested with heavy weight as the victim's family kneeled on their cold body.

          Their whimper strikes through my heart like a dagger buried in my chest. I looked up and the foggy clouds hover above the sky. I rubbed my shoulder as shivers wrapped around my body. The sun hasn't shown up.

         "Three more missing in the woods. It was said that they tried to rescue the lambs. Pity, eh? they didn't come back, life must have been taken away from 'em, how unlucky,"

          I slowly gazed at my back, two old men speaking at each other.

         "Otherwise, the demons had taken them," The other one mumbled.

          My eyebrows met. Is it possible? Are there still demons existing in the woods?

         Their eyes met mine. My stomach twisted, and I clench my cardigan. They furrowed their eyebrows at me and whispered something I can't hear to each other. Their eyes roamed up and down on me.

         I felt a hand on my shoulder. I gazed at Nikolai. He glanced at them before switching his attention back to me, he rubbed my shoulder.

          "You alright?"

          I looked at the flowers his holding before looking into his eyes. I nodded.

          He smiled. He took a pluck of daisy and placed it on my ear. He fixed the tangles of my hair. I felt warmth hugging my body. I focus on his eyes while he glides his fingers on my hair, I bend my head watching him. Our eyes locked up. His smile grew more but suddenly his face grew in concern.

          "Are you cold? The weather's a bit frigid today,"

          Heat rushed to my face. I immediately shake my head. I looked once more at the flowers.

         "It's beautiful. Mrs. Divva would love it," I muttered before taking it from him and placing it in the basket I was carrying.

          I grazed my hand on the daisies as he nodded. His smile suddenly dropped, and his eyes lingered at my back slowly darkening. My forehead furrowed and I followed his gaze.