Hope

2

My eyes became dry as an autumn leaf. No tears were filling up my eyes, though I had the urge to cry more. My eyes were slightly paining uncomfortably too, probably because of the lack of rest.

My face was really irritating me now. It was itching like hell ! And I'm sure that I'm going to add up some more scratches, scratching my wet itchy cheeks, besides the big bleeding one that Henry gave me on my left cheekbone.

My throat was dry and sore for the long time I screeched like a banshee, protesting him to let me out.

And the burning pain in my left arm, where the monster gripped me fiercely, grew more. I was having trouble moving my arm. Lucky-that it wasn't my right arm.

I really needed something to eat and drink.

Right now, I was thinking about a hot plate of meatball pasta-with chilli-tomato sauce, topped with motzarella and a sprinkle of oregano and pepper. A delicious meal I learned to cook a week ago. And though it was the chilly winter, I wished to drain down a glass full of cold water...

'How it would feel-to smell the hot aroma of the juicy locks of pasta dangling from the fork, held before my nose. How it would feel-to pull every single lock of pasta into my mouth with my lips, feeling the warm spicy juice sipping into my mouth in droplets. And making the locks fall on my taste buds. Aaah! Heaven ! The satisfaction of chewing the delicious pasta, taking in every taste !-'

'April stop....'

'And-how it would feel-to wet your dry cracky throat and lips with the cold water ? The feeling of cold water, running down your tongue down your Sahara throat and wetting every inch. Ah ! Lively !!'

'Enough of your infectious imaginations and daydreams, April !'

'Enough of crying and protesting....it was no use. I should get some sleep now.'

I kept the photo of mum back on the side table and took a last sad glance of her beautiful face.

I entered the bathroom and turned the lights on, to see a dreadful face in the mirror. I did not get startled to see my dreadful face, cuz that was how I was expecting it to be.

This made me remind of mum. I exactly looked like her–but just a bit younger...The same long hair, the colour of blazing fire. The same heart shaped face, same pale skin and round jade-green eyes.....

Getting a reminder of your most loved one who is not there for you, everyday, even if you don't want to—is the most horrible thing that can probably happen to you.

Mum's beautiful face was always covered with sorrow, pain and tiredness. And so was mine right now.

I could see the sheets of dry sticky tears on both of my cheeks. My eyes were red and puffy for the long time of crying. And I had a red stuffy nose...

And of course, my lips were dry as I didn't drink a single drop of water since the afternoon. And yes, there were red fingerprints on my left cheek, where the monster slapped me. And the big bleeding scratch on the corner of the cheekbone.

I turned on the tap and washed my face with the cold water, that gave me shivers in my spine. I also gurgled with the cold water to wet my tongue and throat. It did wet my throat and tongue but I was much thirstier now, which I was not grateful for.

Now, the itchiness and the stickiness of my face was gone. My lips were a bit softer now. The pain in my eyes soothed down a little and was much bearable.

Then I remembered to see the condition of my left arm, where Henry gripped me fiercely. It was still paining.

I rolled up the left sleeve of my shirt slowly, preparing myself for the upcoming horror, my breath hitched in my throat, to see very black fingerprints bounding the place a little above my wrist.