MY DEVIL IN RED

Chapter seven

Mary Williams.

The rest of the night was a really cold one. The lightening had lit up the sky too many a time, most times making me jerk out of my sleep to stare out the window and to top it all- voices kept coming from the mansion, voices I thought were from my dreamland, voices that were almost too low in the stormy night. I couldn't get a shut eye on time and when I did- my body couldn't help but to stay alert, couldn't help to feel those beautiful eyes staring down at me- almost too lovingly, too affectionate. Or maybe it was a dream, just like my mind had told again.

When morning came, I was completely wrapped up in the thick blanket, my hands and legs included. I was wrapped up completely in the blanket, same way a spider wraps up it's prey before eating.

I stayed still, tried to keep myself up by staring up at the ceiling then counting sheeps. I was a really bad sleeper, sleeping could be said to be my best friend. So when I was a kid and found it hard to get up from bed, I would stare up the vents then count sheeps till I could finally stay awake. Taking in a last deep breath, I started to roll out the thick duvet by rolling over to the edge of the bed and then trying to pull my arms out. For minutes I struggled with the blanket and when I finally overcame it- I came clashing into the ground, landing on my butt in the great fall from way up the bed down to the extremely clean marble tiles. I lazily got up from the floor after a couple of groans and yelps then after I did, I stared around the room- this time taking my time to access every single details in it.

It had rained heavily during the night, but the dawn broke bright. From the wide window I could sight sweeping vistas to the farthest horizon. Veil of crimson clouds floated in the sky above the rising sun.

Nature is beautiful, one of God's most beautiful creation.

Slowly, I made my way towards the window to take a closer look at the beautiful sky and thank the Lord for a day like that. As I stepped in front of the wide window, swiping the curtains farther apart- my hearing was met by the gentle note of a mocking bird that came across to me from the woods far away from the Griffin compound. The house was caged in an enormous compound beautifully decorated with flowers and fountains. The rising sun shone brightly against me, giving my body a relaxed summer sun feeling.

Suddenly, swiftly, smoothly all my attention was centered in the loveliness of the natural world around me, out there. A world I so longed to go out in and relax some more under the cool temperature. I missed a lot of things, the clattering of plates and the sound of mom making breakfast in the kitchen every morning as she hummed to a gospel music she so much loved, or the sound of our grumpy old widowed neighbour — Mrs Veda nagging at me each time I ran my bicycle over her rose garden on purpose, or the sound of the cheerleader chanting every day at school as they practiced new steps — I missed a lot things, a lot.

But then, all I could do was stare out the window and enjoy nature's beauty from behind the thick walls of the Griffin mansion.

The day smelt great, nature like- I inhaled deeply of the oxygen changed air. The fresh, sweet, pungent fragrance of the edges that hung heavy with raindrops tantalized my nostrils. I took in draught after draught of the super changed atmosphere around me.

The oxygen rushed through my lungs, cascaded into my blood stream, into my body, my brain, my liver. I was quickened, energized into having hope again, the hopes of getting out of the Griffin mansion alive, hale and healthy, strong to see mom again, Mrs Verda, to listen to the cheerleaders chant, listen to my principal nag, listen to the boring teachers teach.

My eyes grew bright and alight, sharp to see and enjoy every tree, shrub or flowers that ardoned the Griffin mansion. The trees were beautiful, lined up next to each other and I did feel like walking down that lane, between them, toward the gate, my freedom. But still, even though I couldn't- the day was beautiful, the most of every other day i'd ever sighted. I sensed such a buoyancy within that I could not help but smile, just smile through the pain, away my sorrows and pain.