The Lunar Phase

CHAPTER 5: THE VISION

I couldn’t say that about my dad though. The moment he saw me with Jacob he came down like heavenly vengeance upon us two poor souls. This time he didn’t even bother to hide his gun. He all but burst out in flames, though I could see something of the sort in his eyes. “DO YOU REALISE WHAT TIME IS IT BEA? THIS TIME YOU HAVE CROSSED ALL YOUR LIMITS YOUNG LADY! AND YOU” he pointed towards Jacob “What were you thinking gliding with her in the middle of night? And that god-awful speed! You could get killed simply by being with him!” I could see Jacob’s taunt shoulders. Whether it was anger or repentance I didn’t know, but he was justified to feel any of the same. “Now, Charlie, you need to relax buddy! Do you really think I would harm her in any way?” “Oh really! Is that so? Well can you tell me why is my daughter trembling like a leaf? Or why is her color as pale as…” He stopped so abruptly I was sure he was about to say something important. Something that would give me a clue about the secrecy he had been going through. But I wasn’t present with an enough opening. “Damn Charlie! You need to be a little matured about things.” “Fat chance! Not when my family is at stake” “Do you really think I don’t care about them?” By this time their voice had reached at screaming level. I tried to intervene. They just ignored my soft “Guys please keep it down”. So I made another attempt. “WOULD YOU KINDLY LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY!!!!!!” I shouted at the top of my voice and scared the little tabby cat on the porch. Poor Kitty! But got the attention of the two men.

“Thank you! Dad before you witch-burn him, please listen to my side of the story. I wasn’t with Jacob this whole time. I was walking down the road with Seth and ….fell… I hurt my leg… since he didn’t have a ride he called up Jacob who took me to Carlisle for a quick fix… I might need an x-ray tomorrow if it swells by the way” I made a mental note to beg Carlisle to verify my story. I spoke without breathing the whole time, amazed at my level of lying coolly. I could see that he bought my story because he thumped into the house without a word.” I am so sorry you had to listen to all this, Jake. Dad is sort of messed up a little right now and wont talk about it.” I looked at him sharply to see any change of emotions that might comply with my theory that he was a privy to this conspiracy. He looked back at me innocently. Too innocently.

“That’s all right! Charlie and I go a long way! Despite what he saysI know he likes me” I smiled. “Funny he never complained when Bella and you used to go out” This time his face changed. It was a borderline between self-mockery and general amusement. As if something from the past made him realize how stupid he had been. But he made no comment. Instead he got a serious. “Now tell me what happened that time? Something scared you. I know that. And I think talking might help.” I sighed again. I wasn’t sure how much he would understand. What if he assumes I am making it up with the intension of attention seeking? No! Can’t tell him just now! I need to evaluate my own sanity first.
“It’s nothing… I guess I hallucinated…I realized I didn’t have my lunch. It must be hunger induced. Hey! Would u like to come in for a quick snack?” As soon as the words were out I realized how corny I sounded. It was late and no sane girl would invite a guy in unless she has something in mind. But Jacob seem least bothered about it. “Sure! What do you have?” I made a quick mental check. “Tuna-sandwich with mayonnaise. Glass of milk perhaps?” “Make that two” he gave me that arrogant lopsided smile of his that always lurched my heart. As he passed by, my nostrils caught a whiff of air that registered a familiarity. I searched my mind to remember where I had smelled it before. I failed miserably. Maybe it was his perfume.

I checked on Dad once again. Found him snoring in his own room. For good measure I made some popcorn to go along with the meal. I cut the sandwiches in half and poured half a glass of milk for me and two glasses for Jacob. We took the meal in the television room and popped on two sides of the couch. They were showing some 80’s movie. I excused myself to get freshen up.

When an elder sibling gets married, there are certain perks to the situation. Mine was no different. So when Bella acquired a gorgeous husband, I got her room. I like the way it opened up to the forest behind. Though I am not flashy, I have certain feminine taste. The room was not as spacious as I would have liked it to be, but it was a decent enclosure. So anything too elaborate would have simply eaten the space I painted the walls in baby pink and begged Charlie to get the bathroom redone. I changed the lighting too when I placed the big dresser mom got me from Phoenix. The dresser was placed opposite to my bed. The little drawers in feminine shades of pink. I discovered my mother’s frilly window covers in the attic and re-designed them into something less flashy but more elegant to look at and put them up. The room now spoke of elegant feminine taste.

Now as I entered the bathroom, I was greeted with the familiar fragrance of baby powder and perfume I sprayed hurriedly as I left the house in the evening. I turned on my bedside lamp and marveled for a second at the intoxicating byplay of shadows and moonlight that drenched my room. I undressed hurriedly and entered the bathroom. The miniature framed glass on the walls reflected a face which could have been considered beautiful in a different era. My face has got the rich classy bone structure without the high cheekbones. My eyes were a deep shade of sea-green, slanting at the corners to give them a catty look. I love playing them up. My lips were thick but shapely on both sides. On winters when they were chapped I could swear they were pink. But come summer it turns to the darker side of red. Now they were painted mauve, with my favorite lip gel. I hurried with my cleansing routine and gave a quick scrub before I took off my top and stepped under the running shower. The hot water smoothened my aching muscles. I offered my face to the gushing water and smiled at the pleasure. I was like that for almost five minutes.

And then the nightmare began.

At first it was only the pressure of the water coming from above. Then slowly I could feel the pressure on my sides. As if someone was using a hose on me. I wanted to open my eyes to see what caused it. It was as if my eyes were glued shut. And someone was holding my head towards the running water. I couldn’t move away. My ears started ringing. My lungs almost clogged. For the first time in my life I was able to understand the trauma of getting drowned. It was horribly painful. And then just as it began, it stopped. But a little nudge of my instincts told me it was not over yet. And then I saw the bright light in my mind flashing me blind. For less than a second. The visions then came clearer. It was a motel sort of a place. I felt myself walking down a room towards a continuous groan. But the room it was coming from was locked. Someone inside me urged to take a peek from the keyhole.

The girl was of my age. Gagged. I was able to see the wounds on her face and hands. Coagulated blood. There was a shiner on her head and eyes. As if someone had knocked her down a couple of times. She was pleading someone. I couldn’t hear the exact voice, but it was evident from her gestures. She was dirty blonde. I am sure I never met her. There was still something that wasn’t right about her. I couldn’t put my finger on it still. And then something disturbed my vision. I could make out the back of a cloak. Someone was hovering on top of her. I was able to understand why when she started to scream. “Please no…oh god please leave me I will do whatever you want just don’t hurt me no more…daddy…daddyyyyyyyyyy…help me” Her voice become shriller and shriller and on top of that the ground began to shake. What was happening? Then everything came tumbling down.

I found myself coughing and sneezing on my bathroom floor. My skin was shriveled wet and my senses were numb. I was shaking like a leaf. In tears. I wanted to scream. But something again nudged my brains not to do it. I got up and like a zombie turned off the shower. I quickly dried myself and put on my night suit. Even the sanctuary of my own room had become the source of my fear. What will I do? Whom do I tell? Am I getting psychotic? My rational brain started offering some explanation but in my heart of heart I knew that whatever was happening was far from rational. But true all the same.

Surprisingly everything else seemed normal. Even the boy on my couch. He was chomping on the popcorn and lying as if he belonged here. He was watching something interesting and started to tell me something. But one look at my face and his eyes became alert. One moment he was lying on the couch and the next moment he was by my side, holding me. “What’s wrong honey?” the concern in his voice became my undoing and the tears began to flow. But did I trust him enough with my sanity? I still didn’t know. So instead of telling him what scared the daylights out of me, I almost whispered, “ Will you stay with me tonight, Jacob?”

We spent the night at my dad’s couch hugging each other. Twice he would wake up to wipe away my tears. Within the next few hours I would have to open the doors for him to leave. I cannot torture my father any further. But for the next few hours I will sleep peacefully, in his arms, assured he will protect me from my nightmare. Before my eyes shut, two things that had previously bugged my mind got answered. It was Jacob’s fragrance I had detected on the cloth that Seth tied on my eyes. And in my dream what bothered me about the girl was the fact that her shoulder was tattooed with a name. My Name.
RISING MOON