CHAPTER 2

SEPH’S POV

The thunder roared in the sky making my heart rattle in the cage it is trapped in. I quickly clean tears from my face with the back of my hand. My hand unintentionally clutched my locket. On this cold night, I only have one thing to hold onto. The sweet little angel sleeping beside me. How easily she could get lost in the world of dreams. And may she continue to do so my heart prayed.

But I cannot spend my life like her. Ayla can hide in her dreams from the past but I relive them in sleep. She is just a five-year-old girl. Her innocence makes me want to trust that in this world of fake actors some reliable people exist too. What will her future be? Will she continue to wander the paths of the earth in search of a haven?

We are far aware of our home. Our city. we are strangers here. We can not ask for help from anyone. Humans tend to become hungry wolves. I can not trust anyone.

Will I ever find a place to stop? To think that yes after this we will have no problems; Our past cannot cause us misery anymore. Will Ayla be able to have the life that a four-year-old deserves?  

These thoughts keep teasing me every night. I cannot be selfish and think about my well-being only. She was entrusted to me. Her parents did everything for me. Till the end, they stood behind me fearlessly. Till That night. o Theé mou! that night! (My god)

Everything always moves back to that night. That dreading cold night when Ayla and I lost everything we hold dear. That night when loyalties were tested. When my father and Ayla’s parents tried to save my future. When…they died in cold blood.

When every member of his family and mine tried to protect me. I clenched my locket so hard that it now leaves mark on my skin. I will not let their blood go in vain. Their cold dead bodies have haunted me till now. They will haunt me for eternity. Because of him. This all happened because he was there that night.

A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of that night. No... his thought. His blood-covered hands. My thoughts always keep going back to him.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I have been so brave till now. I cannot afford to give up.

This night is so much terrible. I get the feeling that something bad is about to happen. As if he is thinking about me. as if he will be near me. So much near that my freedom will be compromised too. She trembled at the mere thought of this.

But ‘no’ she chided. it could not be so. We have been changing places after a few weeks not staying at the same place so that he won’t find us. So that our past may not catch up to us.

My face automatically moves Ayla. I am more worried for this kid, silently snoring beside me. She has no one to turn to. Well, I also have no one to turn to too but my future is already dark. Already decided. Only that I refused to accept it. But Ayla deserves a beautiful life.

I looked at the beautiful innocent face of Ayla again. Such a beautiful face yet how tragedy-stricken is her fate. I have dyed her hair black so I could save her from the pestering sights of others. Her original blond hair inherited from her father look more beautiful.

But I am not going to reveal my identity and risk getting caught just because of my hair color. Our milky skin is enough to discriminate us from the people of this country.

My heart is begging me to do something. She stirred beside me and it took me a while to understand that it was because of my uncontrollable fidgeting that she will wake up.

The clouds collided against each other again and this time I could not stay where I was. I got up from beneath the trashy blanket and decided to drink water. The heart trapped inside me rattled the frail cage it was chained in.

Before taking a single step towards the small kitchen I quickly turned around and tucked the blanket around Ayla. Having her sick was the last thing I wanted. She quickly snuggled under the heat.

This small house had been arranged for us by an anonymous person. He has helped us for so long. But I have never seen him. He always sends his secretary. So far, he has helped change house after house. In this city of light, there had been some dark places too. It had been easy to take refuge in them without getting tracked.

But he promised me that he will find me. He will be watching me if I ever run. He can easily because he has resources.

I clenched my hair with both hands to stop the creeping paranoia lurching me into my mind and making me nauseatic. Maybe I should just take another pill but sleeping pills…... always make me woozy.

I drank the clear liquid from the glass and then decided to splash some on my face. Maybe it would calm my anxiety a little bit. The dingy bathroom and its fluttering light greeted me.

Once I had everything a man could desire. All the wealth of the world was under my feet. I never had to ask for anything more than once.

Now my worn-out shirt and trouser reflected otherwise. But nothing is as precious as life. I have known this.

There is no sign that the rain will soon stop. It Always rains at this time of the year. In the last five years at least this much, I got to know. This city of monsoon has witnessed my tears. This city has confined my secrets as her own.

A lone tear escaped from my eye. This city cries for my fallen fate. How many times have I cried over this?