Paige's Club

Chapter 11. Shadow In The Stormy Night

Thunder rumbling, lightning was stripping across the gloomy and cloudy sky in a zig-zag form as it began to shower. Leaves were rustling as the whistling wind was blasting.

Another boom of thunderbolt shook Lunasha's room such that her eyes shot open, beholding the terror of the dark. Cold swept up her body as she listened to the whistles of the wind while the transparent light curtain at the window wobbled, scarcely allowing the brightness of lightning to flicker across her room.

Initially, she didn't know where her gaze was fixed as it was dark. But when the lightning blazed across the room again she was sure she saw a figure standing by the room door. And…wait, the door was widely open.

What!

A ripple of fear crept into her trembling body as her heartbeat accelerated to a brutal whack against her chest. Her body stiffened and she swallowed hard.

Slipping her hand under her pillow where she had kept a torch, she couldn't find it. Petrified, she slid her trembling hands in circles on the bed in search of the torch but couldn't find it. Alarmed, her breath trembled as she exhaled.

Another crack of thunderbolt shook the room and lightning flashed across again. This time, she saw the stranger fully. Its massive long hair enveloped its face. Its hands were stretched downward and she saw its long angled nails. It was in a short sleeveless white gown that was bloodstained. For a short while, she couldn't see, but when the lightning blazed across the room again, the door was shut.

Holy moly!

She almost melted from fear.

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The quiet gradual creak of their room door lingered in Lucinda's ears while laying beside Ryan on the bed. For a while, the creak faded before a terrible thunder rumbled as the wind whistled snappily, blasting along, while the long stripe of lightning flickered in the room. Now the rain was drastic.

Lucinda struggled with falling back asleep, but when she drifted off, the slow dragging creak crammed into her head again. Hearing something smashing, her eyes instantly opened.

Weak, cold, and sleepy, she sat up on the bed, listening to the random drops of rain on the rooftop as the storm lessened slowly. Then she grabbed a torch from the pillow, flashed it across the room, and noticed the door was slightly open.

Meanwhile, Lunasha's body was trembling as she was sitting on her bed in the gloomy room, wondering how the torch disappeared. She had kept that torch under her pillow last night as usual…but now…

Suddenly, the torch crashed against the floor, close to the door, rolling slightly, and flashing directly into her bewildered eyes.

Gasping in shock, she winced out of bed while her heart clanged violently like a metal, as though it wanted to swoop out of her mouth. Fear had gripped her so badly, that she was feeling a twirling sensation in her head. For obvious reasons, she thought she was melting because her trembling feet could no longer carry her.

Falling to the floor, she was panting, struggling to breathe, feeling choked.

That torch fell from somewhere but for the life of her, she couldn't tell where it fell from. She had kept it under her pillow last night. That was something she never failed to do. 

Holy cow!

She'd never been this terrified her whole life.

The torch clattered and rolled across the room.

Horrified, she leaped to her feet again, backing off. When the torch reached the middle of the room, it paused. Then the door slowly opened, creaking.

Her heart leaping in her chest, she flashed her wide eyes across her room, gazing expectantly. She began to hear footsteps approaching.

The torch was no longer moving. It was lying still in the middle of her room. She swallowed hard, took a step forward, and observed the torch briefly. Breathing unsteadily, she summoned all the atoms of courage she had, lifting her leg and about to take another step, the torch suddenly clattered and rolled rapidly toward her. For fear, she jumped over the torch to the opened door, hyperventilating.

The footsteps were fast approaching. The shuffle was clearer and louder.

Gazing into the dark passage expectantly, lightning blazed across the room again as thunder blasted, and she saw a shadow on the floor. Without hesitation, she quickly slammed the door nervously. 

Shortly, whispers began to hum from outside the door. Someone was banging at the door. 

Sobbing and trembling, she stumbled a few steps backward as the bang on the door was becoming harsh and loud.

Thanks to the torch that was flashing lights at the door. She noticed black liquid flowing slowly from under the door into her room.

Suddenly, the doorknob began to roll rapidly. Shortly, the bang continued harshly, along with the rapid roll of the knob.

In a few seconds, the bang ceased, and she was only hearing drizzle from outside. 

She was about to move when the door suddenly opened with a terrible snap and she almost passed out, flinching.  

Another torch flashed at her face.

"Hey, hey…" A soft familiar female voice vibrated her eardrums.

Lunasha lifted her gaze nervously. "Mom!" She sobbed breathlessly. But she wasn't sure it was her mom.

The lady slowly walked to her, dropped the torch on the floor, and squatted, gazing deep into the kid's eyes.

She flinched as the lady lifted her arms toward her face, still hoping it was Mom.

"Why are you so uneasy, honey?" The lady caressed her cheek. "Had nightmares?"

For a second, the kid thought it was Mom, but when she met the lady's cold glare, she squirmed.

"The f*ck are you looking at!" The lady wrapped the kid's long hair around her hand, and Lunasha shuddered. A long thin split tongue swooped out of the lady's mouth and licked Lunasha's face severally.

Disgusted, Lunasha grimaced, trying hard to jerk away but the lady squeezed her arms menacingly, causing the kid to whimper.

"Hey," That familiar voice floated into Lunasha's ears again. "Honey, sweetie…open your eyes. Why are you so frightened? It's only Mom. Comm'n, look at me…" The voice was soft and concerned.

The lady's painful squeeze around Lunasha's arm lessened. Her hand was warm as she caressed the kid's cheek.

Terror gleamed in Lunasha's eyes when they opened. She gazed intently at the lady. With the help of the torchlight, she saw her mom's glittering blue eyes. "M…mom," Her voice quivered. "Is this you?" 

The lady hesitated briefly. "Why…Lunasha…it's me. Oh, my love, don't cry, come here…" She cuddled the kid warmly. "It's okay… it's okay, darling. It's just a storm. Don't be afraid."

But…who was that lady? The first version of her mom who had squeezed her arm.

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