The next day, Aanha wakes up hurriedly after the fourth ring of her alarm. As she wakes up, she feels dizzy, like she's just gotten off a merry-go-round. She stumbles a little and then stands still. Aanha: "Oh, God... I'm going to be late again. Mr. Kang will surely scold me today. Hurry, Aanha, hurry..." Then she gets ready in a rush and heads out.
Her mom asks her to eat breakfast, but she just says she'll grab something from the school canteen. :Mom: "Aish... this girl! She never listens to me."
On the other side, Aanha reaches school just in time and escapes Mr. Kang's scolding. She attends her classes, and now it's break time. The three friends head to the school canteen, where they sit down with their meals. Both Yun and Mika are eating, but Aanha is just moving her spoon around her plate, eating very little.
Mika notices and asks, "What's wrong, Aanha? Why aren't you eating properly? Is something bothering you?" Yun chimes in, "Yeah, you can tell us; we're friends."
Aanha: "Nothing, guys... my stomach just hurts a little, and I don't feel like eating." Yun suggests, "Then let's go to the school infirmary." Aanha tries to avoid it, saying, "No, no, it's okay. It's not that bad."
Mika encourages her to finish her meal, and they continue chatting. After some time, the break is over. By then, Mika and Yun have almost finished their meals, while Aanha hasn't eaten much. They head back to class.
During the class, Mika asks Aanha to visit the school infirmary and get some medicine, but Aanha avoids it again. Time slowly ticks down to departure time. Yun heads home, while Aanha and Mika walk together.
On the way, when they're almost at their destination, Aanha feels like someone is stalking them. But when she turns around, she finds no one there. Then they bid each other goodbye and head home. As Aanha walks home, she can't shake off the feeling of being watched. She quickens her pace, her heart beating slightly faster. When she reaches her house, she feels a sense of relief wash over her. She locks the door behind her and takes a deep breath. Then she goes to her room and changes into comfortable clothing. After that, she heads to the kitchen and makes instant ramen for herself, eating it quickly. However, a few minutes later, her stomach starts hurting again, this time more intensely than before. She goes to her room, falls onto her bed, and hugs her knees. As time passes, it becomes increasingly difficult for her to handle the pain, and she slowly drifts into sleep when the pain becomes slightly more manageable.
At 6 pm[1], when her mom comes home, she can't find Aanha in the hall or her room. Then, she hears some sound coming from the bathroom attached to Aanha's room. She follows the sound and finds Aanha throwing up.
Mom: "Aanha, what happened? Relax, it'll be okay. Mom's here, dear." (Holding her hand, patting her back, and making gentle circles with her hand on her back, trying to make her feel comfortable.)
Aanha: (coughing and feeling too weak due to throwing up) "Mumma, you came..."
Mom: "Yeah, dear, come now, lay down." [Realizes] "Aanha, you have a fever."
She goes to her room and, after some time, comes back with her medical bag and starts checking Aanha.
Mom: [giving thermometer] "Keep it in your mouth for a while."
After some time, the thermometer beeps.
Mom: "You have a mild fever, Aanha. Now tell me, what did you eat last time and when did you eat?"
Aanha: "Pasta from the canteen, but not much, then instant ramen at home."
Mom: "Okay, and last night?"
Aanha: "Nothing..."
Mom: "Very good" [sarcasm] "And, as far as I remember, you had just a sandwich yesterday before school."
Aanha: "Sorry mumma..."
Mom: "Okay, now tell me, is your stomach hurting?"
Aanha: "Yeah..."
Mom: "Okay, then tell me where?" [Mom started checking her; she hissed when she pressed near her navel area.] "It's because your stomach has become weak due to skipping meals. You rest here; I'll make something light, and then I'll give you meds. No tantrums, Aanha."
Aanha: [low] "Okay, Mumma."
After 15 minutes, her mom came with a bowl of hot veggie soup. Aanha drank the soup, making weird faces. Then her mom gave her some tablets and capsules, which she gulped hard, making faces again.
Mom: "Now lay down and give me your hand."
The phrase "give me your hand" clicked in her mind; now she knew what was coming next, but still, she asked, "Why, Mumma?" [nervously].
Mom: "Aanha, I said no tantrums. It will be just like a pinch."
Aanha: "But, Mumma, you said meds..."
Mom: (started preparing injection) "It is also medicine, and on top of that, it's necessary."
Aanha just hummed and did as her mom said because she knew she couldn't escape. Then her mom injected her in the right arm; Aanha hissed and closed her eyes tightly because it was a mild heavy dose.
Mom: "It's done." (ruffled Aanha's hair) "You did a good job."
Aanha: "It wasn't just a pinch..."
Mom: "Okay, okay. But now sleep; it's already time for bed."
Aanha: "Okay, Mumma, goodnight. And you also sleep early; no need to work late at night."
Mom: "Okay, my princess, as you wish." Aanha chuckled as her mom left the room. She slowly drifted into sleep as the medicine started working.
Around 2 am, it was raining outside. The flickering light of the streetlight came from the window, falling on the side wall on the left side of Aanha's bed. She was sleeping peacefully but suddenly woke up due to a thunderous lightning strike. She was half awake; she saw the shadow of a person forming on the side wall, which vanished in the next flicker of light. She thought she was just hallucinating, but the strange feeling started surrounding her again. She moved back but found no one again. She tried to shake off the feeling and sleep, but then suddenly someone held her hand from behind and made her lie on her stomach. She tried to free herself, but the grip was tight, and she couldn't escape. She shouted for help but couldn't get any, because it was raining heavily outside with continuous lightning strikes, and everyone was in a deep sleep.
?: "Aanha, relax. I'm not here to hurt you." (the person from behind said in an and husky voice)
Aanha: (scared but still asked with all her courage) "Who... who are you? How... how do you know my name?"
?: (coldly) "That doesn't matter. Just let me do my work." Then she felt a sharp sting in her right arm. it was exactly 2am in the clock.
Aanha: aaaaaahh.... mumma [cried instinctively due to the pain, breathing heavily, sweat started forming] what did you did to me? aah! its burning. LEAVE ME [shout].
She jerked her hand to free herself from the grip. That person stumbles back and now she was free from his grip. She tries to go away and reaches to the corner of the bed near the side table trying to grab her phone but her hand crashes with the vase placed on it [clang], the vase got shattered into pieces. Now it was becoming more intense for her by every passing second. Her vision was blurry due to continuously streaming tears down her eyes. She saw that person but not clearly. She saw a 6ft. tall person in formal black pants with white shirt and a black raincoat on above that. His half face was covered with the hood of the rain coat. He has a silver ring in his right hand which was familiar to her but her mind was stormed and not in a state to process what was going on.
Aanha: aah!.... wh..what did y.. you did to me?
?:[still calmly] I did nothing. Its just I knew what was coming. You're misunderstanding me. I am here to help you. Let me see your arm [coming near her].
Aanha: NO... h.. how can I tr.. trust some..one whose na..name even I don't know and just how he got into my room from nowhere.[She said in one go with frustrating tone].
?: ok I'm Sai [coming near her and grabs her hand without waiting for her reply]. Then they both sees a mark on her right arm shining light blue and golden. The mark was like a lightening strike. He just froze for a sec.
Aanha: wh..what's this? uh! do something.... [ still her eyes locked on the mark].
Sai: [to himself] She is burning like hell but there's a flash mark. [to Aanha] I can't make this burning go vanish but I can help you to reduce it. Then he took out a little glass bottle from his pocket, it was filled with some light blue, shiny liquid (potion). He held her from back and made her drink it all in one go, she gulped it hard and took a long breath.
Aanha: What was that so cold and...
Sai: I will explain you everything later. you just try to forget about everything and focus on your breath to calm yourself.
She don't know why? But she was following as he said. Slowly, she started to sleep due to the effect of potion with her stiff shoulder and arm with sting and burning sensation due to the effect of potion. Then she heard another voice, she tried to see who's there but due to tiredness her eyes were heavy. She was drifting into deep sleep.
?: How's she?
Sai: Now she's sleeping, sir. There's something strange, I want to ask you about.
?: Ok but we should leave now. You can give me report about it later.
They both left the room like they were never present there. Then in the fully dark room a golden glow comes from Aanha's right arm.....
[1] today her mom has come earlier.