Rumbleeee~ CRACK
"Huff, huff ,huff " I was huffing like crazy ,eyes all glazed as I stare straight at ceiling what's all black in the dark.
My skin is all clammy to the touch, cold yet dripping with sweat. My clothes are all sticking to my body with sweat bids. Dampness clinging to every pore like lingering fear in my core. Face flushed but pale underneath,all emotions in turmoil and disarray. Hair stuck to my forehead in tangled, sweaty strands . Neck gleaming with beads of perspiration and my chest is thumping like a drum in my ear. Palms slippery with sweat, as if grasping for escape from the nightmare. My heart still racing continuouly, skin crawling with residual terror.
My throat is all sketchy for water and from all the air I sucked after waking up from this nightmare.
' I need water. Water. '
As I searched for the glass and jug of water beside my bedside desk I struggle to imagine the exact place of it as its all dark in my room. After seconds of fumbling through the darkness I hit my fingers slightly on the jug and immediately turn in for it.
'Water, I am thirsty '
The water glides down my throat like a gentle lullaby... Cool liquid soothes my dry throat, calming my relaxed mind. Soft clink of water drooping from the jug into the glass , a serene background hum. My eyes feeling heavy with sleep, lids drooping with each sip. Even though the nightmare is still lingering in ny head ,I still needed more sleep as I was sleep-deprived . The world outside my window dark and quiet, mirroring my calm soul. One last swallow... then darkness closes in, unaware of the nightmare to come...
The water touches my lips and throat like a calming kiss...Sweat-diluted tension fades as hydration revives my clammy skin. My dry mouth now flooded with moisture, words could finally escape...
"What was that dream again?"
The glass almost empty, yet my lungs feel full of calm air again. Eyes still heavy with fear, but my mind clears like the water's clarity.
Panic creeping back in. The fog of sleep lifts, leaving only chilling clarity...Heart still racing, but now with awareness of the terror I faced. Mind replaying the nightmare like a haunting movie on repeat. Sweat-dried skin now prickling with goosebumps of lingering fear. Breath coming in short gasps, as if my lungs still feared suffocation. Reality sets in like ice water – I'm awake, but the fear remains.
Thoughts racing "Was it just a dream... or a warning of my upcoming unfortunate days again?" I sigh with exhaustion and then my mind lands on one terrifying shouting i heard in those continuousn nightmares this days:
'Noooooooooooo~~'
" Who was that ? What was that ? What is happening? Why am I having this nightmares every single night this days? "
" God, I need sleep " I grunt too exhausted to my bones. " I really fucking need sleep or else i will die, seriously ." I lay down on my fluffy bed again with my face down to pillow seeking comfort through the cold session between my pillow and bed. Rubbing my face few times side by side on my pillow and few more rubs, I lay in my right side still facing down and try to go back to sleep again what coming isn't that easy as it seems .
" My god , please just sleep brain. You have a 11 hours exhibition tomorrow . If you don't want me to look like a dainty ghost with dark circles and hollow cheeks infront of everyone while exhibiting and fuck it all up in second before investors and famous artists then fucking sleep . " I grumble in my mind and try to sleep again. While trying for minutes, time passes and I don't remember when I exactly fell asleep.
_______________________
" Serene "
Kelly called & jogged out to me with a huge smile on her face.
"Yeah ! What's up ?" I asked looking at her beautiful smile. Kelly is my very close friend in university since college's first year. While I had the motto to never make any friends from the start when college started and I gave the exact aura in classes ,no one really approached me. But Kelly was different. Different means very stubborn and persistent. Even though I ignored her every approaches but she never backed off and at some point she slipped in my personal space and daily life. Slowly I started to care about her too. Well why not ? She is one of the very rare people who care about me and try very definitely to stay with me even if I push her away. As I said very rare.
" Girlllllll~~~ you nailed it today " see very rare. " My god those paintings you exhibited today was sooooooo tantalizing that whoever came they all just zoned out before those. Everyone was saying that every investors from today will be only investing on you. Well i know some of them are jealous talking but I can understand their feelings . But Serene seriously girl , each and every piece you drew are so damn good man. Its like whenever I am standing before one of them I was getting sucked into it with hazy minds. "
"Thanks " I smiled shyly.
' Who will not melt if someone is complimenting your whole year's hard work. But Personally I love compliments. '
" But what's with that big canvas artwork where the couples in it are faceless? I mean that's most attractive from your every work Serene. I am not saying others are not good ,definitely not but that specific one is so amazing. That whole normal setup of a newly couples after wedding is so good with all that pose , various colours , highlights, everything in it screams amazing amazing amazing . Professor Ruffalo was saying he will personally invest on it . But i gave one question, why is it faceless?"
I stare at her for few seconds before turning away.
" Serene ? "
" hm?"
" You didn't answer! "
" It's still uncomplete or maybe not. I just don't know who's face to put there , that's all ."
" What? You did such great job in it. Watching that work everyone will think it's a personal work in someone's royal wedding . "
" It's not. I just had that scene always playing on my head that frustratingly I just drew it till I was satisfied with it. But after everything when I tried to draw their faces, I just didn't know what to draw even if I racked my brain like crazy. There was no faces in ny imagination too. So I just stopped. I wasn't going to put that on exhibition too but professor Ruffalo talked me into it. "
" ohh! I see. Well i can understand his sentiment. It would have been a waste if you didn't exhibit it. You know Watching that artwork I get the urge to marry. It feels so good in the eye and that pang in my chest like I am missing a very big piece in my life. " Kelly says touching her heart .
" hmph " I snort. " Then why don't you ? Robert is all in, always ready to whip you up "
" Absolutely not. Look at my age , I am still young like a chick. I still have many things left in me to show this world from my paintings. I am not marrying before 40 atleast."
" Yeah, with nothing left inside anymore. " I laughingly say.
" heyyy " she smacks me in back. " look who's talking who doesn't even have one single boyfriend since I first saw you. Are you leabian ?"
" No i just love you " I tease her with a smirk on my lips.
Another smack on my hip with her elbow this time.
" It's hurt Kelly. "
" it should be. Then asexual?"
" Kelly, I don't think about my sexsuality that much to put a tag on it. It doesn't matter to me. But either way to answer you question i like man and very much interested in sex ."
" Then still with that ' waiting for the right man' crap ? " Kelly asked with big eyes staring at me.
" You know I don't want to marry. I don't want to be bound by anyone. " I say and start to walk towards 1st floor where my all artwork is.
" That's the question, if you are not interested in marriage then why did you painted such good marriage theme." She follows me while holding my elbow and walking with me . She was silent for few seconds before speaking again . " But are you gonna sale that piece? Believe it or not even if that piece is faceless, it was a total hit. Every investors from today is wanting to buy it even with any price you put in it ,even our high- mighty professor Raffalo too."
I halt on my track so suddenly that Kelly whirl towards me after stepping ahead of me for few steps.
" Serene?" She calls looking at me after turning towards my halting body.
When I didn't answer anything even after calls, she looks at the angle I was staring at without even blinking.
" oh ! who's that handsome man ? Man his back is so gorgeous. Serene see he is also amazed by your faceless work. Seriously man what have you put into it without even completing it that it's so eye catching?!" She grumbles to herself.
And me? I don't know what and why I am so stuck in my place after watching that man's back that my feet are rooted in one place. I am gulping my own saliva with loud noise what I can hear it in my ear.
But the whole world whirl around me when that person turn towards us and looks straight at me.
" Shit " That's the one word that slips out of my lips after being statue for few minutes.