CHAPTER-3::Trauma
She couldn’t move her feet. It had completely frozen with trepidation. At once, her door bell rung and someone knocked at the front door. She tried to move quietly as possible on the wooden floors and then reached at the entrance. When she peered through the peephole, she saw a woman standing there. After recognizing that woman she opened the door immediately.
“Mrs. Goodwill!” exclaimed the young lady.
“Raya, You have come late today, so I just come here to ensure if everything is all right. But dear, you are looking worried, to me.”
Raya went closer to that lady and then spoke to her in a very feeble voice ‘‘I am afraid about a man’s presence in my house. I heard his footsteps. He is definitely in the first floor.”
The woman was totally shocked by the discovery.
“But how could that be possible, dear? You know that the police cars are patrolling this whole region from several days after the thefts have been increased in our area. It may be possible that you have misheard. Let us check first.”
Raya thought for a while and concluded that it might be possible as the prior incident had still its effects in her mind so she decided to check inside with the lady. They went silently through the corridor to upstairs. The woman was leading the way and Raya was escorting her from behind, cautiously. As they climbed up the steps, the darkness started to reveal its eminence. There was a low rattling sound coming from the above as the wind was infiltrating through the slits between the glass panels. It felt like the cold breeze was whispering in their ears to get ready for the approaching peril. Finally ,they reached the first floor. It was cold there and an eerie feeling was filling up the whole atmosphere. The street light coming through the front window was enabling them to see somewhat in that dark central hall but to see the things more vividly and plainly, the women turned on the lamp alongside her. Instantly the yellow light extended to each and every corner of the hall. There were two rooms in that floor. On the right was the bedroom and on the left was the reading room with many large wooden shelves, stacking a numerous amount of books in it . A portrait of an old woman was hanging on the side wall and in its front was kept withered lavender flowers in white ceramic pot. The woman quietly pick up the vase and then proceeded quietly to the bedroom. Raya stood their beside that portrait. She looked around that hall and suddenly spot a shadow behind the shelves in the reading room. Her breathing rate increased instantaneously and her body began to experience chills. She felt her sweats dripping down her body. Right after that, the shadow started moving slowly towards her. She screamed loudly and then collapsed on the floor.
Next when she woke up she found herself lying in her bed, covered with the white microfiber quilt. The retro clock hanging on the front wall was showing 11:47. All the curtains were drawn across the windows. The clothes were kept as such on the couch which she had left earlier in the morning for laundry. She lifted up her body and made her sit on the bed and then someone entered the room.
“Oh! dear you woke up. I am relieved. You know I really get scared when I heard your screams and saw you lying unconscious on the floor . But don’t you worry my dear, I have already consulted with the doctor and he said that you need some rest. Now, take this garlic soup that I have prepared for you. It will make you feel better” said the woman and handover the tureen to Raya.
“Where that man had gone?” Raya asked straightaway without paying attention to any of her words.
The woman looked at her blankly and then after a pause she replied “There was literally no one, my dear. I searched every single corner of the house from terrace to the basement but did not find anyone hiding in this place. Personally, I have also enquired to the police officers patrolling near this area but they also denied of seeing someone suspicious out here.”
Raya sighed and then started to stir the soup with the spoon. The woman came near and sat beside her. She held Raya’s hand firmly and said:-
“Look dear, everything is alright. Ok! Just don’t take too much burden over yourself. This is only due to over exhaustion. You must take care of your health and no need to sleep here alone. I am staying here with you tonight ” proclaimed the woman.
“Thankyou, Mrs. Goodwill for helping me but I don’t want to trouble you anymore. Now I am really fine.”
“That’s nice, my dear. Still I don’t feel good in leaving you all alone by yourself in this state. As you know I am also living alone so there will be no problem at all. Let me stay here for my own sake.” insisted the lady.
Raya did not have any choice as she was also feeling somewhat insecure so she agreed. Later on she finished her garlic soup and after sometime the woman left the room, closing the door behind her and went downstairs to let her to take rest. Raya felt great in having someone by her side whom she could rely on. At once her heart filled up with gratification towards her. She get down from her bed and put on the fur sleepers lying on the trout colored shaggy rug. In the beginning she faced some difficulty in taking few steps in the further direction as her legs were lacking strength to hold her body in the upright position but then she made it. While going across the door of her room she heard the sound of the TV feebly, coming from downstairs. She knew that Mrs. Goodwill loved to watch shows late in the night so she moved ahead in the direction of the washroom. After reaching there she put on the plug of the wash basin and opened its valve to let the water filled in it. Once it was done she started cleaning her face briskly with that cold water for some time and then by holding the sides of the sink she looked up into the mirror. The water was constantly dribbling down her chin. Her face was looking so pale and tired with the dark circles under her weary orbs. There left no glow in her eyes. It were appearing dull and gloomy. All of a sudden she noticed a small cut on the right side of her upper lip and was taken aback to find out strangled mark on her neck and bruises on both of her arms. Right after that she saw black tears started coming out from her eyes. She tried to yell but no sound come out from her voice box. She got terrified, her body soon began to experience chills and her face turned blue. Being horrified she immediately bent down her head to avoid the dreadful look of her in the mirror and closed her eyes tightly. She wanted to run away from that nasty place as quickly as possible however her legs had got stiffened. It seemed to be like that they had gone paralyzed, resisting herself to make any movement and then at that point of time, someone grabbed her hair fiercely from behind and vigorously put down her face into that sink. A moment later she found herself struggling inside that water. The black tinted water was getting splashed over all the porcelain white tiles . She tried harder and harder to get out from there but shortly afterwards all her efforts went in vain.
⏳
(After 4 years)
Raya was now eighteen, pursuing her career in sociology from the University of Salzburg located in ravishing alpines of northwestern, Austria with Salzach river stretching extensively in its front. A nice place attracting many tourists for sightseeing the city on a cruise along with the beautiful fortress, sophisticated architectures and small markets along the banks of that river. From Salzburg, it took near around two hours to reach Hallstatt by train.
December 15 2011 :: She was at home with her grandmother. The old woman was sitting on her rocking chair. The wrinkles on her face had become more prominent and her skin had loosened its firmness. She was looking much older and weaker, lacking that vital energy which she always had. Her timid fingers were trembling on her lap and her eyes were fixed at Raya who was sitting exactly on the opposite side on the grey chesterfield couch.
“Dear, I am feeling really cold here. Can you just turn on the heater ?”said the old woman in a very low voice.”
“Oma! I have already switched on the heater. After sometime you will feel warm” replied Raya. She was holding a medical report and was checking details for their next appointment with the doctor. Meanwhile she glanced at her grandmother who was still looking in her direction.
“Dear, I am feeling really cold here. Can you just turn on the heater?” said the old lady again. It was her twenty sixth time asking the same question repeatedly.
“Oma! I have already done it.” replied Raya politely. It was not something new to her as she was experiencing it from the last two and half years when her grandmother was first diagnosed with the Alzheimer’s disease. Because of that she could not recall what she had said a moment ago or could make any new memories. From her past memories she remembered only a few moments of her life along with her husband and her daughter. It was very painful and at the same time very difficult for Raya to manage all of it single handedly at her age but she did it nicely. It was rightly said that responsibility matures a person not his/her age. From her childhood she had faced a lot of difficulties which indeed helped her to grow both mentally and emotionally strong. Although she got afraid sometimes of her grandmother’s health issue, still she was positive and hopeful.
December 16 2011:: It was 9 ‘o’ clock in the morning. Raya was sitting on a wooden stool beside the telephone and talking to someone and the old woman was resting sedately as usual on her rocking chair. One could clearly see the snow outside the windows, covering the whole area within its mighty white cape from tiny grasses to huge buildings. As the rays from the sun was falling on the rooftop of their house, it was melting the solid ice into its liquid form and causing it to fall down as small water droplets which on striking with the sunlight was creating a beautiful rainbow on-site. Now, Raya was in the kitchen, probably preparing breakfast for both of them. She took out a paper memo from her jean’s side pocket and pasted it on the front door of their fridge. It was written “19 December-appointment with the doctor at 9:20 am” with a navy blue ink pen. After doing that she got busy again with her cooking. Later on when she went back in the living room to check her grandmother, she was shocked to find the room completely vacant. Suddenly she felt a gentle freezing airflow as it touched her bare face, Raya hurried in that direction and saw the back door was partially opened. She rushed through the corridors and within the next few seconds she found herself standing in the backyard in the midst of the white snow spreading all over that zone. While panting Raya could clearly see her breath in the form of mist which was getting dissipated quickly in the ambience. Through that mist at a distant she found her Oma looking upward at the boundless sky in bewilderment. It reminded her of their first snow here, when she with her grandmother were standing close and watching these fine crystals descending down to the earth slowly. She felt nostalgic by recalling those good old memories with her. Right away she moved towards her grandmother, held her hand gently and then both went inside.
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