Leap of Faith

Dark Places

I am sitting on the lone chair in the middle with thick and plush carpet tickling under my feet. The bookcases surrounds me. It gives me an odd sense of familiarity. I notice a glass chandelier on an exceptionally high ceiling. Through each bookcases, the white light illuminates as if it is focussing on me. I look around and notice the circular contour of the room. Slowly, the light starts to dim and bookcases starts to swell. The chandelier is getting more and more distant. The circular patterns on the carpet gets bigger. As though the air seems to suck out of the room, my hopes, suddenly, suck out of me, leaving me helpless. Soon I see certain shapes underneath bookcases. As I wonder about the significance of the shapes, which now appears like empty glass vials filled with simmering white liquid. As I move near those vials, the darkness finally engulfs me.

I struggle to get out of the darkness, want to move my limbs, to open my eyelids. I simply cannot move. I lay motionless yet screaming inside! lll 

Finally, I opened my eyes. The same darkness surrounded me. I heard a certain sound, perhaps splashing of tides on the rock. The air was damp and heavy. I feel the cold floor beneath me. My hands felt heavy, as I tried straightening up. A pain shot on the left side of my abdomen. Hastily, I tried moving my hand to the pain only to find it shackled with heavy iron chains.

Where am I?

The panic started to set in. I tried to remember my last memory. I was with Aayan at our engagement. Yes! How did I land up here?

"Hello!" I called out in the dark. Later realized that it was probably not a good idea.

I waited anxiously for any sound or movement. I could feel my growling empty stomach.

Suddenly, I heard tapping of footsteps above me, the wooden floor boards clunked. Then, there was a sound of approaching footsteps, yes definitely two people. I tried sitting up but the position was difficult. I was kneeling on the ground, the long tunic gathered around my knees.

I could not think for next few minutes as my immediate worry went towards my stomach and my thirst. I refrained myself from guessing who might be there, there was absolutely no point thinking about it.

Soon, the wait was over as the room illuminated with a dim light, and there I saw two people, whom I was not able to face, especially now, when the power laid in their hands. My brain now replayed the last memory. Alina abducting me. Of course, she was just a puppet in the show. Poor and stupid girl! My gaze went to Vikram, who gave me a sympathetic look. Well why? You brought this on me!

"Look, who is up?" Alina said lightly, though her voice was echoing through the old and stony walls. I looked around, and analysed anything, which could be an escape route! It was a basement, with no windows, only thick and old stony walls. Only a staircase in the middle was out way of the basement.

I decided to be silent and watch them instead. The pain on my left side was still throbbing.

"How are you feeling darling?" she asked, coming near me, with a sneer appearing on her pretty face.

I looked away and not giving her any damn satisfaction.

"Vikram, can you see that? She still got the attitude," she chuckled.

"Well, she has to, now that she will marry me," Vikram replied her coldly. He was wearing a bright white shirt with rolled up sleeves. The white colour contrasted with the dark surrounding. As she heard him, the colour drained from her face. I was horror-struck myself.

"Marry you?" I sputtered aloud. This man has started to get on my nerves.

"Of course. Why do you think I brought you here?" Vikram replied languidly coming closer, there was a clear serious and calm expression written on his face.