WOEBEGONE (new) ✔

06|

I heard music in the distance. It sounded like an old gramophone record, but there was no gramophone in sight.

Where am I? Why is this place so deserted? It looks like it's been abandoned for years.

"Shall we dance...?"

"Leon...!"

He took my hand and led me to the center of the dusty room. He wrapped his arms around me and pressed me against his chest. But I felt no warmth, no heartbeat, no life in him.

His eyes were empty and his hands were like ice. His breath was cold and harsh on my neck. The sound of our shoes scraping on the wooden floor was discordant and eerie.

"Where are we?" I asked, trying to pull away from him.

He didn't answer. He just tightened his grip on me and spun me around. His skin was ashen and his lips were crimson, creating a stark contrast with his pallor.

"Leon?" I whispered, looking into his eyes.

"You shouldn't get involved," he said, his voice low and raspy.

"In what?" I asked, feeling a surge of fear.

"I'll keep my promise, no matter what it costs. Don't you trust me?" he said, his eyes glistening with tears.

"I do trust you," I said, hoping to calm him down.

"Then don't get involved. I don't want to lose you," he said, his voice breaking.

His eyes were wet. But I didn't understand why.

"But what was it all about?" I asked, desperate for answers.

"You don't need to know," he said, his expression hardening.

"Leon!" I shouted, trying to break free from him.

He pushed me back and glared at me. "You heard me, Sara. Don't get involved!"

"Sara. Miss Sara..."

I jolted awake, drenched in sweat. What was that?

I saw papers scattered all over the floor. I was in the library. I must have dozed off on the table and had a nightmare about Leon. It was terrifying.

I had been working on a project, analyzing some data, before I fell asleep.

"Miss Sara...are you alright?"

"Oh, Dani. I guess I nodded off..."

Dani was picking up the papers from the ground. I got up from my chair and helped him.

"You look tired, miss. You were here last night too. Take a break. I'll sort these out..."

"Thanks, Dani. Just three more pages and I'm done. I'll take a break after that..."

My phone rang, interrupting us. It was Rayan.

"Did you find anything?"

"No signs of death threats or anything like that from anyone in his company..."

"That's impossible..."

"But I found something fishy ! "

"What is it?"

"BrandXL's former CEO has died. About two weeks after your accident..."

"Not a natural death?"

"No. An accident. He fell from a seven story building ..."

I felt a chill down my spine. Ray was talking about the man who Leon was assigned to protect as part of his job. Mrs Monika said that after Leon's death, someone else from his team took over his role. But now, Mr Colin was dead too. I couldn't believe that Mr Colin's fall or Leon's crash were just coincidences.

Who wanted them dead and why ?! I refused to accept that Leon, of all people, deserved such an ill fate!

"Have you finally lost it Sara?" Andi yelled at me, storming into the hallway.

She followed me closely as I closed the door with a bang and pulled out my suitcase from the corner where it was covered with dust. I began to pack my clothes into it.

"I might not yet. But I sure will if I stay here like this..."

"Sara...!!!"

That night, I had told Andi and Mrs Monika of the bothering quest in me. That I was going to Huston again to solve them. Mrs Monika nor Andi was pleased to hear that. They acted like I was surrounded by danger everywhere. Which was actually becoming the harsh reality somehow.

"At least... Forget it! Are you going by yourself?" Andi continued to rub her forehead and pinch the bridge of her nose. An act that brought a peek into her inner turmoil. Which, sadly, I had caused.

"Nope. Ray is coming." I said as I tossed another bunch of clothes into the suitcase. I didn't know if I needed so much but I didn't have a fixed date to come back from this trip.

"Listen to me." Andi started to walk around the room. "I don't understand why you can't see this but you are putting your life at risk for someone who is no longer alive. Do you think it's worth it?"

"I have no doubts. Gone was my life Andi. He was my life."

Andi was not the one to be serious. Not even when her own hair was on fire. But now all the creases that he bore between her brows showed how serious, or rather how annoyed and helpless she felt. I didn't want to make her worry but I couldn't live like this anymore; knowing that there was more to Leon's death than just a car crash.

"I'm sorry Andi. I have to do this. There's something wrong that needs to be right. You can feel that too." I made her sit next to me on the bed as I sat on the edge of it.

She avoided looking at me as she played with the hem of her tank top. She was furious but couldn't vent it on me for obvious reasons.

"I'll come back soon. Safe and sound. It's not going to take long. And Ray is with me. So please... don't worry..."

She finally gave up after a long silence. "Fine...!!! I don't care if you solve your problems or not. Just return in one piece that's all. And remember...we are waiting for you..."

They were always there for me. When I laid unconscious in a hospital bed for three months, they were there for me. When I started walking again, they helped me with every step I took. Mrs Monika and Andi never left my side for a moment at least. Even now, they are not ready to let me go. Not into the death's lair as they believed. So it's fair for them to be angry or frustrated because of my stubbornness. But I had no other choice. I had to do this.

"Look after aunt for me. I'll be back soon..."

This goodbye was hard. I was never good with goodbyes. I was not sure what I meant when I said I’ll be back. I was afraid I’d end up breaking my promise. Just like a certain someone called Leon Stephan Dutch.