THE SEER || PJM

IV - Tomorrow

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

I sat on my new bed, fiddling with my dress, which was stained at the ends. Soon, I heard the door opening.

A young girl entered the bedroom, perhaps slightly older than me. Her black hair reached her shoulders and she had a straight nose with protruding cheeks. Her eyes were large and dark. She wore linen garments and carried a tray of food.

"I'm Iseth," she smiled. "Healer sent me to bring you food." Iseth approached the table and placed the tray on it.

"Thank you," I said. She was petite and slender, but her belly was round. Iseth noticed my gaze and spoke, slightly chuckling, before I could ask, "I'm expecting. You're probably wondering."

"But you seem happy," I remarked.

She smiled sadly. "I was forced, but I'll still love and raise this child," she said.

I noticed her eyes glistening with tears.

"Come, sit," I gestured to a spot beside me. As Iseth sat down, I ran my hand across her back.

"You know, when I was younger someone tried to rape me," I shared. "But I escaped."

"Did you?" she asked.

"I cut off his fingers before that," I calmly stated. Iseth was shocked.

Yes, I did. I remember that rainy day vividly. I was soaked from the rain, my clothes clinging to my body like a second skin I was in the market, and when it started to rain, I was looking for shelter.

Unfortunately, I was not lucky. An old man was stalking me, his eyes following my every step. And in the farthest corner, where there were no people, he caught me.

He was touching my body with his ugly hands, pressing his as close as possible. I pleaded for him to stop. My tears mixed with the rain. He pressed me more and more against the table that was standing there.

My arms were painfully twisted behind my back. He touched my chest, which was exposed. My hands searched behind my back for something.

I felt something sharp and without even waiting I took it and pierced his palm. While he was screaming in agony, I ran away. Even then, I knew I would not be a victim.

I will never be someone else's.

"That man still haunts my dreams with the same intentions," I continued. "Even though I rid him from my life, I might never be free from him in my dreams. You'll be a good mother," I smiled at her.

"I've heard about the upcoming fight. I hope you win. You'll make a great queen," she said.

My smile turned sad. "Do you know when the fight is?"

"Tomorrow," Iseth replied. When her words reached my ears, an unpleasant twist occurred in my stomach. There would be no turning back after the fight.

"I'll leave you to eat and rest before tomorrow," Iseth stood up and smiled again before leaving the room.

I haven't eaten such delicious food in a long time. It was finally fresh and filling food, not some stale leftovers that don't make you feel full, instead make you want to vomit.

I looked around bedroom again. It lacked a window, but I didn't complain. There was a roof over my head, food, and a comfortable bed. I had never experienced such luxury.

Before coming here, I lived with an old woman. Everyone considered her a witch because she practiced unconventional healing methods.

She was actually a healer like Seokjin, only her methods were different. I used to help her bring things and food from the market, helped clean her modest home.

My parents left me when I was still small and she raised me. Amina, her name was Amina. A name meaning trustworthy. And I trusted her.

She was always there for me and took care of me, but she didn't take care of herself. And it affected her health. Now she's gone.

I didn't realize how I fell into pillows, darkness enveloped my eyes.

As the moon cast an eerie glow over the desert sands, I walked into a pyramid.
Whispers of forgotten voices echoed through the crumbling corridors as I navigated the labyrinthine passages of a pyramid.

Hieroglyphics on the walls seemed to come alive, telling tales of curses and ancient rites.

A chill crept down my spine as I entered a chamber, the air heavy with an otherworldly presence.

The flickering torches cast distorted shadows on the walls, and I felt the weight of unseen eyes watching my every move.

Suddenly, a distant rumble echoed through the stone, as if the very earth beneath the pyramid groaned. Panic set in, and I quickened my pace, only to find myself in a chamber bathed in an unnatural darkness.

The sound of slithering whispers intensified, and I could sense a spectral presence closing in. Hieroglyphs on the walls began to twist and contort, forming grotesque faces that seemed to leer at my fear.

A gust of wind extinguished my torch, plunging me into absolute darkness. Heart pounding, I fumbled for a source of light, but the shadows seemed to come alive, dancing with malevolent intent.

I heard a voice and a ghostly figure materialized before me, a long-forgotten face with hollow eyes that bore into my soul.

The air turned icy, and the figure spoke in a voice that echoed through the ages, foretelling a curse that would bind me to the mysteries.

Terrified, I tried to escape, but the walls seemed to close in, imprisoning me. The sound of my own footsteps became a haunting refrain, and the shadows surrounded me in the darkness.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-