DEATH'S HEART

Chapter 6 (Radish Fiction Version)

Asha stopped in mid stride to prevent herself from smacking against Cat's back when she stopped abruptly in front of her. Following her friend's line of sight, Asha's mouth flew open again. The backyard was massive! She thought only famous people owned properties like this.

Her eyes raked across the crowd. It was like the whole student body was here. It was just like being in campus, people were segregated in their own social groups. A sudden sense of uneasiness swept over her when she realised that there was a need for a different level of social interaction.

Asha had been accustomed to being alone. She was used to being an outcast. Sure enough, she saw all these people on campus; even more at work. But that was different. There was standard and predictable flow in that. She felt totally out of place. The only consolation she had was the fact that these people didn't know her. They didn't know her past.

"Oh, look! There's Lally!" Cat pointed. "I'm going over to say 'hi.'"

Asha thought she heard Cat say something. With the music and multiple conversations coming from all directions, it was difficult to hear. She turned to Cat. "What did–" Her friend was no longer beside her. She scanned the huge yard for her friend. "Oh boy!" she whimpered, realising that she was now on her own.

I want to go home! Thinking of the huge effort Cat made to drag her to this place, she decided to sum up the courage to socialise. Her eyes raked across the huge speck of land. In between clustered groups of people, she could see lush, green topiaries, skillfully sculpted to fit in the landscape of a Japanese-themed garden. From where she stood, she could see the disheveled state of what she believed was meant to be a Zen garden. After the sand had been ruffled by disrespecting sneakers, loafers, heels, and platform shoes; someone definitely had to rake it back into its serene form the next day. That was, after sifting out the unsightly paper cups and food scraps that littered all over it. In the middle of the garden was a boulder–intimidatingly strong, and scarred by the ripples and cracks of time. She admired the visual poetry of this huge rock. It stood firm and strong, yet its body was conquered and tamed by the roots of bonsai tree. Her eyes strayed further across the yard. At the far side of the garden was was a gazebo, which looked more like a dojo. The accordion-like panels fully open.

A loud splash, and the sound of squealing girls drew her attention away from the dojo. She turned towards the source. Of course, there has to be a swimming pool! Asha was impressed by swimmers' lack of inhibition. Some girls confidently plunged into the water in just their knickers and bras, while the guys splashed around in their boxers. It was obvious that none of them was prepared for an evening swim. The only one who seemed prepared for a dip was Miranda Lane. Asha couldn't help her eyebrows from arching. The other girls' underwear seemed more modest than her white bikini. She simply shook her head and looked away.

The urge to go home became stronger as her attempt to find someone she knew seemed futile. I'm not supposed to be there in the first place! It was hard to understand, but a strange feeling had been bugging her since she woke up that morning. The feeling got stronger as the day progressed. To get her mind off the weird emotions, she indulged herself in a relaxing bath. A frantic pounding on the door made her get out from the tub prematurely. What the hell? She quickly slipped into a robe before grabbing her phone to call the police. Maybe the odd feeling she had was warning her about this? Cautiously, she peered through the peephole. She felt even more anxious when she saw Cat's face. "What is she doing here?" she muttered quietly.

"Hey, Asha! Open up!" Cat called, knocking even louder.

She scrambled towards the bathroom. "I'm coming!" she yelled. Cat's persistent rapping on the door sent her fingers fumbling for her contact lenses and spectacles.