Under My Skin(Ongoing...)

Chapter Seven

Nalla's P.O.V.

I open my weary eyes and rub them delicately. My tiny body lies on the green swaying grass that dances to the direction of the wind. The moist soil and scent of pastured grass breath through my nostrils, the soft grass providing a cover to lie on. A cricket bounces from one blade to another with precision towards me.

I immediately rise up to a sitting position. The green ash trees stand tall and strong providing a canopy of cool radiance around me. The chirping birds create a musical arena on the trees as they fly above me. A bright colored butterfly swoops down and I raise a finger for it to land on it. Its wings flutter slightly and slowly lower. My flowing blonde hair blows back to the flow of the wind that tickles the tiny hairs on my skin.

I rise up and walk towards a deer that's grazing not far from where I'm lying. My dainty bare feet flatten the grass and rise up on every footstep. The deer stops grazing and looks at me, it's black eyes trembling with fright. I lull it down and run my hand on its brown fur. The deer relaxes and nudges it's head on my thighs. Other animals, bunnies, squirrels join in and I play along with them.

In my playing session with the animals under the warm glowing sun, I stumble upon a blue mirror. I pick it up and see my reflection; a little girl staring back, her silver eyes full of innocence and joy, not a bitter thing having passed her by. Her Caucasian complexion glows radiantly under the sun and her pretty nose inhales and exhales the mixed scent of blooming flowers.

Staring longer, an image of a woman suddenly appears. She too has silver eyes that smiles at her, and her pink lips curve. I gasp at the image and touch the mirror reflection. The woman looks just like me; so beautiful and full of life, a restoration for a devastated soul.

A strong wind suddenly blew against us and the mirror in my hand shatters to pieces. The beautiful image fades, dimmed down like a short circuited bulb. The sky is enveloped by red clouds and the sky turns red as the wind blows stronger. The animals tremble and flee away in fright, leaving me alone and rooted to the ground. I try to run away, but my feet are stuck to the ground, giving an impression of not letting me go.

My heart bangs loudly I can hear it against the gushing wind that hits hard my ears. The green grass wither down to black weeds with sharp thorns that twine on my feet and dig deep in my skin. Warm blood trickled down my feet as the weeds climb in seconds, satisfied with my fear and suffering. I finally find my voice and let out a shrill scream.

I rise up from my pillows as if I'd been electrocuted. Sweat trickles down my forehead and I hold my heart in the midst of calming it down. Pudgy wakes up too from my sudden move and stares with worried eyes at me. I switch on the bedside lamp to chase the terrifying  darkness in my room.

My pacing breathing slows down after a few seconds of breathing exercises. Pudgy whines and approaches my laps and sleeps on it. I recall the nightmare and shudder at its memoirs as I rub Pudgy's body. The nightmares that haunt her won't stop. They feed on me, reliving it all like a movie on replay it all like a movie on replay. No matter how much I try to forget, how much I wish, the nightmares didn't give up. They just didn't stop.

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The coffee mug clinks on the rolling spoon as I stir the sugar lumps I'd spiked in my coffee. The rich aroma of fresh coffee wafts to my nose that I inhale deeply. I stare outside the window, watching the tall skyscrapers and buildings inhibiting thousands of workers stand in a firm structure. The sun is bright, bright enough to lighten up someone's day.

I only wish it could brighten mine. The events of the nightmares flash in my mind. The image of the beautiful woman, the red sky and the warm blood trickling from my pierced wounds. Why can't I ever have peace? It shudderes my whole being. The past keeps on pulling at me, tugging me to remember what I ought to forget and erase what I want to remember. It always comes back at me, ever since that day...

"Penny for your thoughts? " An appealing voice disrupts my thoughts. I turn to meet Dylan's quizzical look. I look past him to a clock on the wall. I hadn't even realized I'd been stirring my coffee for five minutes! I then look back at Dylan and our eyes meet. I think it's best to assume that he'd spoken to me and get going, despite us being the only ones in the executive's cafeteria room.

"No thank you," I firmly reply without a glance. Dylan simply shrugs and walks over to the shelf and picks a mug. I watch him with keenness, filling his mug with black coffee and stirring sugar in it. It's as though everything he does, he does it superbly, as though he's natural with it. His musky cologne creeps towards me, mingling with the sweet aroma of the coffee that was enticing.

"You okay Ms. Reynolds?" He turns to me and I immediately snap out of my thoughts. Oh my God, has he caught me staring at him? ,"I know I've only been here for a week and it sounds rather odd asking you about it."

I raise my eyebrows with suspicion ,"It is very odd, Mr. Reed," I sip my coffee delicately and speak to him, "I prefer keeping things business." I cup my mug and mentally prepare myself to leave, but my body has a mind of its own. I instead lean on the counter and my legs don't budge yet Dylan is only centimeters away from me. What the heck? I nervously ask myself.

"Even if you inquire about my well-being," I add after a short pause, " I don't think it has anything to do with you and neither can you do anything about it."

Dylan lowers his mug on the counter and his face lowers as well. I feel I've insensitive to him, judging from his expression. I ease away my guilt by drinking my coffee and hiding my face with the mug. No, I shouldn't be guilty, I'm hard and I've never felt sorry for anyone.

"Why are you always so surly?" His blue eyes absorb all his emotions, his voice softening to a whisper.

"And why are you always so inquisitive?" I stare hard into his eyes, the mug resting on my palm.

A grave silence clouds above us in the room. This is the best time to depart from the conversation and leave for my office, but Dylan stops me short of my step, "I wouldn't mind you opening up to me," he leans on the counter and a coquettish smile creeps up his face.

I stand back and purse my lips, "Never in a million years." A guy enters the room but first looks at the two of us astoundingly. I don't like the look on the guy, suspicions he's creating in his mind, considering how Dylan is so close to me. I stand up and squarely face him. His face is like the carving from an angel. His blue blue eyes pull me, sink me to my naughtiest thoughts.

"My life's pretty much none of your business, actually. So I'd advise you to concentrate on yours," I whisper scathingly to him. The dark guy turns to my direction wide eyed as I stroll out of the room with the half drank coffee in my hand.

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Woah! Nalla is such a boss! What are those nightmares she's having? Are they what that make her all angry and cold? Do you think she'll ever open up about it?

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Lots of love❤❤❤