Day 18
I planned on abandoning you, ready to close you away for good and see if I could create a new life for myself, but atlas here I am. The first time I am writing here, Is the day something strange is happening to the weather, in almost six weeks the roaring waves have strangely subsided, instead of its crashes against the large rocks it steadies.
It has become unpredictable, just yesterday the water was ready to lift my house but now it lingers by my window, close by, observing something washing up fishes and sea animals to shore, strange phenomenon occurring ... ever since , ever since that man.
Like a lifeless corpse he lays on my bed, lustrous dark curls draping my pillows, long legs hanging at the end of my bed due to his intimidating height. It has been twenty four hours and he still lies unconscious, not a jerk of movement or even a sound, nothing. Strangely of all the drastic moves I have made, this one felt right.
I know nothing of him, does not appear to be a local, No identification, not even a wallet, just lying on the beach stark naked, drenched as if he took a night swim.
I doubt it and should not be involved in his business but something about his eyes were so welcoming, the way they looked at me with serene, maybe it was somewhere in our past life that we came across one and another, it's so strange how I feel like ... I belong to him, and he belongs to me.
Even I don't know what the hell I am thinking, let alone writing, but it's spiraling in my chest.
I am ashamed to admit this in my writings, There is something about him that ignites me, at the touch of his hand was a sensation that couldn't be described, even as I hold a pen to this journal, a scorching heat inflame everything inside me leaving me with an unbearable ache.
I can't tear away from his side, a strange trust, Nana always tells me to do the right thing and when I do it will feel right, And in this moment, it felt right.
Whatever this feeling was that manipulates my breath or misconducts my movements turning my legs to jelly, shouldn't blur the fact that he is a stranger in my home, the same vicinity where my loved ones reside, I need to keep a keen eye on him, a stranger in this town where no one can be trusted.
But alas the real thing that bothers me is how after that night I haven't seen... him. He came and left never resurfacing despite me lingering by the shoreline at night since than.
Just when I want to see him again, he disappeared for the second time.
The man on the bed suddenly jolts slightly as I bring the journal to a close, steadying my breathing watching his fingers twitch, again as if he is in a dream. Deeply he suddenly groans, moaning and mumbling something as he shakes his head, it was happening again, dark clouds spreading across the sky, thunder rumbling the room like it is in tune with his emotions.
As much as the fear coursed through me, it sparked a whole curiosity. Lightning whitens the horizon as it zips through the sky, a violent crash follows seconds after shaking the ground, impact so earth shattering it causes a shriek from Arjun next door.
Patter's of his feet shuffling out the door until he is flinging into mine, PTSD's triggered as he looks at me with worrisome eyes, struggling to catch his breath.
"Relax, hey look at me" I try and speak keeping my voice stern, but the shaking of my fingers were giving it away. History ready to repeat itself as I watched the water crawling up the beach when it suddenly stops, Arjuns head snuggled into my shoulders sniffling, "Arjun look." I shudder.
The water stills, not receding back to the ocean, unmoving, awaiting as the dark clouds swirls above.
"No" he sniffles, tightening his embrace, violently trembling.
In this state of mind It is best to play it as if he is a child, "Look it stopped" I softly tap onto his shoulders, it doesn't work, he can still feel the trembles and quickening pace of my heart rate. With a deep inhale I change my way of thinking looking away from the window, focusing elsewhere that can steady my heart rate.
"Hey Arjun?" I whisper, my eyes finally meeting something that warmed my heart enough to ease my quivers.
"Yes?" he sniffles, whimpering softly.
"It stopped."
For a second I tore my eyes away, meeting his glossy orbs, running tears with a drippy nose, still shivering in my arms. Water was his biggest fear ever since that tragedy, in a frantic he looks around, "look at me, hey, I'm right here the water stopped."
"It did?" he shudders with a broken voice, breath fanning my face.
I nodded, "Yes, it did, see? were ok."
Once more he looks around softening his shoulders before crumbling in my arms, "Monica" he cries, "I'm sorry" his weight bringing us down to the ground while I coddled him.
Rubbing his back while forcing my tears away. "Shhh, it's ok." Moments of silence as he cries into my shoulder while I return my eyes to the man on the bed rolling the necklace softly in his hand. Whatever that pendant meant to him, it seemed to have ease his nightmare finally allowing the clouds to clear.
Arjuns cries soften pulling away, a messily look of smeared tears and hair strands stuck to his face, I wanted to giggle at the slimy trail of mucus dripping from his nose but there was a look in his eyes I could not express, an apathetic expression.
My smile falters, "What's wrong?" I question.
"He is angry with us"
"He?"
His eyes protrude leaning in "God."
I clear my throat, "Why so?"
"Monica we are messing with his creatures," He seethes, in my peripherals the man moves a toe.
"Keep it down," I Nudge, gliding my eyes towards him.
"Monica, have you kept your promise?"
Bolts of electricity shoots through me leaving a sudden wave of overwhelming guilt, "What?"
Coming in closer, "Have you kept your promise to me? have you not gone behind my back?"
Im stilled, frozen by the question, fingers trembling before I dug my thumb nail in my skin. "Arjun" I coughed "Why would you think that?"
"We left those things alone, so why does God still punish us?"
I'm cornered looking into his eyes, anxiety building as the tears climb up before beads glide down, Do I dare speak the truth now? Letting him know I did not keep my end of the bargain, I still can feel him trembling in my palm, his asthma could activate at any moment.
"No" I force out, instantly hating myself. The Inward guilt making it hard to breathe.
"Are you being serious?"
Tell the truth, it'll set you free. "Yes Arjun, I kept my promise."
"I never doubted you" He sniffles, "Thank you." The intensity dies down. "What do you think caused all of this" He questioned rising up to his feet.
I shrug, "I don't know. But it is strange"
Hesitantly he looks out the window, at a loss for words when we watched the water recede leaving behind millions of live fishes that flop around, large spider crabs and turtles slowly returning to the sea not before glaring right at the window, a phenomenon even the nearby neighbors record from their homes.
"Were they just looking over here?"
I nod, "Yea"
"What are spider crabs doing so close to the shore?"
"I - have no idea" I'm at a loss for words.
"It's like they were looking right at us?" Even without looking at him I can feel that questioning gaze as he turn to me before looking back at the window, "Monica what the hell? that is so weird"
Inconspicuously I trail my eyes back to the unconscious man,
"Yea... weird."
***
Once again the food tastes bland, as if my tongue is now numb to all flavors, leaving the feel of pasty and wet. A fault only mine to blame, a karma that will keep creeping in on me, I keep my head down despite the already silence that is resting heavily into the kitchen, all but the sounds of knife scrapes and gulping.
"We are alright, it's ok." Nana shivers, voice gravely with a whisper. Hoping she could ease the tension that lingers.
"Ye-yea, everything is alright, we are fine and that is all that matters." Mr Yash adds in trying to set the mood before his shaking fingers wrapped around his glass of water.
Arjun still shivers beside me until I softly place my hand on his thigh reassuringly.
"It's just becoming more random now" she continues. "No point in watching the news."
The evening continuing on In quiet with the still rumbling clouds outside when suddenly
a creak comes from my room. I paused in the middle of chewing, Brows furrowed, was that?-
The creak deepened, my eyes widened, Nana and Mr. Yash still chewing away, it seems the noise hasn't yet reached anyone. Perhaps I'm paying too deep attention? The growling thunder outside must be playing tricks with my imagination.
The food in my mouth begins to liquify, Just as I continue to chew something hits a desk causing it to screech on the ground. My nerves freeze, this time the noise reaches Arjun who paused in the middle of slicing through his steak.
Leisurely casting me a side Eye already meeting mine, it's best to excuse myself now. "Thank you Nana" I gulp the remaining food ready to excuse myself.
"Hang on you haven't finished,"
No room to argue, I'm sat back down taking bigger scoops. Stuffing my jaw trying to keep as much minimal noise as possible.
"You're going to choke" she says sternly. Another sound comes from the room, as if someone was hitting the wall. Starling Mr Yash who sat closer, fuck.
"What was that?" He questioned turning around.
"What was what?" Nana retorts.
"That noise didn't you hear that?"
"Sorry I left my sound track on" Arjun quickly interjects. Hoping to cut the building suspense.
A questioning look into his eyes before he shrugs, "I don't know what that is just make sure to keep it to a minimal."
"Yes sir."
Thankfully the nose recedes just as I was finishing up.
"Those dishes-"
"Yes ma'am aren't going to wash itself, I'm on it." One last time I make eye contact with Arjun before be-lining to my room. If this man is awake, what is my next move? Funny I ask myself that in the moment of and not before I brought the mighty man inside my home.
Cautiously I twist the door knob stepping inside to an empty room and an empty bed, Gravity plunged its full force on my back shortening my oxygen supply. The man is gone, where could he have disappeared to? This room is way too small for his massive muscled frame. A breeze graced my skin then, chilly breeze whistling inside.
I walk in closing the door behind my back locking it in the process, He left through the window? How did he fit?
Strangely although I can't see him, I still felt him. The water still lingers by my window, dark clouds still swirling outside, my eyes once again meet the crabs, sea turtles and birds Resting on a large rock staring right at my window.
I huff astonishingly, What are they looking at? What are they waiting for? Their unmoving, despite me awkwardly waving.
Wherever the man went, I can only hope he was alright.
I sighed, closing the window and curtains, if only I spent even a little time with him. But maybe it was for the best.
A strange energy over bears behind me a feel of eyes on my nape, Just as I turn around I jump back hitting my elbow against the edge of the window sill.
Dark eyes looking down at me in curiosity, my breath caught in my lungs unknowing to his next moves and him unknowing to mine. Heat traveling down to all limbs of my body making standing impossible staring at his features, like any man or human they were the same. But his beauty was unworldly.
Definitely not a local.
Cautiously he stepped in closer and I unconsciously breathed out softly, a heavenly scent enveloping all around wrapping me in a cocoon of safety. A sound of something clinking together caught me off guard and I tear my gaze away to look down at his hand, pinched in between his thumb and pointer finger was the same pendant, mini pebbles polished like pearls.
Strange at how a small object can bring down a memory buried so deep in my heart. Something shifts than catching my I gulp thickly noticing the shape of the organ hidden within the cloth wrapped around his small waist.
Strong legs wobble closer to me until his chest met mine, I couldn't decide this feeling, I know I should be repulsed by the invasion of my rightful space especially when it has been invaded by a massively larger man, but there was something about him just in general that has my heart ramming against my ribcage.
Perhaps it was the effect of the siren touch? or maybe the sensation that I belonged to him in a twisted way. But for certain I just need him closer. I make no move to look away or shy from his eyes even as he trapped me in planting a his hand aside my head, curs long and damped as he leans his face down to my level eerily sniffing me all around.
I weaken under the close proximity looking away from the inviting lips, am I really going to allow him this close? I didn't exactly have the upper hand in strength or size. Instead I observe him hoping his next move wouldn't be a strike to my jaw.
"W-who are you?" I breathed.
Soft chocolate eyes flick down to my lips, rims darkening as I suck in the bottom in between my teeth, fuck. I am speaking without thinking. But In turn he mimics.
I watched as his pink tongue glides from his mouth glossing the bottom to suck it in between his ivory teeth.
My head leans to the right, he follows. Mirroring my every move up until I chuckle.
A sudden knock on the door shook me from the moment, but didn't faze him at all, not even acknowledging the sound until he saw the panic in my eyes.
"Monica?" Came Arjun's voice.
I'm hesitant to respond, under his glare I was afraid my noise could anger him.
"Monica, are you ok?" his calm whispers grow louder it was only a matter of time before it would garner the attention of everyone else in the house, I grit my teeth, chest ramming violnety as I took a leap.
"I am fine!" eyes solely on his body language and thankfully he does not show any hint of annoyance, "I am fine Arjun I just uh I'm busy."
"Open the door." he whispers.
I sighed, he'll worry If I don't. With my back pressed against the wall I glide my body away from the man, eyes locked on me and my every move until I am away from him. Trepidatious steps and movements until I am at the door.
"Hey what's wrong with you I -" the rest of his words fall of his tongue. "Oh, uh" quickly he closes the door behind him stepping inside. My head still lowered.
"He is awake" he whispers afraid to get loud.
Finally I lift my head twisting my body until I am aside Arjun both of us looking up to the half naked massive man, realization dawning in.
"Yea, he is awake." I gulped.