CHAPTER 4

Three days to the Yuletide, a chilly breeze wakes Kala up from her sleep. She notices the window in her room is wide open, weird. “I thought I shut that before going to bed!” She closes the window and goes back to sleep. Minutes later, she begins to shiver. “What?” She says. Still the window remains open. She turns on the lights in her room, shutting the window once more. She walks to the kitchen and prepares a glass of hot chocolate milk. “I haven’t lost my touch!” she says. After the sudden transition of her family, Kala neglected reopening her coffee shop. She tunes to her favourite TV series; ‘Game of thrones’. Suddenly, her doorbell rings. Who could that be? 11:45 pm. “Whose there?” she asks. The bell rings again and again. She opens the door and sees no one. “Stupid Kids!” She slams the door. She smiles while watching the screen. The doorbell rings again. “Damn it!” She pulls out a stick next to the door, watching through the window, waiting patiently for the bell to ring once more…. Ding! “Got you!” She takes a quick swing against the chilly air. Meow! She looks at her feet and sees Karina. She sighs. “Get in.” Karina races straight to the living room and jumps onto a chair.

“Hey dear, want some milk?” She says.

Meow!

“Hey dear," he says.

Kala screams and runs to the kitchen. She pulls out a knife, “stay back, and stay away from me.”

He comes closer towards her.

“I’m warning you, keep away. And how did you get in here?” She says.

“Who are you? I feel like I know you somehow.” The pale one says.

“Wrong answer, I should be asking who the hell you are, sneaking into my apartment. For the last time, I need you to get the hell out of my house, before I call the cops. Or worse, kill you, if you make the slightest wrong move.” She speaks.

“Please calm down Mam. I mean no harm or disrespect. I’m simply lost and confused.”

“Ok, what do you want?” She says, with a relief too little to make any significance.

“Just want to ask some few questions. Where am I? Everything seems so new and strange. Who am I? He asks.

“You didn’t just break in here to fool around, did you?” But then she could see truth spilling out of his eyes, as she continues speaking.

“You mean to tell me that you don’t know your name? You must be kidding, right?”

“I have no clue on what’s going on. You are the only person I could talk to.”

“Alright, can we strike a deal?” She says, as she walks towards the couch, feeling more relaxed and confident. “I’ll help, but you have to promise the minute you know all you have to, you must leave and stay the fuck away from me for good, Promise?”

“You have my word. I promise.”

“Alright, give me a minute”, she says.

They walk together in the cemetery. “This is where you came out from, right?” She asks.

“Yes.” He touches the headstone. Like an arrogant teacher pointing out the answer to a dull student, she speaks to the pale one, “Well go on, read what’s on it. Why are you standing there staring at me? What? You can’t read too? Christ, it says ‘Ari Thompson 1870-1896, brother, lover and friend’, satisfied?”

“Am dead," he says, with a melancholic mood.

“Hell yeah, you are. This whole thing scares the crap out of me. I’m done," she says. Ari looks so confused. He tries to jug his memory, as Kala takes her leave. Then he remembers something. “Hannah”, he says.

“Who?” Kala asks.

“Hannah, she’s my little sister. I have to go look for her.”

“Dude, hold up, newsflash, you died remember? It’s been over a hundred years since you crossed over. You can’t just show up at her door step and expect a warm embrace. Look at what I’m saying. She definitely will be dead by now. A lot can happen within a century, trust me.” Kala Speaking.

“I have to know all these for myself. Please help me.” He says.

“Alright, I will. But we aren’t running over to your sister’s place tonight. We’ll do that tomorrow, at first light.”

Ari sits in the living room, playing with Karina, watching cartoons till the break of dawn.

Early that morning, “Hey, wake up, wake up, we have to go”, he says.

Kala responds half-consciously, “Is it morning already? Oh no, thirty more minutes, I’ll be up, I promise; I need to sleep.” He mimics her and thinks of a possible way to get her up on her feet. With his super strength, he tilts the bed.

“Damn it Ari.”

“Up, up, we have to go.” Left with no choice, and like reluctant sheep trying to obey its shepherd, Kala crawls into the bathroom, takes a shower, while Ari paces around the house. He walks pass the bathroom and sees Kala in the steaming closet. Quickly, he turns a blind eye, and then he looks towards her direction once more. Her alluring figure was difficult to ignore. An aphrodisiac sensation swam through him, like an electric shock that brings alive instead of kill. Even his non-beating heart was awakened by the profuse surge of heat from his body. To send the nail into its hole, in a brazen manner, she steps out of the closet, walking out the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her bosom. “Were you watching me this whole time?” she asks.

“Me? No, no, no, no. I wouldn’t do such a thing.” He says

“Right.” Kala says.

Ari sends words to her “Are you set? Because I’m ready.”

“Yeah am good to go.” She replies as she comes out her room, takes a good look at Ari, “no way, I’m not walking with you dressed in that. You look like Vivo Kowinski.”

“What’s wrong with the way I look?” He asks.

“First, take a shower.” Ari obeys and as he walks out of the bathroom, “Good, now it’s time to put you into something more suiting.” She takes out her father’s clothes. Ari tries them on, one by one. she smiles at one and says, “That’s a perfect fit. Welcome to the twenty first century”, she says.

“We are wasting time. All these are vain. Can we leave now?”

“Alright, lead the way Kowinski”, she says.

“You said what?”

“Nothing, proceed.” Both walking in the streets, Ari moves at a faster pace.

“Slow down, will you”, Kala says.

“Time is of the essence”, He replies.

“You sure, you remember the exact house?” She asks.

“I’m very certain”, Ari says.

“I know who lives here. Sorry, but you’ll be kind of disappointed”, she says.

“It’s the same old street, the building just looks different, that’s all, quit being hesitant. Go on, ring the bell.” He prompts. Kala knocks on the door.

“Hey, Roland, its Kala, open up.” O’Neil opens the door instead. “The dude is still asleep. Good morning. I’ll go get him and what’s with the makeup bro? Come in. Yo’ Roland, get your lazy ass up. Kala and your made up look alike twin is here.”

“Look alike twin?’’ Kala and Ari ask.

“Sweet Jesus," Kala says, as her eyes opens wide in amazement looking at Ari. “Silly me, how could I not notice!”

“What you talking about," Ari says. Roland comes into the living room still wearing his pajamas, looking very drowsy. He receives a text, reads it and walks towards Kala. “

Good morning Kala.” His cell falls to the ground.