25. Admiring My Love .

AUTHOR POV

Few hours back

At 4:56 pm

Lyra sat inside the cottage cooped up in her own thoughts while leo was having a drink and scanning through the list of menu sticked to the wall of the food stall. He finished the drink and searched for the trash can. Finding it at a nearby tree, he stepped out of the cottage and dumped the coke tin. He saw a little girl trying to open a soda can by herself refusing her father's help. He smiled watching her when some noises from far grabbed his attention. He called his sister to inform her that he will be right back.

When she didn't respond to his voice, he figured out that she might be thinking about something and it would be a waste disturbing her. So he thought that she would give him a call when she realises he is gone. 'Its okay. I will be back even before she comes out of her little imagination land' leo thought and started walking towards the huge crowd gathered at the end of adventure ride section near the the entrance of water rides section.

He ran towards the direction the noise is coming from. Struggling through the crowd of people, he made it to the front line. The crowd is seperated from one portion with hand rails. On the other side of the barrier, people wearing different costumes are presenting a street show. There were people dresses as animation characters, some people were dresses as animals, some are dresses as girly animation characters. Children are all laughing and chuckling at their costumes.

Some people came dressed like ghosts and horror characters. Leo stayed there for almost half an hour. People in costumes are walking continuously with out an end. And the costumes are getting way more and more terrific and some senseless idiots even tried to scare kids by shouting and coming too close to them.

Most of the parents are cursing them as they started to scare kids. Some of the kids are crying and few of the kids who are lifted up by their parents buried their faces in the crook of their necks.

At 5:37pm

Leo realised he was away from his sister for too long and decided to call her to inform about the place. He slided his hand inside his pocket to take out his mobile. Panic rose inside his chest as he couldn't feel his mobile inside the pocket. 'I left my phone with her! Oh shit!!!' as he was about to turn around, his eyes fell on a woman in a witch costume close to him. Her appearance did not scare him. But what made his pupils dilate is the whip in her hand.

Just then, she swung the whip onto the ground making a 'whop' sound. The sound travelled through the air and made its way to his ears. Leo closed his eyes in order to calm himself from upcoming destruction. The lady again beat the whip to the ground making the noise again.

Leo closed his ears so hardly that not even a single sound would enter. But the sound replayed again and again inside his mind. That familiar sound woke up some unwanted memory inside his mind. The memory he is working so hard to erase. His eyes are closed tightly but tears didn't fail to roll down his cheeks. "Bad idea. Bad idea. Its a bad idea. Very bad idea. Bad idea" the tears rolled down his face in a continuous stream as his mind replayed the scenes from his childhood.

The dark room, the dim light hanging from the wooden ceiling, the coldness in the basement, the wetness of the wood behind his feet, the smell of rotten food, the taste of his blood, the desperation in his father's eyes when he was killed before his eyes, the screams of his mother from the next room, the pools of blood under his sleeping body, the scent of rusting iron, the pain from the burns on his skin, the sinister laugh of that woman, and most importantly, the similar sound.

Leo opened his eyes and wobbled his way out of that crowd. That costume show was the ending performance for the water rides section. All the people are sent outside the entrance of Blue world. In a few minutes, the surroundings are empty with few people dispersed here and there. Leo's eyes were getting more and more red as his vision got blurred by the tears. He couldn't breathe. He is walking like a zombie wobbling in his way.

His steps unbalanced. He is suffocating. It was as if someone is choking him with a pillow. He made his way towards a tree at the entrance of Blue world. His body is drenched with sweat. His head getting hotter by each passing second. Streams of tears rolling down as his breaths came out harshly. It felt like all of his energy was drained out of his body. He looked at his wrist with blurry vision and clicked the button on the wristband that says 'sos'.

The mechanism inside the band worked in a snap and sent the details of sos to the registered phone number with gps location.

"Don't come near me. Please leave me. Don't come near me. Please leave me alone. I won't do that again. Please. Help me. Somebody help me please. I can't breathe. Please someone! " He was muttering continuously as his legs got weaker and he collapsed at the basement of the tree.

The security guard of the blue world saw him under the tree and helped him get up. Taking him inside his office room, he sprinkled some water on Leo's face and adjusted a table fan to cool his body down. Leo opened his eyes weakly after some time when the guard noticed that Leo's body temperature dropped a bit and gave him a blanket to wrap himself in it. The guard offered him some hot coffee hoping to raise his temperature to normal.

"Be careful young boy. Stay here. I will be back in a minute"

Leo just nodded weakly and stared at his trembling hands. His world came breaking down for a moment. All the walls he built around himself with courage to face his fears all crushed to ground the second he saw the whip. He wished to be in his sister's embrace right now.

He heard some foot steps around the office and thought that the guard is back. Lifting his head up, he looked at the door and saw his sister standing at the doorway. His eyes watered immediately after seeing her as his emotions took turn and he just smiled painfully. 

Lyra walked closer to him and when she was about to wipe his tears, she heard a man's voice from behind her.

"Is she your sister?" A man wearing brown uniform entered the room as his deep elderly voice resonated through the walls.

He turned to Lyra and told her about the situation he found leo. "Take your time. I will you leave you two" he was about to leave after saying it when Lyra spoke.

"Thank you sir " he just nodded smiling and left.

"Are you feeling good now?" Lyra diverted her attention to Leo again.

"Yes. You're here, that's all I want" he spoke so softly and weakly. She sat beside him and stroked his head.

" What happened?"

".....I failed Vivi. All the inspiration you gave me, all the classes to make me strong, all the words of affirmation came to an end. I lost my courage the moment I saw it. I don't think I can ever get over it" his eyes are filled with tears at the end of the sentence.

" Do you think I am weak? " Lyra asked him.

He answered shaking his head " No you're the strongest person I know" Lyra took his hands in her as he placed the coffee cup on the table with his other hand.

" Remember when you made me calm down when I was having a nightmare?" Leo nodded sniffing. " Doesn't it means I am weak?"

" No. You were not in your right mind then. You immediately noticed I was there even when you are disturbed "

" It doesn't mean that a person is weak just because he is afraid of his past. You won many battles. Today too, you tried to let me know about your situation even when you can't breathe and your mind is all worked up. Tell me, does someone so weak be able to do that? "

" No"

" Right? So who wants a cake?" Lyra asked him increasing her tone to cheer him up. " Me!" Leo answered softly, chuckling.

The duo talked for another ten minutes. The guard came back to the room and notified them that he booked a taxi for them. The roads of amusement park are so wide for the use of electric transport vehicles. A car can easily roam around the streets of the park. In a few minutes, a car drove to the entrance of Blue world amongst the crowd. Lyra couldn't believe that the management allowed cars to get inside. What she doesn't know is that someone who have been behind a tree all this time, hearing their conversation, called his assistant to order him around when they are busy in their talks.

"Where are you sir?"

"Mark! I need you to get a car inside the park to blue world entrance"

"What? How can I get a car inside where hundreds of people are roaming sir?"

"Just bribe the manager or something. I don't care how much. Just get a car that looks suitable for a taxi but it should be luxurious and drive inside to the location"

"Just where are you sir?" Mark asked him in utter confusion.

"I will be visible to you if you come here. Just leave the keys inside the car you're in and get another car and drive inside mark. Hurry up!"

"But-" before mark could say anything, Felix hung up leaving him speechless. Having no other option, Mark locked the lavishly luxurious Benz car and tried to figure out how to get another one that's 'luxurious but should look suitable for a cab'. He walked through the parking area and looked for the car with similar qualities. Bribing the owner of a black rangerover with almost double the actual cost of the car he started driving towards the entrance. And after bribing another three people for clearance to drive inside the park, mark directed the steering towards the specified location.

After twenty minutes, he reached the entrance and got down the car. He spotted Felix hiding behind a tree and peeking at the window of nearby office room, he walked silently and whispered into Felix's ears. Felix sensed his presence as his powers have not diminished a bit.

"What are you doing boss?"

"I am admiring my love mark " he said with dreamy eyes.

Mark couldn't understand the depths of love his boss is feeling towards Lyra. He just made a face of confusion scrunching his nose. They both saw a guard walking towards the office room. He saw Felix and mark hiding behind a tree and reached them.

"Who are you people? What are you doing here?"

"You have to tell them that you brought them a car to get home safely. I will pay you"

"You cannot buy everything with money young man. What do you want from them?"

Felix's anger shot up as he can't get his work done. He closed his eyes and mumbled something under his breath before opening his eyes again. The dark emarald shade of eyes turned into glowy bright green as he cast some spell on him " go inside and tell them that you brought them a ride" the security guard just nodded and left.

Meanwhile, mark was all panicking when he realised his boss is using his powers. " Sir! What if he expose you? "

" Relax, he doesn't remember anything anyway"

" Yeah.... That's fine I guess " to be true, mark was a bit terrified of Felix's powers. He knew that Felix is a dark creature and have some powers long back when he joined the company as his assistant. He saw Felix using his powers on some bastards who dared to break into his house. He realised Felix is actually a nice man and grew normal around him from then. But this is not the first time he saw his boss's powers directly.

The guard said what he was ordered to say after getting inside his room. Leo thanked him while Lyra refused his help. "it's okay sir! We brought our car. We can go home in that"

"No dear. Get the car tomorrow. Its pretty late and your brother is sick too. Take care of your selves"

Just then, honking of a car is heard through the silent streets. Lyra helped leo get up and they walked to the car that is parked close to the room. Felix watched Lyra from shadows, smiling. He couldn't see Leo's face clearly from the angle he is in. Lyra looked at the car in suspicion. She frowned with her lips slightly open in doubt.

"Didn't you say, that you booked a -..."

She turned back to face the guard but she was met with empty place. The man who was standing right behind them is gone.

"Cab?" She bobbed her head to her right and glanced at the brilliant shade of black on the car. "You call this a cab?" She thinned her lips and sighed getting inside the car with no choice.

Leo got inside a while back as he was weak and couldn't stand for long. He is already sleeping by the time she got inside. Closing the door after her, she looked at the driver through the rear view mirror.

"Cabs are too much updated now a days. I believe it's a car that could cost you fortunes right?"

"....yes mam"

"Yet you decided to use this as a cab"

"....I guess so"

"Hmmm...strange" she nodded her head up and down making him nervous. Mark revved up the engine driving towards the entrance of the theme park. Lyra asked him to stop the car at the lockers. After getting all their stuff, the dragon plushie, the advance money and pictures from the action camera after returning it. She placed the plushie in the front passenger seat and got seated in the back beside Leo. Mark smiled nervously when she started glaring at him again and started driving towards the main highway. He sensed that Lyra had been watching him all the time. He glided the steering wheel slowly to turn at the junctions smoothly. The dead silence inside the car is a complete 180 degrees variation from the outside world which is filled with car horns, engine smell and traffic signals. He asked her where to go to clear any suspicion she have on him.

If he didn't ask where he should drop them and take them home directly, she would definitely kill him with her questions. She stopped glancing at him after telling him the address.

Mark offered to help leo get inside his room as he is asleep. But Lyra just rejected his help and woke leo up. "Bubs...we are home. Come on let's get inside"

Leo got down the car rubbing his eyes and entered the house yawning. Lyra stayed back and got the dragon plushie out of the car. " Thankyou"

Mark bowed to her in respect as she is going to be his future lady boss. But regretted his action immediately. She doesn't know that Felix is the one who sent him. So he just covered up saying " I show respect to all the women" when she looked at him doubtfully.

" Well I didn't ask". She turned around and entered the house making him sigh in relief.

" No wonder Eline is reluctant to follow her" he muttered to himself and drove all the way back to the park just to return the car. "Such a hassle you provide sir!"