Chapter 2: The First Interaction - II

As she came back to her senses recalling that she was in her room, and has to go back, she hesitated and wanted to cancel it. But she wanted to visit her mother’s grave after all these years and her father as well. That made up her mind . . . ‘Where are the keys now? Oh! there on the bed,’ said Anna.

She felt something on the back of her neck and heard a soft whisper ‘Anna . . .!’

Anna: Mom . . .

As she turned to the window on her back, she could see a silhouette appearing around a dark shadow of a lady figurine. Anna began to shiver with fear, felt cold sweat running down her forehead and neck. After a brief glance of few seconds that felt like forever, when the shadow figurine did not disappear. It met her. The moment that followed brought familiarity hard to come to terms with after such a long time, of all these years.

Anna: No, no! This can’t be! This is not real!

Curtains raised without any wind or any natural stimulus and swiftly with a strong thrash of wind the window thrust open with a force. Anna got thrown away at the headboard of bed. She fainted for a few seconds but got conscious with the pain of blow on her head. She was not badly hurt but felt like her whole body was throbbing with pain. ‘What was that? And why after all these years!’ thought Anna.

Meanwhile, Glorina and Linna were seating in the car, waiting for Anna to come out and depart. Glorina was sitting in the front seat as she was getting bored, she turned the music loud which was quite unpleasant. Linna wanted her to stop, and she continued asking her random questions. She avoided them at first but had to answer when she started asking about mom.

Glorina: It's already been five she is not here! Okay, I am going to go check on her . . .

Voice of the window thrashing inside the house!

Glorina: What is that Linna? The noise? It sounds like something broke!

Linna: Glass, may be? I am scared! What is happening Glorina?

Glorina: Nothing Linna, wait here!

linna: NO, no please! Hey, wait don’t leave me! I will come too!

Linna: Mom is in there; I need to see her!

Glorina: (Shouted) . . . wait here! What if there is a burglar?

Linna: What if it isn’t a one?

Glorina: Linna . . . Okay fine!

Linna and Glorina rushed inside the home! They ran to her room that was located in the upper floor following a flight a stair. They rushed as they entered her room!

Glorina: Mom? Where are you? Oh God! Mom are you alright?

Anna: Yes! Yes, I am fine!

Linna: Are you sure, Mom?

Anna: Yes, Linna I am good no worries! Baby, Glorina, get me the first aid!

Glorina: Linna! Please get the box!

Glorina: Mom, what happened? Why are you lying on the bed like that? It looks all messed up, you made it up this morning! Are you feeling alright?

Glorina helped her sit straight on the bed side. Glorina knew what happened instinctively, the way she way lying on the bed, she felt as if she was thrown by someone or something on the bed.

Anna: Yes, yes! It is just that I got a bit tired!

Glorina: Are you sure we really need to go? Mom, I think you need some rest! We can wait a day or two! We have two months of holiday! What do you say?

Linna: Mom, are we not going?

Anna: No, no! We will wait for one-hour Glorina! Order some snacks and after that we will leave!

Glorina: Alright, mom!

Anna: I need to feel better before I leave! Glorina, dear pass me my purse!

Anna took the purse which Glorina is handing over to her. Then Anna picked a bottle of prescribed pills and took two of them. She gulped water and took a deep breath.

Glorina: Mom, why do you take these pills?

Anna: They keep me up and going baby, that’s why! Let’s go to the dinning Linna and Glorina!

Linna: What about this window both the locks are broken now!

Anna: You too go ahead; I will be down in a minute just let me screw these hinges in and hammer the window for now!

Glorina: Alright, mom! I will get the snacks! Hurry down!

Anna began fixing the window and Doorbell rang thrice. . .

Anna: Glorina, Get the door . . . Please!

Glorina opened the door and swiped Anna's card and paid the bill. She took pizza, fries and coke from the delivery boy.

Glorina: Alright mom! Come! come on hurry the pizza is going to get cold and mushy! You won’t like it!

Linna: Give me the ketchup!

Glorina: It tastes much better without ketchup!

Linna: Please give me! Mom!

Glorina: Alright . . . Linna! Here you go!

Anna sat down on the dining table. She looked a little unsettled and pale. She pretended to look fine!

Glorina: So, Mom what happened how did the window break?

Anna: I seriously, have no idea!

Glorina: There is no wind, no storm nothing and it looks like it broke because someone tried to barge in or threw a heavy log at it which wouldn’t be possible!

Anna: Yeah! It shocked me as well, but I don’t really know what happened!

Linna: Yes, mom Glorina thought that there was some burglar when we heard the window thrashing so loudly!

Glorina: Shshhhh . . . Linna! can we not talk about it!

Anna: I looked outside the window but there wasn’t anyone! So, I think, it would be safe not to assume anything about it.! It will get weirdly unexplainable, if we keep thinking about who did it? because we have not seen anyone or anything doing anything!

Glorina: Yes . . . Yeah fine! It may push us to call the police and that may even delay us more!

Linna: You are right about that! We will miss our tour!

Glorina: Why don’t we do that?

Anna: Okay alright, enough of these conspiracies to avoid the trip! I agree to your former suggestion! Let’s enjoy this lunch and hit the road! It will be noon if we don’t move right away!