Harmony

"Miss Noa Davies?"

I stood frozen, my sweaty palms holding too tightly to the door of my dorm room, staring at them in their dark uniform and bronze badges not finding the words to say.

"We have a warrant for your arrest. You're being charged with identity theft, fraud, hacking, larceny, and money laundering. You have the right to remain silent, for what you say or do can or will be held against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you."

They made me turn and bound both my hands with the handcuffs, the click sound it made echoing across the hallway. They pulled me out of my room, and I raised my head to see students coming out of their rooms to see what was going on, whispering in each other's ears. My heart is pounding in my chest, much slower than faster and there's nothing in my thoughts.

The cops let me walk in front of them, while they walked, their heavy footsteps treading menacingly, behind me.

I kept walking down the corridor, towards the dorm gate, passing by the students who kept staring at me in disbelief and utter confusion, I kept walking down the corridor till I could see no one anymore. The corridor seemed to be farther than it usually was, and every step I took appeared to take me backwards.

The noises began to die down except for the footsteps of the cops and the corridor grew darker, and smaller.

And then, there I was. In an alley. No handcuffs binding me, no cops behind me. Just a lone street lamp—flickering. 

I felt an obscure presence surrounding the place and I tried to run, but my feet were heavy all of a sudden. The footsteps were still behind me, growing louder and louder—closer. I turned my head too quickly and saw him. The same man on that day before my visions began. I wanted to scream but could not find my voice. His hand wrapped around my wrist, iron-clad, and burning hot. My breath hitched as I tried to pull away, but his grip didn't loosen. It never did.

I lifted my head to look at him, to finally see his face, and I saw the same twisted smile he gave me the other night. Wide, unnatural. Terrifying.

And worse, his mind was silent.

I could neither hear him nor read him. Trying to be in his mind was like falling into a black hole. A void of nothingness. A dark abyss that has invisible demons lurking.

My pulse thumped in my ears as I tried futilely to pry his fingers off me, but my strength was nothing against his. Then, just like before, he let go, slowly, deliberately, before turning and walking into the darkness. I suddenly found my voice and screamed. 

And then I woke up.

My chest rose and fell rapidly, my body damp with sweat. The fear clung to my skin, thick and suffocating. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to push the lingering feeling away. But for a few seconds, it was like I was back in that alley, helpless and alone.

I forced myself to sit up, dragging a hand down my face. The nightmare felt realistic, the police arresting me for the money I stole, and that entity that grabbed me. My mind relived the experience and my room suddenly felt smaller than it usually was.

It's just a dream, I told myself, as the ticking in the walls returned, together with the stench of rotten meat. Pull yourself together, Noa.

I stood up and felt a rush of heat surge from my feet up to my head. A wave of dizziness and nausea hit me and I rushed to the bathroom, kneel over the toilet seat and threw up.

I flushed the toilet and went to the sink. I looked at the mirror, tapping underneath my eyes with my index finger. I was starting to have dark circles. I sighed then rinsed my mouth.

As the tap ran, I heard a knock on the door. 

Right. My roommate was coming back today. She had gone on a vacation trip with her new Arabian boyfriend.

I washed my hands, and walked over to the door, pulling it open to see her standing there with her bags in hand.

"Well, well," I said, "had enough of the Caribbean already?"

She chuckled,"Girl, you wish. Unfortunately good things too come to an end," she said letting out a short fake childish sob.

"aww, you poor thing," I pull her in for a hug, then take one of her bags, assisting her with the load, "I'm sure there'll be other times."

"Duh. You're kidding right?" she replied, "we're going on another trip after this semester's exams."

"Damn!" I exclaimed, "where will you tell your dad you're going to be?"

"That's not going to be a problem, you know," she shrugged as she sank heavily into her 12-inch bed, letting out a deep breath, "I already told him that I won't be finishing till June."

"Goodness, Harmony," I raise my brow, "your last paper is on the 4th of May."

She looked at me and smiled mischievously, without saying a word.

She's either really good at faking being slow or she's embarrassingly slow. I hear the words in Harmony's sing-song voice.

Darn it, I clenched my jaw slightly. I had slipped into her thoughts unknowingly. And then I felt it.

Everything felt slowed down, the heat I was feeling suddenly turning into cold sweats. It was as though someone turned on the AC. The hairs on my arm perked upward to reveal tiny goosebumps.

"Noa!" my roommate said loudly, jerking me back to reality, as though I had been in a trance, "earth to you, what the hell?"

"Did you feel that?" I asked.

"What?"

"The cold." 

"Nooo," she dragged looking at me suspiciously, "you good? Got a fever?"

"I… I don't know…," then I knew. It was neither a trance, nor a fever rush. I was in her thoughts. Harmony's thoughts. The chill I felt, the cold, was how she felt about me.

Cold? I questioned.

Harmony was never cold towards me before.

Gosh. I wish I could have some space to myself. I'm drained.

Oh…

She needed some time alone to recharge. Harmony was a social butterfly and went along pretty well with people but I never really put into consideration before that she had few actual friends herself and went out only once in a while. She didn't dislike me, but right now, she wished I wasn't around. 

"I think it's this room," I blurt, "I've just been moving from class, back here, and repeat. Every damned day, since you left."

"You poor girl," she pouted, "what will you do?"

"Shopping!" I chuckled, "I'll go to the mall."

"That's a good one," she shrugged. She didn't sound very excited because she knew I usually didn't stay long at the mall. 

"Yeah. Should I get you something?" I said as I took of my clothes and walked into the bathroom.

"Chips, please. Many bags of chips. A large soda, and a huge burger," she replied, "I've had enough of salads and protein shakes. You'd think dating an Arabian would get you shawarma."

I laughed.

I finished and said bye to her, as she was unpacking. 

"Are you good with Uber Eats? I might be late," I say, as I open the door, the wind letting in the noise of the dorm house.

"Sure sweetheart, I'll do that when I'm done unpacking," she replied.

"Text me what you want when you're ready Harmony. It's my treat."

"Aww, you're so sweet, thank you," she smiled.

"Bye," I said and shut the door behind me. As I was strutting down the corridor, I could see her do a little jiggle and then a leap accompanied by a 'yes!'

I giggled.