Four months later.
The car moved steadily along the road, the gentle hum of the engine creating a comforting backdrop to the silence that enveloped the interior. Rose's hand rested on her slightly protruding belly, her fingers absentmindedly tracing invisible patterns on the fabric of her dress. Michael, who sat in the back seat, was gazing out of the window, lost in his own thoughts.
Max's fingers tapped lightly on the steering wheel, his gaze alternating between the road ahead and Rose's profile. He could sense the mixture of emotions in the air—grief for Rose's mother, the weight of their recent experiences, and the glimmer of hope for the future.
As they approached the cemetery, Rose's grip on her belly tightened slightly. She took a deep breath and turned to Max, her voice soft but determined. "Thank you for being here with me, Max. I know it's not easy."
Max offered her a reassuring smile
The mic echoed again as everyone was now alert and attentive to the professor who was speaking. Professor John stared into the crowd with his large glasses. "Good, now that I have all your attention, I can go on with whatever I have to say," he said with a smile on his face. Rose smiled too. She was so excited as she looked at her friend, Emily. Emily smiled too while she gently squeezed Rose's hands. Everyone was in a celebrating mood as the students of Chester College were gathered in that hall today,about to graduate. It had been Rose's lifelong dream. "I can't believe it. We made it.!!!" Rose leaned into her friend and gave her a mini scream. "I know right, all our hard work and tirelessly reading finally paid off" Emily said to Rose. Rose nodded, she couldn't believe it herself. She remembered the first time she walked into the college. It must have been when she was about eighteen or so. Back then, it looked impossible at first but she also remembered her father holding her h
Tears rolled off Rose's eyes as she and her mother entered the hospital with her little brother's body in her arms. The truck had hit him, making him fly in the other direction. The poor boy's leg was affected and it looked like his skull too. Rose and her mother could tell because of the blood that was rushing from the side of his head."Save my son, please!!! Save him!!! I beg of you!!" Rose's mother kept begging. The nurses tried to calm her down as they slowly pushed her off the stretcher and rolled him off. They had tried to push Rose off of it too but she was adamant. She refused. She kept on saying she would stay with him to the end."Madam. I'm sorry but if you don't let go of the stretcher, we might have to call the security here. We do not let people who aren't authorized by the hospital go in there. Please understand. We know your brother is in need of treatment but you need to let him go" they said to her when they had finally reached the entrance of the emergency ward. Ro
Punk?What did he just call her? Did he just call Rose a punk? She blinked hard, multiple times at that as she walked back to him."Excuse me sir, did you just call me a punk or am I deaf?" She said with boldness. The man on suit looked at her with a smile. He nodded, "Yes, I just called you a punk. What are you going to do about it? Beat me up?" He asked her. It seemed he was used to picking fights that way because he looked so excited while he talked to her. Rose closed her eyes for a few seconds as she tried to calm herself. She wasn't in the right frame of mind for that. She would have fought there and then, she was sure he would win and not just that, she was sure he would beat the living daylights out of her. Her graduation had already been ruined, her brother hospitalized and her mother worried, adding a fight to that would mess the whole day up."No. Steady yourself, Rose. This pipsqueak isn't worth it" she told herself as she tried to calm down.Without another word, she tur
Rose marched back to him as she walked to his side, she held her hand. She asked him who he was and why the doctors were kneeling in front of him but he didn't answer. He instead turned to her and told her she could mention a wish and he would grant it. Rose immediately fell on her feet as she mentioned her brother. She said he was in need of Surgery and all what was to be done on him but she didn't have the money to do any of those."Please help me sir. I am sorry for my behavior, please. Help me save my baby brother, please, " she pleaded. The stranger told her to stand. He walked away from the doctors with her as he took her to the side."I can make all your problems go away. Not just your brother but every other problem you have go away. My name is Sebastian, everyone knows me and I believe you will get to know me too." He said. Rose nodded. She listened intently as he spoke. "I can make every dream you have come through as money is not a problem for me but in exchange for that,
Rose began to regain consciousness after a few moments. She opened her eyes to see a hazy person looming over her. The figure gradually came into focus, and she realized it was Sebastian."Thank God you're okay," Sebastian replied, his voice filled with relief.Rose sat up and stroked her neck, attempting to comprehend what had just occurred. "What...what happened?" she wondered, her voice trembling.Sebastian paused for a moment before responding. "I apologize, Rose. I never intended for you to see what was in my drawer. I swear they're not human heads. They're specially made-artifacts. I'm a lover of art, and those are special one's made by my friend for me, they are made to look exactly like the real thing, that's basically what it is my dear".Rose took a long breath, attempting to calm herself. "All right, all right. I trust you. But why did you grasp me in that manner?""I panicked," Sebastian said. "I didn't know how to explain it to you, and I didn't want you to see something
Rose emerged from the restroom, covered in a fluffy towel that was securely wrapped around her chest. Her hair was still wet from the shower, and water droplets glistened on her skin. A sweet perfume floated off of her as she strolled across the room, infusing the air with a delicate fragrance.It seemed he knew everything that a woman needs, expensive things that Rose wouldn't even dream of owning. It was still too good to be true. She stood in front of the bathroom mirror and stared at herself for a long time. She was worried about what was going to happen. She had never been with a man before, but this was her wedding night. In a real sense, it seemed like he owned her, she hadn't offered anything to him, and he had been the one giving. She took a deep breath, "he won't force me to do anything that I don't want to", she thought, "he's reasonable just like he said earlier", Rose said to herself In a low whisper trying to give herself some form of assurance. Rose didn't know anythin
Rose struggled to open her eyes, as she woke with stretching and yawning, it was the start of a new day, a new life. One that she hadn't planned for or took out time to deliberate upon. She'd have to learn all that she needed to with the decision already made. As she sat up, still half awake, she noticed a difference to the room where she was. The walls were painted with a different color, the desk, tge doors and windows. She looked down at where she lay and noticed the bedsheets were also different. There was something familiar about where she was. This was the room where she had her bath, the previous night. This was the room he showed her before he suggested they sleep together In his. She began to wonder how she got from his room to this one. Rose wasn't a light sleeper, although she was obviously tired from the activities of the previous day. The busyness of that day had sapped all the energy from her. But still how was she carried From one rooi into another without waki
Prisca was sixty nine years old, but looked like she just celebrated her sixtieth. All her hair had turned gray, but she didn't seem to be too worried about it. It was neatly made and packed in a ponytail, allowing it to fall behind her neck, caressing only the tips of her shoulders as she walked. Her dress was clean and smart looking, her top matching the shoes on her feet. She was neatly dressed and spoke fluently and unapologetically, her eyes not moving away from yours as she did. Her fingernails were neatly trimmed, her face bearing marks of wrinkles. Her lips were still and never moved, except and only when she spoke, and her teeth never showed. It was as though it was Impossible for her to smile.She also had the appearance of a mourning woman. Like there wasn't anything to change her countenance again. "She's looks like she'll be in my mum's age range"Rose thought. It would be nice to have someone like my mum around. But prisca wasn't looking like any of Rose's thoughts.