"Huff! Huff! Huff! Huff!"
A panting voice echoed in the dark forest.
“Tap, Tap, Tap”
The shoes made noise in the silent night as Shama ran, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
Fear filled her eyes. Blood trickled down her head, and her clothes were soaked in crimson color. Her body trembled, and her energy was waning. Still, she ran. She couldn't stop...Not now.
"I have to get out of here," she gasped. "I...I didn't do that."
She glanced back over her shoulder, expecting to see someone chasing her. But as soon as she did, she tripped over a rock and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
*Earlier that day... *
"Ahhhh... It's so cute. "
Shama squealed in delight as she lay on her cozy bed, reading a comic book. As a kid, she had an immense love for fiction and soon to be 18, the girl still hadn't left her childhood hobby.
"Why don't these stories exist in real life? God, please, please just once, I wanna experience the fictional world"
She squeezed her eyes shut, palms together in a praying gesture, exhibiting her desperation and longing for something impossible.
"Mystical World of Mythical Creatures"
That was her favorite comic book of all time, which she had read almost a dozen times by now. Her grandfather had given it to her when she was 7. It was a unique comic, a rare edition to be precise. A big fat book, having nearly 1,000 pages. It held a whole other world inside it. A history book, an encyclopedia containing minute details about the supernatural species. Their origin, abilities, weaknesses, strengths, basically everything about the world of Supernaturals. But, the fun part was that it had a plot. The whole information was written with a plot, a story having a protagonist, antagonist, twist in the tale, and all that a basic novel had. The writer no doubt was a genius, a masterpiece creator, a legend.
Shama was brought back to earth by the loud ringing of her phone. Shama hopped off the bed and answered it.
“Hey, have you checked the result?????”
A voice shouted from the other end of the line.
“Ah? Result?”
Shama asked, trying to recollect her memories about the real world, the real-life she was living.
“OH YEAH, I forgot today's our class 12 result date .”
Shama said hurriedly, opening up her laptop. She entered her details and opened her result. As the screen was loading, she shut her eyes tightly while crossing her fingers.
“God, please let me get good grades.”
She slowly opened her eyes, biting her lips nervously making the lush pink color of her lips turn darker. Slowly picking up her gaze she looked at the webpage in front of her. She had topped the entire state. Her eyes widened at the shocking revelation written on the laptop screen.
“Oh my god, Oh.My.God...I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS.”
Shama shouted in excitement.
“Congrats dude, you topped the whole state. So, party?”
The voice from the other end of the line asked in a happy tone.
“Tara, you knew this???”
Shama asked still not getting over the disbelief and happiness she was feeling.
“Of course, you are in the NEWSPAPER today."
Tara said putting more emphasis on the word newspaper.
"Well, you'll only know this when you stop living on the clouds and focus on real life.”
“Oh, I love you, Tara. I am giving you a special treat today. Meet me at Dominoes in 15 minutes.”
Shama said happily in a singing voice not minding the scolding of her dear friend at all.
“YEAH GURL?? K then, let me go get ready. Bye, my love.”
Saying this Tara hung up the phone.
"Bye"
Shama went to the dressing table fixing her look, took the keys of her room and rushed outside.
*inside the room*
Suddenly the whole room filled with smoke. A gloomy vibe entered it. The comic book glowed in the dark as the pages turned one by one erasing all the words written on the book.
“It’s time.”
A voice echoed in the dark silent room.
*At Dominoes*
“Hey Shama, over here.”
Tara shouted from her seat while waving her hands frantically. Shama followed her friend's action while going towards her to take a seat.
“Ok, so I want a cheeseburger, paneer pizza with joy kit, one bottle of coke, and any dessert that you like.”
Tara said smacking her lips, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“You wanna make me penniless? You are robbing me.”
Shama said, glaring at her.
“Sigh, you told me that you are gonna give me a special treat. So, I ordered what I wanted.”
Tara whined, making a puppy eye and pouting.
“Ugh, OKAY, eat whatever you want. Just don't make that disgusting face."
Shama said throwing her handkerchief on her face while a genuine smile painted her lips.
"Waiter!”
After some time the food was served. Tara gobbled up all the food as Shama giggled at her actions. Seeing Tara eat while singing merrily and giving compliments once in a while, gave Shama immense pleasure.
Tara was her best friend, her soul friend, someone who was there for her whenever she wanted. She first met her when she was in 9th standard, completely hopeless with her life. Tara gave colors and light to her once boring and exhausting life. She gave her a reason to live, a person to hold, and a dream to fight for. Just like a reincarnation of angels and a blessing she came into her life to pull her out of the darkness she was slowly drifting in.
It was evening by now. They chatted, took photos, did crackhead things together, and had a lot of fun. After all, it was celebration time. Never could they ever get bored together.
“Bye, I love you, Shama. See ya tomorrow at school.”
Tara said, hugging her tightly while placing light kisses on her cheek. After having a whole lovey-dovey moment together, she left the place on her motorbike. Shama smiled and waved at Tara's figure which slowly disappeared in the night.
Shama took a deep breath as she walked towards her home, admiring the bustling streets, tall buildings, honking vehicles, and chattering pedestrians. Her eyes fell on two children walking timidly in front of her. They tripped and tumbled over each other so adorably that Shama couldn't help but giggle. Their mother came rushing over, scooped them up in her arms, and scolded them lovingly. Shama smiled at the sight in front of her while her eyes got a little watery.
Shama reached home and shrugged off her negative thoughts as she pushed open the door of her apartment. The atmosphere felt strange, but she ignored it removed her shoes, and hung her purse in the almirah. She jumped on her bed, feeling tired, cuddling the cozy bedsheets as she made herself comfortable.
A sudden headache brought her half-sleepy self back to life. The pang in her head just kept worsening as she tried to reach for a glass of water but fainted.
.
.
.
Shama's head was aching very badly as she opened her eyes slowly. A girl stood before her, her stomach stabbed with a knife and tears streaming down her face. Her eyes full of pain stared straight at Shama’s. Shama jolted herself up, wide awake, only to realize that the knife was in her hand. Her hands trembled, fear spreading in her veins as she looked at her hands and clothes all painted in red.
“Why?”
The girl asked as her body fell to the ground with Shama still holding onto the knife.
Shama frantically shook her head removing her hold on the knife.
"I... Did I kill someone?"
Her voice came out as a mere whisper, her head pounding. She couldn't understand anything, the panic too immense for her mind to function well. In front of her, there was a girl covered in blood and Shama was the one who stabbed her.
“Is this some kind of joke? It must be a dream. Yeah, it IS a dream.”
Shama laughed humorlessly, pinching herself hard.
The pain made her flinch but the setting around her didn't change. She didn't wake up which led her to the only conclusion that it was all real.
“This…This can’t be.”
Shama said taking a step backward.
"How is this possible? I was in my room just now. Where am I?"
She tried to make sense of her situation, but her mind refused to cooperate. All she could see was the girl's bloodied body, and all she could feel was terror. She wanted to vomit, but her mouth was too dry. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she couldn't cry.
"What should I do now?"
she asked herself, her voice trembling.
"Where is this place? Who is this girl? I don't even know her. How could I kill her? What's happening?"
Shama clutched her mouth in her hands, her eyes filled with fear. She burst into tears, her body shaking uncontrollably.
With trembling hands, Shama approached the injured girl. Her priority was to save her life, regardless of what had transpired. She quickly layed the girl flat on the ground with her legs in an elevated position to help improve the blood flow to her vital organs. She placed two fingers on the girl’s neck to check her pulse rate and with the other hand she checked the girl’s breath. “She’s still alive.” Shama murmured. Biting her nails she frantically searched her head for some idea and it hit her. Shama was wearing a voluminous gown from which she ripped off a large piece of fabric. Shama quickly scanned the area for water. Fortunately, there was a large fountain in the center of the hall. She soaked the piece of cloth in water and rushed back to the injured girl’s body. Without touching the knife she carefully pressed the wet clothe around the knife handle, creating a pad sort of thing to suppress the bloodloss. She tored off more cloth from her gown to create a thicker bandage a
Shama couldn't comprehend what was happening. Her life was in danger, she was trapped in a novel, and she was the antagonist. Life was definitely laughing at her. "Please believe me when I say I didn't kill Naina. I really didn't. Please let me live," Shama pleaded, weeping. He stared at her trembling body, her innocent face belying her words. He frowned, confused. He placed his chin in his palm as he tilted his head while looking at shama. A wicked grin spread on his face. "Fine, I'll let you live. Run far away from here. Don't let me catch you, else you're dead." He stepped aside, clearing the path for her to leave the room. Shama was shocked. She didn't question why he was letting her go, but she knew she had to flee immediately. She darted past him and the guards, disappearing from sight in seconds. The man's predatory eyes carefully examning her every move. "So naive" . . . Shama found herself in a vast forest in the outskirts of the palace. She didn't think twice befor
Shama slipped on the garment and admired her reflection in the mirror. The gown she wore was of the finest silk, the color of a summer sky. The bodice was fitted and embroidered with gold thread, and the skirt fell in soft folds to the floor. Her luminous eyes sparkled like stars, and her long lashes fluttered with every blink. Her delicate nose was as red as a cherry, and her lips were painted a delicate shade of red. Her cheeks glowed with a rosy hue, and her long, dark hair cascaded down her back in waves. "Oh my gosh, I look so beautiful," Shama exclaimed, praising her own reflection. Shama walked to the balcony and opened the door. The cool breeze caressed her skin, relaxing her mind and soothing her heart, making her forget about everything that had happened in the past few hours. The lush green grass of the garden below swayed in the breeze. Beautiful butterflies and tiny bees flitted from flower to flower. Tall trees provided shade for the animals resting beneath them. Sha
Shama alighted from her carriage and walked towards the royal palace.The royal palace was a sight to behold. Towering spires pierced the azure sky, their golden tips gleaming in the sunlight. The white marble walls were adorned with intricate carvings, depicting scenes of myth and legend. A grand fountain graced the courtyard, its waters cascading into a pool of shimmering lapis lazuli. The maids and servants working in the garden paused to stare at her for a moment, then resumed their tasks.Shama startled."Can't they see their princess standing right in front of them?" she muttered a little embarassed."I've returned after so long. They should show their concern towards me like, 'Oh, my princess, are you alright? Where have you been all this time?' Or atleast show me some respect?"Perhaps they simply hadn't noticed her."Ahem, ahem."She coughed loudly to get their attention. Again, the servants looked at her briefly, then went back to work. Crying internally and cursing her sick
No person is born evil. It is time and circumstance that can corrupt a soul, and Shanaya is a living testament to this truth.In this world, six powerful vampire clans ruled the world in harmony with humans. Shanaya, born into royalty as princess of the most powerful clan, possessed the power of both destruction and creation.She blossomed into a beautiful and charming girl, her life filled with joy. Her brother, Raghav, was her protector, and her parents indulged her every desire. She was showered with love and care.But this bliss was fleeting. At the age of eight, her parents were framed as traitors to the vampire clan and murdered before her very eyes. Her father's brother orchestrated the plot to seize the throne.Shanaya was traumatized by this event. Her brother was the only one she had left. He kept her safe and raised her under his watchful eye, managing to retain control of the family's name and the royal palace. He adored her.Because of the unfortunate event, everyone outsi
Shama walked towards the hall, wondering if everyone would be there and if they would ignore her command again. She doubted it, though; she had already threatened them with their jobs. She reached the hall and felt a little better to see everyone gathered. They were all chatting with each other, not noticing her arrival. "Why has the princess summoned us here?" One servant scratched his head in puzzlement. "She must have another scheme to trap his majesty. What else do you think could be the reason" Another servant replied in a haughty tone. "Surely, she must be thinking of seeking our assistance." Another maid joined the conversation. An elderly maid stepped forward and sighed. "Alas, when will our princess learn her responsibilities? She holds such a prestigious position, yet she continues to frivolously associate with other men. It is simply unacceptable." Shama's fists clenched, her body trembling with fury. She took a deep breath, her lungs burning with the effort to calm
Shama stood up and said, "Be quite, please. I have one thing to make clear to all of you: I have no romantic relationship with Prince Rehan. I know that in the past, I used to pursue him, but I have realized that this was foolish. Naina is like my sister, and I regret harming her in the past. I have repented for all the wrong I have done to you all. But, I am going to start a new life as a responsible princess who will help my people prosper. I hope that you all understand and support me in this."She spoke confidently and assertively."Let's leave the past and create a beautiful future together. After all we are one family."All of the servants looked at her in awe. She stood before them like a goddess, her eyes holding determination and power. Everyone was shocked to see such a drastic change in her."Our princess has grown up," one of them said, wiping away her tears."This is all a bit dramatic, I think," Shanaya thought to herself, observing their expressions.Everyone bowed down
Shama prepared for the ball. The carriage was loaded with gifts, and she donned a regal gown. Maids applied light makeup to her face and braided her hair. As she arrived at the ball, the butler extended his hands to help her disembark. She stepped out of the carriage gracefully and walked towards the entrance."Her Highness, Princess Shanaya, is entering the royal ball. We all humbly pay our respects and welcome her."The gatekeepers announced in a loud voice, bowing to her. Shama entered the gate, and all eyes were drawn to her.The beautiful pearls on her gown glistened, and the diamond set she wore perfectly complemented her outfit. The royal blue color of the gown exuded her royalty and elegance. A sparkling bracelet adorned her wrist, and a blue sapphire ring on her finger shone brightly in the light. Her eyes resembled those of a deer, with sharp corners like a knife. The dark kajal on her eyelids was like an arrow piercing everyone's hearts. Her eyes were deeper than an ocean, d