SREYA FELT LIKE she was in Gehenna. It was a travailing sensation... Like a new inhabitant of a certain type of Gehenna where the hungry flames exclusively licked and clawed at your heart, not your flesh.
Currently, she was seating—very still—on the couch in Luna's newly rented apartment. After the divorce, Kyle, Luna's ex-husband, sold the house and moved to Kruz with his dearest Gwendolyn to live happily ever after and Luna relocated to—in her own words, the most beautiful place in all Casterston—Greenwood.
The thoughts of microscopic miniscule cameras lodged in every nook and cranny in her house had Sreya utterly despondent and immensely reluctant to return to the walls that no longer bore her solace nor ensured her privacy. Instead, she'd driven to the place closest to the house she'd unwillingly egressed.
God knows she'd wanted to run after Xaver the minute he'd walke
THE REVERBERATING SOUND of heavy metal plates swiftly sliding into a barbell filled Xaver's in-house gym as sweat dripped down his arms and back, soaking his sleeveless workout top.Listening to the distant —yet audible—patter of heavy raindrops on the windows and Aminé's Red Mercedes, Xaver commenced his deadlifts. He'd only managed to finish two sets of fifteen when his phone began to ring.Looking at his screen, he ignored Alexander's tenth call that evening. He knew his friend was probably calling because of the rumors revolving round his cancelled marriage to Crystal but that was the last thing he wanted to discuss.It's been five days since the video incident with Sreya and he still felt like crap.After guzzling a large amount of water from a bottle, he reached for a dumbbell but was again distracted by the vibration coming from his cellphone. Irritated by Alex's
Years ago in Tales^°^Gideon Farrow drove at an acceptable speed. Singing jocosely to Willow Winthrop's Caveman as he got closer and closer to his wife and three children with every deep hum and lyric.When God's golden disk arose at dawn and smiled down at Habbados—Gideon's hometown—every Saturday, Farrow leaves for Tales with robust, plump red tomatoes in large manually woven straw baskets lodged at the back of his truck. On this day of the week, he'd leave the running of the Farm to his able wife, Martha. "Oh Caveman, oh, cavemann, will you teach me to hunt?" Gideon sang as he tapped out a matching rhythm on his steering with his fingers. The successful sale of his farm produ
SREYA'S DESPERATE ATTEMPT to stop the tears proved abortive.Blinking furiously, she tried to hide them as she bent her head, her voice breaking, "Sorry", she hiccuped, "I'm...just a little overhwelmed...". She concluded with an inaudible awkward laugh and a little sniff.Xaver was feeling an amalgam of things but most all there was this intense urge to punch himself severally in the face, to hurt himself as much as she'd hurt, as much as she was hurting....Why hadn't she told him all these sooner? He'd have immediately began the search for the sick, psycho bastard that had the efrontery to put his hands on a woman without her consent? How can a human being back the innocent, soul cleansing words of the Bible with actions that are darkly inhumane, corrupt and perverse? People like this actually exist?The cyan eyes that now studied Sreya's bent profile held so much respect and admiration for the woman tha
Golden beams of sunlight streaming in through the open windows perched on Xaver's skin like glitter, creating a halo effect around him. His naked chest arose and descended with each sleeping breath and his pitch-black hair as dark as night bore a disheveled look.Chocolate brown eyes studied eyelids that now hid beautiful cyan eyes from view and skimmed across full eyebrows in admiration. Submitting to temptation, Sreya traced the outline of Xaver's jaw and the underpart of his lower lip. A small frown touched his forehead but his eyes didn't open. Pulling her finger away from his warm skin, she studied him more for a silent moment before leaning down to press a soft lingering kiss to his mouth. This action prompted the flickering of heavy eyelids before there was an abrupt exposure of drowsy cyan eyes that now squnited at her face.
Golden beams of sunlight streaming in through the open windows perched on Xaver's skin like glitter, creating a halo effect around him. His naked chest arose and descended with each sleeping breath and his pitch-black hair as dark as night bore a disheveled look.Chocolate brown eyes studied eyelids that now hid beautiful cyan eyes from view and skimmed across full eyebrows in admiration. Submitting to temptation, Sreya traced the outline of Xaver's jaw and the underpart of his lower lip. A small frown touched his forehead but his eyes didn't open. Pulling her finger away from his warm skin, she studied him more for a silent moment before leaning down to press a soft lingering kiss to his mouth. This action prompted the flickering of heavy eyelids before there was an abrupt exposure of drowsy cyan eyes that now squnited at her face.
XAVER LIKED HIS new normal. For the past two weeks, he's been living a life of certified bliss. He got to wake up beside the love of his life every morning and go to sleep with her at night.Recently, Sre's nightmares have taken a more persistent and dark turn and it bothered Xaver deeply, even though he tried not to let it show. Could this be a warning for an impending doom? Or could this be just a subconcious reflection of her daily worry thoughts?Currently, he was having the cameras in her house removed. And whilst that was being done, he insisted she stayed with him. He wasn't comfortable with her staying where he couldn't see her everyday and know she's safe. That psychopath still prowled the streets and Xaver refused to take any chances.Sreya had taken a temporary leave of absence from work to remain home for some time. And recently he's been working from home but on the days he had to leave her,
Enchained<•>It was dark. Again. But... The smell was different. Alas, the woody odor she'd been accustomed to erstwhile still lingered... But the blistering feel of a heavy, densely cemented floor against her knees told her that the current venue differed greatly from the last. And unlike the last time, she didn't feel numb. Terrified, still? yes. But numb?... Not quite.Sreya was currently unclad... Her form curled in a terribly uncomfortable kneeling position. The cemented floor biting into the
A WEEK AND a half.That's how long Sreya's been missing. That's how long he hasn't left his house. That's how long he hasn't shaved. That's how long he's not been answering calls or text messages. That's how long he's been.. Drinking.He looked like shit. And felt like shit.Dazed, he slowly swirled the golden liquid in his tumbler. Now, usually.. Xaver'd never turn to liquor whilst grieving. Matter of fact, it annoyed him when people did that but... You know when you're told never to judge other people until you've been in their position? Until you've walked in their shoes? You really shouldn't. Because.. He now understood why people turned to liquor. It kinda helps with the pain.. Numb it a little... Or it makes you think it's helping your pain.. And he needed that deception right now. Badly.His lips curling into a sad small smile, h