“Last night, I dreamt of a girl; she almost had everything— fame, beauty, fortune, and honor. But, behind the recognition was a bottomless pit of gloom unknown by everyone. She was void and empty. Everyone looked up at her, and desired to be in her place yet she was blind— and couldn’t see the glittering eyes of her spectators.”
“What an odd opening,” Belinda muttered.
She was about to close the book to put it back on the vintage shelf where it lay untouched when fine dust sprinkled from its pages. It gave her an eerie feeling, but curiosity pulled her hand to flip the pages again.
Spoiler Alert: “The bottomless pit is on a person’s mental state.
“I must have missed this part,” she mumbled when she read the second page of the book which followed the dedication. She went back to the first page.
“For my dearest beautiful Belinda,” the dedication chapter said.
Belinda smiled when she read her name. For her, her dad was the sweetest man she'd ever had. She wasn’t able to resist her smile as her fingers continued traveling on the pages— its earthy scent sniffed inside her nostrils. It smelled like mud traveling the earth after the first May rain—the pages crinkled while her fingers ran on them.
“Bel,” she heard her nanny’s silvery voice.
“Wait, I’ll be there in a minute,” she shouted back.
“The celebration is about to start. Come on down now.”
“No worries. I’ll be quick.”
She closed the book in finality.
***
“Good evening ladies and gentlemen— everyone. Thank you for coming on this exquisite night. This night is very special to me, so I’ll, be spending this night along with the special people behind my success. Out from there is my wife and my daughter, the topmost individuals who provided me strength and courage that’s why I’m here standing in front of you all.”
“I love you, Papa,” Belinda shouted in the middle of the crowd making everyone's eyes in her direction. She noticed her Mom’s comical smile on the guests.
“I love you too baby,” Dr. Edmund Wiles replied in the microphone.
“Where have you been?” Belinda’s Mom gruff.
“You are late again,” she continued still in gruff.
“I’m sorry.” Belinda bowed her head.
“Have a pleasant sit visitors. This is going to be my longest night of the year.”
Dr. Edmund Wiles continued speaking over the microphone on stage as visitors were arriving. They were all elegant in their dresses and suits which Belinda assumed to be her Dad’s colleagues. The Wiles Research Team was indeed blooming.
Her eyes traveled everywhere from the round lanterns spraying lights of blue, green, and yellow, to the magnificent silk white curtain, to the stage outlined with petals of flowers which she failed to distinguish, and on the fine table arrangements. The style didn’t surprise her. These were all her Dad’s tastes.
Belinda's eyes continued marveling until she saw a man on the most corner of all the tables. Similar to everyone, he was in a black tuxedo. The man looked away when he met her eyes— her heart leaped. She drew a peripheral stare in his direction again hence she caught him eyeing her profoundly. She never minded him. Maybe he was just a curious someone like her or anyone else. She gnawed the pasta on her plate.
***
“ It has to be here,” Jasmine hissed irritably.
She almost crumpled the thin sheets of the pages of the book she was reading. She flickered these back and forth. Sweats started to release on her palms. Jasmine knew from the very beginning that entering her Papa’s study room was strictly forbidden but her best friend Belinda made her cross her boundaries in their house.
“Jasmine,” she heard her mother’s call. It echoed on the corners of her ears.
Jasmine felt her hands shake. She eyed the clock that said 8:15 PM.
Make it quick, make it quick, her chest signaled.
“Jasmine, where are you? We are already late. Dr. Edmund Wiles and the rest of the Wiles Research Team can’t wait. You’ll embarrass your Papa if you do so.”
Her Mama’s voice went louder but she ignored it and continued sprinting her fingers across the chapters of the book. She found none.
“Belinda must kidding,” she blabbered.
“Jasmine.”
“Yes,” she yelled back.
“Come down now or you’ll be staying there the whole night,” echoed her Mama’s voice which she guessed was inside the bathroom ready and prepared but checking the faucet— locking it.
She didn’t answer. She had nothing to answer. Stay in the house the whole night and fed her curiosity or went with that in the celebration and met new friends which she always love doing.
“We are not over yet. I’ll get back to you once I’ll be home.” The covers of the book slammed in her closing leaving fragments of dust sprayed on the air.
She was pissed off by her unsatisfied quest and desired to leave the book on the table when the heavy threading of sandals in the staircase made her realize where she was. She immediately grabbed the book to put it back on the wooden shelf which it was kept.
Ready to go out from the forbidden chamber which she usually named on her Papa’s study room when she heard a crack from the wooden door. She examined it— there’s none, then to the windows— again, there’s none. She bet it was the wind but the night was calm. The doors were perfectly closed; the windows too. She sighed relieving herself from panic. There was a long pause.
BANG!
**"
The surroundings went into slow motion. Time paced miles from seconds. She heard nothing— eardrums were shut down. The flickering glow of various colorful lanterns blurred which displayed on her vision the opaque environment where the roaring turmoil of people flashed black and white.
“Belinda…”
The last mouthpiece she heard before everything dimmed.
***
“Mama,” Jasmine shouted despite the growling of her chest.
Quietness hazed on her ears that assembled a cramp of loud noise from the crippling kitchen utensils.
“Ma—” she yelled for the second time but couldn’t hear her voice anymore.
“AHHHH…” it penetrated.
Whack!
The door slammed shut.
“Do not turn back, “ said a croaky masculine voice emerging from the darkness of the room.
Cold sweats began dripping down from her forehead when the ambiance cleared. Frosty breeze pecked on her cheeks, sweeping the tiny strands of hair in her forehead. Jasmine barely thought of what to do next; the loud bang deafened her eardrums.
“Who are you?”
“I said don’t turn back.”
“Who are you, ple—ease?”
“I’m sorry, I have to do this.”
Jasmine faced her back despite the piling apprehension in her chest but beheld none— only vast antique darkness. Yet, seconds slowly revealed a shadow of a tall man amidst the gloomy environment that shut down her pupils.