New Moon 1 (3 page)

*****

Back in my
room, after the dinner gets over and three of us are busy in our
late night reading, going to bed preparations, I hear Lyn near me,
as she sits and laughs, “So, someone has befriended two cute guys
of the class, ha?” I raise my brow and look at her, “Yes, but, they
are good friends, that’s it,” “Seriously,” she pokes me, “Damn it,
it’s easy to tease you,” we laugh for a quiet time and then,
controlling myself, I ask her, “You don’t have any boyfriend here,
do you?” “No,” she shrugs, “Nobody has ignited those kind of
feelings inside me. I am still waiting for Mr. Right to arrive,”
she sighs and I see a certain kind of sadness lurking in her eyes.
“Hey,” I sit upright, “Are you alright?” “Yeah,” she nods and
smiles, “Lyn,” I say hesitatingly, “The first night of my in room,
I saw someone, inside the room…over there,” I point the direction
of the corner, and, as if, expecting someone, right then at the
moment, Lyn turns to that side, along with Kay, who was listening
to our talks from across the room. “Who, exactly?” she asks, “I
don’t know…the person’s face was hidden by a long black hood. He
came near to my bed, then….” I scratch the back of my head in
nervousness. I don’t want to tell them about the kissing and
everything. Some how, it feels too personal. “You must be
dreaming,” Kay says, sounding highly doubtful, “No one can enter
the room without knocking, Tris. It is highly impossible,” “I may
have been dreaming,” I lie and see them smiling and nodding at my
side. Who will believe me without any proof?

*****

Somewhere in the midnight, once again, I feel chilled to my
breath and core. This time, I don’t open my eyes. No, I am too
scared
. For certain, that once
again, that person will come in front of me. “Tris,” that dark and
deadly whisper calls me out and, squeezing my eyes tightly shut
with fear, I duck my head inside the quilt. Chanting the Hanuman’s
mantra in my head, I pray to let the thing pass. After a moment, as
my fear starts receding down, I take my face out of the quilt and
sitting upright, glare at both sides of the room. Lyn is sleeping
peacefully and Kay’s side, well, is empty! Where is she? Is she in
the library again, studying late night? But I know Kay too well,
she must be doing some dance practice or something. Shrugging, I
feel my throat parch dry of all the spookiness, which I have been
experiencing from past minutes. Taking my water-bottle from the
bedside table, finding it empty, I sigh deeply. Slipping into my
sleepers, I make it outside of the room and quietly close the door
behind me. Making it to the water cooler, I fill my bottle and turn
around, only to be pinned against the wall by a pair of strong
arms, covered by a long black robe!

*****

I
struggle against that phantom, once again.
The struggles grow frantic and I am almost going to
the panic stricken mode, when, his hand covers my mouth, “Don’t
scream,” He says, “I am not going to hurt you, you get me?” I nod
and feel my irises going wide, “Sshh,” he keeps his pale finger on
his black lips. Just that and he loosens his grip on my mouth, “Who
are you?” I whisper rather shakily, “Why are you scaring me every
day? I am not any unusual person, just a mere human. Don’t give me
heart-attacks please…,” “I have been assigned for your safety,” he
whispers back, “But, who are you?” “I am Thanatos,” he replies,
“the affinity, with which deity Krishna has blessed you. I am
death, and, you, Tris, can see me.” I am frozen on the spot and
unable to reply him back. “Why are you covered? I can’t even see
your face,” “There is no need,” he replies and turning his back to
me, I see him going to the side of the dark. “Hey,” I shout and
start running to the side where I have seen him going. “Hey,” I cry
again and, turning to that side, I find no one! Where has he gone?
I am still searching around. He is got to be kidding me! Death, did
he said death? What sort of nightmare is this? Entire castle is
wrapped in silent and I am breathing hard. Thanatos or death, where
has he gone? I have so many questions for him. Where has he
vanished? “Tris,” somebody whispers near my ear. Shrieking and
spooked at the same time, I turn, only to find Ian by my side, with
his fangs out! “Freaking hell,” he says and his fangs go back.
“Ian, you moron,” I say, making that angry face on him, “you scared
me, shitless!” “What are you doing here, at such hour?” he asks,
“All the dark things reside in the corner, Tris. Not safe for you
to come out,” “Says the monster himself,” he giggles at that
statement of mine. “I was filling my bottle,” “Which has gone
half-empty again.” He directs at the liquid flowing on the
floor.

****

Nex
t morning, sitting
with Ian, Ray and Lyn, I tell them the proceedings of the night. Of
course, thing is known to Ian but, some how once again, I hide the
thing about the mysterious phantom. I should tell it to someone
but, the question is, who? Lyn and Kay will worry and as for the
guys, well, I don’t know! Ian is still staring at my side with some
curious expression. As Lyn and Kay makes it to their respective
classes and Ray proceeds to the other side of the castle, Ian ask
me, “Tris, if you like someone then, how should you tell them about
your feelings?” “It depends,” I say, “Who the person is and if you
think, he shares the same feeling for you,” he flushes a little.
The entire day, my mind is hardly there on my classes. The things
have gone to the level where I am actually caught day dreaming by
Mrs. Sandvia, the wise mermaid. That phantom, that Thanatos guy! He
said, he is death! So then, is this it? Is this where I am not
human? But, I don’t have powers like my friend. Neither am I
vampire, nor a shape-shifter. Neither a wizard, nor a mutant, like
the dean. I feel like going to Alan and asking him the reason for
bringing me here. He should have some answers to it.

The day is stretching unbearably to my limits and is
getting on my nerves. As the recess bell goes crazy, I am relieved
and make my way to
the
canteen. Two weeks have already passed, since I joined this weird
community of super-naturals but, it feels, as if, I still have to
find my adequate space in this alien land. All the stories, fables
and tales of fairies is coming to life in front of me,
everyday.

I
pass the corner of the ladder and is going to step down the first
one, when without my knowing, my foot misses it and I lose my
balance on it. Obeying the gravity of the mother earth, I am
instantly going to go down tumbling all the same, when, out of
somewhere, a hand catches my wrist and I am saved.
“Careful,” it says and regaining my
balance, turned forcibly to the safe and leveled side, I glare into
the most cold and merciless eyes I have ever seen. My books,
without my knowledge, have already scattered on the floor and my
bag, too, is somewhere on the floor. “Careful,” the voice says
again, “Tha-thank you, T-Ted,” I stutter like an idiot, “Know my
name, already?” he says amused and I straighten myself. Bending
down, as I start collecting my books, I see him collecting my bag,
too. “Here you go,” he says, “thanks,” I repeat, trying hard not to
glare at his side. I am already heated so much. I don’t want him to
see me in this blushing site. “You are that human girl, aren’t
you?” “Um, yes,” I say, and look at him, while straightening my
glasses. “ I haven’t had the chance to say, hi,” he pauses, “but,
that day, when I sighted you with that Ray,” he makes a weird face
and rolls his eyes, “ I thought, you are like him, you know?” he
winks and shrugs his shoulder. I don’t get the hidden meaning
behind his actions but nod all the same and smile, as if, I have
got the meaning of what he is trying to say. “You want to join us
for the group dance practice? Me and boys are going start with it
today,” “Um,” I clear my throat and controlling the strutting
again, say, “I –I don’t….dance. I mean…I don’t know how to dance,”
“I am not telling you to join the group.” He rolls his eyes in that
I-know-everything-way, “All I am doing is to invite you for seeing
it, if you want to.” “Oh!” I control the feeling of not slapping
that too smart smile from his face. How dare he make fun of me in
that idiotic way? “I,” “Kay will be there, too,” he replies and
grins, as he see me struggling with my answer, “You living with
those two beautiful fairies, aren’t you? Well, I am sure, she will
be delighted,”, “Fine,” I say, “Tell me the time,”

****

Later that
evening, accompanied by Ian and Ray, once again, I make it to the
practice hall, which is as large as the auditorium itself.
“Fighters” are practicing for the upcoming dance competition in
which, this year, for the first time, Shakti academy is
participating. I am thrilled, as I see the practice going on. Ian
leaves my side and I see him proceeding to the side of window, as
if, something is disturbing him. The music is still going on its
blast and I see Kay and Ted doing some amazing moves and steps, as
I nudge Ray in the ribs, “Hey, what happen to him? He looks
disturb,” “Nothing,” Ray looks at Ian’s side and I see, some
sadness lurking in his eyes, in another minute, it is gone. “I
don’t know,” he shrugs him aside and starts to clap, as the dance
gathers its speed.

Things are getting weirder by every passing day. Something
has happened between both
Ray
and Ian, which neither of them are telling me, in its entire form.
Even in classes, I hardly see them talking to each other and Ian
makes sure to evade Ray’s gaze, whenever possible.

The tension around me is so palpable that, I have started
to ask each one of them individually about it, but, as usual, none
of them answer me straight. Sighing, I give up and
start doing my work. Dance practices,
in all their beauty, are going well. Ted and Kay’s electric
chemistry on the floor, along with the synchronization of the
fellow boys, makes the entire thing seems so sizzling. Ted,
especially after dance get’s over, asks me of the quality of it, as
if, I am some sort of judge, which I am definitely not! “You all
are wonderful,” I say, as I clap and encourage them, “I have no
words to praise you. You people are just wonderful,” “Thanks
babes,” Kay comes to my side and hugs me. In that instant, I see
something changing in Ted’s gaze and just like that, it is gone.
Whatever it was, I don’t think, I liked it! “Ok,” he says, “done
with the day, everyone. Pack up,” “Tris,” that silent whispery
voice, resonates inside my head, “Be careful, pet,” Jerking from my
place, I turn and look around me. No one! But I am sure; it is that
Thanatos guy, who calls himself death! “I want to meet you,” I say
inside my head. If I can hear him than, I am sure, he can hear me,
too. “Hey,” Ted says from back and I turn to his side. Room is
empty and I see him giving me that wide eyes glare, as if,
assessing me, “Yes,’ I ask, hiding my inner turbulence. Why the
hell do I find him so handsome and eye-catching? Ray too, is dark
and dangerous but, his aura is so innocent. Ted, he is like
treading on dangerous waters! “Thanks for assessing us all. Join us
for lunch tomorrow,” “I would be glad to,” I answer, “Till then,
bye,” “Tris,” he calls from the back, again. “Yes,” I say. He comes
close, too close for my comfort and I hold my breath for the while.
What is he doing? My heart is racing inside my chest like some wild
untamed horse. Is he…? Will he…? I am shivering, inside and out.
His face is too close and I can count every line, every small
dimple on his cheek as he pulls me into his embrace and kisses me
lightly on cheek! I am awestruck, literally bewildered! Did he just
kissed me? My breath is hitched in my throat, “Thank you again,” he
whispers near my ear. Leaving me in that dazed state, I see him
going out of the big hall. I like him…I think!

***

That night, sitting on the balcony, with that strange
phantom of the person next to me, who calls himself
Thanatos, the death god, I say, “Why
is it that I have received this sort of affinity? I mean,” I clear
my throat, “This,” I splayed my hand in helplessness, “You see,
this alien school, it’s weird students and the people, who are
super-naturally assisted with great powers…I don’t understand any
part of this entire place,” “Everything happens for a reason,
Tris,” he says, and I see, his shoulder dropping, “I cannot tell
you the reason behind everything which is taking place around you.
I know, you are scared, nervous and little bit freaked out…,”
“Little bit?” my voice reaches the high pitch and I drape the shawl
tightly around my freezing shoulder, “I am scared shitless,
alright. First, I am brought into this weird place and is
introduced to all these beautiful but scary creatures. Then,
drop-dead gorgeous vampire and down-to-earth hunky werewolf make me
their friend. Everyone around me keeps giving me those, ‘come, let
me eat you,’ look. I mean, what exactly is going on? I am not some
piece of meat or beef. I am a human..,” “Exactly,” he points out,
“You answer your question all by your own,” “And by the way,” I cut
him in the middle, “Where do you fit in the equation? Today, you
made this weird sort of telepathic connection, telling me to be
careful. Careful about what?” I ask, as I look at his hood covered
face which is shining in the moon’s beautiful light. “There are
many things, Tris,” he says, “About which, you should be careful.
Your emotions, feelings and un awakened powers,” “Powers?” I ask,
getting excited at the certain image of light being thrown out from
my palms at some unseen enemy. “Not the stupid Hollywood version,”
he says, and I hear a certain chuckle in his voice, “Stop reading
my mind,” I pout. “Powers,” he continues, “which are there inside
your feeble human body. Powers, which are to be preserved at any
cost or else, they have the ability to destroy everything
beautiful…,” though he whispers the end words but, I hear them,
nonetheless.