Chapter Eleven – The Wanderer

I left Hyun in my sitting room sipping on a glass of whiskey as I hurriedly got changed. My clothes stank of alcohol and cigarettes; I dreaded to think what fragrance was emanating from my hair. I wrinkled my nose in disgust at the thought and was still obsessing over it a couple of minutes later as I joined him. He was sitting with his back to me, his tall frame slightly hunched over the bar. His black hair reflecting a dark navy blue; it made me think of Dragos’s description of my father. I walked silently to the other side and sat on the bar stool beside him. I glanced up to find that he was deep in thought, his left hand gripping the glass so tightly I was convinced it was going to shatter. “He’s being held in remand awaiting deportation,” he paused to take a swig from his drink, “They’re sending him back to Toulouse…back to the nut house.”

I looked away in horror; they were letting him get away with it. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I jumped off my seat and turned to Hyun, “Come on! We have to speak to him before they let him go!” Hyun sighed again and gulped down the rest of the whiskey, “They’re not letting him go…there’s no point in going anyway, they won’t let anyone near him.” Feeling disheartened at being thwarted I sat myself back down on the bar stool and cried in desperation. I’d never felt more miserable in my entire life; this chance I thought I had was being stripped away from me without warning. Hyun put his arm around me and pulled me close in an attempt to comfort me. When I’d ceased crying he moved away and walked towards the centre of the sitting room and stood with his back to me.

“I know a few people; they can arrange a meeting…and anything else that you want.” A chill ran down my spine as he uttered those words, I couldn’t believe what he was implying. This wasn’t the Hyun I knew, or at least thought I knew. Perhaps I cocooned myself in cotton wool for too long as I’ve always suspected that he was involved in certain horrific events. There were quite a few horrible rumours flying around of his involvements but I’ve always refused to believe them, in my eyes, I could never imagine someone so gentle and caring carrying them out. I was seeing a side to him that he had never dared show me before; and then I knew at once why he was no longer afraid to reveal himself completely to me. I cleared my throat unsure of how to respond to what he had just suggested.

“Hyun…” I paused waiting for him to say something else but he didn’t, so I continued unsure of what I was really trying to say, “…what are you suggesting here exactly?” He ran his hands through his hair in exasperation before swivelling round to face me. I could see tears forming in the corners of his eyes before he looked away. Swallowing hard to calm himself he looked at me again, “I don’t really know Aurora, it’s your decision to make, he’s your brother. He killed the love of your life…am I wrong in assuming that you would like some form of revenge?”

“Completely wrong Hyun!” I stood angrily and stormed towards him, I couldn’t believe what he was proposing. We stood facing each other unsure of what to say next, both too angry with one another for giving in to our weaknesses. “Are you telling me that you’re willing to let that piece of shit live?” He was glaring at me menacingly and I instinctively took a step back suddenly feeling frightened of him. “Who are you?” was all I could muster in reply. A loud knock startled us both; we looked questioningly at one another before the knock was repeated, louder this time. Casting one last look at Hyun I made my way towards the front door, the knocks grew more incessant as I got closer. “Ok!” I shouted at the person on the other end in agitation. I pulled the door wide open still feeling annoyed, to find the hallway empty. I stepped out slowly and peered round the corner but still couldn’t see anyone there. “Hello?” I called out thinking that perhaps who ever had knocked had probably decided to leave thinking there was no one home.

Yet still no one appeared, as I turned to go back in, something caught my eye near the stairs, in the far end of the corridor that led towards the exit of the building. I stopped short and strained forward on my toes to get a better view, I was sure that there was someone standing near the bottom of the stairs, I could see their shadow in the dim lighting. “Who’s there?” I called out hoping that they would answer, I was beginning to feel very uneasy. I stood rooted to the spot for a moment as I watched them back away deeper into the shadows, then a small stream of light appeared as it opened the door. “Wait!” I shouted instinctively, but who ever it was didn’t seem to have any intention of waiting. I heard the door clang shut behind them. I looked back towards my sitting room through my open door and then back at the stairs. For some reason unbeknownst to me I felt compelled to find out who that stranger was. “Hyun, I’ll be back in a few minutes, wait here for me.” I told him over my shoulder as I ran down the stairs and out the door into the darkening street outside. I scanned the empty road for any signs of life, no people, and not even a gentle breeze. It was eerily still and quiet, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck beginning to rise sending tiny pin pricks of fear down my spine. I didn’t know which way to go and found myself spinning in full circle, looking for any indication that there was something out there; it wasn’t long before I began to suffer from vertigo. Feeling sick I decided to stop moving and bent forward, resting my hands on my knees to support myself, I closed my eyes trying my best to cease the spinning. After straightening myself up I had decided to go back.

I entered my apartment to find the front door still wide open, so I closed it softly behind me and made my way slowly towards the sitting room. Hyun wasn’t there, but the dreaded feeling from a few days ago was back with a vengeance. I swallowed the hard lump that had formed in my dry throat. “Hyun?” I shouted as loud as I could but all I received in response was silence. I spotted his jacket on the bar stool and sighed in relief, he was still here. Perhaps he was in the bathroom, I sat down to wait for him and lit a cigarette to keep me busy and calm my nerves. I was still feeling quite shaken by my earlier encounter with the stranger. There was something very sinister in the way it moved, almost cat like, graceful, agile and very, very quick. It wasn’t long before I finished my cigarette and then lit the next one that I realised I had begun to chain smoke. I usually fell into that pattern under extreme duress, five cigarettes later it began to dawn on me that Hyun still hadn’t returned. I got up slowly, my heart racing, the butterflies teasing my insides again. Making my way to the closed bathroom door, I knocked loudly and waited a few seconds for him to answer. “Hyun, are you in there?” I tried opening the door to find it locked from the inside. This time I banged on the door with my fists till my knuckles had gone a deep red, they were throbbing with pain but I continued with an urgency I’d never felt before. The dread was now laughing at me, it was wreaking havoc with my insides and I was beginning to feel sick.

I stopped banging and tried opening the door again, this time the knob twisted easily and I almost fell in as I pushed it open. Hyun wasn’t there either. I couldn’t fathom what was going on. I fished my phone out of my pocket and dialled his number but all I got in return was a dead tone, I tried again but the battery died and it refused to turn back on. Swearing loudly to myself, I continued scouting the rest of the apartment looking for Hyun but he was no where to be found. Lastly I checked the bedroom but there were no signs of him anywhere, feeling more perplexed than ever I found that the front door was wide open. What the hell is going on? He couldn’t have vanished into thin air…surely I would have noticed him leaving the building. There was only one entry and exit in the whole apartment block which left me feeling even more confused as to his whereabouts. I walked back out into the main hallway and out into the now darkened street, there was no one about. The streets were still quiet and dark, almost like time had frozen. I didn’t know where to go, where to turn or even what to do next.

That’s when I felt it, like a sudden icy chill creeping in, making every hair on my body stand on end. I stood paralysed, rooted to the ground, I tried to twist myself away from the spot but it felt as if I was being held down by a pair of invisible hands. I began shivering uncontrollably and fell forward on to the hard asphalt floor, I tried pushing myself up but it was as if I was being weighted down by some unknown force. I began to panic now unsure of what was happening to me or my body, I opened my mouth to scream for help but it was as if my voice had disappeared for not even a squeak escaped. I lay there for some time sobbing, afraid of what was to come and then I heard it. At first it seemed like a whisper but then I realised that it was a man’s voice calling me. I hesitantly turned my head towards the sound. Across the road I spotted what seemed to be a small passageway between two buildings. It was pitch black, the street lamps didn’t seem to penetrate far enough for me to see where it led. I heard my name being called again and I was sure that it was emanating from that alleyway.

As I took a deep breath I pushed myself off the ground again this time with ease. My entire body felt weak and bruised but I pressed on walking cautiously towards it. “Hyun?” My voice echoed along the empty road but I heard it again, louder this time as I stood in front of the entry of the alley. I squinted at the dark shapes forming out of the shadows; my heart was pulsating in my head like the sound of an upbeat drummer. I looked around the empty street unsure of whether to continue on or go back and hide in my apartment, that’s when it caught my eye, there was definitely someone moving amidst the darkness of the passageway, they were heading slowly towards me. I began to back away feeling more frightened than before, what the hell was going on?

“Who are you?” I asked in a trembling voice, but whoever it was ignored my question and continued their advance. I backed away further as it gained speed, “Hyun, is that you?” I asked backing myself further still but it showed no intention of stopping. I turned and ran fearfully back towards my apartment, my feet pedalling on the hard asphalt as fast as they could carry me. I could hear them running behind me, their footsteps sounded softer and lighter than mine, I turned my head for a split second to see if I could get a good look at them but I couldn’t see anyone behind me. I stopped running feeling out breath and scanned the street in desperation as I tried to calm myself. I was more perplexed than ever before, I was certain that they were right behind me, I could hear them, perhaps I was going mad.

“Aurora, are you coming with me?” I was sure this time that there was definitely someone out there but I couldn’t see them. “Who are you?” I screamed at him again, I was certain that it was a man but I didn’t recognise his voice. There was a short silence before he replied, “Come with me, I need you to see something.” I stared back towards the alleyway but I still couldn’t see anyone, not even the shadow that had frightened me. “Where are you?”

I felt something touch my left shoulder, the cold icy fingertips from before, I flinched in surprise and looked to my left but there was no one there. Then he spoke to me again, whispering in my ear, “Look across the road.” I moved my gaze slowly, my heart racing to find myself staring at a darkened shop window. I don’t know what I was hoping to see, but I was sorely disappointed. “There’s nothing there,” I said with a scowl on my face. “Look closely,” he replied, “and you will see me.” I squinted at my reflection, standing to my left was a blurred figure dressed in black, his hand resting on my shoulder. My breath caught sharply in my throat as I turned my head to my left and realised that there was nothing there. My head flitted back and forth between the shop window and the vacant space beside me. My eyes were playing tricks on me, that or my mind was trying to warn me that all those acid tabs I had taken has cost me my sanity.

Slowly backing away, I decided that my best option would be to return to my apartment and barricade myself in there till Hyun returned. What ever foul trick he was playing on me was turning my insides into a mass of fear and doubt. Turning I ran as fast as I could till I had safely shut the door behind me and crumpled to the floor, my back resting against the wall trying to calm myself. There was a sudden thud coming from the other side, the sound you hear when you fall over. Clenching my fists I pushed myself off the floor and leaned in closer to the door, pressing my ear against it. It was quiet again. I looked through the peephole to find the hallway dark and empty. I was going insane, I was certain of it. I was turning into my Father, the one I never knew, and worst of all was having to deal with the fear; the one that rises in the back of your throat urging you to wretch to your hearts content. Pacing up and down I tried to contemplate what to do next, becoming frantic, agitated and worst of all…scared.

Thud! There it was again. I stood still for a moment breathing slowly and deliberately, I never panic so why start now. I edged calmly towards the door and reached out with both hands to open it.

“Aurora! Let me in!” came the booming voice from the other side. I jumped back in surprise just as the door began to rattle off its hinges creating a mighty creaking noise. All plans for dealing with this calmly were thrown out of the window. I ran to the kitchen in a panic looking for anything I could get my hands on, I needed protection…but protection from what?! A shadow of a man? An invisible being?! Running back towards the front door brandishing a carving knife in one hand I suddenly felt myself fall forward. I tried to move my feet but they were stuck beneath me, and now to far behind to be of any use. I landed rather ungracefully on the hard wooden flooring, my head made a sharp ‘cracking’ noise as it hit the ground. That was the last thing I remembered before it all went black.