We lay together, quiet, unmoved.
I lay with my back to her, with one of her arms wrapped around me, the other
stroking my hair.
Her soft hand lulling me into a tranquil sleep as it had so many times before.
I was in that twilight state where I could no longer be sure if I was dreaming
or awake. Her hand inched down to my neck, tracing circles and sending
delicious shivers down my spine.
She rubbed my neck, pressing down a little harder now as I sank deeper into
unconsciousness, enjoying every moment. She pressed harder still. It began to
hurt just a bit. I frowned as the pain began to get a little uncomfortable. But
the drowsiness still lay heavy on my mind. The pressure was really beginning to hurt. I
tried shifting to indicate my discomfort, but her arm clamped down in a vice
like grip.
I was wide awake now. This shouldn’t
even be a struggle, she was much smaller than me. But it was taking an incredible
effort just to extricate myself from her grip. I was finding it hard to breathe as her hand,
so tender just moments ago, pressed ever harder. I gave an almighty heave and managed to push
her off me, as I jumped off the bed and turned to give her an incredulous
stare.
She looked straight back at me, no expression on her face. She might as well
have been dead.
She looked different, as if the light had died out from her eyes. Yet she
seemed to possess a strength unnatural for someone her size. Something was off
here. Very off.
I called her name uncertainly, I did not get a reaction. She advanced on me slowly,
no emotion apparent.
A cold dread descended on me. There was something unnatural happening here, I
could feel it.
I did not dwell on that thought for too long, I could not. She had covered the
distance between us in three measured steps and, still expressionless, swung
her hand and struck me with a shattering blow.
I lay flat on the ground, my head swimming, ears ringing. I struggled to see
anything with my eyes watering profusely. Through the gloom I saw her shape
stand above me. She held something in her hand, I couldn’t quite make out what.
She raised her arm once more and brought it down upon my head. My head split
open, blood gushing out. Excruciating pain drowned out any other thought or
emotion from my brain. I writhed pathetically on the floor, screaming in agony.
She stared at me blankly, leant down towards me, brought her lips to my ear.
“Eid Mubarak,” she whispered, and she walked out of the room.