TWISTED (a short story) - One
Nyarai sat at her window, her bronze eyes watched as many people passed on the busy streets below her. It was the weekend and rather than being outside she was trapped in her room due to her own decisions. Luckily, she wasn’t missing out on much. Her friends were also on punishment due to their involvement with Nyarai’s recklessness. Two days ago, Nyarai had heard about a party that was taking place at an abandoned factory on the outskirts of town. It was being hosted by some guy who attended another school with one of Nyarai’s close friends, Sindra. It was definitely not a party that Nyarai was supposed to be at but of course, she wanted to go. When she asked her mother if she and her friends could go, she was promptly denied which led her to devise a plan to sneak out and go anyway. The party was not the actual issue, Nyarai realized when she finally received her punishment. The real issue is what transpired at the party.
Nyarai, Sindra, and their other friend Daniella were all handing out with some of the guys from their school at the party when suddenly someone screamed from the dance floor. Nyarai was the first one on the scene. She found a girl she recognized from her classes laying down on the ground with a large circle of partygoers surrounding her. She was clearly unconscious and Nyarai honestly thought she probably passed out from her alcohol consumption. Sindra was the next person to arrive and she gasped when she noticed the girl on the ground. “Look at her shoulder!” She had exclaimed. Nyarai did, noticing a huge brand on her right shouler. “She didn’t have that when we got here!” Another girl said from the crowd. She came forward and sat beside the girl laying down. “Who are you?” Daniella asked, finally walking up beside Nyarai. The girl glanced up teh the trio, a look of worry plastered across her face. “My name is Faith. This is my sister, Hope.” Nyarai recognized the names of the girls, they were both in her chemistry class at school. “Wait, you said she didn’t have a brand when she got here?” Sindra interrupted. Faith nodded, her attention redirected back to her sister who was beginning to come to. “There’s absolutely no way that someone could sneak a brand onto her body in such a crowded party.” Daniella stated, “Is it fresh?” Faith placed her hand on the welted skin on her sister’s shoulder and winced, immediately moving her hand back, “FUCK! It’s burning!” This shocked Nyarai. She leaned down and felt the mark as well, wincing and shaking her hand in pain. “She’s right! It feels like it's on fire.” Faith tried waking her sister but when she placed her hands on her arms she pulled back again, “She’s burning up.” “Someone call the paramedics!” Daniella yelled while fishing in her purse for her phone. Faith and Nyarai collectively lifted Hope’s body and moved her to a safer, less congested place as they waited for a medic to arrive. "Will she be okay?" Faith asked. Nyarai frowned, "I don't know. It's really weird that she has a brand out of nowhere." Sindra nodded, "What is it even of? Like is it a symbol for something?" Nyarai moved to look at it, her eyes scanning the burnt skin. It was a circle with a square in the middle. In the square were three lines pointing in various directions. "It doesn't ring a bell." Sindra remarked after studying the burn. Nyarai was silent, her mind racing. She couldn't understand why, buts she recognized the mark. "I..I know it." She said, her voice uneven. "You do?" Faith asked. Daniella cocked an eyebrow, "What is it?" Nyarai took a step back, her mind swimming. She had no idea how she recognized the mark or even where it was from but the answer tumbled from her mouth easily, "Daima." As Nyarai spoke, Hope began coughing, slowly regaining her consciousness. Nyarai felt dizzy. She took deep breaths before screaming loudly, her mind filled with darkness and confusing sounds. "Nyarai?" Sindra took a step towards her friend. "What's wrong?" Nyarai didn't respond. Instead, her eyes rolled back and she fell to the ground. Her body twitched violently as foam began to form from her mouth. Daniella and Sindra gasped, immediately reaching for her. "Hey! Nyarai? Wake up!" Daniella cried. Nyarai didn't respond although she did hear her. The last Nyarai saw was Sindra leaning on to Daniella as tears welled in her eyes before her world went black.
I hope you enjoyed the very first installment of Twisted. Next chapter will be posted on June 25th.