EMBRACE OF MISTS by Sowmya Latha (important of reading books .TXT) 📕

“What is Val doing?” she enquired.

“We gave her another thrash last night, when she began to scream. We injected her and now she lays quiet. Shall we kill her along with the new one?” one of the brutal men asked. My body started to shiver.

“No. No. Val is my friend. I don’t want to kill her. Besides she lost her memory and she is just a worm of no brains. Leave her alive. I want you both to kill the new one and throw her on the road down, making people to believe she was torn by wolves" she said.

“But, what about her aunt? She knows that this girl is staying with you” another man asked. I thought he had got the point.

Ashley laughed. “No she doesn’t. I did not inform the stupid lady. Do you think I am a fool? The whole town is anxious about her disappearance” she said.

“What about Jacob?” the bodyguard asked. A big lump formed in my throat. Jacob. What a big blunder I have made. I pushed away my sorrow and listened keenly what she was about to say.

“Ha… Jacob” began Ashley in a sarcastic voice and continued, “He is madly searching for her. I have tried my best to make him stay at home and take rest while the police do their job. He thinks only about this girl and I am helpless. Until she dies I would not be able to have Jacob for myself. Kill her tonight!” Her voice echoed around the area and she quickly made sure she had not awakened me but I lied there with no further thoughts or movements. I had thrown Jacob away believing her. The puzzle was solved but I realized it too late. No one would come to my help. This Ashley would go help Jacob find me, preventing him to enter this region of the forest and I would be killed tonight. Everything was going to be over.

Building up my courage, I stirred. I pretended to yawn and sat up. She came in with a wide smile.

“Good morning. Are you stiff?” she asked with deep concern.

“A little” I replied and smiled. “Is everything all right? You spoke to my aunt Ash?” I asked her with explicit innocence.

“Yes. I have spoken to your poor aunt. You need not worry about her. I will take Jacob somewhere to give you time to move to your safe place. Tomorrow you can return home dear”.

“I don’t know how to thank you Ash” I tried to bring a grateful face and she was deceived.

“Oh come on. Just take rest. Here I have brought you some sandwiches and juice. Have them and take rest.” She handed over to me the bread. I did not want to touch those but I needed my strength, so I ate them hurriedly. Finally she got up and called her guards.

“I will leave now and return tomorrow. You keep her safe. Remember my commands and DON’T move anywhere. As for you Emi,” she turned to me, “Don’t heed to any noise around you and be safe and quiet. Good bye dear. See you soon.” ‘As a corpse’ was her left out word.

“Sure” I replied brightly to avoid any suspicion. She left, and the guards or to say the killers took their places outside.

I sat down to make my plan. I was never going to die here. There should be some way to escape. I understood from the conversation that the two guards were brutal and heavy but had no brains. They were not armed. Perhaps they trusted their strength against such weak girls. Then I remembered Valentina in the other room. Her state was worse than anyone. She was weak and had no memory. I could not stand the cruelty Ashley had shown upon her. How could ever Jacob stand this? He had lied to me just because he could forget his Val. Now he realizes that he loves me too but I had avoided his last words for me. I came to a decision. No matter whatever happens to me, I have the duty to take back Val to her Jacob. He needs her. Even though he loves me he can never forget his beloved Val.

That settles it. I need to take Val with me and escape from this place. But how? She is not in good mind and these men are far stronger than me. They would catch me before I had gone two steps. So I waited for the men to move and then I would execute my plan.

I waited for eight and a half hours but they never moved. Either one of them stood on guard. I was tired sitting with no hope to move away from that horrible place. No ideas stroke me. Finally I grew angry with myself for wasting time doing nothing. I got up and did my searching around the house and found some old fuel cans, a few full. But I can never light them without flame and if I pour them down, the two guards will sense the smell. I wandered thinking. The guards often looked at me and their watches. Time was nearing and I had not thought of any plan. Hopeless was I unable to do anything. Then I heard a howl. Very near. Wolves. Yes! The guards stood up keenly paying attention to the surroundings. I found an old rusty knife near the fuel cans. I knew it was dangerous to use it but I was left with no other choice. I quickly bent down and picked up the knife. I washed with little water and then I pulled up my pant and deeply cut my flesh below the knee. Blood oozed out. I moved to the edge of the old door and waited. Then it happened.

The wolves’ howl was nearing the house. They had caught the scent of fresh blood and my plan was working. The two guards rushed into the building to protect themselves from the wolves. I started to work out my plan.

“Hey!!! Wolves outside!! Come here! Does anyone have a lighter or a match? Quick!! We can light these fuels and scare them. Animals are afraid of fire aren’t they? Come on quick!!” I screamed to them. They immediately agreed to the idea. They started pouring fuel outside the door. I carefully poured the fuel around them without them noticing it. Then I ran to Valentina’s room and opened it. She was sitting there silent afraid of all that was going on.

“Valentina, I am your friend. I will get you out of here. Please come with me” I pulled her gently. I heard screams outside. Probably the fire would have spread preventing them to move anywhere. The wolves had retreated as I heard a distant howling. This was my chance but Valentina refused to move. She was scared of me and the fire. I had no choice. I used my full strength to pull her and managed to get out of the house through the window.

“Hey stop!! You girl!! Stop!!” the men shouted unable to move across the fire. I rushed through the dark pulling Val along with me. This time she cooperated with me as she was outside that dreadful building, making my job easier. I tried to run into the first direction I chose and went far from that building. The moon shone brightly showing me the way and I half carried Val along the way. I was getting tired and exhausted. Val could not move anymore. She was ill with drugs punched into her and she fell down unconscious. I pushed her into a dark shade of a tree and patted her cheeks to bring back her conscious. My breath paced faster as I had no response from her.

I heard footsteps and remained silent. The footsteps moved away from us, letting me gasp for breath. I dragged Val slowly and carried her some distance. Finally I could not move an inch further. I lied on the ground beside her to take some rest. It was then I heard a jeep’s horn. I jumped at the sound. I left her in a safe dark place and ran to see the jeep. I saw it halting at the corner of the forest but I could not clearly see who was driving and the thought of Ashley made me shiver. However I got to try my luck and planned to get to the jeep. I ran back to Val and tried to wake her up.

A strong hand caught my neck. The two men had reached us. One man, the stronger of the two caught hold of me and threw me to the ground. I screamed with pain and he slapped me continuously until blood gushed from my gums. I spattered the blood onto the ground. He stamped me with his heavy legs on my cut wound. I bit my lips to prevent from crying. I need courage now. Get up Emi. Run. How could I run without Val? The man did not seem to leave me until I was dead. He pulled my hair and kicked me on my stomach I bumped onto the ground crumpling in pain. I could stand no more and my throat went dry. I compelled my eyes to stay open. The severe thrashings were killing me. The man raised his leg to stamp me again when the other stopped him.

“I hear sounds. Let’s get back to the building. Hurry” he said carrying Val on his shoulders. The other one bent down to me and harshly threw me on his shoulders. Blood covered me and I thought I was dead if I had not the torturous pain all over my body. My eyes forced to close and I was slowly losing my conscious but I fought against my weakness. I have to save Val, to return her to Jacob. But I was losing. Unable to do anything I closed my eyes.

“Emi!!” I heard Jacob’s voice suddenly. I wondered if I had died and was floating in heaven. But Jacob’s voice cut through me and I realized the present. A thrill of new hope energized me. I wriggled the man’s vice hold but he placed his strong force on me. I knew shouting would be useless because he would never hear my weak call as my throat went dry and I could never find my voice. I prayed that he should find us. The two men hurried.

“Emily!! Where are you?” Jacob made his continuous yelling. Sick with my situation I placed my hand in my pocket hoping to find something. My hand touched a small item and I took it out. It was Harry’s whistle. It was the same jean I had worn the other day. I felt luck striking me once more. The man did not care to notice me as he was hurrying, carrying me. I heard Jacob’s voice very near and I used all my might to blow the whistle. The whistle shrilled through the forest and silence took over the place. The next second the man threw me down forcibly and my head hit a large root. But I did not care for my broken head and I blew the whistle continuously. In few minutes the other man dropped Val and both men began to run. Jacob found us and he fell on his knees near me. He was shocked at my disastrous condition.

“Emi, Emi love, please get up. Don’t leave me. I will save you…look at me dear” he cried catching my hands and wiping my blood.

I took deep breaths and finally found my voice. “Val…Valentina is there. She’s alive. You…you be happy with her” I staggered. He was dumbstruck on seeing her and he touched her. She sat up finally regaining her conscious but did not recognize Jacob. She came near me and held my head.

Suddenly the two men returned and began to hit Jacob. He got up and fought with them. “Emi,