CHAPTER 1
Twinkle's POV.
My mother died on a hot August evening. It was my seventeenth birthday, and my best friend Khushi, and I had snuck out to Santa Rosa for the day to celebrate. We took her car and spent the afternoon at Buzzard's Point Beach, tanning, flipping through magazines, and walking along the jetty. Around 5 o' clock, just as the tide began to come in, we packed up our towels and headed home so we'd be back before our parents returned from work.
Khushi was driving, her long sandy hair fluttering out the open window as we sped down Prairie Creek Drive. It was a scenic road that started at the coast and wound inland, meandering through the redwood forest. Khushi didn't want to drive through the national park; the route was narrow and dark and gave her the creeps, but for some reason I felt that it was the right road to take. After ten minutes of convincing her that it was the fastest way back to Costa Rosa, she complied.
The road grew narrow, making sharp and unexpected twists and turns as we drove north into the redwood forest. My wet hair dangled around my shoulders, and I ran my hands through it while it dried in the warm California breeze. Ancient trees lined the kerb, and the sky began to turn an ominous shade of red.
Khushi slowed down as we rounded a bend. I was prodding my cheeks, inspecting my sunburn in the visor mirror, when I spotted the car. It was a white SUV and it looked familiar. I asked Khushi to pull over. She pulled in next to the car just as the remains of California sun folded into the clouds.
" Is that your Mom's car?" she asked, taking the keys out of the ignition.
" Yeah", I said, confused, and opened the door.
" Why would it be here?" Khushi asked, slamming the door.
I had no idea. She was supposed to be at work. Cupping my hands, I peered into the car. It was empty, with objects strewn across the seats, as if my mother had left in a hurry. I reached into Khushi's car for my jacket and pulled it on.
" What are you doing?", Khushi asked apprehensively.
" She's got to be in that forest, there", I said, and made for the edge of the forest.
" What?"
I stopped. " Maybe she went to see the location for her business." I tried to say it with conviction, but I didn't believe it. " I'm just going to check it out."
" Wait, don't go alone. I am coming with you", Khushi said and took out the flashlight from her car.
" Khushi, give the flashlight to me and you stay here. Don't worry, I'll be back in few minutes", without saying another word, I turned and ran into the forest.
" Maa?" I shouted into the darkness, but it was barely audible.
" Maa, are you here?" It felt like I had been running for ever when I stopped to catch my breath. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a glint of light reflecting off the ground. I slowed to a walk and edged towards it. My hand trembled as I guided the flashlight in its direction. It was a coin. I prodded it with the tip of my sneaker and walked forward cautiously. A long thin sheet of white cloth was embedded in the dirt next to it and I followed it into the darkness.
As I stepped deeper into the forest, the air seemed to drop in temperature. I shuddered, pulling my jacket around me tightly, and scanned the ground with my flashlight. It was scattered with coins and pieces of white cloth. Curious I bent over to get a closer look, when somewhere in the distance, the leaves began to shift. Then movement, the soft thump of footsteps against earth.
I raised my eyes to the shadowy thicket that surrounded me. It was still except for the wind rustling the branches above. Relieved, I took a step forward, when my foot hit something soft and large. The muscles in my stomach tightened as I lowered my flashlight to the ground. And then i saw it. A hand, as pale as porcelain, its delicate fingers curled into the soil. I follower it to a wrist, an arm, a neck, a face streaked with dirt and shrouded with strands of long curly brown hairs.
I gasped and looked away. The pungent mell of rotting leaves wafted through the air. Reluctantly, I looked back at the body.
" Maa", I whispered, barely audible. She was lying on her back, her arms limp by her side. Her eyes were closed, and I might have thought her to be sleeping if her skin hadn't been so pale. I leaned over and placed my fingers her jaw. Her skin was freezing. I don't know why, but i checked her pulse even though I knew she was already dead. Lifeless, she looked older usual, as if she had aged ten years. I stared at her and a lone tear escaped my eyes. I wiped my eyes and touched my mother's lips. They were parted just enough for me to see a thin shred of cloth peeking out. Gently, I pulled it from between her lips and held it in front of the light. It was tattered around the edges and had the soft consistency of gauze. I turned it over in my hand and looked down at my mother. There were no signs of violence, no bruises or scratches her body , no blood. But the gauze, the coins- this was the work of a person. The mere thought of it made my heart race. Tears started flowing from my eyes uncontrollably as I rested my head on my mother's chest and closed my eyes.
" Twinkle, get up child. We have to leave", I heard my grandfather's voice and wondered what was he doing there. Then it dawned on to me and I swiftly opened my eyes only to realise that i was not in any forest in California, I was in my grandfather's house in New England...
Precap- Twinkle reaches Gottfried Academy and meets Nikki and Yuraj...Edited by samara_raichand - 8 years ago
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