One Hundred and Seventy Five

Hey. Hi. Hello. Salaam. Bonjour. Salut. Ciao. Ahoj. Bog. Marhaba. Ola. 😀

In case you’re having a blue Monday, here’s a post. Enjoy!

Much Love,

Troubled Illusioner. ❤

---

As narrated by Amz:

I freeze for a moment before all my senses peak.

Spinning on my heel, I dash into the house, the boys right behind me.

“Dee!” I call to her loudly, the fear in my voice audible.

She screams again.

The kitchen.

She’s in the kitchen.

Already at the staircase – heading for her bedroom – I turn around and hurry to the kitchen, now behind the boys.

Zee is right up front, and moving too quickly, is unable to stop as Dee rushes out of the kitchen.

They bump into each other with full force and Dee yelps.

“Whoa!” exclaims Zee, grabbing her arm before she hits the floor.

“Are you okay?” asks Zee, steadying her.

She’s not.

Her face is ashen, making her blue eyes, which are bright with terror, stand out starkly.

“Dee?” I say worriedly, stepping in front of Meez to get to her.

“Kitchen,” she whispers, her eyes wide. “There’s… box…”

Then her eyes roll back and her body goes limp, falling against Zee.

“Dee!” I yell, panic seizing me.

“Check the kitchen, bro!” Zee shouts to Meez, picking Dee up and heading to the lounge.

“Amz, get water! And salt!” he orders me.

Meez and I hastily go into the kitchen.

There’s a white box on the table, the lid partially off.

And, escaping in what seems like the thousands, are spiders.

Momentarily I freeze, my gaze fixated on the white box and the black creatures scurrying out of it.

Meez recovers first.

“Amz!” he yells.

Snapping out of my shock, I scream, and dash back out.

Oh my god. 

“Amz!” Meez calls. “Where’s the Doom?!”

My body is shaking, and I find it impossible to answer him.

“Amz!” he shouts again, now in front of me.

He shakes me slightly.

“Do you have Doom? Raid repellent? Focus!” he commands.

I nod.

“Where?! Amz, focus!”

I picture the white box on the table again, the countless spiders escaping.

Focus…

“The sink,” I say.

Focus!

“Under the sink!” I say. “The cupboard under the sink!”

Meez disappears.

“Amz, are you coming with the water?!” I hear Zee yell from the lounge.

Water?

My mind is a hazy jumble of thoughts rushing around much too fast.

Water… 

Oh my god, Dee!

I hear the sound of something being furiously sprayed.

I picture Dee entering the kitchen, seeing the box on the table and moving towards it.

“Amaani!” I hear Zee yell again, but it sounds faint this time.

The scene in my mind is still playing out.

Dee pulling the box closer to her and lifting the lid to see what’s inside.

I imagine the absolute terror that must have seized her as the spiders scrambled out.

A shiver runs down my spine, and a choked sob escapes my lips.

My hand flies to my mouth.

Who and why would someone do such a horrible thing?!

Zee dashes past me and I snap out of my stupor.

Taking a deep breath, I head to the lounge.

Everything seems wobbly, and I walk quickly, hoping to get to the couch in the time.

But it only makes my surroundings spin faster.

Oh god. 

“Zee!” I yell, panic closing in much too quickly.

He’s right next to me.

“It’s okay,” he says, his voice loud yet controlled – calm. “You need to calm down.”

“Take a deep breath,” he says.

I obey, closing my eyes and breathing deeply.

“I’ve got her. Check on Dee,” I hear Meez murmur.

The strong smell of insect repellent hits me at Mee’z presence.

“Amaani,” he says. “You’re with me?”

I nod.

“Sit down,” he says.

Opening my eyes, I obey, moving slowly.

“Here,” he says, crouching in front of me and handing me a glass of water.

I reach for the glass, holding it with two hands to keep it steady.

It takes me a couple of minutes to calm down and gain control over myself again.

My vision clears and my hands stop shaking.

I take a deep breath, and hand the glass back to Meez.

“Better?” he asks.

I nod.

“You’re still crying,” he says gently.

“I am?” I ask, my hands moving to my face.

I am.

Oh god. 

“I’m fine,” I say truthfully, wiping my eyes and giving him a weak smile.

He doesn’t look convinced.

“Is Dee okay?” I ask, standing up carefully.

Meez stands close enough to grab me if I fall but he doesn’t offer me a hand.

“I don’t know,” he says.

We head to the lounge.

---

As narrated by Zee:

“I’ve got her. Check on Dee,” murmurs Meez.

I let go of Amz’s shoulder and hurry to the lounge where I had left Dee.

She’s still out.

My heart racing, I shake her slightly.

“Dee,” I call to her repeatedly.

She doesn’t respond.

Panic threatens to overtake me.

Calm down. 

I take a deep breath.

Now think. 

Glancing at the glass of water in my hand, I hesitate, then pour its contents on her face.

Her eyes fly open and she gasps for air.

Relief floods through me.

“Dee.”

I touch her face.

She sits up slowly.

“Dee, are you okay?” I ask worriedly.

She hasn’t heard me.

I can see from the way she’s looking at me – she’s looking through me.

Her mind is processing.

I take her hand, waiting patiently.

And then it registers.

She gasps, her hand flying to her mouth, and she scrambles to her feet, her eyes going wide.

“Dee, relax,” I say, my heart picking up speed again.

“The spiders,” she sobs, ignoring me.

She fights against my hold, trying to get up and away.

I pull her off the sofa and onto the floor with me.

“Dee!” I say. “Listen to me. It’s okay.”

At the back of my mind I register Meez and Amz entering the lounge.

“No, no, no,” Dee fights, struggling in my arms.

I tighten my grip.

“They’re gone. Listen to me! There aren’t any spiders. Calm down!”

She stops struggling and looks at me.

I catch her gaze.

“They’re gone,” I say slowly, so that she hears every word. “The spiders are gone. Meez got rid of them.”

The panic in her eyes doesn’t disappear and her breath is still coming short and fast.

“We’re in the lounge,” I continue. “There’s no spiders. It’s okay, you’re safe.”

She looks around, then at her hands and arms.

“See,” I say gently. “No spiders.”

She looks up at me again, and then bursts into tears.

I pull her against my chest, allowing her to cry.

Amz crouches down beside me and strokes her hair, speaking to her softly.

“I.. I hate… hi… him,” Dee chokes out between sobs.

I frown.

“Who?” I ask, rubbing her back.

“Fu.. aad,” she replies, sobbing harder.

I hold her tighter.

Meez speaks up.

“There was a note…” he says quietly.

Amz gasps.

“With the box?” I ask, my frown deepening.

“Ye.. yes,” says Dee, lifting her head off my shoulder and wiping her eyes.

But the tears continue to flow.

“Don’t cryyy,” I say, unable to bear it anymore.

That just makes her cry harder.

“Th…there.. were.. s.. sso.. ma.. many.”

Her lips are trembling and her eyes still hold traces of fear.

“I know,” I say, hugging her to my chest again. “But it’s okay. They’re gone now. I promise. Don’t cry.”

“What did the note say?” I hear Amz ask Meez.

“It was addressed to you,” he replies quietly.

“I know,” says Amz. “Was it a threat?”

Meez nods.

“About the consequences I’d face if I don’t agree to their proposition?” asks Amz.

Meez looks away.

“Rameez?”

He sighs.

Then, he nods in the affirmative.