Entry Writchal #1
Theme: Droplets of Time
Crimson Everywhere
By P.C.
“It’s cloudy again. Soon the roads will be filled with red.”
I stand beside a junction, watching cars rush past me. I look up, waiting for the traffic light to turn red so I can cross. Standing here made me realise, this is the second time I’ve been to this junction. The first time, it was….
“No. I don’t want to remember that,” I said to myself. “Not again.”
The cloud grows darker and people start to put up their umbrellas.
I hold back the tears in my eyes. “I really don’t want to, but I’m cursed to relive it, every day.”
Holding the pain of the past, I put my hand on my chest. The sky starts to cry. I look up and a droplet touches my eye. My sight fades to white as memories flow back to me.
***
We’re a family, but not the normal kind.
“Graham, can you come here?” asked Mother Shaista.
“Coming Mother,” said the oldest child, running to the mother’s room. “How can I help you?”
“Heal my neck pain. I must’ve slept wrong last night.”
“Okay, Mother.”
He climbed to the bed and put her palm on mother’s neck. A faint yellow light glowed underneath. As power drained out of his body, he looked across the newly changed room. There’s a brown wallpaper, mixing with the wood furniture. A crimson carpet was placed between the bed and a table.
“I feel much better now. Now go to your room and take care of the plants,” said Mother Shaista, shushing him away.
Graham fled the room and closed the door. He went back to his room like usual. Mother Shaista stood up and looked at the mirror. She plucked out a single strand of white hair, put lipstick on, and fixed her make up until everything was perfect to her.
She went out of her room, looking disappointed. She stared at something in the middle of the room. There’s a huge flower wreath decoration that seems to appear overnight.
“Troy! Go here quickly,” called her to the room across her bedroom.
A silent boy walked out of his room. “What is it, Mother?” said the middle child.
“What’s this ugly thing doing in my house?” belittle Mother Shaista. “I don’t want flowers rotting in my house.”
The ever so small smile vanished from his face. “It’s a decoration I made. I thought it fit here.”
“Change it to something better. It ruins the atmosphere.”
The boy looked down. “Okay, Mother.”
He raised his hands. Red light shined brightly from inside the flowers. Smoke bloomed inside out like a slow explosion, covering the whole decoration with its crimson glow. The organic matter turned to marble and hardened in the shape of Mother Shaista. He fell to his feet, sweating like rain after using a lot of his power.
“That’s much better,” said the mother. “Now, change the wallpaper too so it fits better.”
“Yes, Mother,” said the boy, still catching his breath.
Mother Shaista left for the kitchen and boiled some water. Red light dimly glows behind the wall. She stared blankly at the wall, smoking a cigar she picked from her pocket. Puffs of smoke flew up. Blue wallpaper crawled out of the old one as the water boiled. After finishing her cigar, she poured the water to make tea.
She drank the steaming Chamomile tea. “Finally, a good wallpaper.”
Mother Shaista turned her back and looked at the steel covered window. The youngest child peeked from behind the kitchen door. When she finished her tea, she went back to the main room, ignoring the child.
The youngest child followed by her side. “Mother, can I help you today?”
“Get away Fatiha, your power is as useful as that trash over there. I don’t want to be near your cursed power. Why don’t you be helpful and pick that up.”
Fatiha stopped. “Okay, Mother.”
The Mother entered back her room and slammed it closed. Fatiha walked slowly to the trash, keeping her head low.
“Why am I cursed with this power? Why did mother hated it so much?” thought Fatiha to herself.
Graham saw everything. He went to her side. “Are you okay, Fatiha?”
“I’m fine. Just got to do some cleaning again,” sighed her, picking up trash with spite.
He caressed her hand. “Hey, seeing the future is not useless nor cursed, okay? No power is useless. You have to remember that.”
“I know, it’s just…,” she stopped. “Why does Mother act like this?”
Graham was about to speak when they heard something. From the other side, there’s sobbing from behind the walls. Exactly in Troy’s room. Fatiha and graham looked there, then to Mother’s room. She still hadn’t come out yet.
“What’s she doing in there?” pondered Fatiha to herself.
“That’s Troy crying. I’ll take care of him. We’ll continue this talk later.”
Graham ran over to Troy’s room.
Fatiha went back to her room, right next to Troy’s. “I shouldn’t help him; I can’t help with anything. I’ll even be a hassle for them.”
She sat in the room, listening to everything. Graham opened the door. Troy’s crawled up on the bed. Tears fell off his chin like rain, creating a flood inside.
The oldest sibling swiftly moved to his side and hugged him. “Troy, are you okay? Talk to me.”
He’s still sobbing. The water rose yet it didn’t leave his room. Crimson glow flows around the room, slowly changing the wallpaper and shelves. Everything in the room is turning into a chaotic blob of mess. Nothing is differentiable anymore.
Graham pulled Troy’s hand. It’s bruised and bleeding. “It’s okay, I’m here,” told him while healing Troy’s wound. He used his powers while looking at Troy. “You need to control your power. Just take a deep breath and let the air flow out.”
Troy took a deep breath and breathed out slowly. He did that a few more times while holding back his tears.
Graham caressed the now healed hand. “That’s it. Breath slowly. I’m here to help.”
All the crimson smoke and chaotic mess turned back into its original form. The flood subsided into the floor. Troy was still sobbing, but had relaxed his body.
Worry filled Graham’s face. “Tell me, what’s wrong?”
Troy released Graham’s hug. “I just used too much of my power and lost control. That’s all.”
“Are you sure? Where did you get that wound?”
Troy backed away. “I accidentally cut my arm with my own power when I sleepwalked last night. Nothing to worry about.”
“Okay then. If you need any help, you could call me. I will always help everyone,” said Graham. He patted Troy’s back. “I’ll be in my room if you need me.”
Fatiha listened through all of Troy’s suffering. She knew something wasn’t right and it needed to be solved. She pondered about using her power, but that will invoke the wrath of Mother Shaista.
All of that chaos made the siblings forget about time. Soon it was night. Everyone had dinner and it’s time to sleep. All of the siblings were in their room. Graham had slept deeply as his snoring could be heard throughout the house. Troy is just being silent inside, like usual. Fatiha on the other hand couldn’t sleep after what happened to Troy earlier. She wanted to see what happened, but Mother Shaista will blame her again if anything went wrong in the future.
“I have to see what will happen, no matter the cost. I want to help for once in my life.”
Fatiha picked a bowl of water and imbued it with a blue glow. The water stirred around, turning the water to a glowing blue liquid. She looked up and dropped a drop of liquid to her eye.
Her sight faded and turned to a new scenery, something she had never seen before. The sky is filled with blue and blotches of white. A huge black line stretching from one horizon to the other, patterned with a few white lines. Another of that black line crosses it right next to her. Huge mirror-like blocks stand tall one next to the other. Lamps glow from a tall metal pole nest to the black lines, few have red, yellow, and green lights. Then she sees Troy running. Soon after, her vision is gone and she’s back to her bedroom.
“What did I just see?”
Fatiha’s mind is cluttered, trying to remember every detail of her future sighting. “I’ve never seen a place that big before. I don’t even understand anything I see except for Troy. What is my brother doing in my future vision? Argh.” This is the first time Fatiha couldn’t understand the future. “My vision couldn’t make up something false. Then, where did my future sighting take place?”
She was awake all night, staring at the metal covered window. “There’s a possibility that there’s something beyond these walls and windows. Is that where my future vision takes place?”
Her wandering thoughts were disturbed by something behind her door. There’s a crimson light just under the door slit.
“Troy must’ve been sleepwalking again. I’ll wake him up.”
Fatiha stepped down from the bed and peek through the keyhole. Troy is walking to Mother’s room. She held the door handle tightly that it creaked. Troy instantly turned his head and looked directly to Fatiha’s room. She backed away from the door, turning her back against it.
“He’s not sleepwalking. Then what is he doing?”
As soon as she looked back, he’s already gone. Troy is not sleepwalking and a vision that doesn’t make sense. All of that made Fatiha’s mind tired. She climbed back to her bed and rested until the next day came.
***
The day started as usual, with the shouting of Mother Shaista about her neck pain. Graham healed her and went back to his room. Mother took a stroll to the kitchen, judging every corner of the room. Troy is standing at his door frame, waiting if Mother will call him to change anything.
Fatiha walked to the kitchen door. “Mother, do you need any help from me?”
“Get away child. I’m not in the mood for your useless power blocking my path,” said Mother Shaista, pushing her away while holding her tea. She fell to the ground. “You’d better stay in your room than make trouble for everyone else. Why do I even waste food for you?”
Fatiha tried to hold back her tears. Mother Shaista didn’t look back at her and entered her room as usual. As soon as the door was closed, Fatiha ran barging to her room and cried on her bed.
Graham ran to the room and sat next to her. “Fatiha, are you okay? Why are you crying?”
“I’m just very tired of Mother calling me useless, a waste of space and food. I just wish she would appreciate my power just once.”
He patted her shoulder. “I understand, but no one can change Mother’s mind. She’s too dense. I’m sorry.”
Fatiha cried louder. “You can heal anything, right?”
“Yes. Are you hurt? Where’s the wound you want me to heal?”
She looked at him and pointed at her heart. “I don’t want my heart to hurt again. It’s been too long that my heart is left dusting, hurt, bleeding from Mother’s sharp tongue that keeps hurting me every single day.”
Graham sighed. “You know I can’t heal that.”
Fatiha calmed down, still filled with tears. “I don’t even want to be liked. I just want her to think of me as her child.”
“Fatiha, I know these are hard times and I’m always ready to help.”
“Then why don’t you help me when Mother pushes me away? Why don’t you stand up for me as the oldest sibling?” asked her.
Graham looked down. His heart stirred with regret and sadness. “You’re right. I should’ve been there for you, for all three of us. I just stay passive and help when asked, not when I know other people need my help.”
Graham hugged Fatiha tightly.
He released her. “The only way to stop your pain is to end the source itself.”
Fatiha stared seriously. “You didn’t meant murder, right?”
“Well, I meant it, as if it would do anything. Mother can literally revive from the dead. Killing her will only make her hurt all of us.”
She was at a loss for words. Her tears stopped in shock. “You’re the one with healing powers, why are you so okay with murder?”
“You get used to demented stuffs when you’ve seen a lot of bad things.”
Fatiha just kept watching in awe. She shook her head and remembered something. “Let’s just not talk about that again. Also, I think something is wrong with Troy.”
“Why is that?” asked him.
“You remember always seeing a red light pass the main room and Troy always said that he was sleepwalking?”
“Yep. Apparently, he always accidentally activates his power when he sleepwalked.”
“Well, what I saw last night isn’t it. He was fully awake.”
Graham looked at her. “That’s it?”
“No of course. He was heading to Mother’s room. I can feel something is wrong and my feeling is proven by my future vision.”
“You used your power yesterday? But Mother will be angry if she knew about this.”
“Yes. Can we just check up on him?”
“You used your power because you wanted to help Troy. I should’ve done the same,” said Graham in regret. “We have to tell him your vision.”
Graham opened the door and peeked at Mother’s room. She hadn’t come out again. Fatiha followed right behind. He knocked Troy’s door.
He came out looking more tired than ever. “Graham, Fatiha, what are you all doing here?”
“Can we talk for a bit?” asked Graham.
Troy sluggishly opened the door fully. “Sure.”
All three of them sat on the bed, closing the door shut.
“What were you doing last night, Troy? Walking in the main room,” asked Fatiha.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I must’ve sleepwalked again.”
“Really? Then why did you look at my room when I made a sound? Your sight is completely normal.”
“Fine, you caught me. I was taking food from the kitchen.”
Graham moved forward. “You’re lying again. You’re heading to Mother’s room. What are you doing there?”
Troy stayed silent.
Graham touched Troy’s shoulder. “We’re here to help you. You can say anything to us and we will do anything for you.”
“We want to help you, but we can’t do it if you stay silent,” said Fatiha.
Troy looked back. Slowly water was rising from the floors. Red smoke started to spew out of Troy.
Graham hugged Troy. “Troy, hold your powers. Calm down, we’re here for you.”
Fatiha moved forward and hugged him too. “Troy, we care about you. Please take a deep breath.”
“I’m trying,” said Troy, still crying. “I must control my power.”
Troy’s hand is gripped tightly. He took several deep breaths while holding back the tears in his eyes. Soon the crimson power vanished and the waters subsided. They released their hug.
“Troy, please tell us what’s bothering you. We want to help.”
Troy shook his head. “I would be punished if I tell you anything.”
Graham placed his hand on Troy’s shoulder “We will protect you. You won’t be hurt.”
“Okay, I trust you,” said Troy. “If you want to know, you have to see it for yourself, tonight.”
“It’s in Mother’s room, isn’t it?” asked Fatiha.
“Yes, see you tonight. Don’t be seen by Mother.”
***
It was night. The three siblings walked out of their room. Troy walked first, opening Mother’s room. Fatiha and Graham watched from behind, holding the door so as to not make any sound. Troy rolled the red rug beneath, unravelling a trapdoor with wooden stairs. Fatiha and Graham raised their eyebrows, but couldn’t speak about it. They must stay silent.
Stepping down the creaking stairs, they found an opening. There’s light from the inside. Troy nodded and went in first. Fatiha and Graham peeked inside. Mother Shaista was here, standing in a small room filled with candles and an altar. Clotted blood filled the top of it.
“There you are, Troy. What takes you so long?” asked Mother Shaista.
“I’m sorry.”
She sighed. “Whatever, just do your job.”
Crimson light swirled around Troy. It poured down on the altar, forming something solid. His body was shaking. Slowly the light turned into flesh, creating something that looks like a goat. Its scream filled the room. Troy fell, exhausting his power. Mother Shaista picked up a knife and slit the goat’s neck.
Fatiha and Graham watched in horror. Fresh blood flew down the altar, filling the cracks on the floor.
“With this, the ritual to renew our power is completed,” said Mother Shaista.
Graham thought to himself. “I can’t believe Mother has been using Troy to sustain our power. But why?”
“She must’ve used Troy’s power so that she can keep using her power forever. Is that why she doesn’t care about me? Because I’m useless for her,” thought Fatiha.
Fatiha stepped back, moving away from the ritual room. She stepped once more, accidentally stepping on the creaking stairs. Mother Shaista turned her head instantly, glaring at the entrance. Graham’s eyes widened.
Mother Shaista held up her knife. “Why are you two here? I will kill you for knowing this secret!”
Fatiha and Graham ran away in panic, stumbling a few times up the stairs.
Troy with his weakened state screamed. “Mother, stop!”
Fatiha and Graham ran past the doorway, into the main room, but Mother Shaista was quicker. She stabbed them multiple times. Graham tried to fight her back while healing both of their wounds. Troy walked up while still recovering his strength.
Troy stood at the doorway. “Mother! Stop hurting my siblings.”
Mother Shaista stepped away from Fatiha and Graham. “They already know my secret. Besides, what are you going to do about it?”
Troy frowned. “I’m going to end you.”
“Go ahead and try. You know I’ll be revived over and over again. You can’t do anything about it,” bragged Mother Shaista.
Troy stood still, thinking what to do next.
“See, you’re nothing. You have no power over me.”
“Maybe I don’t. But what if I end the source of our power?”
Mother Shaista looked to her room. “I’m not letting you touch that altar.”
“Who said I’m talking about the altar?”
Mother Shaista looked back. “No, you won’t get past me.”
Troy shot out a red light, pushing away Mother Shaista. He ran to the steel-covered window and poured out his power. Mother Shaista stood up quickly and chased after him. Fatiha and Graham followed not far behind, trying to stop her. The steel was slowly melting. Light shone from behind it, brighter than Troy has ever seen.
“Stop there,” screamed Mother Shaista, trying to grab him.
It was too late. Troy blasted the steel, blowing away everyone else. Blinding light shone on Troy, making him just a silhouette.
Fatiha was stunned. “How is there a bright light? This is night time.”
“Finally, freedom,” said Troy, smiling.
He ran past the light. Mother Shaista woke up and chased him again. Fatiha and Graham watched the blinding light in awe, following behind Mother. They looked at the long black line with white lines on the side, it crosses right next to them. Tall glass blocks stood tall beside the black line. Lamps with red, yellow, and green light stood on where the black lines crossed.
Mother Shaista won’t give up. “I will catch you. You’ve ruined this family.”
Blinded by light, Troy kept running from Mother Shaista. “Freedom at last.”
Loud sound roared from Tory’s side and soon he saw darkness. A huge metal box crashed into him, splitting his body in two. Troy screamed in pain as he tried to hold the pain. Mother Shaista was petrified as she watched her only power source was losing a lot of blood quickly. Graham sprinted to Troy’s side, shining yellow light on him.
“Troy please hold in there. I’m trying to heal you,” cried graham
He spent all of his power but the wound wouldn’t close. Fatiha stepped forward in fear.
“I’m the one who sees this in my vision. I’m the one to be blamed again. I knew I shouldn’t have used my power again.”
Troy kept screaming, blasting away every single power he had in his body. Graham tried to stop him from using his power, but nothing worked. Crimson blood spew out like rain, spreading across the black line. Nothing can stop this from happening.
Crimson light blasted out of Troy’s scream, filling the air in fear. It stroked Graham and Fatiha, slowly draining them of their life. Mother Shaista backed away and she watched in horror. Graham and Fatiha grew pale and not long after, they are already skeletons. Troy was still in pain. He cried out loud before his own power killed him.
All of the sudden, everything is silent. Mother Shaista’s body is silent, not a single muscle moved. The sky suddenly turned grey and it started raining crimson everywhere.
***
My sight fades back and I’m back to my reality. I couldn’t hold back my tears. My body weakened and I fell to the sidewalk, right in front of the crossroad where all of that horror happened. That all was my mistake.
I was too evil to all of my children. I was too prideful to think that they couldn’t do anything without me. Thinking that as the one who gives power to the whole family, I get to do anything I want. I was sorely mistaken. I was the one who ruined my family.
Now, I’m cursed to relive that moment every day of my life. Reliving the nightmare I was being a long time ago. Ever since that moment, it has rained red every day. Every drop of it is filled with power from my children, making me see the past, healing every wound I have, charging up my own power so I can’t die even if I want to. I’ve tried to do it many times, but all failed. I was left hopeless in a powerless world.
I get a hold of myself and walk forward. Across the road, there’s a destroyed building. I could still see the wallpaper that I used to complain about. Broken beds sit under heavy steel. The trapdoor to the basement is destroyed, buried forever in stone and dust.
Dust sweeps away as I walk to a piece of a wall that’s still standing. “Oh, how I had wronged you all. How bad of a mother I was.”
My arm caresses the dusty wall with torn wallpaper. A Graham-like figure appeared from behind it. His body is transparent and skinny, almost skeleton-like.
“Oh Graham, is that really you?”
He doesn’t respond. His sight is soulless, as if he’s not here.
“I understand that you don’t want to talk to me. I was wrong. I put too much pressure on you as an older brother, putting too much work on healing everyone. I shouldn’t have been that demanding of you.”
His body floats away from me, walking towards someone who looks just like him. Fatiha flies apart from me. She’s looking down, holding her hands together. I walk closer but she moves away, hiding behind the only piece of wall.
“Poor Fatiha. I treated you very badly. I always thought your power was useless and wasting energy out of the altar. But now I know, you’re the one who can warn me of the bad things that could happen. I ignore you and here I am, living miserably in the world that’s moving forward. I’m so sorry.”
She’s mute like Graham. Her soulless body just floats away. Soon Troy appears, walking from the crossroad he was killed at.
“Troy, the one who I treated the worst. I used your power just to infinitely power the altar. I’m just using you as a tool, not as a son. I was too scared of losing my powers, now I have to live with it forever because of my greed. I deserved to be punished like this. You deserved a better life from me. I’m so sorry.”
Not even a movement from him. I understand that. Being abused your whole life, it’ll be very difficult to forgive them, or even face them. I was the evil one and I understand why none of my children will talk to me.
Even though nothing can change the past, I’ve finally had the courage to say sorry to all of my wrongdoings to my children. Even though they’re no longer here, I can feel a slight weight has been lifted off me. All of the things I did in the past, have changed the present. And with that, I must learn to live in the moment, facing the future with hope.
I walk away from the crumbled building, facing the crosswalk again. The crimson rain subsided. Clouds go away, revealing glimmering crimson sky everywhere with golden sun setting on the horizon.
Writer: P. C.