fear

Bells chimed in the distance. The sun's setting gaze leaked in through the window. Tonight, the birds weren't singing, and finches weren't resting atop the tree branches. Ailin who lay on the bed, raised her hand and put it atop her heart.

There was a strong sense of something uninvited in the house tonight. Of course Ailin sensed it, for she sat up straight, tied her hair in a knot and walked down towards the living room. Turning all the light on, on her way.

on the path where the stairs curved, was a small garden in between the stair rail and the kitchen wall, decorated with golden lights. Ailin opened the black see-through door to the living room and entered it. Her shoulders were tensed and her hands were shaking. Perhaps she could strongly sense something wrong with the manor. her footsteps weren't calm and composed like the other times, but rather she was shuffling on her feet and anxiously taking steps forward.

there was a small knock on the door behind. Ailin turned to look at it with an expression that was perhaps familiar, but hard to decipher. She breathed through her nose, it seemed like she really could sense something bad, and walked towards the door. She undid the chains binding it. if someone had been there, they would say it was a wrong move, perhaps it was, but humans were curious creatures from the beginning, more curious then all other life forms that inhabited this world. Perhaps that is why they are their own salvation and their own destruction.

When the door opened, there were no monsters and deamons, there stood just a beautiful man with a gift box in hands. he had a bright smile. Ailin's shoulders relaxed but she still quickly started trying to shut the door as if siezed by a panic.

the boy reopened it without much efforts. He looked at Ailin with confusion in his eyes. After a while, he smiled at Ailin, who just stood there panting. "I'm not here to harm you. Here," He pushed the box he was holding into Ailin's hand "We were asked to deliver this to you"

Ailin took a step back. Of course, it was a fact that she was completely insane. She had lost her mind ages ago. what good would she be with people. The boy smiled again and held her hand to keep her from walking backwards.

"you're very pretty." He said and then he was gone, leaving behind a very shaken up Ailin. She stared at the open doorway for a long time, her eyes unblinking , and then walked forward and closed it.

soon, the house fell into a midnight fog, the darkness spreading around and freezing Ailin's nerves for she looked scared out of her wits. She drew her attention to the box then. The box too had the same emblem as the letter carved on it, a cresent moon. Ailin opened the lid of the box and picked a silver necklace from inside, a thin paper fell down from the dangling necklace.

"If I could have you for the rest of your life,

I'd spend every single penny I have on you."

The note was written in bold and italic letters. The sender seemed like someone very oblivious to human wants. Ailin shivered and hastily wrapped the note up and put it back inside the box along with the necklace.

The clock rang the afternoon alarm in the distance and Ailin looked up, setting the box on her island. she walked towards the door as if expecting someone.

Sure enough, the doorbell rang soon after and an old lady in her 60s stepped in. She gave Ailin a warm smile and took her into the living room by her arm. Ailin had no trouble matching with her place because of her long stature, she was pretty tall for a woman.

She made her sit on the sofa and checked her pulse. "How have you been, Ailin?" She seemed to be expecting a reply. When one didn't come, she smiled a bit "Still not much improvement, I see"

she put her suitcase down on the tea table. "Have you been taking your meds, Ailin? I told you to reduce your consumption of the anti-depressants. It seems you haven't been listening to me"

she then breathed a sigh "I wonder what kind of tragedy can put a child under such a condition. You are much too young, my girl, you must learn to pick yourself back up before it's too late."

"Here." She pushed a few more tablets on the table. "Use these only once everyday. If you use them too much, they will cloud your brain." She then began packing her case once again, got up and walked towards the door. From the stand she picked her European hat and put it atop her head, the net covering over half her face.

"I wish I could do something more to help you rather than giving drugs. But there isn't much I can do. You don't talk child. Talking is the most important part" She sighed and then she was gone.

Ailin's finger tightened on her gown. It was an odd reaction from her. more often than not, it always seemed Ailin had stopped feeling at all, much like she had abandoned living all together.

Perhaps she was starting to feel a bit lonely, or perhaps, afraid of being lonely. There seemed to be some sort of a fear in her heart.

It looked like that was the limit of her understanding though. She didn't seem to comprehend what she was afraid of. Mrs. Juliver, Ailin's doctor had claimed that there wasn't much improvement. But it was a living thing's tendency to not express their growth.

Small seeds planted in the garden never seem to grow until they have reached their limit. Or maybe it's just the old habit of humans to ignore what they see, yet question what they don't.