71: Aftermath

(Nathan POV)

I was surrounded by complete darkness. My mind was hazy, and I could not think straight at all.

(What is it now? How did I end up here all of a sudden.)

My head was splitting apart. I tried to recall the last thing that happened, but my mind was not in the right place.

GROWL

I heard I much too familiar sound behind my back.

I turned around and stared. My stare was answered by another stare as two ruby eyes gazed into my soul. I could not help but chuckle

(Someone did say that if you gaze into the abyss the abyss gazes back.)

It was a creature clad in darkness. No! it would be more accurate to say that the creature was darkness itself. If not for the glowing red eyes just like mine, no one would have been able to differentiate between the surroundings and the creature.

As I laid my eyes on it, the only thought in my head was how I hated that thing. I hated it. I hated it. I hated it with every shred of my being. It had destroyed my life. I hated it to an unimaginable degree. Ironically, the moment I laid my eyes on it, I felt a sense of kinship with it. I could tell that it was a part of me and that without it I could not live. Somehow I could also feel its emotions. The emotions of wanting to protect me. But...…

Standing there, it moved its mouth..... as if it was trying to say something.

It obviously came to me as a shock.

(What the... Is it...… by any chance trying to talk to me.)

Its mouth moved again but there was no audible sound.

"HUH???? WHAA?????" I was bewildered.

The scene was quite ominous in itself. The only visible thing was the shining eyes. Then it moved its mouth again.

"W----u--" I heard the first sound since coming here that was not mine.

"HUH????" But that did not make much scene.

"WA-----p" Again.

"WHAAATTT?" I tried to get closer, but my feet were stuck to the ground.

"waaa….kkkk…ppp" Okay now I was starting to really lose my mind because for a moment there I thought that the sound was of...…. A GIRL!!!!

"Wake up...." I finally got what it was trying to say but….. what the hell?

"HUH?"

"WAKE UP IDIOT....."

I jolted up.... breathing heavily.

"Finally, you are up....."

I turned my head to the right only to see sister sitting beside me with a scowl.

I looked around only to see the very familiar surroundings of the hospital wing.

(How the.... what happened... ahhh)

The realization came quickly, along with the memories.

"SOOOO.... how long was I out?" I asked while hiding my expressions from sis.

"Fifteen minutes." She replied without even a hint of emotion in her voice

"That was fast." I patted my pocket and felt the familiar shape inside it with the tips of my fingers.

"What happened." there were still no emotions in her voice.

"I lost my cool." I too replied trying to keep my cool.

"You never lose your cool Nat." This time there was concern in her voice and for some reason, it pricked at me. The fact that I had done what I had done was weighing on my conscience heavily. And now, she was asking why I had done it. Recalling it made my heart ache. It was a reminder of why I was called cursed. Why I stayed away from all those around me. And why all the Morningstars had died

"Apparently, I do." I suddenly said with a burst of anger. "That is why I stay away from people. That is why I do not make friends."

Without even realizing it I started to shout.

"It's not like I want to stay alone for the fun of it. I do not want to be alone anymore but this damn body of mine won't let me do it." My eyes started to burn. I was shouting at the top of my lungs but she was just sitting there listening to me.

"I too wanted to talk to people but you know why I do not do that. Well, let me clarify because I could kill all those around me in a single fit of anger. That is why I do not make friends." I did not even know why I was shouting like that. Why was I telling her all that. Who was I giving excuses to. There was nothing she did not know of.

"So, to not see a recap of what happened in the Morningstar mansion about seven years ago every time I lose my cool, I do not make friends and....."

"NATHAN...." Sis shouted and for a moment I thought that I had hit a nerve somewhere. But instead, she got up and hugged me.

That... was unexpected.

"Its all right... It will be alright... I will always be here with you." She gently stroked my hair and the burning in my eyes increased. The lump was pushing its way towards my mouth. But if there was something I was not going to do, It was crying. I mean why was I like this in the first place?

(Come on you idiot. You are the cold-hearted sadistic prince. How can you be so gullible? I mean although I never liked it, but this is the name given to me.)

We stayed like that for a while and then she let me go.

"When I asked you what happened, I did not mean to ask whether you lost your cool or not. what I meant was this." She pointed behind her and that was when I noticed the two kids laying on adjacent beds behind her. Aug and Ana. Instantly all the sorrow left my body as if it had evaporated and rage filled the void created by it. I clenched my fists till they turned white.

"There were some fuckers trying to hurt those two..." I growled.

"Wow... Take it easy with the swearing. You know that I do not tolerate this type of language. And since when did you start to swear like that....." she looked shaken. I mean sometimes my sister feels like the most naive person in the world. Sometimes!

I wanted to say always... But I kept the thought to myself.

"So, you saw who they were..." She asked

"No. At that time, I was too busy getting angry and burning their asses to note who they actually were." I replied trying to recall their faces.

"Burning their asses??" She tilted her head to a side.

"Yeah... What do you think I did when I lost it" I retorted

"That's going to be a mess." She swung her eyes. "Yeah, but look on the bright side." I shrugged my shoulders.

"There is no bright side brother. Tell me did anyone see you by chance." She asked with caution.

"Nooo!" I said like it was the most disgusting thing in the world. "Maybe…." And then I changed it to a maybe. Just for caution.

"HGH." She massaged her temples. "This is not good."

"As I said, sister. Look at the bright side." I tried to cheer her up.

"And as I said, brother. There is no bright side."

"Oh but there is."

"And will you enlighten me as to what it is?"

"They will have to come here in order to treat their wounds." I winked at her.

She blinked.

(She does not look convinced tho.)

"I hope they do but chances are slim. Because it has already been rumored that a certain prefect does not tolerate bullying." She said.

"But still. I do not remember but some of them might be burnt pretty bad." I waved my hand.

"This….. Fine, I'll see to it." She gave up.

"I knew you would come along." I smiled brightly and got up. "Now I'll be leaving then." I got up and casually left the room. The entire time I was inside the room I could feel her stare at the back of my head. She was suspicious. And I could not blame her for it because right now if someone had come in front of me, he would not have been able to leave with just a few scratches. I pulled out the watch from my pocket and opened it. It shone in the dim light. For some reason, its tik was soothing to hear.

(Mom, I miss you.)

I smiled.