~ 12: An Obscure Call ~

Aidan wouldn't hear the end of it. He was so engrossed in his job as a tour guide that he couldn't believe he had to leave it unfinished.

"Go home?!" he asserted. "But we have barely finished even a quarter of our tour."

"I understand, sir," I said in a tired voice. "I can't let my health deteriorate further, especially after the hypoxia. I am certain that I was hallucinating for a while back then. I really need that beauty sleep, and so do you. You look fatigued yourself, although you are currently hyperactive."

When he finally gave in, we made our way to the back of the reception to collect my books. I didn't want him to help me any further, but his insistence made me give in. He walked confidently straight ahead after putting on a black disposable mask, leaving me to catch up with his shadow.

"You don't know where my house is, so where are you taking me?" I called out after him when my weary body couldn't keep up with his enthusiasm.

"You need to know this community too," he yelled back. "So how about a late-night dinner at a fantastic spot?"

I just nodded my head as I was too exhausted to speak a word or even consider his offer. It was not a good idea to be out late at night anywhere, let alone with a man I just got to know. Still, I trusted my instincts that Aidan wasn't that sort of person.

I was about to sink into my knees when Aidan supportive voice pushed me to move on.

"Just a few more steps," he said in encouragement. "We are right there."

The tinkling of the bells made me sigh with relief. I stumbled on the steps up the restaurant. Aidan had already put down his share of my books and hauled me up on my feet when I dropped to my knees. The owner carried away the packets, while Aidan and his wife held my hind-arms and seated me in a comfortable chair near the door.

The hostess brought a glass of water after I had croaked for the want of water. My senior was trying whatever he could to make me breathe: rubbing my back, massaging my palms, my neck and my trapezius.

The hypoxia symptoms were starting to return but in a different way. My heart throbbed against my ribs, making me wince. I must have carried the books in a bad posture due to my tiredness. Such a wrong position always caused cramps and stitches in my body.

But the pain never ceased and developed in a completely unexpected manner. My ribs tightened and I could sparsely breathe due to the pain and decreased lung volume. I felt suffocated. My head felt like it was going to explode from pounding against my skull.

Someone shoved a glass, forcing me to drink the liquid in it. I eventually choked on it and I was trying to breathe and drink at the same time. I could only get a sip before the hallucinations made their way to my brain.

'Save me,' a voice called out. 'Free me from my misery, I beg you. I will do anything that you desire...'

I could neither locate the owner of the echoed call in my head nor find what misery I had to spare them from. The only clues I got was an unclear picture of a room with two beds, blood surrounding a chair, a man in black, and a screeching woman tied to a chair.

I was on the verge of blacking out when my senses returned. I was huffing with my head between my knees and hands on my chest. There were hardly any people in the restaurant, but the commotion had everyone staring at me.

I was surrounded by the owners and Aidan, who were keenly looking at me to see if I was alright. As I found it difficult to speak, I gestured to explain that I was fine now.

It took me quite a while to be able to think clearly. I was thankful that I had strangers care for me. I had hardly gotten to know my senior, and I didn't know a thing about the owner and his wife, except that they were willing to get me well.

When they were assured that I was doing well, they went ahead to take our order. What was rather embarrassing was that I had very little money on me to pay for my own meal. I decided to give it away anyway, as I didn't want to be in anyone's debt.

My parents had given their money away to me, but I had given away most of it right back to the bank. I desired them to have a comfortable life without looking out for me too much. I needed to become independent by earning for myself.

The cheapest edible item on the list was twice the amount one paid in townships. So I half regretted giving away the money. As such, I had to pay only for the hostel fees so as long as I got a stable part-time job, which I was already offered, things should be on the bright side for a few days.

"Celest," the young man called me. "If money is the problem for you, we can get a discount. As such I'm a regular here, so they wouldn't mind. If you don't have any on you now, I'll pay for it and you don't have to pay me back."

"I don't want to be indebted to you, sir, especially with all the kindness you have shown me today," I responded respectfully. "I happen to come from a humble place yet I wouldn't want that disrupting our relationship. Plus, the discount would do me a whole deal of greatness, but I highly request you to not pay on my behalf. It would be very shameful indeed."

"Alright, alright. So long as you keep the honorifics away, I'll consider your decision. And next time, we will go to a better and cheaper place a little far off."

We ate heartily for hunger had turned us to beasts. We would have kept at it but we didn't want to attract unnecessary attention.

The owners treated us most kindly, but that was probably because of Aidan, and the reputation he would get for them when he recommended them to others.

My psyche was preoccupied with the thoughts of the strange visions I had seen in one day and wondered how could I get to the solution unless that person's life crossed with mine. And every time I spaced out, Aidan had to snap his fingers to bring me back.

"Are you paying attention to anything I'm saying?" he asked, annoyed. "You know that it is disrespectful to not listen to your elders, right?"

"I'm sorry that I keep phasing out," I answered. "My mind can't wrap around what you are saying as it's used up all its energy. As far as I remember, you were telling me that you had a childhood incident where you won an award for singing a hilarious song beautifully. Is that how you became passionate about singing? You said you were part of a band. So you are an idol, right?"

I surprised myself as well as him. He looked at me in awe before he continued, "Ah, so you finally figured it out. Tsk, tsk. I was hoping I could keep that a secret for a little while longer."

"Well, I still don't know how famous you and your bandmates are since I never really listen to music. But to must be famous enough in the country to get such fair treatment from people."

"That's what it looks like from the outside all the time. If you came and saw how disgusting things can get when you meet two-faced people who only show the side they want you to see, you would be happy with the life you were given. I can swear that to you after four years of being in the industry."

I munched on my food listening to the tales of his idol life that caused as much misery as joy. Although he complained of certain things that his company didn't provide to them because of double standards, he seemed pretty much content with his current lifestyle.

The way his emerald eyes shimmered when he spoke of some of his good times had me drawn in. I began to wonder whether they were faux ones or not.

"What is so interesting that you are looking at me that intensely?" he asked with a smug face.

Realising my faux pass, I didn't know any other way to make him think otherwise instead of, "I beg your pardon but I'm not attracted by you. It's just that your eyes seem surreal."

"How about you figure this one out as well? And try the hair too. Let's see how and where you get."

"And what's the prize if I win?"

"I will pay for our dinner. If you lose, we'll divide it in half, but you have to pay me back in instalments if you can't the whole up now. If you get only one right, we are even. What do you say?"

"Challenge accepted."