Le cauchemar

Aimé: She's is not waking up doctor! If she is out of danger, why isn't she waking up!

Doctor: The amount of blood she has lost and the overall damage she has endured along with the exhaustion she faced the whole night, it's only natural she takes time to wake up. In fact, her being alive now is a miracle in itself. Due to her internal injuries, she could've died if she had been even one more minute late.

Lawrence: I told her you were trouble. She didn't want to listen and now this. What am I supposed to tell her parents now? That their only daughter was this close to being devoured by a pack of wolves?

Aimé: I know it's my fault ...I–

Kye: Please stop this and take it somewhere else. I just want her to rest now.

(She patted my head gently and said–)

Even if it takes a month, you can take your time to wake up Avril. I'll be right by your side waiting for you to get up. Also, your results came just yesterday. I'm sorry but I had to check them for you. Don't worry, you've been accepted at Harvard, Cambridge, and Madras! All the best colleges. You can go wherever you want now!

Avril: Kye...? How long have I been out for?

Kye: Yes, yes Avril. I'm right here. You were unconscious for 2 days after the surgery. Tell me what you want.

Avril: Thanks for always being such a good friend...

Kye: starts crying You are not a good friend though. You promised me, you wouldn't put yourself in harm's way on this trip and we would enjoy ourselves together safely, huh? Did you forget that?

Avril: I'm ... so sorry. How are you, Aimé, and everyone else?

Kye: I'm fine just had minor cuts and scratches and so is everyone else, since they managed to escape on time thanks to you.

Aimé: yeah everyone is safe thanks to you Avril.

Avril: That's a relief to hear but I was fighting from afar since the beginning. I thought everyone was more hurt than I was.

Aimé: well, since you already had shot the three of them and then Kye pepper sprayed their eyes so quickly we were able to attack it without dealing with much damage ourselves.

Avril: wait a minute, where is Lawrence, and what about my parents? Are they coming here?!

Kye: oh, he just left before you woke up. He got a call I believe.

There it was. The call.

But it was my uncle's not my parents...

Avril: Hello.

Uncle: Hi, how are you?

Avril: I'm fine uncle. How are you?

Uncle: Listen beta, you need to get back here as soon as possible. I have sent you your tickets. I couldn't get one for Lawrence but he will follow right after. You must get back here fast though.

Avril: Why what happened? Is everything all right? Where is mom and dad? They haven't called me for a couple of days now. But I can't just leave Kye- my friend who had come here with me...

Uncle: she would understand. Just get back here fast.

Avril: I will if you tell me what's going on first.

Uncle: ... It's your parents. They're– severely unwell

Avril: Is this some joke uncle? Both of them together are sick enough that I have to return home? Just tell the truth already.

Uncle: They're...

They're dead. You need to get back here. Your Kishore uncle has come and he will incinerate them before a post-mortem can be done, only you can stop that from happening. So come back quickly.

Kishore uncle was my dad's real brother. After Dad had left India and settled in France he started a business for him in India. However, he wasn't satisfied with just that and wanted to expand it in France using my father's money. My mother warned Dad about him but he wouldn't listen saying it was his little brother and everything. So after starting a business for him again by taking a second loan; we were naturally deep in debt. Kishore uncle after taking the money and getting all the advertisements for his business done from my mother ghosted us. He even started spreading malicious rumors about my father began fighting with him and then ghosted us. He and his family lived in a good apartment in the heart of Paris while we were stuck wandering around from one place to another on the outskirts of the city. Thus, he became my dad's mortal enemy and we all hated him to the core. For him to come there and make decisions about my parents was infuriating enough that he had to even conduct the rituals which would be an insult to my dad. I was a girl and in our religion, men were given preference to do any ritual. But I still had the right to do my own parents' funeral and in no way in hell was I going to let him anywhere near their bodies. The only problem was I was far away and hadn't processed anything as of yet.

I threw my phone across the room, it slammed against the wall and fell. I wanted to cry but I couldn't shed any tears. For a long time now I had predicted this. I don't know if it was a curse or a coincidence but my great grandfather had died when my grandfather turned twenty and my grandfather had died when my father had turned eighteen. I always thought it was nonsense but it turned out to be true. I had just turned 18 yesterday. Also, nothing good ever happened when my birthday was around the corner like- when I was turning 6 my father was taken to the police station for some fight with again that uncle of mine. At 10 my dad had gotten a cardiac arrest due to some blockage and had to be hospitalised for months during the same time. At 14 he again caught an epidemic disease and was escorted to a faraway concentration camp for treatment while we were quarantined at home. At 15 my grandmother was hospitalized due to heart problems again when my birthday was about to come. At 16 I fell severely ill during my birthday and couldn't digest anything, I just kept vomiting and fainting. I was so troubled I couldn't fall asleep without being unconscious and then I was hospitalised too. And this year when I turned 18... I was almost killed and my parents were dead now.

I was always told by my mother that I had to handle the task at hand level-headedly and without being an emotional wreck. Then when it was over I could cry, fight, or throw tantrums however much I wanted. I shut down all my thoughts and removed the salines from my hands. I went and changed into the clothes I had for this hike and left the room.

Aimé: Hey, hey where are you going? You have still not recovered enough to be roaming about.

Kye: Are you okay? Here's your phone. It's still working.

Avril: I'm sorry Lawrence will inform you all about it but I need to urgently leave for France now. Please let me go.

I ran outside the hospital before they tried to stop me from doing any procedures and got into a cab. I was sore all over my body and bleeding from some places. My arm was in heavy pain and I couldn't distinguish reality from fiction. It all felt like a long, long nightmare that I hoped would get over soon. Once I reached the airport I hurried through the customs and showed them the ticket my uncle had sent.

The flight felt so long and nauseating. I couldn't sit in peace. I started thinking how my parents could've died. What was happening the past few days and most importantly who was on my side?

My whole family was pretty messed up if I shall say so myself. My father's side who were all Indian would be at my neck for the property my dad had in France and come back to India. While my mother's side would try to look after me only to coerce me into signing the documents. My mom's side was all French of course and they looked down on me and my dad. My mom was also a minor French heiress. She had quite a bit of property in the south of France to her name. She shared that with my aunt- Lawrence's mother. Despite all this property, we were poor because most of these properties except the house my parents recently built were taken to court to be divided rightfully among the heirs which were my parents. Since they were dead now, these people were waiting like another pack of wolves ready to devour me.

I reached there with my arm dripping blood now. I had to hide it in case they deemed me ill for carrying out any rituals.

Avril: what is happening over here?

Aunt: Oh my god, you're finally here Avril! Sobs

I couldn't do anything. They died in a car crash and then it caught on fire. Your mom died while reaching the ER and your father died on the spot.

Avril: Where- chokes where are they now?

Uncle: Unfortunately we had to incinerate them. Your Kishore uncle signed the papers. We tried to stop him but the hospital seemed to ignore us completely.

Avril: Where the f*ck is he?

There he was drinking wine while laughing with all the other people who had previously known my parents and the rest of my sick family. I was also an Indian and unlike these people mourning meant wearing white clothes and abstaining from all food and beverages. We didn't throw parties wearing elegant black clothes and eating cheese and wine. Normally, people would hear the grievers' wailing and crying from the street. And there he was giggling along with his other sick mates.

Avril: shouts Ladies and gentlemen, the show is over. So everyone please leave NOW!

Kishore: My child this must all be tough on you but we are all gathered here just for you and your parents.

Avril: Incinerating them without a post-mortem or my permission was your consideration then get the f*ck out of my house right now!

Some other relative: That's no way to talk to your elders Avril! Don't forget your manners just because you are half-french!

Avril: Leave before I call the cops on you for trespassing on my private property without my permission and then trashing the house.

Same relative: How dare you! This is OUR house too. I am your grandfather's only sister.

Avril: So what? See me in court if you want a piece of anything that's here. And guess what my parents weren't the same fools my grandparents were, so you better leave before I charge a harassment case on you, dear aunt.

 whispers and guess what Kishore uncle the property documents that you were searching for; for so long are kept with us. So no matter which advocate or lawyer you hire, in order to negotiate anything you'll need that first. And I can wait a long, long time to see you die and then do the same thing with your daughter that you're trying to do here. So, leave while I am asking nicely if you don't want to see that happening in the future.

Aunt: I will leave too, here are the ashes I managed to retrieve from them. Please take care of yourself and we are here if you need anything at all. So don't hesitate to call me.

Uncle: Take care beta.

Everyone had left. It was twilight now. I sat there huddled with what remained of theirs now- the ashes. It had grown dark but I didn't have an ounce of strength left to get up and switch on the lights or lock the doors. I just wanted to cease existing.

Alain: Hey, Avril you need to wake up... come on have something. I heard you were discharged from the hospital just today.

Avril: blinks Aimé...?

Alaine: Who's Aimé?

Avril: Alaine?.....what are you still doing here?

Alaine: I had left actually but I came back to give you some food and check up on you and the door was left open...

Avril: It's OK I just fell asleep and I don't feel like eating anything so please just go...

Alaine: I will but I at least need to make sure you go to bed first, it's the least I can do. Lawrence is not here either.

He tried to lift me by my left arm but that's where I was attacked by the wolf. It should've pained a ton but I only could see some blood gushing out of there.

Alaine: Hey why is your arm bleeding? Avril who did this?!

Avril: chill, chuckles it doesn't hurt at all. Also, you can leave I'll go change upstairs.

Alaine: I'm sorry but I am not leaving you alone in this state. Where do you keep the first aid?

Avril: It'll be in my room. You can leave.

Alaine: OK then I'll leave after I see that you are safe.

I was way too tired to fight any more people. So I just went upstairs and he followed. Their room was right in front of mine and for a moment I felt like mom would step out to scold me as to where I had been the whole day. I stood there for a minute but no one came out. And before the realization hit me I ran into my room and started searching for the first-aid. I found some tapes and ointments. I removed my jacket and tried tying it with my right hand but it kept slipping away.

Alaine: Here, let me do it for you. It looks like a bite mark. But it's too big for it to be a dog's. What have you been doing in Spain?

Avril: ...

Alaine: well it's done, now go to sleep. I'll lock the door while leaving.