Chapter 3

Soha:

**I still remember the world

from the eyes of a child

Slowly those feelings

Were clouded by what I know now**

She did not want to remember him, she knew she was cursed and she tormented herself even more. She asked him to rescue her, he who was entangled like her in his own anguish; she was standing mesmerized attentive to his painting, her heart pounding she was so lost she didn't realize when he came and stood close to her, observing her lost in his painting, he cleared his throat, nervously she looked at him it was the last thing she had expected from him, to notice her.

She closed her room and lit the cigarette, if her family found out it was dooms for her, she opened the window and sat on a chair, looking outside and tears in her eyes, thinking about what was going on, her family, her circumstances, her conscience, her conflicts, she did not want to marry anyone at this stage, not especially the one her parents chose for her, he was her uncle's son and to pay her father's debts he had agreed to marry her, she did not want to be punished, she had realized her nightmares were living and the demons were real. She had a voice but there were no words anymore, she had a life but no reason to live, a part of herself she had killed already. She was not repenting her decisions, she knew how things would end and she had to put an end to it, now everything was in her hands and she was the master of her game, her fury of scorned soul. She wanted to be a child again, she wanted to go back into her childhood a world full of fantasies.

She asked her father to bring her the books with lots of illustrations; she enjoyed looking at the pictures and imagines herself as a fairytale princess. She was adorable and famous in her age group; all the teachers liked her for her wit and innocence.

She was youngest among her siblings and was a very obedient child, she was her dads' favourite and she loved him.

She enjoyed going out with her family and loved water, she enjoyed long walks near the sea side, holding her dads finger, she often thought what was at the other side of the sea, and she would stand and look at the horizon, questioning her dad. She had innocent questions and unsatisfying answers, she wanted to go beyond the horizons and solve the mystery.

Everything fascinated Soha as a child, she was curious. Growing up was fun for her, she wanted to grow fast and be a princess. Childhood is full of surprises and fun, she was allowed to have her fun as a child but it was restricted, she was not allowed to play cricket with older boys and her brother, so she would sit on the curb and watched them play and scream she wished if she was allowed to do the same, she held her doll in her hands and played with other girls and younger boys hide and seek quietly observing others and dreaming to be a princess soon rescued by a Prince not knowing in real life there are no Palaces, Prince's, witches and fairy God mothers, in real life there was so much but not the love and life she was trying to orchestrate through her heartbeats, she was unaware of the harsh reality, where she built the castles of snow.

Natalia:

A man was running after her, following her, with a gun in his hand, she was running as fast as she could, it was dark and streets were empty, she was losing strength impregnable to run any longer, all she feel was death following her in his face, his beautiful eyes were now changed and she was breathless, she was crying for help but no one was listening to her screams, she was scared to look back as if she stops he will shoot a bullet across her heart, she did not want to die, she did not want to lose, she was crying in pain and she was scared to fall, she kept running...she wanted this to be a dream, a dream inside a dream, she wanted to be rescued or vanished, when her legs could not take it any longer she fell on her knees, sobbing, she can't let him take her she could be a failure but she would not accept a defeat…..he was not running anymore, he walked slow towards her looking at her, giving her a last chance, waiting for her, her eyes startled she tried to stand and run but he came forward, held her in his arms, her legs paralysed she was shaking in his arms, crying even harder and he placed his hand on her lips and asked her to be quiet, it was going to end…..he held her even closer, she could feel his breath on her face, his eyes looking into hers, he could see the fear and she could see death, he smiled her heart racing fast aware of his wrath she tried to free herself from his strong grip, he rubbed her cheeks and tasted her tears, she was shaking in his arms...he kissed her lips and made himself immortal while a bullet pierced through her chest...she was falling

**I still remember the sun

Always warm on my back

Somehow,it seems colder now

Where has my heart gone?

Trapped in the eyes of a stranger

Oh I, I want to go back to

Believing in everything**

... Natalia opened her eyes screaming bathed in her own sweat and her mother frightened and shocked grabbed her arm, , she was still shaking, she couldn't believe it was just a nightmare, just another nightmare, everyone in the flight was curious about her frightening screams, whispering and looking at her, she was unaware of the looks and stares, they were talking she had a nightmare.... she was born in it or died…..she was lost with nothing to lose!

**Where has my heart gone?

An uneven trade for the real world

Oh I, I want to go back to

Believing in everything and knowing nothing at all

I still remember the sun

Always warm on my back

Somehow,it seems colder now**

Flight landed while Natalia was still lost, and the tremor of the reality was an agony. She did not want to leave her seat reluctantly she stood, thinking if the flight could take off right away back to where she came from right now before she gets off the plane, back to her country, although she had finished what was to be finished, she was millions of miles away from her past, she had a new life, a new start, a new identity and a new Country.

Her country had become her prison cell; if they hadn't escaped her father was next in line for prosecution who was still there trying to utilize his contacts to help him leave the Country, with so much going in their life she was lost!

**Field Of Innocence by EVANESCENCE**