The Shadow Stalker Around Her

Chapter 10

Skyla

(Past)

I sighed in relief after hearing what he meant by punishment. I can do it. I have no problem with it as I did a lot of hard work in the past that made me stronger more than the girls my age. I know both tasks are different, but I can manage them. I looked at him and gave him a nod. Although I was still scared of him, I didn't show that for once after that. Before he could go and open then his violin box, I stopped him. He narrowed his eyes at me. 

Clearing my throat, I said, looking at his wrists, "You shouldn't, or you may start bleeding again." 

Looking at his eyes, I said, "Let me do it."

He didn't say anything but stepped back. I opened the box and took the violin and bow in my hand carefully. I went to stand in my position, and Carl sat on his chair. Before I could start playing the violin, I said, looking at the container, "Uh- My granny sent that for you. Please have that food." I looked at him only to find him looking at me in an unknown emotion, which he masked very tactfully. He gave me a firm nod. 

Averting my gaze from him, I started to play the violin with great concentration, forgetting about my teacher, I mean Carl was there in that room. I didn't stop for once. I started playing from a soft and slow tune. Then I changed the tune into a fast and a little harsh tune. I didn't know when I had begun to play a sad melody. I had learned a lot in over one month from him. I loved to play new notes, which he taught me in his lesson very well. 

I didn't know for how long I played, but suddenly a voice thundered behind me, which made me startle. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

Before I could say anything, he snatched the violin from my hand and pulled my hand toward him. I looked at him in confusion, but he was giving me a disapproving look and constantly glaring at me. I turned my gaze away from him to the violin only to see the blood over the strings. I looked at the violin in horror. Damn! I ruined his violin. I made him angry again. 

I looked at him in fear and stuttered again, saying, "I am so sorry. Please give me some time. I am going to clean your violin. I promise." I was about to clean his violin, he pulled me backward, holding my wrist. 

He yelled at me, saying, "Are you out of your mind? Look at your finger." I looked at my hand and saw blood. Oh! I smiled awkwardly and said, "Uh- sorry again. I didn't notice. It doesn't matter." I tried to snatch my hand away, but he didn't let me. He pushed me in the chair and said, "You are such an i***t. It is nothing! How are you going to play if your fingers are wounded?" 

He backed at me, and his voice made me flinch. I was looking at him in terror and incredulous expression. He was unpredictable, and how could I tell him that it was he who told me not to stop for once? He had an impression on me, which made me stay cautious around him all the time. 

He did tend my wound by himself. After wrapping a bandage around my finger, he looked up at me. Giving me a hard gaze, he said, "Let's go. I am taking you home."

I protested immediately, "I have a bike. You don't have to bother. I can go by myself. Thank you." I don't know where I got the courage, but I told that to him firmly. I was pissed too. He had no right to act so impulsively to me and blaming me for the things I didn't do. Well, my tone made him froze in his track. Good!  He has no right to order me around in every single thing. 

I stood up and went to reach for my backpack. Before I could reach, in a swift motion, I being lifted, and later I found myself lying on the desk, and Carl hovered over me. Giving me a murderous glare, he said, "You better watch who you are talking to, Skyla. I don't like it when someone defies me. Whatever I say, you will only listen. Did you hear me?" My courage and bravery all died in his one look. I gulped hard and nodded. His hold over my wrist tightened in which I winced in pain, and said in a hard tone, "Words."

I stuttered, "Y-yes, C-Carl." Without saying anything, he pulled me withholding my wrist. He dragged me toward the door by throwing my backpack over his shoulder. I was shocked to see it was already dark outside. My granny might be waiting for me outside for a long time. He dragged me toward the parking lot. I saw some bulky men in black with guns and a walkie-talkie standing near an expensive car. My blood turned cold. Who is Carl? 

Seeing Carl, they opened the door for him. Carl pushed me inside and then hopped in. I didn't dare to speak to him anything. I looked through the window and saw the car was running in my home's direction. How did he know where I live?  I peeked at him only to see him looking at me. I didn't look at him for once. The car stopped in front of my home, and I saw my granny was standing there. Before I could open the door, I saw the door pulled open, and Carl offered me his hand. I wanted to refuse, but his dark lunatic gaze made me follow his lead. 

I accepted his hand and climbed out of his car. Coming in front of granny, she complained, "Why are you so late, Skyla? Don't you know it made me worried whenever you come late home?" 

I wanted to tell something, but Carl bit me in it. He said, "Sorry, Mrs. Davis. It was me for whom she comes late today." He forwarded his hand to granny and said with a smile, "Hello, I am Carl, Skyla's senior, or you can say I am her violin teacher."  

I was looking at him in shock. Where is that Carl, who from the very first day being all demanding, and emitting dominance around me?  Does he have multiple personality disorders?  

My thoughts broke when I heard my granny said, "Oh, dear. You are her music teacher. Yes, I heard a lot about you. She always talks about you. She never stops when it comes to you. Sometimes I couldn't get whether she is talking about her violin lesson or you." I looked at my granny in horror. My face paled after hearing her. Granny? Do you happen to say things to him? 

Looking at me, Carl gave me a look that says you-better-talk-good-things-about-me-to-your-granny-else- He smirked at me. I am so dead. He said, "I am glad to hear that. Well, Mrs. Davis- " 

My granny cut him off, saying, "Oh, dear. You can call me granny. Skyla calls me granny. I am seeing you as my grandchildren. I never had one. You two are good kids."

I heard him laugh softly, "Alright then, granny. Thank you so much for your food. I am getting addicted to your handmade foods now."

"Oh, son. You can ask me anything to eat, and I will make that for you. You can come home or my bakery anytime. Well, it is already time for dinner. Why not you come and have dinner with us, son?" My granny offered him. 

He looked at me and said, "If Skyla wants me to come, then I have no problem having dinner with you both." Granny gave me a stern look. Oh, granny. Did you see me stopping you and him anything?

Smiling, I said politely, "Yes, sure. Why not? You can have dinner with us, Carl." I didn't show my discomfort to anyone there. I can tell my granny liked him more than she should. 

My granny became satisfied after hearing from me. Like I could stop him from coming. He wasn't someone who wait for someone's approval. She led Carl inside our home. I sighed. Only I knew how I was dealing with those two humans who were surprisingly the same. 

I was about to cross the garden, I saw a paper ball there on the ground. My heart dropped in fear. The cold sweat was forming over my forehead. My feet became heavy. Another chit! Another death threat. I went there in slow steps. With shaly hands, I took that paper ball in my hand. I unwrapped that paper and saw there was a note written in red ink. 

"Be a good girl and do as I say. Else, you are going to lose your only family. Your sweet granny. It is up to you to whom you want to choose. Do you want to see your granny dead? Sweety, don't cry. I know you are crying by now. You are only good at crying, aren't you? You see, your granny is old. One deep cut on her chest is enough to leave her soul from her body. You don't want that, do you?  Well, don't worry about your foster parents. Their bodies are nowhere to be found. The corpse of them is now buried six feet under the ground. I hope I didn't scare you, did I? Stay away from the boys at your school. Or, be prepared for your granny's funeral. She won't look pretty in her death bed."

The paper fell on the ground. He killed my foster mother. Tears were flowing down from my eyes. My head was clenching in pain. My vision was getting blurry. I couldn't breathe. It was hard for me to take everything together. Why? Why me? Why is he after me?  He would kill my granny. No! Please God show me a way out of it. I need to keep her safe. please. She is my only family. How come I protect her from that evil man? From a merciless killer!

I fell on my knees and held my head with both hands. I couldn't think straight. I was seeing black spots everywhere around me. Then my eyes fell on a figure, standing in our garden. Something was shining in his hand. A Knife! But from there, a liquid dripping down on the ground. Blood! HE came to kill my granny. That took everything in me to faint on the ground. I heard a familiar voice yelled at me, "Skyla!" I heard footsteps. But, by then, I lost my conscience. God, keep my granny safe.