Mr Devil's reflection

At the bar

Thinking about that morning sent chills down her spine! That day also Sara was with her. The incident on the beach, happened, in a few weeks after Sara and Alicia came for a vacation on her birthday, 15th January, which was Damien’s birthday too, with a group of friends.

Alicia noticed the man in the castle from afar on the first night on the island and for no reason at all, her heart started beating faster and somehow she believed the key to her locked fate was in that castle, with the man. Not that she knew him or saw him, still she had a strange gut feeling.

She naturally became a bit normal. Sara always said that after she lost her Mr Devil, Alicia was living like a corpse! But she noticed the change in her and decided to stay back for a few weeks with Alicia in that island whereas their friends returned back. The Luna’s already owned a cottage there. It was one of the many properties they had purchased for spending holidays! Though, Sara didn’t know the reason behind her sudden happy demeanour, yet it was easy to convince Neilson and Juliana when she said that Alicia was happy on the island! Everyone wanted to see her smile again and have been praying since last three years! They had a hard time persuading Alicia to visit a place anywhere on the map to celebrate her birthday with friends and family! Alicia has not celebrated her birthday last two years! Finally Alicia agreed and she decided to come to this island, she called the ‘sweet heaven’, because when she was a kid, she and Neil along with the family used to visit the island once in a year and spend a very good time together! Alicia had many sweet memories of the island!

That morning at the beach, was ten days after their friend’s left the island. Alicia still remembers every second of that day clearly!

After she heard the gunshot after she was somehow spared from sure rape, she was so afraid that she remained hidden against a rock for almost fifteen minutes. But she was completely naked, except for the brassiere she wore! The sun was coming out! Also a few fishermen had already started their day.

There was no way for her to hide like that longer and hence, she had to somehow cover her private part with her hands, as much as possible and limp back to the cottage with tears of shame in her eyes! She remembers the laughing and taunting of a few who were already out on the beach and stared at her with lustful eyes. They called her names; ugly and vulgar names!

That was a real ‘walk of shame’!

----   

 Alicia was lost in her memories, drowning in the shame and pain. Tears were not enough to wash those memories away!

“Alice! What happened? Are you ok?” Alicia jumped at the touch. She was brought back to the present!

“Oh My God! Why are you crying Alice? It is me, Sara!”

“Sara!” Alicia hugged her tightly and broke into a loud cry!

“Shhhh….Shhh….” Sara hushed her and rubbed her back while gently rocking. She continued till Alicia was done pouring out her pain and her tears.

“Calm down girl. Tell me what happened? Is it about that man, Mathew?” Sara asked sitting beside her.

“He is Damien and not Mathew!” Alicia snapped and then apologised, pressing her temples which were throbbing! “I am sorry Sara! I just have a bad headache!”

Sara sighed and stood behind Alicia. “Let me see!” She started massaging Alicia’s forehead. “Don’t take too much stress Alice. The man told you himself that he is Mathew! And do you think after what happened in the alley, that he can be Damien?”

Alicia sighed and didn’t reply. She just closed her eyes and tried to relax! If she kept thinking too much, her head will explode soon. But what can she even do? Can a writer exist without a pen? The moon without the sky? Or a sunflower, can it exist without the sun? How will Wild cat live without Mr Devil?

The massage was helping and gradually Alicia relaxed but her mind couldn’t stop pondering on what Sara said about that evening in the alley! She was terrified after that and never could muster the courage to see him again!

It happened one and a half month after her encounter with the man who called himself Mathew, but Alicia believed, he was Damien! After seeing him with her own eyes, Alicia couldn’t stop thinking about him. She has spent many mornings and evenings walking on the beach to see him again but her efforts were in vain, until that evening in the alley!

She slowly relaxed with the massage and let her mind wandered deep inside her memories --- the memories of that evening in the alley!

(Flash back)

It was an evening and Alicia was so sad and dull past few days that she wouldn’t even come out of her bed! And that day also Alicia was lying in her bed and looking at the album with her and Mr Devil’s pictures from the last birthday she celebrated three years back! It was just before the incident! The incident that changed her life forever!

Her birthday is on 15th January and the most surprising fact is that even Mr Devil’s birthday was on 15th January.

“Get up Alicia! Enough is enough!” Sara strode inside like a storm and removed the duvet under which Alicia curled like a snail.

“Sara! Please!” Alicia pleaded.

“No! I won’t listen to you today. Get up at once and change your dress.” Sara dictated and then she put a set of clothes on the chair and ordered pointing her fingers, “You will wear this!”

Alicia groaned, “No! I am not going out anywhere, if that is what you have on your mind.”

“That is exactly what I have on my mind and you will come with me! If you even think of refusing then I am going to call your brother and tell him everything. I have not told him anything about the incident on the beach or how you met Mathew! They only know that you have found Damien and that he has lost his memories!” Sara smirked.

“This is blackmail Sara!” Alicia complained.

“Whatever! I don’t care! We are going out to this popular bar ‘Our Night’ and we shall get drunk, eat and dance! Else, I am calling Juliana right now and telling her everything!” Saying this Sara took her seat. She won’t move until Alicia is ready.

  Alicia glowered, “No! You won’t! You promised me!”

Sara shrugged her shoulders.

Alicia lazily dragged herself to the bathroom. She took her time to shower. She didn’t shower well past couple of days! Once done, she came out and put on the dress Sara brought for her and looking at herself in the mirror, she frowned, “I am sorry Sara, but I can’t wear this.”

Sara crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, “Why so? What is wrong with the dress?”

“Look at the length! It is too short! And it is off shoulder!” Alicia showed.

Sara rolled her eyes and playfully slapped Alicia’s butt, “Come on! We are going to the bar and not some church!! Now let me do your hair and make-up.”

In an hour they both were headed to the bar which was in the town area. Alicia’s dress was peach colour and off shoulder. Her hair was tied into a tight pony and she wore light makeup that included eye liner and a peach colour lipstick.

Sara wore a black short skirt and a baby blue crop top. Her hair was also tied into a pony and they both wore high heels.

When the girls reached the bar, it was almost eight in the evening and was crowded. They both had a few shots and hit the dance floor. After a long time Alicia has been out of her cocoon! Soon she forgot her troubles and laughed and danced with her friend. The shots made her relax a bit or at least her senses were numbed and she didn’t feel any pain for some time, until she clashed with someone in the crowd and spilled the drink the man was holding on his t shirt!

“Ouch! I am sorry! I am so sorry! Let me clean your…” Alicia apologised and quickly took out her handkerchief from her sling, but as she looked up and saw his face, she froze with fear! It was him! Mathew….no Damien!

The shame, the filthy hands of Carlos on her body, the accusation of this man, all came rushing like multiple flashes from her brain!

‘You wh*re’! ‘ Let me f**k you missy’! ‘Let me touch your b**bs! Where are you running’!---- all those words hit her together like gunshots. Alicia’s heart raced with terror and forgetting about her current surrounding she covered her ears with both her hands, tight and sat on the floor on her knees.

“Please let me go!!” She screamed and collapsed.