Seven Devils and a Rose

The Magic of the Aurora Light - Chapter 3

In my rustic-style bedroom, I hunted around in my walk-in closet and retrieved a pair of pajamas and a bath towel. Then I rushed into the en suite and got bottles of shampoo and conditioner, along with body gel and facial cleanser. Before I left, I flossed and brushed my teeth because it’d be a nuisance to do that over at the bathhouse.

Once my teeth were sparkling clean and my mouth refreshed with the minty-flavored toothpaste, I headed back into my bedroom and gathered my bathing essentials in a small bag. Then I headed out the door and down the stairs.

Along the hallway on the first floor, I searched for a light in a cupboard. When I found one, I headed toward the back. There, I said loudly so Mom and Dad could hear from across the kitchen, “I’m going now.”

Mom said, “Have a nice time bathing.”

“Will do,” I replied.

Dad said, “Don’t stay there too long.”

“Okay,” I said and then exited the house.

Despite the outside lamp glowing a golden halo and brightening some areas of the garden, it was still pitch-dark beyond that. Before I started out with my night adventure, I switched the light on, and voilà, bright light flooded the area surrounding me. Feeling a little pluckier now that I had light, I marched up the small pathway toward the bathhouse that was located a little way back in the garden, amongst the thick trees and wild plants close to the mountain.

As I shined the light of the flashlight here and there, I noticed how dark and eerie the garden seemed at this time of the night. Now and again, gentle breezes brushed against the trees, swaying the branches and leaves this way and that as if they were dancing, casting dark shadows that seemed quite ominous.

I shivered, feeling a little unsettled suddenly as my confidence slowly dwindled. I had always been a city girl, so I wasn’t used to this type of atmosphere where it was so dark and quiet.

I started to feel nervous and anxious. Should I turn back? I chided myself for being a scaredy-cat. I was still on the premises of the estate, and the bathhouse wasn’t far off, so I shouldn’t be afraid. Nothing bad was going to happen.

Not wanting to let Dad’s effort go to waste, I nodded at the logical reasons and continued with my mission.

When I sighted the bathhouse a few moments later, I grinned in excitement, and my anxiety at being alone in the dark all but disappeared in the blink of an eye. I rushed over and opened the newly installed wooden door. Then I stepped through the threshold of the magical place.

The moment I was inside, I gasped in awe. It was truly beautiful. Before me was a good-size pool with hot water filled to the rim, steam elegantly rising and dancing about the room. There were even boulders around the edge, as well as in the middle of the pool, and a mini waterfall, which gave that pleasant trickling sound effect that was so soothing to the ear. Dad had outdone himself this time, for sure. This looked and felt just like a hot spring in an onsen back in Japan.

Excited, I locked the door with a click so no one would accidentally walk in while I enjoyed my hot spring bath. After switching off the flashlight, I then walked around to the left of the room. There, I put my things on the bench. After taking out my cleansing materials, I stripped. Completely and utterly n***d, I headed over to the shower that was located on the right side of the room. There, I turned on the sprinkler, and the moment the warm water touched my skin, I grinned.

I took my time shampooing and conditioning my short hair and then washing my face and body. Once I was thoroughly cleaned and smelled like the Garden of Eden, I turned the shower off and excitedly got into the pool.

“Ahh…” I sighed in pleasure the moment the hot water touched my skin. I couldn’t help but giggle in delight as I spread my arms and legs, enjoying the moment. I dipped my head and even swam around like a little mermaid. When I’d had enough of that, I leaned my back against the boulder residing in the middle of the pool and just relaxed, enjoying my time.

It was a little while later when I thought I saw—through my blurry vision—something sparkling in the bottom of the pool.

Jewel? Metal object?

I didn’t know but was curious to find out. The next moment, I found myself moving away from the boulder and heading toward it. Then I dipped headfirst under the water, my hands reaching toward the bottom of the pool.

As I came close, I noted that it was a necklace with a gemstone pendant.

Who would have dropped their necklace there? And such a beautiful one at that. It also looked antique and expensive. Could it be Dad’s? Then again, I didn’t think Dad would have something like that with him. He wasn’t the materialistic type. Nor Mom. Or did it belong to one of those two men who had helped Dad renovate the bathhouse? I supposed it was best if I retrieved it and returned it to its owner, whoever that was.

I grabbed for it, and just as I caught the jewel in my hand, I felt the water around me pulling and crashing, like a huge wave in the ocean.

Shit! What’s going on? Earthquake?

This was followed by an earsplitting hum. I couldn’t help but grit my teeth under the water, and as I finally popped my head out, I felt dizzy.

I tried to catch my breath as the humming continued for a few more seconds, as well as the rocking of waves around me. Then, just like that, it stopped, and that was when I saw it.

I stared, my eyes wide in wonder, at the beautiful aurora lights before me, the colors glowing and dancing so magically that it took my breath away.

“What? What just happened?” I said softly under my breath.

With the necklace still in my hand, I walked, as if in a trance, toward the aurora.

Up close, I couldn’t help but stretch my hand out and touch the ray of light.

It felt warm and gentle against my skin.

“Wow! This is so surreal,” I said in wonder. Then I reached my other hand out, the one still holding on to the necklace, and once again, I felt the warmth of the light caressing my skin. Wondering what it would be like if my whole body were to pass through it, I did just that.

I walked through the aurora, and I felt a force pulling at me, snatching me up so suddenly that I gasped and became breathless. Then I found myself gently falling, floating through the emptiness of space as my surroundings turned into darkness, followed by a burst of brilliant light passing through me.

“Oh my God!” I said breathlessly, my eyes darting around me in a panic as I clutched my hands, and the necklace, against my chest. “What’s happening?”

I was about to start screaming when I found myself being gently pulled back, and then I was in the pool again, the hot spring water surrounding me, caressing me, telling me I was back where I had been before, at the bathhouse.

With my heart still racing, I said, “Oh my God, what was that?”

Was I dreaming a moment ago? Was it even real? With me falling and floating in the darkness and then all those lights and stars surrounding me and passing through me?

Just to make sure I hadn’t been dreaming a mere moment ago, I looked up, and I noticed the aurora was still there, this time on the other side of me.