"Hey, come on out. And stop staring at that thing!" retort Eva, as she place her shades over her eyes.
Ezekiel, carefully held on to Oasis's bowl while he carried his bag pack over his shoulder as he stepped out from the car. "Where's Riley?" asked Ezekiel as that sudden thought of his new friend came into his mind.
"Just don't bother about him." snapped his mum without looking into his eyes. Ezekiel could sense, there's trouble between them again. Ezekiel shuts his eyes as he bit his lower lips....he was upset with his mum and adding to his displeasure almost about everything. In the very beginning of it all, she was the one who was so keen on taking him away from his grandma's care, but now it seems to be the otherwise.
After few discussion has been made between his mum and the school administrator....Ezekiel was taken to his dormitory. Still with his bag pack over his shoulder and Oasis's bowl in his hands, he followed the gentlemen who was the chief administrator towards the stairways that had lead him to the third floor....and his dome was situated right at the corner of the another stairway. "Just like being in a movie of beautiful mind, except my mind is not that pretty at all." thought Ezekiel to himself with a sigh.
"All right sir, this is your room. I believe your room mate was having his extra classes now..but he will be back in an hour or two. Shall I leave both of you here?" he asked as he stared at both Ezekiel and Eva, but his eyes seems to be more fixed on his mum's assets.
"We will be just fine. Thank you so much sir, we really appreciate your warm welcome." said Eva with a distinctive smile of some sort of pure seduction....thought Ezekiel to himself, or maybe he was just being too sensitive and emotional about this whole thing.
"Ezekiel, I hope you do understand, why I'm doing this....it is for your future. Even though English Literature is not my thing.....cause I had preferred you to be a doctor or a accountant...but seems this subject is the only thing that had interest you, so I guess....I have no other choice but to accept your request. " cried Eva.
"You are not sincere with your words mum.....and I believe the reason for you to be putting me off in this place...is more than meets the eye." exclaimed Ezekiel.
"I have no time to have this silly little arguments with you. I've got to go. Come back only during your semester holidays cause I ....can't afford to waste a single cent on you....if you decides to play hide and seek with me." snapped Eva....before she took her handbag and leave.
Ezekiel frowns, as he watches his mum step out from his room and left, without even a simple embrace, a kiss or just a wave of goodbye. Placing his bag on the untouched bed where the white bed sheet was neatly iron and starched...and then he place Oasis's bowl by the side table, which was place right beside his bed. "Here we go again Oasis, a new place for us to get by. I hope this will work out fine for the both of us." said Ezekiel, as he gently pet Oasis's soft wrinkle head. And then he walk towards the window and withdraw the blinders to catch the outside scenery of his new temp lair. From Ezekiel's point of view, surprisingly...he found it as breathtaking....cause it faces the wide open field...and it seems endless, without any path or any...define road that link to the other part of the school....but there were wooden fences enclosing the field. "Isn't it such an irony, to be able to run freely and wildly upon this open field....but in the end, we are still trap within it's fences?" said Ezekiel sadly. Ezekiel roll back the blinder and then he sat on his bed and took the documents which has been given to him.....as he check for his class which will begins in an hours time. Suddenly, the thought of Yasmeen came into his mind. "I wonder, how is she doing right now?" thought Ezekiel to himself with a smile. Ezekiel place back his documents by the bedside as he stood up and phase around the room....checking on the other portion of the room which seems to belong to his room mate. He saw few photographs which has been neatly thumb tack against the wooden board. Mostly family pictures....during Eid, birthday parties....happy bunch of people. Ezekiel tries to figure out which head belongs to his room mate....! From the picture and the sites which was taken, Ezekiel could sense this new room mate of his was not a local boy....he must be from a foreign land, somewhere in Afghan or Pakistan.
"Salam, Ezekiel right?" cried a voice.
"Wa'alaikum salam." replies Ezekiel as he unconsciously took few steps away from his room mate area. "I'm sorry...for intruding your turf." continue Ezekiel again with a smile.
"It's okay. My name is Saif Abdullah...but you can call me Saif." utters Saif as he held out his hand....with Ezekiel welcoming that hand shake warmly.
"Nice family pics you have got there." commented Ezekiel.
"Thanks....! Only, all of them were gone." said Saif as he sat on his bed and pull out his socks.
"Gone?" asked Ezekiel in wonder.
"Terrorist attack...Lahore, just few months ago." replied Saif in monotone voice. Ezekiel was shocked and stunned by that remarks as he had his eyes and mouth wide open....not being able to utter any words or make any gesture and movement....he felt numb and stupid. Saif place his hands on Ezekiel's shoulder before he took his towel and headed towards the shower room which was few rooms away from theirs.
"Lahore...he's from Pakistan." thought Ezekiel to himself as he came closer towards Saif photos collection and stood...staring hard on every single one of them. From their beautiful faces, they were clearly stated, this family was filled with so much love and laughter.....happiness and unimaginable bond....but all was dashed in just one single day.....one horrific single act....an act of terrorism...that had crushes their hopes, dreams and future. "Saif is far worst off than me....I still got my mum, Riley and Oasis." Ezekiel words begins lingering in his thoughts again as he shrugged his shoulder.
"Can't get yourself away from there?" called out Saif as he dries his dark urban brown hair with his towel. He had only his singlet with his cream khaki pants on. Ezekiel get his eyes away from those photos as he had his attention on Saif instead. Saif was tall and lanky and was blessed with a tan complexion ...his dark brown eyes seems to match with the colour of his hair and brows. Ezekiel was simply amazed by his intense matured look, despite of his age...probably just seventeen just like himself.
"That's my kid sister Sharifah....she's barely four and here is my younger brother Sameer, almost ten...but they both had met the Lord." utters Saif as he came closer towards the photos and stood by Ezekiel with his arms cross against his chest. Ezekiel catch some darkness and intensity from his eyes.....well he can't blame him to feel that way.
"You came from the States?" asked Saif as he walks towards his closet and took a dark navy blue t-shirt and put it on.
"No...not really, I'm from Indonesia." replied Ezekiel shortly.
"I see....but you don't look like an Asian at all. You look more like an Arab or a Caucasian." express Saif with interest.
"Got this skin from my mum...but inherit the look from my dad." response Ezekiel with a smile.
"Your dad must be one good looking dude man." said Saif with a grin.
"Yeah, he was." utters Ezekiel. "Oh! Damn it." those words continue in his thoughts.
"He was? You mean...his gone, dead?" asked Saif curiously.
"Yup, two years ago....car accident." lies Ezekiel, and how he hated himself.
"I'm sorry." said Saif grimly.
"Hey, it's okay." utters Ezekiel. "I guess, it time for my class now. Nice meeting you Saif...see you again later then." trails Ezekiel as he took few of his books which he needed for his lessons before he leaves the room. Still with the document in his hands...as he looks at the current location he was situated right now. Pushing his new Clark Kent glasses further up towards the upper bridge of his nose....he took one deep breath as he turns to the stairways and walk down towards the other side of the dormitory which will link him to some other part of the department and the class rooms. Turning back on the first page, it seems his first lesson will be held at the lecture hall. Upon entering the hall, it seems he was the one of the few bunch of students who really taking this reading lessons seriously...a contrast from the attendance list which he was reading through right now. Bracing his spirit up, he went ahead towards the far end corner of a seat and decides to dominate his presence there. No one seems to be paying attention to him..and he feels glad about it. And soon came in his lecturer...a small petite size middle age man...with his shiny grayish hair was neatly back comb. He was wearing a nice smart looking dark brown suit complete with a bow and cuff lings been neatly attached at the end of his coat sleeves. From his corner spot, Ezekiel had his eyes focus on his new lecturer with interest.
"Is this all that we've got for today?" asked the lecturer as he look up towards the hall which consists of just a handfull of students....head count seven in total, and from Ezekiel's list, there were suppose to be twenty. "Well, it's their lost!" exclaimed the lecturer with a grinned. " We have a new friend here...so let us welcome him..Ezekiel Bukhari." continue the lecturer with a small clapped follow by the rest of the class. "My name is Shahib Ismael...but you can call be Shahib. Being here in my class, I promised you, it's going to be fun learning with lots of sharing and gaining. God's Willing." said the lecturer as he look straight into Ezekiel's eyes with a smile.
Ezekiel stood up from his seat and decides to introduce himself to the rest of the class. "Good morning, my name is Ezekiel Bukhari...please call me Eze. I have always been facinated with writting and reading classical novels and books." begins Ezekiel as he tries to sound compose despite he knew his knees were shaking....when the rest seven pairs of eyes including Mr Shahib were staring anticipating at him. "Well, I'm sure this going to be a fun class with lots of gaining and sharing." continues Ezekiel and he knew he sounds stupid.
"Thank you Eze. Okay let's get started with our lessons shall we." begins Mr Shahib as he turns on the first few page of a classic book of the Seal Landers.
"Why was love could only be taste, after you've gone. This heart ache....yearning for that potent.....to vanquish this hollow gap of uncomplete puzzle. Still trap in a maze of doubt...when you signify your pure love to me.....but at last this heart was too blind to see the real colours of your devotion.Only to regain back it sight...as you close the chapters of your life. Wow, powerful words here Eze. Your assignment?" asked Saif as he read few of Ezekiel's notes which was flung all over his bed.
"Yeah, cranking my head now..to cough out more poetic words." exclaimed Ezekiel as he flip through few of his other notes which has been given to him by Mr Shahib.
"Well, this is good enough..I'm sure that Shahib dude will fall for this." cried Saif as he shakes Ezekiel's notes right infront of his face.
"Thanks brother...but I've decide to keep that for my own keep sake." replied Ezekiel with a grin as he gently took his notes away from Saif's fingers.
"Huh?" response Saif as he felt lost but in the end he continues. "All right, my friend..I shall respect your desicion then."
"Thank you." replied Ezekiel and soon he realised been here is not too bad after all.
"Quenching this thirst....to the pitcher I've called. Yearning for your sweetness, on my knees I fall. Awaken by the taste....the lightness of your love. Taken by grace....awaiting for more. Entwine by hopes.....with dreams to form. Diminished my fray...to thee...I sought." whispered Sephira as she gently glides her hand upon the fresh water lake which seems to dwell from river by the side of the mountain. "Does it kills to feel like this Luth?" thought Sephira to herself with tears in her eyes. Looking upon the rays of clouds above the sky....with heart leaping with sorrow...cause it dwells nothing but emptiness. Holding Luth's sword close upon her chest..with a thought of fleeing....but where....where can she ran to? Is there any final destination that had been laid upon her? Been kept as a captive by The Beast...in a meants of protecting her, as what that lady had claimed.....but at what cause her freedom. Sephira stood up and brush off the dried sand that had stick on the back of her garment. As she turn, she saw The Beast was there looking straight into her sorrowful eyes. Sephira walk pass him....and The Beast could feel the pain and anger been deeply contain in her heart. The Beast makes a gentle growl as he sat on the stone..hoping that Sephira won't walk away. Sephira had her eyes on The Beast pathetic looking eyes and feeling the guilt now..she sat by his side with Luth's sword still in her hands. "He had taken my eyes, when the first time I saw him. And the irony of our love, he was my captive....my prisoner...on whom I was in charged by Dhaleya to slain." begins Sephira as she clench her fists tighter towards the sword. "He was one of the rebels soldiers that we trapped within the depth of the other side of this forest. Never notice him at first, but thanks to that pitcher of water...." trails Sephira as her eyes lightened up with a wondrous stare.
"Hey, lady...look, there's a hole." cried Luth in the midst of the other prisoners...his comrades which has been caught and restrained by Sephira and her very own band of soldiers.
"Who had spoken?" asked Sephira as, she tried to retreat that voice cranking her neck...with her dark eyes stared harshly towards the bunch of her preys waiting to be slayed.
"Your heart must be made of stone..how come the wetness of that liquid drenching the side of your pants and you simply can't feel it?" said that voice again and like a swift eye of a hawk, Sephira caught his bright looking eyes adding to that alluring charmness was his amusing smile.
Sephira held the pitcher of water which she had securely tied around her waist...and true enough, there was a hole..and her drink was almost empty. "You think I can't survive without this..you mortal!" retort Sephira with an intense glare.
"I know....but you will perish...with the lightness of love in your heart." utters her prey again. Sephira unconsciously took few steps back....away from him...as though her heart..her soul has been pierce by the sword of his words. Her prisoner, with his beautiful bright eyes still looking at her, with his captivating smile.
"Don't you dare, speak to me that way again." snapped Sephira.
"That's how it all begins...." trails Sephira as she set her mind and heart back into her present world...the world that was left with nothing but total despair and darkness. The Beast hung his head low...as he was immersing with Sephira's lost and the burning hollowness that she must have felt.
"He had warned me eventually..about my ill fate..about the envy and jealousy of my own kind, but I was to arrogant..to accept his colourless statement." utters Sephira looking remorsefully regret with her past mistakes. "The route which we took around the corner of the cliff by the edge of the waterfall....it was a sheer stupidity which had overcome me. I was given another route by Dhaleya, but it seems the rest of my other sisters, think the otherwise and they were very persistent on taking that dangerous route."
"Please, you have got to listen to me...they are here to hurt you..and not forgetting my life..and the rest of my comrades souls...as they all depends on my throat!" whispered Luth towards Sephira..as she tries to ignore his pleas while..securing his chains around his hands. "
"All right, all done!" exclaimed Sephira as she hoist her sword above her head as a sign of moving ahead towards the edge of the cliff. Sephira carefully took her steps along the slippery stone, followed by Luth who was behind her and so are the rest of her captives. However her inner voice seems to be speaking in her mind right now. "What if he's right? My weakness is water...I'm powerless by it." cried her unspoken instinct.
Still cautiously, taking their steps by the rocks..as the water fall begins to gush it's powerful element of the pulling gravity...down below, where lies the deep dark lake. Sephira begins to feel fretful about this whole situation...cause her captives lives were in her hands....despite she knew, they will be executed but an execution without a trial, that will be injustice. Sephira, being Dhaleya's favourite companion...will always seems to abide by her request and her judgement. No rebellions or any of her captives will be deal or punish, without been given a fair trial...due to Sephira's humble request. Luth caught that anguish and restless look in her eyes. Few feet away from the other side of the cliff, Sephira realised her other sisters were not following her from behind...as she and her captives were stranded by the wet, slippery cliff..followed by the harsh..gushing flow of the water fall. Being powerless and in a moment of fear, suddenly....she saw a massive fireball been thrown directly towards them. Feeling helpless...she knew, she will be powerless if she feel into that dark cold water way down below. In a split second the murky rocks above them begins to give way..breaking into pieces...hitting and hurting them. Luth struggles in the midst of the whole chaotic situation, however he managed to grasp a protruding vine roots that was sticking out on one side of the rock with his left arm....while his right hand, he held on to Sephira's water pitcher which was still securely tied around her waist. It seems her life was dangling by a tread....for on her part, she used her telekinetic powers to hold on to the rest of her seven other captives as they were screaming in fear and terror. Looking intensely towards her other sisters who were on the other side of the ground....her heart was filled with so much rage, betrayed and sadness. "How could they do this to me?" thought Sephira to herself in remorsefully. And from their eyes..she have seen it all....jealousy, anger and hatred. Without any sense of mercy or sympathy...they laughed at her mockingly before one of them threw another blow of fire ball and left. The cliff begins to treamor further..causing Luth to almost lost both his grips onto the vine and Sephira's water pitcher. Sephira brokes into cold sweat as she begins to feel the preasurre in her veins...as the gravity was pulling her along too. Sephira begins to lose her focus as tow of her captives falls tragically down below towards the cold pit...hitting few of the rocks...killing them in an instant. Sephira'e eyes tears up as she fought hard within her own self...as she attempt to hold on to the other five men. Watching their terror eyes is simply killing her soul.....she force her power with all her might as she tries to transport them back towards the ground safely...but the gushing flow of the strong water fall...had dampened her effort...her veins seems to be crying out loud in pain....until her nose bleed.
"No!" she whispered to herself as each and everyone of them begins to slip away from her power. "No!" at last she screamed....losing seven men...seven souls due to her weakness...her incapability..her ego for not listening to Luth...it is all her fault.
Luth felt helpless..seeing all his companions...his soldiers fell and perish....almost losing his own grip by the protruding root when suddenly he realised he still had another life in his hands. It was Sephira's. Sephira begins to feel some kind of spinning sensation in her head....her breathing becomes heavy...and she knew, she's falling too. With all his might, Luth grab her water pitcher as he brings her closer towards him. "Lady, hold on to me." cried Luth as he look straight into her blurring sight. Sephira, bring her arms and held them around his waist as Luth place a foot upon the gap of the clif and carefully, begins climbing balancing himself with Sephira on his back." Yasmeen place a book mark onto her last reading page. Looking out of her window, she could felt the morning rays will soon be replace by the afternnon light. It has been almost a week now, however she has not received Ezekiel's phonecalls or any messages from her inbox. She miss him, can't deny the fact that she still in love with him. It just kills her each time when she immersed herself with that novel...but at the same time it was like a magical portion that seems to bring some sense of closeness towards him. Pushing her hair behind her ears, Yasmeen hopped off from her bed and headed towards the door...as she decides to prepare for lunch...fish and chips...that goes along well with a diet coke...Ezekiel's favourite.
