This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons living or dead or places, events or locales is purely coincidental.
Credits:
Images courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Other Books from Author
Published by Club Lighthouse Publishing:
Repeated Lives
Repeated Lives Book II: Talia’s Return
Francesca and Eliza
Awakened One Night
Unraveling the Darkness
Her First Dance
The Bell Tower
Tina’s Gimmick
Broken Glass
A Seasonal Moment
Wings ePress
RESIDUE
By
PALVI SHARMA
Radhika stared at the white page on her screen and then at the blinking cursor. Not a word entered her tired mind and her eyes grew weary from staring at the screen for so long. She clicked on a few buttons and changed the background of her document to black, then silver and then back to blue.
Sighing, she pushed away her mouse and put her hands on the sides of her head, staring at the empty document.
"How's it going?" Her sister Pooja chirped. Dressed in a short black dress, her sister had one leg up to adjust her strappy heels.
"How's what going?" Radhika replied, moodily. She closed the lid on her laptop and pushed it away. Adjusting her glasses, she took a look at her sister and secretly envied her. Her younger sister had long, dark silky hair. Her skin was devoid of blemishes or pimples and she had a slim figure which allowed her to adorn herself in the prettiest of fashions.
She on the other hand, found her baggy pants and oversized t-shirt comfortable and practical- in the sense that she could conceal, what she thought, was an unflattering figure.
"Your writing." Pooja said, tightening her high ponytail.
Radhika frowned. "I can't." Leaning back on the sofa, she clasped her hands and looked up at the ceiling. "There's something inside me that keeps hindering...I don't know what."
"Have you been sleeping well?" Pooja asked, coming to sit beside her. "You said you were having nightmares."
Radhika shuddered and then smiled, shaking her head. "They are just dreams. Probably something to do with the full moon. According to superstition, the full moon affects women in strange ways."
"I am a woman and I haven't been getting nightmares." Pooja said. "What are they about anyway?"
"They're just dreams!" Radhika snapped and then seeing the alarmed look on her sister's face, softened. "I don't want to talk about them and make them real when all they are....they are nothing. Just fragments of broken memories." Radhika sighed loud. "I can't even think coherently."
"If they are nothing, then why are you so upset about it?" Pooja persisted.
Radhika frowned. Her younger sister was starting to annoy her and at the moment she didn't have the energy to argue with her.
"Like I said, I don't know. I keep having the same dream over and over again and it's driving me crazy. I can't write, and that is frustrating me." she replied.
Pooja took her hand in hers and smiled. "You need to talk it out. It'll make you feel better. You know you can tell me anything right?"
"Pooja...." Radhika saw the concern etched on her sister's face and relented. "Fine. In my dreams I am sleeping. I awaken to find a young boy dressed in an orange shirt and khaki shorts in front of me."
She felt her sister's hand squeeze and Radhika took this as encouragement to continue. "I can't see his face, because I'm not wearing my glasses and my vision is blurry..." Radhika grinned up at her sister and saw Pooja watching her with wide worried eyes.
"This boy..." she asked, her voice almost cracking. "How old is he?"
Radhika shrugged. "I don't know....four or five?"
"He's wearing an orange shirt?" Her sister's voice was strained and Radhika saw the fear in her sister's face.
"Yes, why? Why are you asking me this?"
Pooja looked away and shook her head. "Nothing. Then what happens in your dream."
Radhika squeezed her sister's hand, realizing she was feeling a little scared too. Her skin felt frozen, yet she didn't make a move to pull over the blanket lying by her leg.
"I get up and tell him to get out of my house. He leaves. That's about it." Radhika finished.
Pooja nodded slowly, deep in thought. "Since when have you been dreaming about this?"
"Uh...I think for weeks now. I kept seeing bits and pieces of it and then for the past two days, I have been seeing this over and over again."
Pooja got up and scratched her forehead. Her sister kept her eyes away from hers and seemed flustered. "You were right. It's just a dream. It doesn't mean anything."
"That's what I've been saying." Radhika said.
"Don't think too much about it." Pooja said, finally looking at her sister and smiling. "You should occupy yourself with some hobby. Take a break from your writing and go watch a movie. Or come to the party with me."
Radhika grinned. "You know I hate parties. Besides, those are all your friends. What will I do there?"
Pooja made a playful face. "You know me...."
"I'm fine right here at home." Radhika said. "Now go and give me some peace and quiet so I can work on this."
Pooja picked up her purse and swung on her heels. Making a loud clacking noise with her heels, she reached the door and then turned around. "You'll be fine right?"
"Yes." Radhika assured her.
Pooja hesitated again. "I'll call you before midnight. Just before you go to bed."
"And you won't be back by midnight?" Radhika raised her eyebrows.
"I'll be...on the way...." Pooja said, failing to control her obvious glee.
Radhika shook her head but smiled. "Fine. But come back home before sunrise."
"Will do." Pooja said, blowing her a kiss. She closed the door behind her and Radhika stared at the empty space near the door for a while before glancing at her closed laptop. All her resolve to write tonight had dissipated the minute she had told her sister about the dream.
The sinister sensation that the dream had incited, enveloped her and she couldn't understand why. It was just a young innocent boy, yet whenever she thought about him, her whole body trembled and all she could do was try to breathe.
Radhika felt her chest tightening and got up immediately. "Breathe." she instructed herself. "Breathe...."
As soon as the air entered her lungs, she felt the knots ease and her muscles relaxing. Picking up the remote, she switched on the TV and then sat down, pulling the blanket over her. Her eyes fell on the laptop again and frowned. Tonight would be one more night when she wouldn't be writing.
"Oh well..." she said to herself and flicked the channels, hoping to find a decent movie. Her thoughts returned to the dream and she sat up and forced herself to focus on the movie.
Pooja was right. She wouldn't think about it at all.....She wouldn't think about that dream, no matter what.....