Her mind was forcefully brought back to reality. Sarah opened her eyes and took a deep breath. She was grateful because she was finally out of the trickeries of her own mind.

Her breathing was erratic and her mind was still clouded. Her face was wet, probably doused with cold water. She shivered at the coldness. She lifted her heavy-feeling head and looked around, trying to find her saviour. She needed to thank the saviour for saving her life. If not for the help, she would be insane, trapped in her own mind.

A familiar face entered her view.

What is she doing here?

Sheila was staring at her. When her eyes met Sheila's, the latter sighed. Sarah couldn't believe her eyes. Sheila was her savior? The same Sheila that called her a trash? There must be another reason why Sheila was helping her. Or maybe the hell froze.

"You're finally up." Sheila frowned.

"What happened? Why am I not at the antique shop? Why are you here?" Sarah asked while struggling to sit.

Sheila's lips curved upwards and her eyes was full of disdain. With a voice full of scorn, she said, "I didn't know that a trash like you can have brain damage. I used to think that you didn't have a brain in the first place. You know, just being like a parrot, reciting facts for your studies."

Sarah could feel the blood rushing to her head and she clenched her fist. She took a deep breath, knowing that lashing out wouldn't help her in this situation. With a heavy heart, she pretended to be weak. With a pitiful face, she quietly whispered, "Sorry."

"Good. Sarah the loser, you should be grateful to me. Seriously, if I didn't help, you wouldn't be awake right now."

Sarah could only grit her teeth. "Thank you so much, Sheila."

"Good! You are our gang's most valuable client after all. You always pay your protection fees on time, except for today. We don't want to lose an important client."

So that's her reason. Why am I not shocked? Sarah bowed her head. "Why are you here?"

"Remember when we had to save you from the psycho seniors? I told you to put my phone number on your speed dial, in case of emergency. But I never told you to put it as the first number of your speed dial!"

"Sorry." She bowed her head lower. 

"Seriously, you should put your parent's number first. What a trash of a daughter. Because of that cursed speed dial, I had to collect you. Seriously, only you would faint in a convenience store."

"You... You found me in the convenience store?" She didn't pay any attention to the other words Sheila was saying.

"Seriously, your brain is damaged. Of course I found you there, out cold on the floor. Where else?"

Sarah's mind was working extra fast after listening to Sheila's explanation. She never went into the convenience store. She only went to the antique shop and after accidentally cutting her finger with the keris, she fainted and was stuck in the horrible illusion.

What on Earth happened to her back then? Sarah took a look at her surrounding. She was in her dorm room.

Seeing Sarah looking around, Sheila spoke, "I had to drag you back here. I don't want anyone else to know. My reputation as the protector would be ruined if my client is hurt."

Sarah nodded. "After bringing me here, you splashed cold water on me?"

"A full bucket of it." Sheila confirmed.

"Thanks." Sarah said sincerely. You saved my life.

"Now that you're up and about, you're on your own. Seriously, don't bother me anymore." Sheila walked out of the room and shut the door with a slam.

Stop saying 'seriously', it's annoying. Sarah finally rolled her eyes after she doesn't need to act anymore.

She was still confused. She felt like she was running in a circle without seeing the finishing line. Sheila's explanation doesn't match the real events that occur.

She rushed to her study table and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. She needed to write down everything that happened to her and cross-check it with Sheila's version. Something felt off.

She was holding a pen when she felt her index finger hurting. She looked at it and saw a slash on it. Does that mean the keris was real? 

Her fingers were trembling. Her mind suddenly felt as if thousand knives were stabbing it.

"Hello, human girl." A deep voice spoke beside her right ear.

Sarah jumped in surprise. Maybe she really was going insane. That's the consequence of walking under the hot evening sun. Her brain was fried in the heat. She's gone bonkers.

Sarah turned her head to the right and saw something she never thought she would see. A naga*.

Imposing and elegant, it was so huge, until it couldn't fit in the room.

This is too much.

Her head was pounding.

"I'm sorry I can't heal your headache right now. I haven't recovered my powers yet."

"A na... umm... naga?" She tried to be courageous and talked to it. 

"Of course."

"A real one?"

"I'm only a spirit right now, human girl."

I'm seeing the spirit of a naga. And I'm talking to it. Am I going crazy?

"Of course you're not crazy."

And the naga can read my mind.

"Of course I can. That's the most basic —"

She felt like someone was crushing her head. She tried her best to resist. However, blackness swallowed her once again.

*****

*naga: serpent dragon

This chapter is dedicated to hallucinalien, one of my earliest readers! If you like adventure, check out her book, 'New Reality'.

Music video: Utopiosphere by Mili, from the game Deemo.

If you like this chapter, please click on the star and comment!

Eireen x