Huff...

Huff...

A red-haired woman is running amidst the vast desert of snow. Shivering wind cuts through her skin as she keeps on running towards a lonely, looming tree. As she gets closer to the tree, she speeds up. Crackling of the woods beneath her feet is cutting the eerie silence.

Huff...

Huff...

Her breathing becomes short as the cold air gets denser. Holding the snow-laden branch of the lone tree, she bends down to take a deep breath. The morning sun is sad, hidden behind the grey clouds. The timid rays are trying to peep out, but in vain. The dark silhouettes of the lifeless branches hover over her. As the red-haired woman bends down more, her icy-blue eyes widen. Fresh drops of blood are splattered over the milky snow. She slowly bends down to have a clear view but stops hearing a shrill scream.

"Mommy!" She jumps up hearing the painful voice.

"Cianaaa!" A woman jerks up from her sleep. The darkness of the dimly lit room has engulfed her face. Only her frenzied red hair is glowing like the burning embers in the black coal. She looks around the room trying to pierce through the darkness. But the dying fire of the fireplace is not enough to shove the darkness out. A gulping sound blends with the mild cracklings of the fire. Her thirsty throat forces her to move her shaking hand and take the glass of water kept aside on the table.

Before she can touch the glass, the door opens with a creak, bringing the last ray of the redness setting behind the horizon. She looks towards the light covering her eyes with the back of her palm. On her slightly tanned rosy forehead, beads of sweat are visible. Slowly removing her palm, she flutters her eyes as a frown forms on her forehead. But instantly the light falling on her face gets shrouded by a silhouette. A small smile slowly creeps to her diamond shaped face showing her dimples.

"Ri! What happened? Are you okay?" The tall shadow runs towards the woman and embraces her with an urge to protect. She hugs him back gripping his shirt tightly.

"Yes, El. I'm fine. It's just a..." Pulling away, the man cups her cheeks locking his dark brown eyes with her icy blue ones.

"Nightmare? Again?" Two frowns appear on the man's tanned forehead as he looks at her with concern. Keeping her head on his chest, she lets out a sigh with "yeah." He caresses her back, trying to calm her down. Breaking the embrace, she gives him a smile and holds his warm hand with her sweaty palms.

"I'm fine now El. Don't worry." He rubs his thumb on her cheeks and gives a sweet kiss on her sweating forehead.

"Liar. Your forehead is saying something else." He flicks her hairs from her forehead.

"I'm fine honey." She gives him a reassuring look, but she knows he is not reassured at all.

Taking the glass of water from the table, he holds it to her lips and makes her drink the water.

"El, where's Ciana?" The nervousness can be felt in her voice.

"She is still out with Shelley." He gets up from the bed and throws woods in the dying embers of the fireplace.

"What? They are still out?" She opens the closed curtains from the window behind as the snow covers the road.

"But the night has already fallen, and it's snowing too. Please ask them to come back immediately." Removing the quilt and carefully holding her baby bump, she tries to get out of the whitewashed wooden bed like a stubborn kid.

He dashes back to the bed and makes her seat. "Relax Iris. They have just gone to the park. Shelley told me that they'll be back soon. Don't worry okay hon.?" His voice is soft and soothing.

"But..."

"Mommy!" Iris' words are cut off with an excited scream.

Elroy and Iris looks at the door where a small girl is standing. Her glossy black hair is glowing under the yellow light of fire. Wearing a white knee-length dress, a white floral hair band and a big innocent smile, she is looking like a fallen angel.

"Ciana! You guys are back." Going towards the door, Elroy picks Ciana up and gives her a peck on her cheeks.

"Daddy." Giving a peck on Elroy's cheeks, she looks at Iris. Observing Iris for a few seconds, she brings her mouth to Elroy's ear and whispers, "Is mommy angry with me?"

"No Cia... she is not. She is just sitting on the fire. That's why smoke is coming out from her ears and nose." Both Elroy and Ciana laughs, pressing their lips tight. They are now looking at an angry Iris who is glaring daggers. 

"Oops." Keeping Ciana on the bed, Elroy sprints out of the door.

Iris is looking at Ciana sternly. But instead of being afraid, Ciana jumps at Iris and hugs her with a try to hold Iris in her little arms.

"Sorry mommy." And with this, Iris' anger cools down. But she doesn't shows it. She keeps her palm on the back of Ciana's head and asks, "For what you're telling sorry? Do you even know why I'm angry?"

Iris' authoritative tone makes Ciana lower her head. She mumbles, "No. I don't."

Surprised, she makes Ciana look at her. Her icy blue eyes is now full of questions and affection.

"Then why are you saying sorry?" Ciana gives a cute little smile and looks at her with her innocent green eyes.

"Because you are angry with me. Simple." Hearing this innocent answer, she can't refrain herself from smiling. Kissing her forehead, she looks at Ciana lovingly.

"I was angry because it's already night and you were still out.

"Was... hmm... that means you are not angry anymore?"Ciana gives her an expectant look.

"No, my Sherlock Holmes. I'm not angry anymore." Iris pulls her cheeks lightly.

"Yay!" She gives Iris a kiss on her cheeks and sits beside her.

"You know mommy, today I met a good auntie."

"Good auntie? Ciana, how many times have I told you to not talk with strangers?"

"Mommy, she is really nice. While running in the park, I bumped..."

"What? Are you hurt?" Iris starts panicking.

"Shelley! Shel..." She starts calling Shelley but Ciana shouts, "Mommy, let me finish."

"But?" Iris starts checking her for any injury.

"I'm not hurt mommy dear. Now listen na."

"Okay. Tell." Iris gives a curious look to Ciana as she speaks with happiness in her voice.

"Today while I was running in the park, I bumped into a lady and all her things fell off. I quickly bent down to pick them up and also said sorry. But she is so sweet. She didn't even got angry or shouted at me. And you know mommy, she has same black colour hair and green eyes like me and her hair is so long."

Ciana speaks excitedly. She gets dreamy thinking about her 'good auntie'. But Iris' eyes widen with a shocking expression. She fidgets with her fingers and her narrowed eyes lock upon a smiling Ciana.

"Did... did she said you anything?" Iris' voice quivers as she asks gulping down an unknown fear that's lurking in her eyes.

"Yes." Ciana nods her head two times. A frown forms on Iris' forehead. She quickly grabs Ciana's wrist. Seeing her mommy in such a panicked state, Ciana frowns but recovers her expression.

"She said I'm a nice girl and my mommy must be very proud to get me as her daughter." Ciana hugs Iris tightly trying to reduce her nervousness. Realizing how her little daughter is trying to comfort her, Iris forces herself to give a smile. Seeing the smile, Ciana also smiles, but her mother's nervous state is still bugging her.

"Mommy? Why are you so tensed?" Iris is taken aback hearing Ciana's question. She looks at her with surprised eyes.

"Mommy?" Ciana holds her mother's hand and looks at her expectantly.

"Nothing Cia. I'm thinking about this little baby." Iris caresses her bump with a small smile on her face. Ciana puts her small palm on Iris' bump and gives a kiss to the baby.

"Hey baby. I'm your elder sister and I'll be the perfect elder sister."She looks up and sees tears welling up in Iris' eyes.

"Ciana, can you promise me one thing?" Iris takes Ciana's two little hands into hers and says, "Promise me. No matter what happens, you two will always be together and protect each other."

Ciana is confused hearing this, but still nods her head and says with a smile, "I promise."

She kisses Iris' cheeks one last time before leaving the room. As soon as Ciana leaves, a frown appears on Iris' forehead. She bites her lower lip nervously. Slowly, she brings her feet down on the floral-printed carpet and picks up her mobile, kept on the table. Her hands are shaking as she opens the contacts list and calls someone. But the other end is quiet and after few seconds she hears a female robotic voice,

The number you are calling is not reachable.

She throws the phone on the bed and sighing, goes towards the washroom.

☆☆☆

The darkness of the fallen night has already cast a shadow on the bluish evening sky. The white snow is slowly covering the road and the roof of a purple-coloured house. A woman is standing under a snow-laden tree clenching her palms. Her eyes are stuck on a small girl who is playing with snow at the door steps of the house. A red-haired pregnant woman comes out and says something to her. The small girl gets up and goes inside the house holding the woman's hand tightly.

Seeing all these, the woman dugs her nails deeply making her palm bleed. She keeps on looking at the closed front door as a darkness covers her eyes making her dark green eyes darker. After some minutes, she brings out her phone from her jeans' pocket and calls someone.

ring... ring... ring...

Yes boss.

"Pick him up, now." She cuts the call and slowly her chapped lips twitches slightly as she keeps on gazing at the house.

☆☆☆

Clink...

Knocking sound of plates is spreading throughout the pale yellow kitchen. A brunette is setting up the table for dinner. She is repeatedly looking at the door. Her grey eyes glimmer with anxiousness and excitement.

"Shelley. Is the table set?" A friendly male voice comes which makes her turn around.

"Yes, Elroy. It's done." She gives a small smile to Elroy who is standing in his casuals with two hands in his trouser's pockets.

"Okay. I'm calling the girls." Elroy is about to leave but stops in his tracks and turns back. He looks at a hesitant Shelley who is parting her lips to say something but is closing it again.

"What is it Shelley?" He walks inside the kitchen.

"Um... I know I've joined last week only but can I get an early leave today?" Though her hair is tied in a sleek ponytail, still she is constantly locking her hairs behind her ears. Elroy patiently waits for her reason as he keeps on looking at her.

"Actually... my son is coming back from the boarding school today, so..."

Before Shelley can finish her sentence Elroy butts in, "Of course you can. After all it's Christmas Eve. And it takes hardly 10 minutes to reach your home. So, just chill. We are like a family right? And yes, bring your son tomorrow. We'll celebrate this year's Christmas together. Now hurry! Your son must be waiting." Hearing this, a bright smile lights up Shelley's c doe- shaped eyes.

She nods her head as she says, "Thank... thank you so much." Elroy gives a big smile as she leaves the house in a hurry.

☆☆☆

Shelley is walking as fast as she can in a poor neighbourhood. The fragrance of Christmas has not reached this part. Few yellow lights are dangling from the brick walls of the small single storey houses. Shelley enters in a similar house and closes the half broken door.

"Shawn! Your mom is back. Where are you?" She walks deeper into the house, but darkness smiles proudly forcing the surrounding to stay in the dark. Seeing it, Shelley sighs and walks towards a random direction murmuring, "Where's this boy? I took an early leave for him, and he is not even here. Let me call." She brings out her old broken phone and calls her son.

ring... ring...

The number you are calling is busy.

She scoffs hearing it. Just then her phone pings with a beep sound. Seeing Shawn's name in the notification bar, her eyes twinkle but as she opens the message, her eyes widen in the phone's screen light. Her lips are closed tightly and even in December's cold weather, sweat forms on her forehead.

"Ring... Ring..."

On the second ring, she comes out of the shock and quickly picks up the phone.

"What the hell! What kind of joke is this Shawn?"

"This is not a joke. Now, Do. As. I. Say." A cold female voice echoes in the eeire silent darkness.

☆☆☆

Words: 2214

Hello readers! This is my first suspense fiction. Hope you are liking it. Please vote,comment and share and let me know where I can improve. Till then bye with loads of love. ❤❤❤