Rise of the Darkness — CHAPTER 17

Calla woke up and looked around. She was still at the cliff. She quickly got up and went back to the campsite. Sidney looked at her best friend and ran to her. She wrapped her arms around Calla and pulled her in a hug. She pulled away after a few minutes and yelled. " What the hell Calla? You gave me a heart attack. Where were you?" Calla gave her a guilty smile and rubbed the back of her neck.

"You were snoring so loudly last night. I couldn't sleep. I went to the cliff and sat there. I don't know when I fell asleep there. I'm so sorry." Calla replied.

Sidney sighed and again hugged her friend. She was so worried to even think that Calla was missing. "No, you're not real, you're not real. Stop, leave me alone." They both heard someone yelling. They turned around and found Janet yelling crazily.

They both looked at each other and again at Janet. "What happened to her now?" Sidney asked.

Calla shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. She was fine last night." Calla said which was the last thing she remembered before everything was dark.

FLASHBACK END.

Calla opened her eyes and started sobbing. She got up from the bed and went out of the bedroom, barefoot. She didn't know he was just teasing her and that he could never hurt her. She wanted to apologise for her mistake and all the misunderstandings. She went downstairs and looked around but he was nowhere to be found. Calla looked in the kitchen and all checked all the rooms as well but nothing. Then she went to the basement. She climbed down the stairs and opened the door. Everything was trashed and fully destroyed. Ethan was sitting on a couch, he's head in his hands and elbows resting on his knees. Calla slowly walked towards him carefully avoiding the shredded mirror pieces. He didn't look up. Calla knelt down on the ground in front of him and grabbed his hands. He looked at her with red eyes. She wiped his eyes and cupped his face. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that. I'm sorry for being so judgy." She apologized with guilty eyes. Ethan got up and exited the gym. He went upstairs and zoomed out of the house. Calla also got up and was about to follow him but shredded pieces of the broken mirrors pierced through her feet. She yelped in pain and fell down on the ground. She looked at her feet which had wounds and were bleeding. She still got up and tried to follow Ethan. Crawling through the staircase, she went back to the ground floor but Ethan was already gone. She laid down as she didn't have any strength left to even call him. She closed her eyes and the darkness engulfed her.

Ethan was so angry at her that he didn't even listen to her apologies and left her alone in the house. (You don't trust me. Stay alone for a while then you'll understand everything.) He thought to himself. He felt pain but didn't pay any attention. He was out of the house but still not too far away. He laid on the ground, closed his eyes and drifted off. He next opened his eyes at night. Moon was shining brightly, it was late. He got up and went back home. He opened the door and a familiar scent hit his nostrils. He walked in and found Calla laying on the ground. Her feet were wounded and were bleeding. He quickly ran to her, scooped her up into his arms and carried her bridal style. He took her to his room, cleaned up all the wounds. He removed all the glass shreds from her feet. He applied ointment and bandaged her feet. He then cleaned up the house and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner for both of them.

Calla woke up and found herself in his soft bed. She needed to pee. She stood up on the ground and screamed loudly. Because of the sudden pressure, her feet started bleeding again. Door burst open and Ethan came into the room. Seeing her wounds started bleeding again, he quickly grabbed the first aid kit and sat beside her. She was sobbing quietly. He removed the bandages and started cleaning her feet. He didn't speak a word and kept cleaning her wounds. A loud sob escaped Calla's lips and she clapped her hand over her mouth. He didn't look at her but kept his eyes on her feet. "I'm sorry." She said that and she started crying loudly. She didn't know, either she was crying because of the pain in her feet or because of the pain she can feel in her chest.

Ethan quickly pulled her in his lap and rubbed her back. "It's okay. Don't cry Calla." Ethan whispered.

"Did you forgive me?" She asked. Her voice cracked due to the pain.

Ethan sighed. "Were you afraid of me?" Ethan asked and Calla nodded her head. "Why? Why were you afraid of me?" Ethan asked her again.

She laid her head on his shoulder. "You said you know about every single mole on my body. I couldn't remember anything about you except for the Beach party and that shop." She replied.

Ethan wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. "It's true that you have seen me before but you can't remember because I had erased all those memories. I admit I have seen you naked so many times but that doesn't mean I would have touched you that way." He explained.

He then cupped her face and caressed her cheeks lightly with his thumbs. "The night before Sophie vanished, I admit I had lost my control but I hadn't done anything wrong. Yes, I had kissed you but I stopped myself before things could get more serious." He explained.

Calla narrowed her eyes as she remembered what she had said to him. She felt guilty. Ethan kissed her forehead. "It's okay. I should be the one to feel guilty. You won't be able to walk for a while." Ethan said.

"I forgive you." Calla replied. He pinched her chin lightly and guided her lips to his. Before he could kiss her she pulled back.

She saw pain in his eyes and she quickly replied. "It's not because of you. It's because I need to pee and I can't hold it anymore and I'm sitting on your lap and… " she explained shyly.

Ethan started laughing and she hid her face in her hands. He scooped her up and took her to the bathroom. He made her sit on the camot and said. "I'm waiting outside. Once you're done just call me okay?" Calla nodded her head and Ethan left.

Calla quickly finished her business and called Ethan back. He took her back in the room and made her lay on the bed. "You need to eat. You hadn't had anything since morning." Calla nodded and Ethan went to the kitchen to bring her the dinner he had cooked.

He came back with a bowl of chicken soup. He sat beside her and fed her himself. Calla ate it without a single word. She was hungry and tired. Once done, Ethan made her lay down on the bed and then he went back to the kitchen. He cleaned up the kitchen and went back to the room. Calla was still awake. Ethan went to the bathroom, took a long shower, changed into his PJs and came back out. Calla was still awake. Ethan shook his head and was about to move towards the couch when Calla held his hand. "You can sleep in your bed." Calla said.

"No, I'll be fine on the couch." Ethan replied.

"Please, I said I'm sorry." Calla pleaded and Ethan raised his both hands in defeat.

"Fine, you win. Gosh you are so manipulative." Calla smiled and Ethan laid beside her.

"Close your eyes and get some rest." Ethan sided and pecked her forehead. She quickly closed her eyes and snuggled closer to him. Ethan's smile widened and he wrapped his arms around her. "Good night Ethan." She said.

"Good night my love" he replied and closed his eyes as well.