Free ANUNDR: THE EXODUS by N. U JOSHUA Page B

floor—just like the room in her dreams. She stood by the door, hesitating, her eyes scanning the water in disbelief. She heard someone splattering around the room. She regained her courage.
    ‘Alinus, I know you’re here.’ she said, descending a small flight of steps. The door slammed shut. She looked back in fright, then took a deep breath and looked forward. The water was at the bottom. When her feet touched it, it receded. She inched into the room. The water withdrew at her every step like it had a mind of its own.
    She heard shrill sounds from the mirrors. She looked around her, fear creeping into her heart. She heard a ripping sound. She glanced around again. There was a chill down her spine like her back was bare. She touched her back but felt her cloak.
    ‘Alinus, I’m not leaving here until you face me.’ she said.
    ‘I didn’t do anything.’ he said, from somewhere in the room.
    ‘Would you hide from me if you aren’t guilty? You betrayed me.’ She moved towards the direction the voice had come.
    ‘No, I swear I didn’t.’
    ‘You’re lying.’
    Her voice echoed in the room. The water spread to the mirrors, rising like thorns. Natalia gazed in awe. Her head ached. She held it. Loud cracking noises filled the room. She looked around to see the mirrors shattering one at a time. Alinus grunted in pain somewhere but she couldn’t help him. She fell on her knees. The water rushed like a river towards her and covered her. She fell flat on her back. She wanted to rise but she couldn’t as though there was a force holding her down. She held her breath and closed her eyes.
    In her head, she heard a voice singing a sad tune she hadn’t heard in many years. She opened her eyes. A ghostly image stood on top of the water, watching her. Seven fiery figures joined it, singing the same note. The talisman rose to the surface, glowing. The image touched the talisman with the tip of its finger and it looked at Natalia. In her head, she heard a voice say, ‘drink.’ She let go of her restraint and drank the water. It tasted bitter and hot. She kept her eyes on the figures above her as she drank, waiting for death.
    The figure waved its hand over the water. It receded and Natalia was back in the open air. She coughed, doubling over on her knees. She looked around. The ghosts were gone. All she heard was her panting until her mind exploded with the screams of a woman. She gasped and held her head. She felt a whiplash on her back, tearing into her skin. She cried out and took off her cloak. The whipping continued. Every lash ripped into her wet flesh. She tried to get up but couldn’t. Blood dribbled down her eyes. Her back and neck bled. Her clothes stuck painfully to her wounds.
    The whipping stopped. She looked up. All the mirrors were broken except seven. In all of the seven, she saw images of herself from when she was a child to her present age. In the last mirror, she saw herself in dark robes with a gruesome smile and a bloody sword. She screamed. The seven mirrors broke in unison.
    Akasha burst into the room. Natalia’s back was turned. She was wet and her neck and clothes were stained with blood. He recoiled. He knew that scene too well. It came rushing back to him. It was then it dawned on him who and what she was. He drew out a knife from his sheath and moved forward. He needed her dead . She turned her bloodied face to him. It was the same look he couldn’t forget, the same pain in her eyes. The talisman glimmered as it dangled around her neck and drops of blood trickled down the rope to the heart of the object. The blood enveloped the talisman and disappeared within its walls, the gem returning to its original color. It was to Akasha a vision of the past, a past that haunted him still. He dropped his blade and went down on his knees, leaning on his staff. He let go of it and buried his face in his hands. He kept saying, ‘No, no, no…’
    Alcon rushed in. He hesitated when he saw the sight. The