“Mom...I am sorry for being away from you...home...for so long...I miss you...you remember the black dress you gifted me..I wore that..finally!!...love you mom “, I was breathless and my eyes were filled with tears.
“I love you too angel.. is everything ok?”, her voice was tensed.
“Ya..everything is ok...I just thought of saying these to you...”
“Mom...if you won’t be able to see me again...will you forgive me for leaving you alone”,
“wait what....what do you mean not able to see!!!?? Where are you going. What happened...what’s happening!??..Cait..!?”, her voice was more tensed this time.
“Nothing mom...just wanted to clear up things..”
“Ok mom...gotta go..a lot of work is pending...need to get up early in the morning...bye..love you..”, my voice was convincing.
Anyways, I went to sleep with a dream that I’ll be with my Damon very soon. Everytime I dreamt of how happy we will be once we meet, katherine’s warnings interrupted all.
But somehow I managed to sleep.
The next day as soon as I landed in volterra, the city took me by it’s beauty . I was awestruck at how magnificent volterra looked!!.
“This place is perfect for our reunite", I thought
But why did Damon come here!?
Anyways., I booked a cab and soon I reached my hotel. After I got fresh n up, I ordered a coffee and started unpacking my luggage, then randomly I started combing my hair. I could realize, I was doing things aimlessly. I know how much stubborn I am that even on katherine’s repetitive denial I came to volterra but now what!!..how am I supposed to find Damon?.. I have no idea where he lives and neither have I taken katherine’s number. Volterra was no doubt a very diverse place and I don’t have much time.
Suddenly I started feeling sick. My brain nerves were thumping vigorously. I threw myself on bed and tried to sleep soundly (after all sleeping was my solution to everything).
Late night I woke up because I was shivering out of cold. I felt a blow of wind, a very cold wind but all the windows were closed. It was as if someone was asking me to get up. I touched the bed sheets, my phone, every other object,everything was cold—ice cold. But why-- everything was still, very still, as if time has stopped. I reached for my phone but the battery was dead. I was a brave girl but this time my heart was throbbing aloud. With beads of perspiration on my forehead I tried to switch on the lights but there was a power cut. Nothing felt good..I started to feel claustrophobic, so I went up to open the window when suddenly the intercom rang. I stood still. How is it possible!?.. there was no power..how come the intercom is ringing??
Something was odd. It was ringing softly, very softly. How unusual!!.
Soon after I picked up the receiver, I heard something that made me as lifeless as an autumn leaf.
“Hello Cait...”, came a whisper from the other side. I knew this voice. It was Damon, my Damon. I should have jumped out of happiness on hearing his voice but I didn’t . I could see myself in the mirror. I have become still, as still as a stone. I have turned pale and my hands were shivering.
“I have come for you, hurry up, I have come to take you Cait...”
He has come, finally I can see him but why wasn’t I happy!? Why wasn’t I excited? Had I not come here to meet him?...then why this hesitation!?... why this fear?...
I can sense my fear very strongly in the form of katherine’s warnings
Damon was not the same. Something has happened to him. I did not feel the same that I used to feel whenever I spoke to Damon. This time he was bizarre. His voice had something...something that I couldn’t explain even to myself.
I took the torch from my handbag and opened the door because I was a freak. The passage was too dark and as I said everything was very still, very quiet. Not a single voice from any of the rooms...
I took the stairs and soon I reached the reception
No one. Not a single staff !!.
“Is anyone there!?... hello!?...”, no reply
“Damon!!?...”, I called out doubtfully.
Suddenly a noise came from behind the counter. I put my torchlight right there—steady and focused, I approached the counter. I saw something that took my breath away...
I saw bloodstains on the walls and the floor. Something or someone dashed towards the stairs with a crackle of laughter from behind me. I turned in a fraction of seconds with trembling hands, the torchlight still not steady to focus on the stairs.. by the time I could see it was gone.
Suddenly the phone in the reception started ringing. I picked it up
“Damon...where the hell are you and what’s all this!!!???...”
I lost my strength when I heard the same crackle of laughter which I had heard just now....
“It’s just the beginning Cait..”, and the call ended.
My legs gave away. I was crying like hell. My head was spinning. I saw bloodstains, I heard something fiendish, Damon was not the same and I was aimless.
The reception door slammed shut beside me followed by the sounds of someone running away.
I ran from there. I ran towards the sound.
With a hope I came outside the hotel but there were no traces of sound anymore.
I looked around the street. The shops were closed, no vehicles, no other person on the street except me,it seemed as if nobody lived there.
The street lamps were glowing very dimly. I breathed sharply and listened, straining to hear the smallest sound as my heart’s throbbing grew fainter and fainter. The only thing
