Symphony of Death
Chapter 3

Anastasia’s POV

I walked around the dress and admired it from every direction. It was finally done. This dress made me work to my bones but it was going to be the ultimate bomb of the entire show.

I was so proud of creating it.

The entire idea of the show seemed too dark at first. But now that the dresses morphed physically, everything seemed extraordinary.

“Admiring your work?” His deep voice whispered from behind me.

“Kind of,” I replied and faced him when he approached me.

Cain observed the final dress from every direction. His sardonic expressions didn’t do any justice to my fretting nerves.

“Something wrong?” I asked.

“You tell me,” I straightened my posture when Cain faced me. “Do you replace something wrong?” I looked at the dress behind him. “Does it take this long to identify an error?”

“It seems fine to me,” I replied honestly.

“Just fine?” Cain cocked one brow in mock curiosity.

“It’s perfect,” I replied confidently. “Do we need to move this as well?”

“Not now.” He replied curtly.

I nodded and moved past him to give the last touch-ups to my masterpiece.

“Don’t stay for too long.” I looked at Cain questioningly. “Rest are already gone.”

“That late?” I whispered to myself and rushed to my phone. “Whoa!” I was surprised to see the time.

I was so engrossed that I didn’t keep check of the time.

I need to call Nat or Angie.

It was past nine already. I won’t be able to go alone.

I looked back just in time to see Cain walking out of the hall.

“No greetings at all.” I shook my head and got back to work after placing my phone on the table. “Let’s wrap everything and leave–”

The lights blew off through the whole room.

I crashed back into the table and everything fell to the floor with me. My hands slapped everywhere in search of my phone.

“No” I struggled to breathe normally. I kept crawling across the floor blindly in an attempt to replace leverage. “Can’t see. I can’t see.”

Anastasia!

I shrank back when the voices closed in on me.

Help me.

I palmed my ears, my breathing turned shallow and my heart felt close to exploding with fear.

Ana!

Help us.

My back hit something hard and I stilled when I felt a cold hand on my shoulder.

I can see you.

My eyes flew open against my command and I found myself face to face with the last thing I ever wanted to encounter ever again.

I was five years old when a random lady came to me and started talking when Laurel left me alone at our table to get our ice creams.

She was a beautiful woman, kind and sweet. She talked to me as if she knew me already.

I still remember that day.

I still remember how Laurel dragged me back home hurriedly when I told her of the nice lady sitting next to me.

I never slept with the lights off from that day onward.

“Listen to me, Ana. Never make eye contact with people who call out to you from the shadows. Shut your eyes and walk away. Don’t ever go to the other side.”

I still remember Laurel’s words. She never let me out to play on my own again. I stayed inside the house, day and night.

Laurel never let me out of her sight for a second and things kept getting worse.

I became a freak who talked to the air. People called me all kinds of crazy. I lost friends.

However, I had people whom no one could see.

They were always nice to me. They would share their problems with me, a five-year-old, and always kept me company when other kids of my age ran away from me.

Until one night I saw with my own eyes, why Laurel wanted me to act blind and deaf to those invisible people.

At that moment, I wished I was blind.

Those people who appeared normal in daylight were a hellish nightmare in the darkness. Their truth came out when the lights disappeared.

I still hear my screams sometimes when I remember that night.

All those smoke-like entities looked nothing like the monsters from the stories. Their appearance was nothing like what I was used to seeing in daylight.

Those were their real faces, their real eyes, and real voices.

That was the night I experienced the essence of death and being near the dead for the first time.

I could see the dead.

I didn’t know why.

It was not something one would ever wish to do. The moment the light turned to dark, the whole world shifted around me. It was not just the world of living anymore.

Not for me at least.

They were everywhere. Those pale eyes, bony and bluish hands, and ashen forms of once humans. Whispering, screaming and wandering. I could see them walking around us.

Among us.

Nothing was normal after that.

Nothing.

And now you see me.

I shook violently when it raised its bony hand toward my eyes.

You have them, Anastasia. You don’t know.

It pointed to my eyes.

The pale irises with a black cross instead of a pupil.

Whenever it was dark, the dead appeared. Whenever they were near, my eyes changed from normal.

Anastasia!

“Leave me alone,” I screamed. “Leave me, please. Go away.”

I started crying loudly when hundreds of them appeared and reached for me at the same time. Their cold whispers and presence were choking me.

“Help. Please. Someone, help.”

****

Cain’s POV

“I am coming.” I walked briskly toward the elevators. “Get everything ready.”

My ears caught a faint thud from inside the hall. I looked back when the silence ensued the next moment.

“What was that?” Aeron inquired. “Cain?”

“HELP!”

“Cain, what is going on?” Aeron questioned sharply. “Who are you with?”

I ended the call to his inquisition and rushed back to the hall.

“Don’t tell me,” I opened the door angrily.

The air shifted through the entire place the moment I stepped inside the dark hall. My fists clenched and my eyes changed.

From turquoise to electric blue.

My pupils elongated into slits and shifted from black to red. These despicable pests always triggered my truth to surface.

“What do we have here?” I chuckled darkly and walked further inside the pitch-black hall. “What an unexpected sight!”

I could smell their fear.

“I am not even gone for that long and someone’s already creating mischief back home.” I eyed them scornfully.

They knew what it meant to come across me yet, they still dared to drift across the boundary and cause trouble between both sides.

“Fucking parasites,” I growled.

They howled like slaughtered animals when thick black chains appeared around their deformed necks. The chains were no ordinary restraints and they were not bound to the mere floor.

Someone is in for an explanation.

My thoughts were cut short by soft whimpers and I found her small frame curled under the table.

Every last of them vanished into thin air when I raised my hand. I delivered them where they should have been.

To Acreoterra.

My home and the perdition for these vermins who neither fall in heaven nor hell.

I need to sort this little mess before I tend to them.

“Ms. Grace!” She cowered back in fear. “Come out.”

Anastasia shook her head violently. She has yet to raise her head from her knees and realize who she was talking to.

I need to know how much she heard or saw before I deal with her.

“It’s me,” I tried reaching for her again. “Cain.” Her struggles stopped and she looked toward me with her closed eyes. “Anastasia? Come here.” My scowl deepened when she refused to comply.

“It’s dark.” She mumbled. “I can’t see it. Please, turn on the lights.”

She latched onto my arm when I palmed her head and guided her out from under the table. She didn’t dare to open her eyes even once.

Her hands moved around wildly when I stepped back from her. I watched her search for me frantically without looking. Her arms came around my waist and she buried her face in my chest.

“No!” Anastasia shook her head violently when I tried to push her back. She was desperately trying to hold on to me with her feeble strength. “No!” She fisted my jacket and pushed her face deeper into my chest as if trying to hide from something.

“I’m going to carry you out,” I whispered in her hair.

Her arms came around my neck automatically when I lifted her. She was becoming hysterical by the minute and that was the last thing I wanted to deal with. I carried her out of the dark hall and into the hallway.

“Anastasia?” Her arms tightened around my neck. “I cannot carry you all night.”

Her head slowly detached from the crook of my neck and her eyes finally fluttered open. Anastasia looked around reluctantly when I lowered her to the floor and unlocked her arms from around my neck.

“Wait!” She caught my hand when I got up to leave. I looked at her palm against mine. “I-” Her fingers curled around my hand pleadingly.

I closed my eyes when another sensation coursed through me. I could feel the shift in my eyes again.

“Ana!” Her friend came running out of the elevator.

Angela was her name if I recall.

“What’s wrong?” She asked her and looked at me warily. “What happened?”

“Angie!” Anastasia pointed toward the hall. “That–”

“It’s okay.” Her friend interjected her deliberately. “You are fine.” She helped her stand. “Let’s go home.”

“My phone.” Her gaze moved toward me. “The dress. Everything is inside.”

“I’ll ask Nat to get your things and lock the place up.” Anastasia nodded at Angela. “Thank you, Mr. Black.” Anastasia looked at me as well when her friend thanked me.

There was curiosity in her eyes.

“Let’s go.” Angela took her to the elevator.

I waited until the doors closed on them and called Aeron once I was alone.

“Aeron?” I looked toward the hall again. “I want every little detail about Anastasia Grace.”

****

Anastasia’s POV

I looked at myself in the mirror for one last time. My black dress was perfect for the big night.

“Yes, ready and good to go.” I heaved a sigh. “I am not ready to step out of my room and face the world.” I sat on the bed and held my head.

I was exhausted by everything around me. I simply didn’t have the energy to continue acting normal anymore.

It was not the first time and it was not going to be the last time. Yet, each encounter left a scar on my emotional state deeper than ever.

Nothing changed, after all.

“Buckle up, Anastasia.” I got up and patted my dress. “Sulking is not going to pay your bills or afford a trip to Neverland.” I mustered up the best smile and left for the hotel.

The place was hyped up when I reached.

I double checked everything on the lists as I made my way to the elevator. I was reluctant to go to the fifth floor alone but this was work.

“I hope they have fixed the lights.” I dashed to get inside the elevator but the doors closed right when I reached them. “Damn!” I stomped my feet and turned to go to the other one but the door dinged behind me. “Oh, thank-”

I was not ready to run into him.

“Are you getting in?” Cain sounded annoyed.

I got in and stood next to him. I couldn’t seem to breathe normally. His persona was just too oppressive in inexplicable ways.

“I-” Cain pressed the button to the fifth floor. “Are you heading there as well?”

“No,” he replied curtly.

I stole a glance at him from the periphery. Cain was standing erect with hands in his pockets. Another wave of blush coated my cheeks when I remembered yesterday.

I didn’t even thank him.

I kept fidgeting with my files nonstop.

Why was it taking this long?

My held breath was released when the door pinged and I rushed out after muttering a quick thanks.

“Anastasia?” Cain called me from behind. “Call someone.” The doors closed on him.

I just stood there for a whole minute.

“Work.” I shook my head. “I need to focus on work.” I rushed to the hall.

Nia and Sean came later and we took everything to the event hall.

Everything went smoothly and perfectly despite all the last minute changes. I was sure we were going to have a private after-party at the apartment tonight.

This was our first success on individual levels.

Angie loved to hit booze on such occasions.

“You go girl.” Nia slung her arm over my shoulder. “That is one hell of a dress straight from hell.” I shook my head at her jibe. “It’s not easy to keep up with that man.” She bobbed her head toward Cain sitting among the exclusives.

“The cold aura he gives, it’s something else.” Nia shuddered involuntarily. “He is a charmer alright, in a dark way.”

“You have too many fantasies” I scoffed and ticked another box on the checklist.

“But on a serious note, don’t you think it’s a little weird?” Nia said seriously. “All of this. The Black’s and not to mention the models they brought in yesterday.”

I looked at them on instinct.

“They seem different. I don’t mean they are not beautiful. They are the bomb, girl.” She chuckled. “But this beauty doesn’t seem normal. I mean how can someone be this flawless?” Nia whistled. “How come these dresses look so natural on them?”

“You are thinking too much into it, Nia.” I ticked another box and looked up when one of the models walked past us. “Maybe, that’s why they were brought here in the first place,” I commented offhandedly.

Nia was not entirely wrong but I was not going to dwell on it.

“Come on, let’s go.” I nudged her shoulder.

It was finally over and I could breathe now.

“Anastasia Grace!” Angie pounced on me once she found me alone. “You sexy little thing. Those were some dresses. I mean, just wow.”

I scratched my forehead sheepishly.

“You nailed it, Ana. Congratulations.” Angie hugged me. “Your very own collection.”

“Thank you. But it’s not my collection yet. I’m just a designer behind the curtains.” Angie scrunched her nose in response. “You were amazing, Angie. The entire coverage was amazing.”

“Keep going,” Angie grinned. I punched her shoulder lightly. “But, thanks. I was so nervous all the time.” We walked out of the event hall. “Aeron had literally pressed an invisible knife to my throat. I was sure I was going to mess up somewhere.”

“I think we underwent the same pressure.” I breathed out loudly and looked at Angie when she linked her arm with mine. “Where is Nat?”

“She is probably looking into the closing.” Angie replied. “Did you thank your boss for yesterday?”

“I couldn’t replace the chance to. Besides, he is so scary.” I shuddered involuntarily. “I can’t muster enough courage to initiate a conversation with him.” I looked at her with a poker face. “I don’t think he wants my gratitude. He was pretty pissed off yesterday.”

“You are impossible, Anastasia.” Angie shook her head rather dramatically.

“Ana!” Hannah called me from behind. “Come with me for a minute.”

“I’ll meet you downstairs, Angie.” She nodded and I walked back with Hannah. “Is everything okay?”

Hannah grabbed my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Suddenly, I was not feeling nice anymore.

She took me to the top floor. There was only one room. My brows creased in confusion when she signaled for me to keep quiet and lightly rapped on the door.

Nothing made sense to me until I saw the people inside the room.

“She is here.” Hannah announced and let go of my hand.

“Ms. Anastasia Grace!” One of them stood up. “I am Killian Abram, Mr. Cain’s lawyer.” I shook his hand against my will. “Your work was laudable.” His smile didn’t seem friendly at all.

I looked at the gathering.

There were two more people apart from Cain and his brothers. One was the main model, Sharon, and the second female was the one accompanying her. I mistook her for a model until introductions were made.

“Why am I here, Hannah?” I asked calmly.

“She doesn’t like roundabout talks.” Sharon chuckled. “There is no need to play sympathy cards then.” She looked at Cain. “Why don’t you break it to her?”

“Anastasia!” Hannah jumped in before any of them could say anymore. “Hand over your designs to Ms. Constance.” I blinked at her in astonishment. “This collection was not created by you.”

“Are you hearing yourself, Hannah?” I asked her disbelievingly and looked at Cain.

How can he sit this calmly and shamelessly?

“You see there are certain matters that called for this decision, Ms. Grace.” I fisted my hands when his lawyer addressed me again. “Mr. Black is ready to pay the price you demand. In return, you will have to sign the non-disclosure agreement and pass the rights–”

“Save it,” I cut him sharply. “I don’t need a fucking penny. I just want to get out of here.”

I raised a hand to stop Hannah. I was in no mood to listen to any more rubbish. I signed the papers and left for the door.

“And Hannah,” I faced her calmly. “You will receive my resignation tomorrow.”

I slammed the door after me and rushed to the elevator. Anger surged up inside me and my eyes burnt with dry tears. I leaned back when the doors closed and the elevator started going down.

“Damn it,” I wiped my cheeks furiously when a traitorous tear slipped out of my eye.