PenanceA Story by Aurafiex Can some sins ever be atoned for? “Hurry up, you
miserable wretch!” “Coming!” Once, I had a
carefree and happy life. Not anymore. Frantically, I
filled the teapot to the brim with freshly brewed tea, placing it on the
serving tray, right in the middle of a set of matching teacups. “Faster, damn
you!” The voice from
the hall was now much louder and angrier. Closing my eyes for a split second,
each shrieking syllable and guttural breath seemed so visceral. It was almost
as though she was right behind me, breathing down my neck. Going as fast
as my legs could carry me while taking great care not to spill or drop
anything, I made my way from the kitchen to the living room. After all, I couldn’t
risk displeasing her again. No, never... not anymore, at least. Not after what
I’ve done. “Here you go,
enjoy!” I exclaimed in the most enthusiastic tone I could muster while setting
the tray on the table. As though in retaliation to my voice, she turned towards
me, her bloodshot eyes eviscerating my presence like a pair of sharpened
daggers. “You’re so
slow and worthless, Julia. Useless!” I bit my
tongue, pinning it firmly between my teeth as I closed my eyes. I felt myself
bowing my head in shame, as though my body were subject to the whims of her
words. Was I ever
good enough? Probably not, considering that a year had gone by without a mutual
exchange of anything remotely pleasant between us. “You know, I’d
have done all this myself, but you... YOU ruined everything!” She jabbed a
slender finger toward the lower half of her body, covered by a red woollen
blanket, emphasising her point with little desire for subtlety. Even so, I dared not look, for what lay beneath
represented the full extent of my sins. “I... I’m
sorry. I’ll be faster next time, I swear!” I exclaimed while using the teapot
to pour two cups of piping hot tea. As the cups filled up with the sizzling
brown liquid, I could feel steam rising from the cups, forming little droplets
of water as it caressed my face. We used to prepare tea together, Ayase and I.
Great fun it was back then. Now, the mere mention of such memories would send
her into a murderous frenzy where she would throw anything in range at me.
Learning about this firsthand, I dared not talk to her unless spoken to. “Shut up!” “....” Truth be told,
it wasn’t always like this. Miss Ayase and I were once really close friends.
We’d known each other since our days in kindergarten, and ever since then, we
were inseparable. Looking back, I still remember all the gossip, games and
happy times with a bittersweet longing. Good times indeed. Then, as if
the hand of fate resented our happiness, it all changed forever, one day after
school. During a moment of playful carelessness, I sent her tumbling down the
stairs. Even to this day, the sound of splintering bone and pain-wracked
screams call out to me with a cruel clarity. Even while awake, I couldn’t help
but feel those wretched sounds ring in my ears, as if they were an unfading
omen set to haunt me for all eternity. Come to think
of it, when was the last time I’ve had any sleep? Days? Months? Years? Who
knows. Still, lost
sleep was but a minor consequence, at least compared to Ayase’s fate. She was
to spend the rest of her days on a wheelchair, a shattered image of the lively
girl she once was. No longer able to cope with the rigours of everyday life,
she had abandoned everything she ever loved, shutting herself off from the
world. Now, all that remained was a brooding, vengeful and broken husk of my
dearest friend. Yet, as absurd
as her temperament was, who was I to argue with her? I was the one who had
damned her to this miserable existence. I knew this well in my heart, that I
had destroyed her life with my foolishness. She on the other hand never failed
to remind me. Even so, I
made sure to visit her in the hospital every day, to take care of her and keep
her company. I was there when she heard the news from the doctors, and I was
also there when she cried, trying in vain to comfort her. I still remember how
she pushed me away, her hate filled eyes screaming at me to leave. Yet, even
through my guilt, I felt a tinge of resentment gnaw at me. After all, was she
not aware of my pain? That I’ve suffered much from this as well? Fast forward
one year, and here I was, serving her tea. In front of our parents and peers,
she had made a big show of forgiving me. However, I was now little more than an
unpaid servant to her every whim. No longer was she Ayase, but someone
completely different. Rather, she
was now someone... unrecognisable. Truth be told, it was time to end the
charade, once and for all. She picked up
a cup and sipped it slowly, eyeing me with a suspicious glare as one would to a
thief. Returning her gaze for the first time in years, I picked up a cup and
took a sip of the freshly brewed tea. “And just what
exactly do you think you’re doing? I did not give you any permission to drink
this!” Ayase screamed. Her eyes were livid with fury at my transgression, as
though I had committed a cardinal sin of the highest order. You know, I
was hoping that things wouldn’t need to end this way. From the bottom of my
heart, I once took to my duties like a faithful servant, hoping to atone and
serve my penance, that Ayase would someday forgive me. However,
perhaps inevitably, I came to the realisation that what I was doing could never
heal the wounds of the past. It was simply impossible with the medicine
available, at least if the doctors were to be believed. Being a slave did
little in fixing the problem at its root cause. However, there
was one way to set things right. It wasn’t the perfect solution, but it was by
far the best I could do to make amends. “Ayase...
things are going to get better from here on out. So, close your eyes.” I
smiled, my eyes trying to blink away the tears rapidly forming in my eyes.
Reaching out to her, I took her hands into mine, just like how we held hands so
many years ago. “W-what...
are... you talking... about?” Ayase was now writhing in pain, her hands tightly
clutching her stomach, as though a rack of knives were plunged into her.
Watching her agony, I couldn’t help but smile, for the poison I had slipped
into the teapot was now working its magic, as it would soon be on me. “Close your
eyes, Ayase.” “Y...o...u...”
she shrieked, each syllable dripping profusely with raw hatred. Even in her
last moments, she still resented me, unable to understand what I had done to
end her suffering. “I’ll see you
in hell, my dear friend.” I said sadly, a tear rolling down my eye as visions
of what was to come filled my mind. Her hands were now frigid and pale, and her
head was bowed as though deep in prayer. No longer did she scream, and no
longer did she suffer. Now, our souls could fly free, and, God willing, we
would be able to start anew.
With nothing
left to do but await my fate, I knelt down and buried my face into her
lap. Even as my face caressed the
woollen blanket, I could feel my blood freezing with every passing second, as
the pain Ayase had experienced mere moments ago began to consume my body. © 2016 AurafiexAuthor's Note
Reviews
|
StatsAuthor
AurafiexSingaporeAboutHi! I enjoy World of Warcraft, music and swimming. I'm someone who writes for fun. Pardon any typos or mistakes, because I write on my phone(lol). I'm new here, so if you like what you see do.. more..Writing
|
![[send message]](https://www.writerscafe.org/images/mail.png){kind=small}
![[befriend]](https://www.writerscafe.org/images/friend.png){kind=small}
Share This
Email
Facebook
Twitter
Read Request
My Library
Flag Writing
