Strings

The daylight was vague and the clouds have now conjoined. The breeze was cooler than it was an hour ago. Between two huge buildings stood a minuscule woman. Her eyelids were swollen, covering her bloodshot eyes. She wore a black dress which ended on her ankles. She collapsed by the sidewalk on her knees and burst out crying. She wailed like never before, pulling at her scruffy bronze hair.

“You’re a liar! You promised me that you’ll never leave me!” She grabbed her cheeks and shouted. “Our wedding, our devotion, our kids! Other future plans you abandoned! Jose! Now you’re down in the pits without me!” The more she cried, the more her eyes swelled. Her mouth was filled with saliva. TAP. TAP. TAP. She snapped her neck to turn behind her. Her screaming stopped and her eyelids parted to show her blood-red eyes. Her face was in shock. “No way... Jose!?”

A rapid zap of a violin tune was sounded. Then a chime.

“Zara, you’re not synchronized with me.” A little girl in her marble pajamas frowned at her sister. She had red cheeks and pale dry lips, watery blue eyes and black hair.

“Zayna, it’s not a big deal. You’re about to cry.” Zara however, had bronze hair and black eyes, resembling a familiar person. She too wore a marble pajama and was holding a wooden kalimba.

“I’m not about to cry about that.” She fidgeted around with the bean bag she was sitting on.

“Then what is it?” Zara said, not convinced.

“Mum. She’s not home yet. Dad too. Dad hasn’t been back from his trip for 5 weeks.” A little drop of tears landed on Zara’s hair.

“To be honest, I’m scared too. I’m like 1 minute older than you. I’m no help.” Zara shifted up and sat next to her twin. Zayna hugged her for comfort but Zara was uncomfortable. Zayna was always with Mum and she was always with Dad so they never had a chance to do anything together.

“Hug me back then.” Zayna giggled.

“Ugh, if you say so.” They squeezed each other for a long time. KNOCK KNOCK. They stopped playing around and paused for a second.

“Hey, Mum never knocks...” Zayna whispered out of fear.

“I don’t know. Maybe she left her keys?” Zara stood up slowly and made her way to the front door with Zayna tagging along.

“I have a bad feeling.” She was quickly shushed by her twin. She stopped right behind Zara and whimpered. She felt a hand squish her palm. Zara gradually unlocked the front door and pulled it open. A cold breeze wafted in unexpectedly. There was no one. The front gate was left open in the dark. There were muddy boot marks on the pavement.

“Should I go out and look?” Zara scanned into the open with her eager eyes.

“No! No! Never! What’s wrong with you!” Her sister turned around to look at her. Then her eyes were white with horror.

“Act like nothing’s wrong and close the door.” A gruff voice spoke behind Zayna. It was croaky and deep. Zayna stood still while Zara saw a grey old man with black death eyes standing ahead of her beloved sister. Two hands yanked Zayna. She screamed but the man laughed. “I’m twice the size of both you, kiddos combined. You can’t do nothing.” He spat. The spit was dark and lumpy and it hung onto the flower wallpaper.

“Sir, please let go of my sister!” Zara panicked, trying to find a way to help her shaking sister.

“No.” He stopped smiling and pulled out a gun.

“That was easy.” He lit his cigar and puffed away.