chapter 60

The clock went on with its tick-tick as the hands dragged itself to 11:45 pm. It was going to be Zara’s birthday in fifteen minutes. She was going to turn 16. “It was magical to turn sweet sixteen,” Veronica had said.

Veronica was her best and only friend. Veronica was a plump girl who enjoyed eating as if it was her full-time job. She had turned sixteen two months earlier and had gone on and on about how life was going to be a turning point and how she would now have boys waiting in line for her. Of course, Zara wasn’t into boys. (Or, for anyone for the record) Zara only had eyes for Harvard.

As the minute hand inched closer to the number 12, Zara began to feel drowsy. She was dying to sleep, but Veronica had forced her to stay awake so that she could be the first to welcome her to the sweet sixteen.

Stupid V thought Zara. But then there was no-one except Veronica and her mother who would wish her on her birthday.

Zara heard a rustle near the window similar to that of leaves rustling in the wind that startled her. She looked out of the window but was only greeted with the darkness of the night and twinkling stars. While she tried to peer out to get a better look, her phone rang loudly, startling her even more.

She received the call and was greeted with the high-pitched voice of Veronica.

“Happy birthday, best friend! Welcome to the elite gang of sixteen. Hope you make lots of boyfriends and beat Rebecca in the annual school fest.”

“Hahaha, keep your boys with you. Thanks, but no thanks.”

“You don’t even have an inkling of what beauty awaits you.”

Zara yawned, “Whatever. I am really sleepy, V. See you tomorrow at school.” She hung up and was relieved to finally be able to sleep peacefully. She settled in her bed and switched off the lights. As she pulled the covers over herself, a piece of paper slid down from the covers on the floor. Zara was sure she hadn’t had any books lying around, as she loved to keep her room neat and tidy.

Curious, she bent and reached for the paper. It was uneven as if somebody had hastily torn it from a book. She switched on the lights to get a better look and was surprised to see the edges of the paper charred as if it had been on fire. There was a text scribbled on the paper and drained her face of all sleep and color as she read it. Horrified by the note, she screamed aloud and threw it away, huddling in a corner.

Her mother, Rose, who had been asleep in her bedroom adjacent to the hall, came running upstairs. Rose barged in the room and saw her daughter crying. She hugged Zara tight and asked, “What’s the matter, honey? Are you having nightmares?”

Zara sobbed and replied, “Over there,” pointing to the corner where she had tossed the note, “I received a death threat.”

“What rubbish. You are watching too many horror movies with Veronica.” Rose put on the lights and scanned the entire room, but the note was nowhere to be found. When she saw her daughter with the same scared look, she grew concerned and asked, “Are you sure you weren’t dreaming, dear?”

Zara wasn’t sure. She had taken the note in her hand and read the words. It had felt real. But how would the note disappear on its own? Where did it go?

“Probably you were having nightmares. Though, I had hoped you were asleep dreaming of a fantastic date with someone. Happy birthday, dear.”

Zara groaned, “Mom, not again! I can barely stand V; you don’t need to start it too.”

“Okay, I was just kidding.” Her mother ruffled Zara’s hair affectionately and kissed her forehead. “Off to bed; tomorrow is going to be a big day. We will have a small party with your favorite barbecues and ice-cream.”

Zara only nodded her head in affirmation. This had been the case for every birthday she could remember. Her mother worked two to three part-time jobs for a living. Zara understood how her mother wished to give her daughter everything but always didn’t have enough money.

“Goodnight, Mom. Wake me up early tomorrow; I have to finish the school assignment.”

Rose bid her daughter goodnight and left the room. Zara closed the door with shivering hands. She was positive she hadn’t been dreaming. She spent the next half an hour searching for the note, craning under her study table, cupboard, and her bed. Finally, she gave up and almost convinced herself that maybe, she had been, in fact dreaming. She looked out of the window, but it was dark, and everything appeared normal. She shut the door and windows, double-checked everything, and went to sleep.

However, she hadn’t seen a dark figure sitting on the rooftop, keeping an eye on her. The silhouette could easily blend in the night due to its black color that dissolved in the darkness of the night. As Zara switched off her light, a handsome boy who had been watching her from a distance uttered a guttural sound. The dark figure took one look at the origin of the noise and spread out its enormous wings. It leaped into the sky, flying into nothingness.

The boy climbed up Zara’s balcony and slid the window open as if it was made of wax. He went in and studied Zara intently for a moment. He resisted touching her, and his hand hovered on his head for a minute before he silently climbed out of the window.

He was a blue-eyed boy who erased the memory of the note from Zara’s mind. He ensured that Zara wouldn’t remember the incident when she got up from sleep in the morning.