Chapter 5

Ella couldn't sleep the whole night thinking about the murder in town. Was it really related to her? She was very sure that she was the person for whom someone was killed and the mere thought of it is spine chilling for Ella.

After moments of turning and twisting and walking, Ella finally felt a little tiredness overcoming and drifted into sleep slowly.

'Ella... Ella' someone whispered eerily near her.

Ella suddenly jerked and turned around to find the source of the voice. There was nothing but white fog engulfing her from all the sides. Is it a dream or real, Ella couldn't make sense of, but the voice was terrifying.

'Sleep Ella, dear.' She heard a hoarse male whisper in her ear from behind. When she turned around, there was nothing but dark night and white dew fog covering her. Ella shivered in absolute fright and shrieked when she felt a warm breath on the nape of her neck.

'Wh-o? Who? Please, wh-who are you?' Ella stammered looking around for the source of voice but seems like the heavy white fog was making it difficult for Ella to see anything. It was like a barrier formed between her the voice.

She wanted to run far away from the eerie environs and tug herself into a far corner but no matter how much she ran she still ended up in the same place that the maze, fog created.

'Hush, I'm here Ella dear, there's no need to get afraid. Stop running and sleep Love, I will watch over you' Tears streamed down her eyes and a loud hiccup came out from her.

Why was this happening to her? Who was the invisible person speaking to her?

Ella was not a weakling from the start in fact she was one of the brave and strong person one can counter in a lady at that time. She never stepped back to express herself under any situation. She was adored, admired and envied by many girls around her age.

It was only when the series of incidents hit her that made her fragile at heart. A human has the power to make the good out of bad and worst out of good. According to Ella, human is a dangerous and cruel animal that God has created. Even most ferocious wild animals only attack when they feel threatened but Ella knows people can attack their own kind for their greed and gain.

It was not the incidents of bad luck that shackled her but it was the people who created them.

Ella closed her eyes in an attempt to wake up if this was any bad dream but she was only answered with a sweet warm blow of breathe on her face. She shivered, but this time it was something that she did not feel ever, something akin to sensual. Surrounded by the chilling cold dew, she felt warm breathe blown all over her face and she felt she was slowly loosing her conscious.

There was some kind of magic that surrounded her and she was suddenly feeling drowsy. What was it? She didn't know. Why was she suddenly feeling warm and drowsy like a spell was casted on her?

Slowly, the fear and her thoughts were leaving her mind making her drift into darkness.

"Come out you wench. Are you sleeping peacefully after cursing us with your evil presence?"

Ella bolted out from her peaceful sleep and looked at around expecting her to find inside the fog maze.

'It must be a dream' she thought feeling weird sensation on her face. It felt warm and smelt sweet. She immediately skipped towards her small mirror to look at herself and found that the bluish black dark bags under her eyes were no more there. Her skin felt soft under her finger like it was pampered with beauty herbs. He eyes were totally another issue. They were glowing green like vast fields of wild trees.

Ella couldn't comprehend how her bed ridden horrendous face completely transformed into a decent one. Might be the very good night's sleep she had last night fixed her up.

"Ah!" Ella shrieked when a large stone hit her on her shoulder. That was when Ella registered the commotion taking place outside her cabin.

The villagers...

The whole town were outside her cabin throwing stones at her for God knows what reason.

"Come out, you witch. You are nothing but a vile unfortunate creature cursing us with your bad luck." One of the ladies in the village yelled throwing stones inside the cabin.

What happened?

Why were they here and yelling at her all of a sudden?

She didn't do anything then why suddenly the villages are abusing her?

Ella was suddenly worried if the villagers got to know about her little visit to the market and selling her goods there. If she was caught doing that, then it was end for her. No doubt they would kill her in the most brutal way. They are monsters and can do anything. Ella was scared.

Ella hated herself so much for getting scared for everything. She was not a coward but now after years of facing hell on earth, Ella was afraid of everything.

She walked to the window that was situated in the corner of her small cabin and peeked outside. Tens of villagers were crowded around her hut with dangerously scowling faces and picking stones to hit her.

Not knowing what to do and how to handle the situation, Ella slowly stepped outside the door and give her side of explanation.

"Wh-why are you all here?" She asked meekly.

"Why are we here? You dare question us when you are haunting our village with misfortune after misfortune." A man yelled and threw a stone one her, hitting her on her head.

Ella fell on her knees with the force the stones hit her. She was in pain, hurt physically and emotionally.

"I did not do a-anything." Ella stammered and confused why those people were so furious towards her. What has she done? She did not even go out of her property from few days, then for what was she accused of?

"There was a murder in the town. Who do you think was responsible for that, you harridan?" The ground beneath Ella's feet shook and she gasped. Her face lost the little color it has and her heart was pounding loudly inside the ribs.

Oh no! They have found out!

They found out that the man was murdered as of her. They found out. What should she do now? She didn't even know why that person was killed and why for her then how is she supposed to explain to the villagers.

People yet again started throwing stones at her and Ella closed her eyes and covered her face with her arms to protect herself. She was expecting the stones to hit her and she was waiting for pain and death to embrace her.

She waited and waited for the pain to hit her only for her to hear screams. Reluctantly Ella opened her eyes. With great difficulty she tried to keep them open but due to the sand storm that engulfed the villagers, she was unable to see another other than the dry sand running in the air in large circles.

'Was that her husband, grandma? It was him right?' Little girl asked with sparkling eyes full of curiosity.

The old grandmother looked amused at the little kid and asked, 'Why do you think that it was her husband? Her husband was dead, dear.'

The little girl tapped her chin for a moment in though and answered, 'Whenever she talked to her husband's grave, the sand raised around her so I suppose it was her husband's way of saving her from cruel people.' The clever girl said which made the grandma chuckle in response.

'But grandma how her husband died? You did not tell me that?' The old grandma smiled knowingly at the dear child.

'That is because the husband was not dead. But she married a dead person. Precisely, a corpse'

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