I showed her my hand and I tried to show her the wounds but they mysteriously disappeared…
"What happened to your hand? It seems perfectly fine! Were there mosquitoes?"
She knows my habit of complaining to her about mosquitoes and showing my hand to her. I didn't even have that mark! I clearly remembered that there was a wound and It even bled! Until then, aunt came with coffee and asked
"What made you wake up so early ?"
Mom : "Seems like she didn't sleep well! Are mosquitoes around here?"
Aunt : "Yeah sometimes there are a few!"
Mom : "Oh , she is not used to sleeping with mosquitoes!"
Aunt : "I'm so sorry I didn't know that! Edith sleeps so unconsciously that I didn't really think of them as a problem!"
Mom : "No, don't apologise! Children nowadays are full of tantrums. They must learn to adjust in every environment. I can say she is a bit spoiled ."
Me : "Hey ! That's not true ! Why are you awake so early then ?"
Aunt : "Your mom and I didn't sleep all night."
Me : ( completely shocked ) "What ?"
Mom : "Yes ! We are never able to contact each other on the phone like you . ( Smilingly ) So when we meet , we share all the possible things we can !"
Aunt : "That's true . We don't know when we'll meet again ."
Mom : "Nor about when we met last time !"
They continue to speak to each other as I get up .
Mom : ( In a fainting voice ) "We shouldn't have so much gap between the meets !"
Aunt : ( In a very less audible voice ) "Yeah I completely agree !"
I couldn't understand what happened to me at night. Their conversation was muffled in the background and fading as I recalled that creature looked like mom. Who was she then? I sat motionless rethinking about the entire night.
Aunt : "Hey, are you ok?"
Me : ( coming back to my senses ) "Huh? Me?"
Mom : "She's probably sleepy… This is never the time she gets up…!"
Aunt : "So does my Edith."
Me : "Did you hear any noise last night?"
Both of them snapped their heads towards me. Aunt's face changed. She adjusted herself, tightening her grip on the cushion, clearly uncomfortable by this question.
Aunt : "Wh–what do you mean noise?"
Me : "Like someone banging the door?"
Aunt : "Is Edith awake?" she quickly asked, trying to get up. I saw the way her hands shivered a little, shoulders squared and hands clasped.
Me : "No."
Aunt : "Come let's wake her up…"
She placed the cushion aside and was getting up.
Mom : "Hey, it's still early! You were telling me something about the grandfather… Is it necessary to wake her up?"
Aunt : ( In a firm and commanding tone ) "Yes it is!"
Mom : "Then let her do it." Mom snapped.
Aunt : "Do what?"
Mom : "Wake Edith up!"
I interrupted them saying I can and ran upstairs. Aunt sat back down but her face was changed… Like she was told the death news of someone dearer to her.
I also wanted to ask Edith about this. She was mom , right? She did appear like her. At Least before she had attacked me… but that too was my dream, right?
So I opened the door and pulled the blanket away from her face. Still she didn't get up.
"Edith get up! I've got plenty of things to say! Edith! EDITH!" I called out several times, but she answered none of it.
I shook her and Even sprinkled some water on her. Yet somehow all of these efforts were in vain… as if pouring water down the sinkhole.
I had tried all the possible ways on Earth to wake her up. But it appeared as if her eyelids were tightly glued to each other…
I remember and I checked… she was still breathing. For one last time, I called her again. She didn't even move, finally getting tired, I left her as she was and went back down.
As I was climbing downstairs, I heard my mom say
"Is this how he died? Oh, so sad! I wish I never hear any more deaths like this…"
But as she heard me coming down, both of them quickly straightened themselves.
"Did she get up?" Aunt asked, her voice filled with concern and fear.
I shook my head.
"Relax, you said that she sleeps unconsciously right? Maybe she's tried, let her rest… And as for us, we should get ready. Edith, go and tell your father!"
I shook my head and turned. But I noticed a glimpse of my mother gesturing to my aunt about my presence. She widened her eyes and pointed at me, like a warning to not continue speaking in front of me.
Aunt nodded her head. They didn't see me noticing it. The way Aunt quickly bent her head after that, it felt like a secret… one they're ashamed of sharing?
It was the time to bid farewell. Dad had all the things packed and ready.
Neither uncle was seen nor Edith.
For one last time, it tried asking her again. But it didn't work. It was as if the whole world's sleep consumed her like a hungry prey. I told my aunt that Edith is not getting up and she became shocked. Her eyes widened in fear and hands grabbed each other like there was no other things to hold.
To make matters worse, I said "she slept like she had passed away." Mom started at me with the same mom look that made even the biggest villains tremble. "I–I mean she is alive and breathing… but asleep."
To my surprise she felt relieved after hearing that. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes shut for a moment.
"Oh, ok…"
Mom hugged aunt with a lesser hope of meeting again. I wasn't so emotional at the farewell as I knew I would be in contact with Edith.
I waved bye and said to aunt to say goodbye to Edith . Aunt still seemed worried . I think she was because she had a weird expression on her face .
While on our way even mom said that .
We reached the airport early only to realise that the flight would be delayed for 3 hours .