"You will pay for your over smartness, You diminutive rascal" The words resonated around my ears like a ghost screeching.

I winced in pain when a log like heavy arm strangled my neck from behind.

I tried to free myself from this death grip by struggling and wriggling hard but of no avail.

My whole strength was draining out in that death grip.

"Leave me! Please!" I whimpered coughing bitterly.

"Leave you?" The person standing behind me scoffed in his grouchy gruffy voice letting out a maddening and deafening laughter.

My innards shook at the impact

"Yeah! I will! But not before this" He declared maliciously. I felt his other hand swooshing around the air before I could catch the glimpse of what is happening to me a sharp jabbing pain shot up on the other side of my neck.I felt a heavy thrusting of a fist on the side of my neck.

"No!" I yelled when the pain got intensified and my brain registered the details of the pain.

"No! No! No!" I yelled screamed and what not closing my eyes thrashing my hands hither and tither crying and whimpering when the pain amplified leaving no trace of comfort anywhere within my body

The sense of throbbing pain heightened with every passing second and I was being mercilessly strangled by the cynical person who stabbed something in to my neck moments before.

In a mad frenzy to escape from his ghastly clutches I punched and squirmed desperately in an attempt to hold on to my dear life.

I fell on the floor in my struggle still there was no relief from the strangling and smothering feel I get as minutes crawl by.

I bolted up straight puffing and panting for breath. My heart pounded spasmodically against my ribcage. I could hear the thumping noise of my heart clearly.

I opened my eyes, my vision blurry and vague due to all hue and cry caused. I rubbed my eyelids and blinked them to get a better view of my surroundings. When I got my vision clear let my eyes roam around the milieu which I am now in. My hands fumbling and gropping aimlessly around me for something that will eventually save me from what I am in.

I was drenched in sweat and drained of any energy.

". ( Kichu! Kichu! What is happening inside girl. Why there is such a lot of commotion and choatic noise dancing it's festival tunes to our ears. Come out girl?) I heard the panic filled voice of Sarah along with a series of knocking and pushing the door spiel.

That is when it hit my senses that everything I was experiencing was just my nightmare.

I once again looked around the room this time a calm wave of peace wafting its purging effect on me.

I held my head in my palms letting out a relieved suspire.

"Kichu! Come out girl! You are making others out here panicky. Yeah... And a freak too is here. Just come out before they ape over nothing "Sarah again let out her warning spiel but this time instead of disdain and panic I could feel her usual mockery soap operas having its dozen crowning sunshine jeering embedded in her voice.

"(coming Kat)nothing wrong" I croaked, my voice hoarse and jarred like I was having a huge shouting and screaming libretto staged in here.

I slowly scrambled up on my feet and shuffled towards the door taking wobbly languid steps.

On my way I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. A horrified banshee after her screaming and hunting spiel that was the look I had on my face.

I slowly pulled back my hair to the other side to have look at the gash I had on my neck.

To my strangest and greatest relief the gash was apparently in a fading texture .

I closed my eyes but snapped open my eyes suddenly when I heard the impatient mutterings and groaning coming from Regelina outside the room.

I slowly opened the door and got a shock of my life when I saw a huge crowd assembled outside the room.

Alvin, Steve, Ben ,Ahaan, Saffy, Om, Druv . Almost everyone was gathered there except for kids and elders.

All the face held a confused and frightened look on their faces.

As was expected I was bombarded with a whole set of questions.

what? when? who? why? where?which? All five Ws had a carnival time through their inquisitive tongues .

" Stop it!Just give a break guys !" I yelled cupping my ears and closing my eyes when I could no longer take in the aggravated stance of my brother and cousins.

"It is a waste of time trying to get a glimpse of her mind with vain queries. She is as stubborn as hell. So better we will make things sure for ourselves" Om said in an agitated tone glaring at me pointedly. He pushed open the other side of the door and shoved me back from his way much to my annoyance and ego hurt.

Others followed his example like obedient imitating monkeys.

They didn't even had the courtesy to ask permission before entering the room. The jostled me away like I am a play thing and barged inside like this room was their own property.

Alvin and Steve looked around the room like they were trying to trace out some hidden robber from the place.

Om and Druv bolted straight towards the bed and scrutinized the position of bed and pillow like they are from CBI.

Sarah glared at my dishevelled hair and shivering form without even for once taking her eyes away from my face.

Saffy hugged me and patted my head letting it rest on her shoulder.

I simply stood there with numbed mind and blank expression on my face.

Kevin scurried towards me along with Ben. Ben took my hand which was wound around Saffy akka.

He held me close to him when my hands fell listlessly to my sides.

"What happened kichu? " Ben asked gently while patting my shoulder and head with a soothing gentleness.

"Nothing" I replied in a curt manner still my mind penniless of any emotion and eyes vacuumed of registering any visuals around me in a right sense.

"What do you mean by nothing Pearl? You screamed like your tail was on fire and now you stand all cool as cucumber like nothing had ever happened. Do we have to think that our ears were ringing when we heard you scream and shout like a possessed banshee ?"Sarah scoffed pulling my forearm roughly and forcing me to face her.

"I don't know" I retorted nonchalantly like all these are just not enough a cuppa for me to keep challenged and worried

I felt unfazed and unmoved of the situation.

Sarah was about to explode into different shades of chagrin colours that Ahaan held her back by snaking his hand around her and preventing her from blurting out something which will be disquieting for both the parties.

She seemed to retrieve her lost composure but her distaste regarding my nonchalant attitude remained on her face in the form of an angry scowl.

"Don't punish yourself like this Pearl. Come out of your shell and share the stuff that keeps stabbing your peace on a daily basis. I can see that perturbation on your face."Sarah whispered in a vanquished manner.

I stood strong like nothing will make me succumb to their demand.

"( Witch) if anything bothers you just let your mind out to your ( minion ghosts). We are your cousins not just for exchanging pleasantries when we meet each other during a function. We are better than that. Anything that concerns you or terrorizes you is our concern and worry to ponder over. We are here to help you not to dump you in eternal lurch. So for that first you have to open your mind. Then only we can take effective steps towards the action of eradicating the disturbance you are having. Don't hesitate ! We are with you come what may" Alvin said encouragingly and hugged me along with Ben. Steve too joined us and patted my head fondly.

"I will try" I said feebly softened by the sweet and smooth words delivered by Alvin.

"Druv and Om just stared at me silently. Druv took long strides towards me and reached his hand towards my neck.

"Just show the gash pearl" Druv demanded seriously there was no trace of kindness or mercy on his face or voice.

I lifted my hair and pulled down the collar of the kurti I was wearing.

Ben helped me in holding the hair up. Om came forward and surveyed the mysterious scar for sometime exchanging glances with Druv and my cousins.

Om 's face crimped into a grave expression.

Sarah traced her finger along the fading mark.

"Call Bells "Om ordered moving towards the corner of the room and checking his phone.

"I will call Snowy . Nothing to worry about. " Druv said dialing a number without checking the contacts like it was a by heart story for him to do so.

He patted my shoulder with an encouraging smile but the beam that spread over his features failed to reach his eyes genuinely.

His expression turned grave and grim before anyone knew when he began to converse over the phone.

Ben let my hair fall down and patted my cheek with a sad smile.

Saffy held my arm tightly. Everyone held a sombre and terrified look on their face.

"Get ready Pearl! We have to go out. Josh,Vyan , Athena, Flora and Bells will be here any moment" Om said in a serious and business tone.

I got the shock of my life When I glanced at the watch. It is almost four thirty in the evening. If we are to go out we cant make it to home before sunset that means double trouble.

One, trouble of convincing periyamma into this. That is worse than any trouble in this world.

Another, trouble of going out with unknown people at this time of the day will entice people's attention and they will freely have a mouth piece on how spoilt a brat the girl of Xavier family had turn out to be to go out with a group of youngsters without a senior supervision.

"Dont think too much. I will convince Amma into this. We too are accompanying you along with them. So don't worry about being left alone"Ahaan assured like he heard my inner wailing.

Saffy nodded at me knowingly with a small smile. Ben patted my shoulder and urged me to get ready soon.

Alvin and Steeve showed their thumbs up with a goofy grin on their faces.

Something felt very very fishy and that thought kept hitting my senses like wreaking vengeance upon my fathoming capacity.

"Go and freshen up Pearl. We will be waiting for you downstairs." Om said smiling at me.

A rare twinkle sparked within his black eyes

Black???

I stared at his eyes petrified and mortified of my being.

"What happened to your eyes?" I shrieked not being able to bottle up my tormented mind.

Om seemed taken aback for a moment when he heard me and exchanged glances with everyone in the room before laughing like a hyena .

Alvin and steeve were the first to join him in the laughter high fiving with each other and smacking each others arm much to my irk mood.

"You are so keen about my eyes, aren't you? " Om joked with a smug smile wiggling his long eyebrows at me in a wavy and taunting manner.

I scoffed at his remark before flexing my eyebrow up.

" Don't flatter yourself mister.If your eyes can linger around the mark on my neck why cant my eyes have a little liberty to check on your eyes? " I shot back narrowing my eyes at him.

His laughter was wiped off his demeanor as soon as he heard my riposte.

As if on cue everyone joined the grim Om and held a silent prayer. He glared at me for sometime before coming to the decision of keeping his contemplating result as retort to my query.

"Well, the eyes of my sort have the quality to adapt to the environmental ambiance they are in. The darkness of the room or the dark or light shade of my wearing reflect on my eyes and it will show that colour other than my sparkling blue eyes. That is one major disaster I face due to this hue of my eyes. People take me to be a shady and sketchy person. Those who are close to me know well what makes me in a right sense" Om explained grimly as ever. He rubbed his neck sheepishly looking everywhere but me.

I nodded looking away. Reminder for self, never look straight into Om's eyes. It is better to commit suicide than looking straight into his eyes.

He is a bundle of enigma package. I let out a shaggy and shaky breath.

"Come on guys! Let's leave the room and give Pearl some space to get dress up. " Om said enticing everyone's attention towards him

Druv was the first one to leave the room finishing the call he was busy with accompanied by Alvin, Steve, Ben and Ahaan.Leaving Saffy and Sarah at my guard.

"We will arrange the room and keep your dress and accessories ready when you come out of your shower. "Sarah offered without looking at me and closed the door and put the latch.

She got engrossed in arranging the room silently. But her silence had a tone of avoiding me or something that allured her distaste splendidly.

Saffy gave me a towel and bathrobe before pushing me towards the bathroom.

"Come soon. We all are ready. Only you need to be get dressed. Hurry up" Saffy said with a knowing smile.

I nodded and before retreating towards the bathroom I glanced at Sarah. She seemed to ignore my presence and everything around her and was apparently immersed in her work which was more or less like venting out her frustration upon those poor pillows and sheets in the camouflage of arranging the place.

Saffy smiled at me and gently pushed me towards the bathroom with an affirming nod.

I closed the door of the bathroom and stood sometime leaning against the door closing my eyes.

I turned my head and caught a glimpse of my reflection in the bathroom mirror.

I looked like a messed up wreck in all this.

Puffed up eyes and clown like reddish nose with all cry and thrashing.

Swollen lips which almost looked like it will burst if I touched them with my hand.

To my shock I saw dark circles peeking it's way under my eyes.

I wiped my tears away and opened the tap. I splashed water over my face furiously like it will help me to wipe away the traces of inertia and fatigue I had.

Before turning myself away from the mirror I lifted up my hair to one side and took a look at the mysterious scar which sneered at my now sad confused and dazed condition.

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

I walked out of the room correcting my new evening gown which was turquoise in colour with netted sleeves and mustard sequential work embellished over the bust area.

The beautiful attire reached up to the floor. I wondered what was the occasion to dress up this flashy and artsy for a simple evening outing.

From the grave look Om had on his face I can't just come to the conclusion of a normal evening outing.