Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Nothing in life could have prepared Kathy for what she saw. Everything from her hair, to her body, was identical to the other Kathy. Everything but her eyes. The shadow had crimson red eyes which seemed like they were on fire. It was both scary and creepy. With a whirl, the other Kathy then turned back into a shadow.

”Surprised? You shouldn't be, Kathy. After all, you put me here.”

”What do you mean?”

”Poor little Kathy. So fragile and scared. You were blessed with so much power yet you are so weak. Such a waste of an extremely powerful element,” the shadow mocked.

Kathy could feel the words getting to her. No matter how much she wanted to defend herself, she knew somehow the shadow was right.

”You know I'm right. You can't even control your element, ” the shadow continued.

”I am not weak, ” Kathy said in a soft voice.

”Don’t bother defending yourself, I know you. I am you. Do you remember Mark?”

It was no question, Kathy did remember Mark. He wasn't someone she'd forget in such a short time.

”Don’t bring him up!”

”Why? Are you scared? Of course, you are.”

The shadow’s voice portrayed fake pity that showed clear mockery.

Kathy's hand ached with the need to burn. Evil Kathy was digging up parts of her which she had buried deep in her memories. The memories were running through her mind like a slideshow. She was getting furious.

”What are you?” Kathy said through clenched teeth.

”I am your insecurities, fears, regrets, limitations, and weaknesses.”

Each word hit Kathy like a ton of weight.

”For years you've fed your insecurities. I felt it! Day after day, I watched you drown in your stupid sea of uncertainties.”

The shadow spoke with so much venom and conviction that Kathy flinched.

Kathy could feel her body heating up.

”Stop it.”

Kathy didn't want to listen any longer. The shadow's words reminded her of how much of a failure she was.

However, she didn't stop but continued taunting Kathy.

”You constantly let people walk all over you while taking everything with your back against the wall!”

The shadow's voice climbed an octave higher with every word, soon she was screaming at Kathy. Kathy put her hands over her ears to block out the words of torture.

”Stop it.”

”Grow a pair for Christ's sake and stop being that same ten-year-old kid abandoned by mummy and daddy.”

”Stop fucking talking!”

Kathy's yell came with a force that caused a blackout in the hall as all the lights went off. The force threw the shadow a few feet away from Kathy. She heard a crash, indicating that the shadow had crashed against something. It was then pitch black in the hall.

Kathy could see nothing. With outstretched arms, she felt around for the wall. When she found it, she sat on the damp floor while leaning on the wall.

She took deep breaths, exhausted from her outburst. She wondered what that was. It wasn't her fire element, it was more like a huge gust of wind.

Silence.

Kathy could hear her heartbeat. Fear was all Kathy could feel. She was afraid of what else could be in those halls. The worst part was that she couldn't see anything.

Then she remembered her element. She tried to summon fire but couldn't. Her hands couldn't stay still due to anxiety. She attempted a few more times but got the same result. It was hopeless.

’Open your heart.’

She thought of her mother's words and tried to obey. In frustration, she closed her eyes and willed her body to unwind. She forced the power to take over her body and soul. Anger was the only emotion she could feel and mildly frustration. She started feeling the familiar heat flow through her body. This time, it was a pleasurable feeling. She opened her eyes, looked at her hand, and imagined a flame on her palm. It seemed like the fire responded to her unspoken wish and a flame appeared on her palm. She hoped that it'd get bigger and it did. Yet she wasn't afraid, she was comfortable.

Kathy could see now, so she made her way through the hall with her self-made hand lamp lighting her path. She saw the shadow passed out on the floor.

Kathy scoffed.

”Not so tough now, are we?” she said as she passed by the figure on the floor.

Kathy saw multiple doors, each had her name written on it with different dates. She opened one door and went in. It was her fifteenth birthday. She was at home with her mum–April. It was two days after the first incident with Mark. Kathy could see herself looking so sad and angry. Her mum tried to make her feel happy but to no avail.

With a sad smile, she closed that door and went further into the hall. She opened the door to her right. It dated back to thirteen years ago. It was the day she first met in April. Kathy quickly closed that door and went further. She knew that if she opened another door, she would see everything that happened before she met April.

With a deep breath, she clasped the handle of a door. The date on the door was two days before she met April.

To her dismay, she couldn't open the door. It seemed to have been locked from the inside. Kathy struggled with the handle, pushing it hard but it didn't budge. She left that door and went to others that dated back to that same month but none opened.

Kathy slumped to the ground. All her hopes died in seconds. She knew it was of no use checking other doors. Every door from before the day she met April was locked. She didn't even know her name or why she came to earth.

”I told you to go back.”

She heard the voice of the shadow.

”Leave me alone, ” she said softly.

”Trust me, you won't find anything in here.”

Kathy knew that already. She searched numerous doors but didn't find anything related to her past.

”You have to go back or you'd be stuck here forever.”

Kathy didn't care. She had nothing to go back to. No past, no memories, and worst of all, she was still a freak. She couldn't go back to earth still looking like that. It would be like all the efforts she made in coming to Lunae were in vain. By the way, she had nothing to go back to.

”That’s not true. You have a lot to go back to, ” the shadow replied.

”I didn't say that out loud.”

”I am in your head.

Kathy concluded then that she had officially gone crazy. What more surprises could life have for her? Nothing could be worst than having another being inside her head.

”Why are you now being so nice to me?” Kathy asked with a confused frown.

The shadow cast its black face downwards in what was probably remorse. It was strange for Kathy to see herself as a different person. The shadow had a different personality, mind, and thoughts.

”I am sorry for earlier. I guess years of your pent-up negativities finally caught up with me.”

Kathy felt ashamed of herself. Negativity wasn't something she could have helped with everything she had been through.

”Don’t be ashamed, Kathy. But you have to return to Lunae.”

”I don't want to.”

”Why?”

”There is nothing out there for me.”

The shadow sighed, then said, ”Come. I'll show you something.”

Kathy didn't move an inch.

”Quit being stubborn and come with me.”

Kathy slowly got up. The shadow took her to a door. Kathy recognized the date immediately. It was the day that April adopted her and gave her a name; Kathy.

April had assured her that she would never be alone again. And that she would never let her feel like she was adopted.

”Mum, ” little Kathy whispered making Kathy whimper. That was the first time she called April mum.

Kathy watched teary-eyed as April hugged little Kathy so tightly. She felt nostalgic watching that scene.

She knew then that she had to go back.

April was waiting for her.

April had always been there for her.

April loved her.

Kathy couldn't believe that she almost gave up on life leaving April alone. Her identity was not as important as the only family she had known for thirteen years. April was home for her.

”That is not all, ” the shadow said.

She took Kathy to a more recent date. It was that present day. Kathy saw her mother, Tala crying over her sleeping body. Her brother, Triton, and her father were also staring at her worriedly.

They looked worried about her. She was stunned by that because they had only just met her. She could see them sweating due to the heat she was emitting but they didn't leave her side.

”They do care about you, Kathy, ” the shadow announced.

All Kathy could do was cry. She decided to give them a chance. She needed to find out why she was taken to earth. She needed to do it for herself and her mum. So that they'd have peace.

Kathy wiped off her tears.

”How do I go back?”

”You have to picture it—Lunae and the room you were in.”

Kathy let the beauty of Lunae fill her mind, the flowers, the lights, and the people. Then she imagined Cynthia's room. The scented candles and the weird plants. She started perceiving the scented candles and plants which were tickling her nose. Her nose twitched with the urge to sneeze. She couldn't hold it in anymore and let out a big sneeze. When she opened her eyes, she was back in the room. There were no halls, no rooms of memories, and no shadow. She was back in Lunae.