Two Birds: 5

Ah! The pain is unbearable! A creature sits at the space between my thighs, tearing away the flesh very slowly, devouring it. How terrifying! Even witnessing this scene with one's own eyes would drive you to a grotesque state of mental illness. My skin crawls!

My right hand has gone numb as well. It won't work at all. Strangely, I haven't caught that sweet fragrance for quite some time now; instead, the stench of a rotting piece of meat fills the entire room. I can bear it no longer. Oh God, give me the strength to rise!

The moonlight has vanished somewhere... that slow, groaning sound suddenly grows louder—each time I sigh, the sound becomes more pronounced!

Though both hands seem completely useless, I began to feel some strength returning to my legs. With tremendous force and utmost effort... I stood up. I don't know how I managed to stand! Yet it seemed impossible that I could rise. Instantly I wrapped the sheet around my body and stood there, shivering.

Am I truly all right? Everything that has happened—is it all just an unwanted sensation? Or did these things actually occur?

Whatever it may be, I can investigate this later. First, I must stand properly. And where is that wretched creature? I must kill it immediately.

Standing fully on my feet is tremendously difficult; I feel somewhat uncomfortable and experience sharp pain in my ankles from time to time.

Looking at the floor... one side is soaked with thick, dark blood—continuously flowing from my own body. But I cannot understand from where this blood is flowing. The moment I touched the back of my head, I needed no further explanation—I understood the source of this blood!

Though blood continues to flow, I feel no pain whatsoever—I limped very slowly and carefully to a convenient spot and sat down.

I am in no condition to see how deep the wound is or what has actually happened there. Opening the drawer, I first took the bandage in hand and bound it around the back of my head and sides as tightly as possible—with whatever strength I had in my body at that moment.

I feel terribly suffocated. After many days I picked up the cellphone! I see thousands of phone calls and messages have piled up. Even among so many messages, my eyes got stuck on one message. An unknown number!

Someone had written—"Suporna! Where are you? Wherever you are, contact me." At the end, a small address was given. This made me think for quite a long time. Hardly anyone calls me 'tui' anymore. Only one person used to call me with such possessive familiarity, using 'tui'...

My chest suddenly feels cold as if touched by wind! With a wry smile, I removed the phone's SIM card and threw it toward the door.

That afternoon, that ugly dog had emerged from the garbage heap and followed me—I had ignored the matter.

The wound near my leg is quite deep. From time to time a putrid smell emanates from there, though the injury at the back of my head had healed properly.

Now I understand—the creature crouched near my leg is actually relishing that rotten smell. I carefully freed my leg and began moving forward.

The dawn light is quite clear; I can see the dog returning to the room behind me—with me, to my very room. Though dirty, its face is strangely endearing! I too was unconsciously wishing for it to keep following me.

I don't know why, but I feel like crying terribly. The anguish of pain rushes up, choking my throat. I know that every night this enchanting-faced dirty creature positions itself very close to me—I am not afraid of this, rather I find comfort in it.

(The End)