The Oracle and The Untamed

Hitching the backpack tightly, Summer trod towards the bus stop. She turned back to make sure that she wasn't being followed. She hoped that they were busy enough to not follow her. She was far away from the place where she had stayed for the last 20 years. She let out a shaky breath, her heart pounding in her chest, the side of her ribs and legs ached with exhaustion. She pulled the frayed hoodie tightly around herself, stuffing her hands into either pocket as the wind picked up. A street lamp just above the bus stop flickered occasionally.

People hurried on their way back home, the weather turning colder as the night darkened. As the adrenaline started to wear off, she felt herself shiver.

The last bus to Melham would arrive anytime now. Her breath came out in puffs. She reluctantly drew out her left hand from within the hoodie's pocket and checked her watch. 5 more minutes. She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. The old sneakers did the least to keep her feet warm. At that moment, she almost regretted her decision of leaving, of causing such a ruckus. Oh, how she would give anything now to just slip under the warm blanket in her small attic room and just...forget everything else. She sighed wistfully. There was no way back now, not that she wished to go back as the cold air nipped on her face, her eyes watered, but whether from cold or from the incident, she didn't know. The honk and the glare of headlights startled her. She hurriedly stood up, exhaling a shaky breath. The bus halted, and she boarded it immediately before she could let herself have second thoughts.

Getting a seat wasn't difficult since the bus was fairly empty, save a few people. After having paid, she took one of the window seats. As the bus took momentum, her heart squeezed painfully. She wasn't sad at leaving 'them', but her sadness lay in leaving behind 20 years of her life. 'You wouldn't be able to survive even if you wanted to,' a voice at the back of her mind snarked. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the cold glass of the window. Tightening her hold on the backpack, she forced her mind to remain blank, willed her mind to not replay those sordid images from today's incident again and again. Her eyes fluttered open once again when she felt someone lightly shaking her. She sat up straighter, flinching away immediately - a habit that had been born out of her need to survive. The woman looked a little taken aback by her reaction. She lowered her gaze and mumbled, "Sorry, I-"

"Ah, it's okay, actually your mobile...it was ringing incessantly," she answered reluctantly, before going back to her seat. The lady looked a little embarrassed and stared ahead. Summer calmed a little. Her heartbeat started slowing. She dug through her backpack, her anxiety spiking a notch. Her fingers trembled as she clicked on the power button. She winced at the glare of the screen. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw that it was Gloria. She had left 15 text messages and called 5 times. She swallowed back the tears. Gloria had been the only one who might have been worried about her. Maybe she had heard what had happened. But she couldn't answer her calls or texts. They might find her. She gripped the gadget tightly and, before talking herself out of the situation, switched off the phone. 'Should have done this earlier,' she thought morosely.

She slumped in the seat once again. It had started drizzling, and her eyes mapped two raindrops racing against each other. Her eyes felt heavy. 'it's the last stoppage anyway,' was the last thought before exhaustion overtook her senses.

~~~~~

The bus had come to a jerking halt, effectively waking Summer in the process. She winced against the morning light. She blinked several times and tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear. Many passengers had got off while some were in the process of doing so. She slung the backpack on her shoulder and got off. The city still looked asleep, maybe just stretching its arms and in the process of waking up. She looked around, trying to process everything for a moment. She was in a new city, all by herself. She took in a shaky breath and started walking, having no idea where to go. She had some money that she had managed to save up and keep her foster caregivers' grubby and greedy hands away from, but that wouldn't last her lifetime.

She strolled down the pavement, her gaze wandering from side to side, taking in the view. Small houses lined the streets with trees in between. She had heard that it was a quaint place, and now that she was here, she could vouch for the statement. As she was walking and thinking, her eyes fell on a bakery shop. Her stomach growled at the sight and it was then she realised that she hadn't eaten anything since last afternoon. But then her attention was drawn to the pamphlet stuck outside on a standing soft board. She sprinted towards it and skimmed through the contents quickly. They were hiring salespeople. Without waiting, she went inside. A pepper-grey-haired lady looked up as soon as the bell chimed.

She offered a friendly smile, but it wobbled slightly when her gaze fell on Summer. The latter felt a little self-conscious. She knew that she did not look presentable, but she mustered a smile nonetheless. "Hi." she gave a short wave and walked up to the counter. The woman gave her a polite nod. "What would you like to have?"

"I-" she wet her lips, her yearning gaze looking at the delicacies displayed on the counter. Suppressing her ever-increasing she quickly said, "I...saw the pamphlet outside and...I would like to do this job. Please." She looked at her pleadingly and the woman averted her eyes, looking over her shoulder.

"Well, you see..." she began, and Summer's gut swirled with dread. She would reject her. "Ma'am, please...I am...I have travelled from another city, without any source of livelihood, this pamphlet just...it was like God's gift. Please let me have this. I assure you that I have experience in working as a salesgirl. I have worked in a convenience store when I was in high school." desperation leaked out of her voice. She had clasped her hands together and looking at the older woman earnestly.

She looked at her attire and maybe she had seen the sincerity in Summer's eyes or maybe she was kind of like that because after a pause she nodded jerkily. "Alright." She took a deep breath, and continued in a tight voice, "You can join from tomorrow. The shop opens at 7 in the morning and closes at 7 in the evening. My name is Barbara and I will give you a week to prove your sincerity." She was looking at her sternly, and Summer could do nothing but nod at every word. Before she could open her mouth, the bell chimed again and Barbara bustled towards the front of the counter, wiping her hands in her flower-printed apron, and smiled at the customer.

Her heart was thudding in her chest as her lips stretched into a smile. She felt as if the reaction was foreign. The happiness - an emotion she had almost forgotten. For once, she wanted to thank her lucky stars. But then her smile dimmed. She turned around and asked, "Um, ma'am....is there a place where I could stay?"

"Thank you, please come again," Summer smiled as she bade another customer goodbye. The curve of her lips straightened as soon as the door closed. She let out an inaudible sigh. It has been 2 weeks since she has started working at this bakery. The bakery had a steady flow of customers-some regular and some new. It had taken some time for her to get used to the regulars. She slowly learnt that regulars sometimes got a little extra just for being their regular patrons. Barbara stayed at the cashier and Liam, her husband, created magic in the kitchen.

"Tired already?" Barbara asked as she brought in a fresh batch of cinnamon rolls. Summer pursed her lips and shook her head, concentrating on wiping the counters. Thankfully for her, the bakery was small, so there weren't any tables for customers to sit and eat. She avoided socialising at all costs. The elderly lady had learnt about her nature very quickly. She was a friendly woman and mostly left the younger one to her own devices. Summer even got a small apartment for rent. The rent was quite high as per her income, but she managed with whatever she had saved up.

It felt nice to have a routine, a mundane one - no ruthless caregivers, not having to tend to fresh injuries, not having to hide her tears, and most of all not having to fear that she would have to go through those things all over again. She wasn't even having dreams....ones that kept her up most nights left her shivering and gasping. For once, she was at peace.

"Summer?" she almost flinched back but restrained herself from doing so. 'She is not going to harm me,' she chanted in her mind. She turned to look at her. Barbara looked a little astonished but she recovered quickly. "I was asking whether you have attended high school?" Her question was abrupt, but Summer replied, "Yes, I have. I have also completed my Bachelor's in Accountancy." Barbara's eyes widened at her answer. Summer had carried along with all her documents while leaving or rather running away from the house. But Barbara never asked for them and she didn't show it to her either. "But you don't look..." the older woman trailed off. Summer knew what those unsaid words might be. She didn't look like a 21-year-old girl. She was malnourished. She had average height and was skinny, her face was heart-shaped but her skin was pale. Her flaming red hair and golden eyes made her stand apart, even when she wanted to blend into the crowd.

The wavy locks seemed unmanageable at times but she cut it last year, and she had bought fake lenses to make her eyes look less scary to some people, but it irritated her eyes to no end. Thus, she was stuck with these odd features.

"Why haven't you tried to seek a job elsewhere...you know, like small firms or companies?" Barbara asked, looking genuinely curious. Summer lowered her gaze as she fidgeted with the wiping cloth. "I...never tried." She never had access to much. Just before she had come to Melham, Gloria had given her a second-hand smartphone because she didn't have any, and contacting the latter was becoming a problem. She missed the convenience store owner. Barbara's eyebrows knit together. She was about to say something when the bell chimed. Both of them plastered a smile on their faces again.

~~~~~

She let out a weary sigh as she plopped on the single bed. She had barely toed off her shoes and kept the leftover buns on the mini-fridge before manoeuvring to the bed. She had yet to unpack and buy other household stuff, postponing it for when she received her salary from the bakery. She gets up reluctantly and pads to the washroom. After taking a relaxing shower, she takes the backpack from within the closet and starts unpacking her stuff.

She dumped the contents on the bed - a few clothes, a balm, her comb and concealer, some documents and one tattered book whose contents she had not been able to decipher till date. She stared at the leather-bound book, its cover barely holding the yellowed pages. Her fingers traced the odd pattern on the cover. It always intrigued her and what's surprising about the pattern is that despite the cover's edges having frayed, the pattern never faded. Her fingers almost itched to open it but she resisted the urge and put the book inside the drawer before putting in her clothes. She then checked her documents and put them away in another drawer.

She debated whether to eat something before going to bed. Her stomach growled, making the choice for her. She trudged to the kitchenette where she had kept the packet of leftovers. After eating a couple of chocolate chip filled peanut butter cookies and a slice of carrot cake, she was full. When Barbara had first handed her a packet filled with buns and doughnuts, she had been hesitant.

"You can eat this as your dinner. Buy some groceries tomorrow and then you can start eating something other than bakery goods," she had said sternly. But Summer noted the kindness underneath them and Liam had offered her a small encouraging smile, she had taken the packet with trembling fingers and then had almost choked out a 'thank you.'

Then it had become a routine, one of the things in the routine to be exact. She mentally noted to buy groceries tomorrow as she brushed her teeth.

~~~~~

The mark glowed golden, almost blinding her. 'This is not real,' she reminded herself as she stared at the pattern, mesmerised. She was most probably in her room, even in the dream.

'Serena...' she heard a lilting female voice, a calming one. Serena? Who is she? She didn't answer.

'Beware of the untamed wolf....' the voice said.

~~~~~~

Her eyes snapped open. The room was pitch dark except for the white curtain filtering in a little light from the streetlamps outside. She scanned the room, even though her heart pounded. No one was here. Staring at the ceiling, she wondered about the dream. It did not leave her. These dreams. Who was Serna? She tried to recall every person she remotely knew, but none were named Serena. Her head started to ache, and she started to become listless. These dreams made her like this. She screwed her eyes shut. She won't think about it. She had settled in her new life now. Dreams be damned.

"Did you not sleep last night?" Barbara asked as soon as Summer entered. She felt sluggish and naturally irritated because, as much as she wanted to go back to sleep, she just couldn't. And ended up thinking, or rather overthinking, about a person named Serena and the untamed wolf.

Summer mumbled, "Not much." She plucked the apron from the kitchen and tied it swiftly. "At least you could have covered it with some makeup," the older woman grumbled as she carried batches of freshly baked cupcakes and cookies. Summer could have replied that she was in a hurry or she had forgotten, but she didn't. In reality, she did not expect her to even notice that she had a sleepless night. No one did before. She mumbled an apology, but said nothing further.

The day went on uneventfully. Once they had served the last customer, Summer flipped the board that had the 'closed' sign and pulled the blinds. As she unknotted her apron, she blurted, "Are there wolves here?" Barbara, who had been noting down the day's earnings, stiffened. Summer frowned. Did she ask something...odd? As the older woman continued to note down everything on her little notepad, her anxiety spiked. Why did she blurt out and ask such a weird question? Who asks about wolves out of nowhere, with no context?

"I... um... I heard it somewhere, before...coming here. So..." she trailed off and started fidgeting with the apron. She peeked at the older woman, whose brows had furrowed and lips had thinned. Summer hurriedly amended, "I am sorry...it's just-"

"There are no wolves here. None at all. This place is for humans and why would you think a city would have wolves?" Her tone was sharp. Barbara did not look up from her work, though. Summer gulped and mutely shook her head. She hurriedly went into the kitchen where Liam was washing the trays, his back turned towards her. But she could see that his shoulders were tensed.

She quietly but clumsily set the apron aside and started helping with the washing. She did it sometimes, even after Liam's countless protests. But today, he was absurdly quiet. For some time, the clinking of trays, the running water and the sound of scrubbing prevailed in the room. Summer wouldn't call it companionable silence. She figured that her question had somehow disturbed the couple, for whatever reason might be.

Having completed the task, she mumbled a quiet goodbye and was both taken aback and relieved to find a packet sitting atop the counter. Liam did not say anything when she went out of the kitchen, and Barbara merely nodded in acknowledgement. Once outside the bakery, she sighed in relief. That was one tense and anxiety-filled evening.

The air was cold, and the evening was darker than it should have been. She took her usual route, walking at a languid pace, not in a hurry to go back, no one to punish her for being late. Her mind wandered back to the house where she had grown up. What were they doing now? Were they creating chaos and searching for her only to humiliate and punish her for being a supposed 'monster' as they claimed? Or were they always on the lookout whether she would be back? She hoped it was the last one.

Making a detour to the nearby convenience store, she bought a few necessary household items because waiting for an entire month seemed to cost her a lot somehow and some groceries. Coming back to a silent home sometimes made her feel...uncomfortable. She had never been engulfed by this much silence. Toeing off her shoes, she placed the groceries on the countertop and then deposited her purse on the bed.

As she was about to make her way to the bathroom, she suddenly felt dizzy. Red eyes flashed in her mind's eye. She plonked on the bed. What just happened? This is why she did not like silence. It drove her mad. It spiked her anxiety. She breathed out shakily.

~~~~

Barbara acted normally the next day, even though Summer tried to be as vigilant with her words as possible. She must have done a good job because neither Barbara nor Liam had called her out on it.

"What do you think about working in the HR of a company?" Barbara had suddenly raised the question. The three-tiered trays filled with macaroons had almost fallen down from her hands. "Huh?" she could only utter unintelligibly. Barbara made a noncommittal noise as she took the trays from her hands. "One of my cousins is in HR. The company is recruiting staff for the HR department, so I thought of informing you. They are going to have a walk-in interview on Friday. If you like I can give you my cousin's contact number."

Summer stared at her, slack-jawed. She almost asked why the older woman was telling her all this all of a sudden, but she restrained herself lest she should get the same treatment. "I....okay," she acceded reluctantly. Barbara nodded and then they went about their work and before she left, the former gave her the number.

~~~~~~

Her thumb hovered on the number. She had switched on her phone for the first time after coming here. Thankfully, Barbara never asked for her never and neither did she give her one. Now, though, she had to recharge her number. She had waited with bated breath as the device booted up. But thankfully, and to her slight disappointment, there weren't any calls or important texts. Not even from Gloria. It was as if they had forgotten her. Only two weeks and not even Gloria remembered her.

She swallowed back her disappointment. Biting her lower lip, trying to reach a decision. Was Barbara just being kind? Or was this a trap? But why would she trap her? Was she indirectly firing her from the work? Before she could think anymore, she pressed the call button, deciding to give this a try.

The conversation turned out to be fruitful, more or less. Even though Summer had to hide certain facts about her home. Other than that the man asked for her work-related stuff and asked to come for the interview on Friday.

~~~~~~

Friday came in the blink of an eye. She tapped her foot on the white-tiled floor as she waited for her turn. It was a little difficult to find the company. But she managed to reach just 5 minutes before time. She saw a lot of men and women were seated. Her gaze had subtly scanned everyone. She couldn't help but feel self-conscious about her attire. Was this too shabby? Will they reject her? What if she stammers?

She was pulled out from her internal turmoil by the receptionist. On wobbly legs, she entered the room. A panel of four was set up. The interview breezed through, and by the time she exited, she could only hope that she had been able to answer them more or less correctly.

~~~~~~

She received an email from them and a call from HR on the following Friday, confirming her post in HR. She didn't know that she was crying until she tasted the salt drops. The next day, she hugged Barbara, shoving down all the protests of her body. The couple looked happy for her and that day she even had dinner with them.

When she came back home, she couldn't help but think wistfully about having a home-like theirs, filled with laughter and warmth. But she was happy nonetheless. For once again, luck had smiled upon her. She looked forward to the new beginning.