BLACK BIRDS IN MAHLA'S EYES
Honeycake
That morning the air was cold, making Mahla shiver all the way to the bones. He closed the window of his room on the second floor. There were no significant events for several days after the events of Sharai.
Mahla saw her mother in the yard picking up dried cloves. The back looked so thin, while the ties in her hair were very tight at the top of her head. Makes it look tense from time to time.
Mahla felt that there were so many secrets that lay there, but the girl could never break through her mother's solid defenses. Usually, he can easily dive into the thoughts of everyone he sees, but all the advantages are useless when dealing with his mother.
Mahla closes the window where the cold wind continues to blow towards her, then moves out of the room. He wants to meet Melekh who seems to keep avoiding him after an incident with Sharai that almost destroyed his soul.
“Melekh?” Call Mahla while knocking on the door of Melekh's unusual room - usually locked. “You can unlock it, right? Open door!” Mahla cried hard. His hand was above the door handle and trying to turn it around.
“Melekh!” Call Mahla again. “What are you doing inside?” Ask it louder. He was about to bang on the door when his hand suddenly opened the door by itself.
“What is this? You are now telekinesis or what?” Gurau Mahla entered Melekh's room which contained only a divan identical to Mahla's, but different from Mahla's bare floor room, Melekh's floor room was covered in a thick carpet.
As soon as the girl entered Melekh's room, she was shocked to see her twin brother floating in the air like a sea of transparent mist-like spirits. His body floated lightly in the air, with densely packed mist tendrils supporting his weight. Melekh seemed to be splitting the sea of fog under his body with his eyes closed. Surprisingly, his face clearly looked very peaceful.
Their pet cat, or rather Melekh's family, Arlou, is seen snoring loudly on the cot. Perhaps it shows that Melekh is not in danger, but Mahla is of course still worried about his brother.
“Hey, put him down now!” Mahla orders a pair of ghosts on Melekh's bed. They giggled to see Melekh circling in the air.
So you're gonna talk to us again.
Another ghostly sizzle at Mahla as it floated lightly towards the girl. The ghost was female with one eye sticking out. Mahla recognizes her as a young girl who is the victim of persecution in a neighboring town. The news was so santer to hear, even the news was very excited up to the village
they were a while ago.
“You're a long way from here?” Ask Mahla without thinking. The ghost laughed softly, he seemed to have no urgent business with Mahla, and walked away just like that.
Mahla watches Melekh who is already drifting down slowly to his bed. His brother looked
still sleeping soundly and not at all disturbed by the events that had just happened to him. Arlou immediately woke up knowing his master was back on the mattress, and immediately curled up at his feet.
"Well, take good care of him, Arlou! That's your job!" Hardik Mahla is avenged with Arlou's loud snoring.
“Do not disturb my brother.” Mahla's commandment is to be found in the dozens of ghosts that have just manifested in their various forms, and all of them are very strange.
We're not interrupting, your brother let us play with him.
“Play what?” Gerrutu Mahla. Maybe Melekh did communicate with them through a dream, but still, the scene was very disturbing.
“Simply air is very cold. Dozens of ghosts gathered in this place!” Mahla muttered as she turned to leave Melekh's room.
You're going to ignore us again now?
One of the smallest sized ghosts was clearly sulking at him. Mahla recognized some familiar faces among them. The figures are old spirits who had occupied their homes even before their mother's family moved there. He grew up with all these apparitions, and he was used to them.
*At least, today help me. This time only. *
Transparent girl pinta with ponytail hair. Mahla had never seen this ghost at all, but seeing her rather pitiful look, it seemed like she had just died. There were huge tears that fell on his cheeks as if it was the last thing he did before he died.
“Keep.” Hardik Mahla is harder. He is determined not to deal with the spirit world anymore while there is Sharai who loves him all the time!
Mahla then hears her mother's voice talking to someone outside. His voice faintly rang out all the way to the second floor as Melekh's window opened wide. Mahla ignored all the gazes of the ghosts waiting for her, and headed straight for the window to see her mother below.
“No, no! My son doesn't take any more guests now. There's nothing he can do now!” His mother exclaimed at the old man who was hugging the large package in his hand.
“Please, Madam, I came all the way from another village to meet Mahla.” Pinta the man whose head had started to go bald. His gaze was indeed pitying, while Mahla felt a chill dripping down her head. He looked up, and found the girl with ponytail hair floating above him with a pair of eyes that kept streaming tears.
“You know the guy?” Mahla asked, pointing to the person who was talking to her mother. The ghost nodded, smilingly looking at Mahla and the man took turns.
My poor grandfather.
“Please Madam, just for a moment. I brought wheat flour and honey, to make honey cakes.I heard Mahla liked it. Please, just a minute, Mrs.” Pinta the man began to kneel before Mahla's mother who was wrapped in a sour face.
“Where did you hear that from?” Mahla's mother grumbled at the window on the second floor. The woman then forced the man to get up, and accepted the package. He did not realize that his daughter was watching him from the Melekh window, which was right next to Mahla's window.
Whatever the man said later, it seemed to soften his mother's heart. Although Mahla could catch the reluctance in her mother's body gesture, she eventually allowed the man to enter their home.
“I've guessed you must know about his arrival, right?” His mother was upset to see Mahla rushing down the stairs, while the ghost of the ponytail-haired girl floated following Mahla. “You want to meet him, no?” Ask her mother then more gently. Mahla observes the parcel in her mother's arms, and imagines the smell of a delicious freshly baked honey cake.
His mother seemed to understand his wish. “I will make it for you if you can make it quickly go.” Said his mother straightforwardly while raising his head towards the female ghost who shadowed Mahla's steps.
Mahla felt very surprised, her mother changed a little. His figure became more open and warm.
“Thank you, Ma.” It was the only thing that came out of Mahla's lips in reaction to her mother's words. The woman had kept such a distance from him, that the girl had forgotten what it was like to talk more intimately to her own mother.
“Do not until the devil catches you again.” His mother warned him while leaving Mahla in the living room, where the old man was waiting for him. “No will.” Answer Mahla steady. His mother's words had somehow given him courage. He will face Sharai if the demon is planning to capture him this time.
“My changed.” The Mahla whisper slowly. He could not cover up the excitement that made the day feel more comfortable and warm.
Maybe something moved his heart.
The ghost whispered directly into Mahla's mind, making the girl inevitably chuckle. “You're right, because we're all in a good mood, let's find out, what can I do for both of you.” Mahla said cheerfully. He saw again the black wings filled his vision.
This time, he saw no flames anywhere.
You are safe now.
Mahla nods in agreement to the ghost of the girl she later discovered named Shoshana.