Art, found in everything in life. Life itself is an art. I learned this throughout the years I've been living, especially with the artistic spirit that embodies me ever since I was born. I love drawing, starting from the commonly drawn family house with the burning brownish ceiling, the sun in the corner and the trees surrounding the house, to the natural scenes I see outside, the mountains, the island, the murals. I grew up surrounded by colors and each color has been given me enough meaning to everything I feel, sense and observe. Creating color palettes is one of my favorite things to do. I remember the art class when we used a basic painting box to create the color wheel. Learning about primary colors, mix them each pair together, creating secondary colors, then, the tints. I remember how fascinated I was with the pink tint I got when I mixed the red and white. I accidentally added a lot of white, that the pink I got was a bit fading to a baby pink. Those colors grew on me, opened a few petals of the big lotus inside of me. My energy, my core started to radiate. The more I grow up, the more I discover certain things I do which normal people don't.
One of these "gifts" is seeing through people, things and situations. I'm highly intuitive. So, when I say something is off, it is for sure off.
When I've just told Lina about the novel that it's silly, I don't mean it that way even. This story as a whole is off. I feel the things mentioned in it are weird and not normal at all. I am tied to a contract— or not anymore, and I'm obliged to read it, derive the idea for the art I make, and then paint it.
I finish my lunch late as I face the canvas, blank, white and soulless. I give it a life, I turn it alive and that's what I'm about to do. As I make the first sketch quickly, I start mixing acrylic colors to create a dark palette made of midnight blue, black, dark raven purple and some yellowish orange and white for the highlights. It takes me some time to adjust the details, focusing on shadowed windows and the castle itself. It's a huge dark castle under an orangy moonlight hiding between the clouds. Some shadows of unknown creatures on the sides and a figure in the far middle giving his back to the view and turning his head so that he faces the readers with his side profile and evil reddish eye glaring at them.
Ah why am I into mysteries and horror why? I'm just so curious about the invisible world which our freak writer has mentioned in her story. I end up eventually drawing him. The man or whatever creature she's pictured in her story. Hours have passed and I finish the painting. The flow state I get into hits harder regardless the ADHD I've got. I think it's the case for most artists. I dwell in the painting wondering if it ever comes alive, what would it be like to live inside. My thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the phone call.
"I hear you. You don't have to end the contract. There are still many collaborations to do with you and if you end the contract now, we'll be stuck without you. So, please, can you reconsider?" Lina calls and leaves me no space to talk.
"I keep hindering you guys with my late works and I can't control this about me. I'm still working on this issue. However, I can't keep going like this. I have other plans," I sigh to my explanation as I get up to face my window, setting the call to speaker.
"We can still revise the conditions of the contract, as renewing it," Desperately she pushes as I roll my eyes. It's the case each time they feel like losing an irreplaceable artist, right?
"Fine. I'll pass by the office tomorrow. Also, I'm almost done with the painting. I'll deliver it as well," I surrender not wanting to negotiate further. But! I'll set my own conditions this time.
"Alright! I can come to pick you up. Let me know what time are you coming, and I'll be there on time," She proposes as I nod, cut the call and go back to face the painting.
I stare, something isn't quite put well. Is it the colors? The elements or what? I question myself because I feel like something is off. I ignore it since I move to the last step. Polishing. Not sure if I still have time since it's already the evening.
Lazy to take a walk or go outside and hungry, again.
I order food again, lie down on bed while setting my favorite drama to watch. No more working. I only turn the bedside lamp because I love the half dark vibe, it soothes me and inspires me at the same time.
I'm watching a scene where the male lead is so hot, hitting on the female lead as she's roaming in his house. Yes, it's one of those cringy CEO dramas where cheesiness is filling the dialogue and the scenes only exist within acting.
Ding dong. The takeout guy rings my doorbell. I rush to open the door. He has just interrupted the kissing scene, duh. I hurry to take the package as I throw my eyes to his face to thank him.
It's him again!
I widen my eyes trying not to feel suspicious about things because normally, the takeout guys change shifts. I pause for a while looking at his eyes since they're the only thing showing. I freak out, take the package and hurry to enter.
I'm not scared, I'm suspicious.
"What the hell is going on?" I wonder loudly. I usually talk to myself, it's normal. Briefly I ignore and get on bed, rewatching the kissing scene as I open the food package. What's better than fried chicken and fries at night.
A wind is blowing. I know it's not the "normal" wind. I feel someone is home. Home with me.
I'm trying to eat and here I am interrupted by my suspicions and my love to mysteries is triggered. I freeze, slowly I turn my head left to check the window. It's close. I closed it by myself earlier. I raise an eyebrow in wonder. This never happened before. I only see them in dreams.
Anyway.
I ignore, facing my laptop again and keep on watching, not knowing he was right there in the back corner of my balcony, watching the cringe drama with me.
-
It's cloudy and dark. There's something going on over there, by the end of this rocky road. I'm only wearing a sheer, flowing white nightgown with an ethereal touch and some lace. It's covering half my body as I can see my naked legs feeling the chills electrifying in the atmosphere.
"Where am I?" I question as my head scans the surface.
The road is bumpy and made of rocks. I walk forward as if I'm entering a city. A medieval style embodying its buildings. The road is widening as I enter. It's dark by now. I feel some eyes following me from the shadows. The houses seem haunted yet their lights inside are on. They're strangely familiar to me. I don't try to look in the shadows for the eyes lurking me. They might attack me or something.
What the hell is going on Hala.
This is all I can say for now. I'm not scared. I'm curious with bits of panic maybe?
I keep on walking. The shadows are getting bolder appearing from the side walls of each house. Some are calm, others have some weird
expressions. They look like humans but they're not?!
By the end of this road, a tall figure wearing black coat standing there. I can guess how broad the shoulders are. The hair. I've seen this shape before. Why is this man giving me his back? Few feet left and I reach him. It's got to be in his aura. His presence is heavy, strong and dark. Is this what's stopping me? I wonder as I shiver to stop. The shadows and these weird people are keeping a distance from me too. As I'm trying to hold my breaths, he starts to breathe heavily that I can hear him and see his back and chest heaving. He suddenly truns!
-
Huff.. huff..
I open my eyes as I still hear the panting behind me, close to my right ear. I freeze on my bed with widened eyes and gasping from what I've seen. The heaving was slowly fading.
I wake up from the dream. It's not new seeing them, but, the layout is so familiar. Checking my phone, 10 a.m and, yes, as usual, I check the notifications and whatsoever. I often try to understand the meaning of what I see in those dreams. They're mostly messages. Those people are all the time surrounding me and showing up whenever I fall asleep. I get up as I take few steps to the shower room passing by the painting corner.
I freeze.
"What the hell is going on?" I mutter having goosebumps eating my skin alive. My feet refuse to move and I'm losing sense of my presence. I start to gasp, heaving, I freak out.