"I was angry with my friend; I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe; I told it not, my wrath did grow."
— William Blake, "A Poison Tree"
Raya read those lines over and over. The words clung to her mind like thorns.
She had never told her wrath. She had never screamed, never cursed, never fought back. She had smiled when they mocked her, prayed when they broke her, and whispered "I forgive" when she wanted to burn the world.
But forgiveness was only a seed.
What she watered every day was silence.
Every insult, every bestial, every cruel whisper became rain to the thing growing inside her — a poison tree, unseen but alive.
Its roots wrapped around her heart.
Its branches twisted through her thoughts.
And its fruit — sweet, glowing, and red — whispered promises: "You don't belong here. But I can give you peace, eternal one at that."
Raya closed her eyes. She saw herself standing beneath that tree, barefoot in the dark, her veins itching like vines. The voices in her head were the wind in its leaves. Her fear was its shadow.
Ammi's voice called from outside her room, gentle but trembling.
"Raya… come eat, please."
But the hunger was not for food.
The hunger was for release.
And the fruit on her poison tree hung low — waiting.
"Raya! Raya! "Asha called, shaking her to wake her up. "Wake up, you have to eat and take your pills" she added, "yh, alright" Raya responded while she twirled and spun on the bed. Shwe stood up and walked into the restroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. After eating, she took a shower and started reading her book of poems, which she had also written. By the time she was done reading and writing like Shakespeare, she went to pray to Him.
Knock! Knock! Knock! 'Someone as at the door but who?' she thought. She went to check who it was and saw someone she least expected. "What the fuck is he doing here?" she whispered and tried sneaking away but he spoke before she could. "i know you are there, so just open the door already" Aaqib sounded from the other side of the door. "Why are you here anyways?" she asked, "Open it already, Raya." Asha scolded from the kitchen, "Okayyy" she obeyed and opened the door. "Hey, miss me already? Coz to be honest I didn't stay away for long" he said as he grinned from ear to ear, "you wish, besides what the fuck are you doing here? You know what scrap that, why are you here? don't you have school or something?" Raya questioned with disgust written all over face. "Oh, there was school and I have you next on my schedule.so what do you wanna do? scrabbles? Chess? read?" he responded. "Aaqib, so nice of you to stop by to say hi. sweet boy, do you want anything it must have been hot out there maybe some orange juice, Raya usher him in or would you let your guest stand outside like that." She rapped with so much enthuRayasm and hope that her daughter would be healed.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"And checkmate. You can't beat mentally unstable person at a game of chess, it's just impossible" Raya boasted, "oh yh its that what you think? I don't believe you are mentally unstable. I think you are alright and everything's gonna be fine" Aaqib said while holding her hands. "You think I'm alright? Stop bullshitting me, the doctor literally said my brain's tensed and needs to relax ..." she paused and burst into laughter "fucking "health practitioners" they don't know shit about what's to come at all. i am mentally unstable. I have accepted my faith yh, and I don't need no shitty arsehole telling me "You are alright, you are just in need of a break from civilization" fuck that I need a fucking escape from this shitty life that decided to kiss me when deaths already claimed me. No shit.... Sorry I don't normally do that or at all" she ranted, "do what? You just spoke your mind which is really a good sign that you could make it, you don't have to hope for death." He whispered. "Please don't, don't do that. Don't try to convince me It's been decided since my birth. I am going to meet Him. I love you but I love HIM more. Sorry to say. So don't ever try to convince me or change my mind or else I'd make you hate me" She warned. They stared into each other's eyes, and Aaqib lost whatever staring that was going on, then said, "Don't be angry at me, I'm just rooting for you. Okay? I never meant to cause you pain, please" he begged, then stretched his hand to caress her head hoping she'd be less angry.
Meanwhile in the underworld
"Son, you have to claim what's rightfully yours before you lose it" Demon Lord Kalasur said while staring into the magic crystal that connects the underworld to the human world. "Father, you know I hate when someone tells me what to do. Especially after what you did to me 500 years ago, and you stand before me today to speak bullshit to me. You lied to me, betrayed me and stole the only iota of emotion I had left. I do not know where this fake love of yours comes from all of a sudden but it is certain if any harm comes to her, it wouldn't be funny when war breaks loose here. I am not just telling you but also warning you because I promise you not even Hades would be able to stop me" Prince of the Underworld replied and stormed out of the room.
Prince of the Underworld's POV
I stormed out fuming with anger like never before, then I remember what I'm expected to do whenever I lose control. I walked back to my chamber and stand in front of my inbuilt library I pull out a book and the shelf moves aside causing a dark path way to come into my view. I take an already lit torch and lit the first touch hanging on the wall and the others turn on by themselves I guess that's one of the few blessings that comes from being a demon. I walked down the pathway, turned left and there I stood in front of a metal door. I cut myself with my dagger and my blood touches the door then it began to glow and it opened, automatically it became bright I stepped inside and began to walk around, all I could think of was her and how I ruined everything what bigger curse could there be than being a demon for I ruin every soul I touch. ' I promise I will get you back and you'd be mine and mine alone' I swore in my thoughts.