Tower: Murky and Charming

Chapter 9: Alone

Clearing her mind and getting out of boredom. She goes into town again to buy her daily stuff and have a friendly conversation with the nice woman.

"You've been coming here more often than before. Do you really love my books that much?"

"Love?" Athanasia chuckles and puts away the stack of books into her bag. "Even words cannot describe my passion for reading..."

"I see" The woman ponders and examines the expression on her face. It's her normal cheery face that radiates welcomeness and warmth yet she can't help but feel sorrow from it. "... Is that man no longer with you?"

"Hm? What?" She blinks and smiles crookedly. "Oh him. It's not like that, he's just temporary not coming with me anymore"

"Hmmmm, I should begin hitting him with books instead of giving it next time" She talks to herself while nodding, unaware of her best customer still standing in front of her awkwardly.

"Well, that's-ah!" She felt something on her napes like a pinch and her hand reflexes. Slapping the skin and rubbing the pain around her neck. She lifts her hand off and a small red spot appears as a result.

"Sheesh, mosquito season is almost here" The woman sighs and goes to the back of the room, then comes out with a small tube and short scarf. "Put this on when you get home, it won't make it disappear instantly but will rid the itchy feeling. So for now, you have to cover this up with a scarf"

"Oh thank you" Athanasia takes her mini pouch filled with coins. Asking for the price and the woman told her it's free. "I really can't accept this for free. Let me just pay you"

"No, it's fine" She advises and wraps the scarf tight around, so much that she can barely feel her air tube getting oxygen. "Cover up more if you don't want any more marks. You're going to attract all kinds of animals" She warns with a serious expression that makes Athanasia nervous.

TWACK

She pokes her in the forehead and the blonde raises her eyebrows in bewilderment from the action.

"You're still a young innocent lady. Be careful on your way back"

"Don't worry, I will" Athanasia grins and goes off into the plaza, buying food and eating to her heart's content once again.

The lady stays in her store and watches Athanasia wander around freely, clueless of the people that stare at her. A dangerous-looking and shady bunch that doesn't approach but stalks.

Athanasia gets goosebumps on the back of her neck and an unsettling gut feeling.

'Is someone watching me?'

She turns her head from side to side, finding nothing strange and everything seems normal.

'Probably just my imagination'

***

The sun moves very slowly well technically the Earth orbits around it. The clock is ticking but time is never tracked. The petal flies down from the tip of the wilted rose before landing softly onto the wooden surface. In front of her eyes, she witnesses the first fall.

"You're dying...." She murmurs and strokes the rose gently with her finger. "It's only one petal so far... perhaps there's still a chance for you to live"

A thought she had while staring at the roses in the gloomy tower with nobody else but her. She was the only resident while the owner was on his journey.

"...." her head leaned against the desk as she stared at nothing with a sullen face. "It's so boring"

What else is there to do other than just reading and walking around?