The cold autumn ocean is mostly quiet, as evening comes. A little shy, the Mermaid comes out on the rocks, on low tide. She looks in the distance, where the sun went down in the ocean, as the wind blows through her long, flowy, blonde hair. Then she turns to look at land, where Humans lighted up their candles in their cottages in the village. She is longing. What for? Does she even know? She longs for something in the west, something she is not allowed to reach, then to the east, where something is lost until the end of this age comes. If she would be able to cry, she would. But she can not.
My name is Sidonia. First time posting here. You read, probably, the words of my third cousin Sophie (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) and of aunt Odette (Part 4). This is my story. Or my part in the greater story.
I do not know how it is where you live. If you live in the Americas or Europe, most likely you met girls like me. You know, the humble, religious teen who is the black sheep of the class or even the entire school. Despised, bullied, a little bit respected by some, but never truly accepted. Perhaps she does not want to. Perhaps she can not. Perhaps both. Who knows, maybe she is destined to be a nun or a humble housewife? Anyway, a weirdo on her own.
I was that. I remember when my peers made jokes with sexual substrate, I looked at them with anger and contempt. I even scolded them, like an old lady. They looked down on me, some would touch me in inappropriate places. I managed to get many of them to the principal’s office. This made me even more hated. But what did I care about? I knew God was on my side, not on theirs. This is why I had to be more how God wanted me to be. Perhaps how I thought God wanted me to be? Or perhaps how I wanted God to want?
My mom and dad were not particularly religious. Not atheists, but neither people who lived their faith. Why did I become religious? I do not know. Maybe I was resentful, somehow. I seem to be very resentful. Of the mainstream. Of normality. Being bullied turned me like this, or my own way of being brought it on me? I do not know. Yet, it is certain that the two sides made each other stronger, as time went on.
I remember one day, at lunch break, standing in the schoolyard of the high school (I am in my tenth grade) and looking at my peers, with my back against the wall. I let my thoughts drift away on what I shall be able to do to them, if I was able to. Fortunately, I did not and my consciousness did not let me. Yes, I had one, I thought it was a strong consciousness. I was very infatuated, but I consider myself humble.Some girls, in their sexy clothes (I considered them whores.) looked pitiful at me, a sixteen year old dressed up like a grandma, under a tree. Boys looked at me with disgust. But I had my God. I had my books.
Sophie and I were close as children. Both of us were geeks and book lovers. But we drifted apart. She became more like a mainstream geek, a pretty successful one, and I became more recluse. Indeed, I considered her to be prettier than me, and more intelligent than me. But I had my Lord, I thought. Until last year, when Sophie had a baby with her boyfriend, who dumped her. There were testimonies regarding the events that led to her coming to faith, also of aunt Odette„s past, I did not believe them, I considered them fake and insane. I should have contacted them sooner, I should have believed them. I know that Sophie and aunt Odette shall read this, I ask them forgiveness.
You see, there was another side of me. You see, I loved Mermaids. Yes, I did. But I despised myself for believing in such silly, worldly and Pagan things. But my guilty pleasure was, from time to time, reading about them, looking at images, even watching professional performers who played Mermaids on shows and events. My secret wish was that I would become like them one day. But I did not consider myself fit, capable and pretty enough for it. Mermaids are beautiful and enchanting, not short geeks with acne…
I remember a few years ago, I submerged myself in the bathtub in hot water, held my breath and listened to the water in my ears, feeling like a Mermaid in a tropical ocean. Silly, isn’t it?
In my mind there were two types of thoughts. Like two personalities who hated each other. One who desired to be an oceanic magical being, one of being a righteous Christian. I prayed to God to deliver me from the first, like I prayed to be delivered from sin and lust. The first side of me hated God and the faith in Him, I admit. I knew the faithful ones shall win, as it should.
I returned from the Radu Vodă monastery one evening, after a long stay on my knees, on Vespers. I read the testimonies of Sophie regarding things that were supposed to happen in Bucharest, near rivers and lakes, with the Candles. I did not believe them, but I found some posts on some Facebook groups regarding missing people and strange lights. This started to worry me a bit. Not just for the sake of danger, but this meant that Sophie was not lying. And that I was wrong.
Soon enough, after what aunt Odette posted, things started getting more alarming. Some people said they saw things, coming closer and closer to downtown, in the dead of night, similar things to what she said she experienced. Alongside people disappearing. Nothing in the mainstream press, yet. Soon enough, I found my own excuse for rejecting them: Some kids were caught impersonating the ghouls dressed in grey sheets, pranking people. It even became a Tik Tok challenge to play those pranks. Yes, crazy secular people those days. I thought that even my cousin„s and aunt„s testimonies were hoaxes that contributed to the hysteria. I despised them for that.
One afternoon, after school, I stayed on a bench, on Traian street, near Traian hall under a tree, looking at the trolleys. I have just finished a math private lesson, because I lied to my parents that I wanted to become an engineer. I did not want that. But I did precisely because I hated it. Sounds familiar? Dust and cold. I contemplated my loser life. Much of my life has passed senselessly. Could I live it better? No, I could not have been normal. I could not. I am an alien. But I still had God. Hey, but He allowed me to be a loser. No boyfriend, I am ugly, and magic is sinful and wrong. Could God make it better? He Is Almighty, after all. Something in me hated Him, on one side, with the other praying to Him. I remember Sophie„s testimony on her suicidal desperation that night and it felt real, somehow.
A group of gangsta-like boys passed near me and spit in my direction. I swallowed a tear. Why was I rejecting everybody and everybody rejected me? Why do I deserve nothing? I needed to get back home, in Colentina, near Doamna Ghica Street, and that will take time. The tram did not come, and I lost my patience and started walking, until the next tram stop. It was a lovely old neighborhood that had something magic in it. Old, small houses, small streets, it had something of a magic forest in it. The sun had set already. Then they came from the right, it was Măcet street, I think.
Three figures dressed in grey sheets or cloaks. They came towards me. Dark belts around their waists. I felt something in the stomach, I rushed, but they were already close, and one came up front and blocked the street. I turned around, and the other blocked the other side, and the third blocked the other street, so I had no true way out. My heart started pumping fast. I stopped in my tracks looking at one, then another, trying to see a way out that I could not. They came closer and closer. No people in sight, so it was me against them.
I tried something foolish, trying to run towards Măcet, bypassing one of them. He jumped upon me and caught me. He smelled like alcohol and dirty laundry. I could hear him giggling, somehow, as I started to scream and kick: ”Help! Somebody help me!” The others joined and placed their hands on me, and pulled me down. Nobody came out for me. I started crying, screaming and kicking, as they laughed and forced me to stay down. One of them came very close to my face, I could feel his breath through the linen. I got quiet, as I knew he had me in his grasp. This went on for several minutes, I think, they were laughing.
I heard the noise of something heavy hitting the ground close to me. Then, a deep male voice, not very far: ”Hey, you there! Stop it right now! I shall call the police!” My attackers stood up to look at the man who shouted at them and let their hands off me. I did not dare to move at first but, as the man was reaching for his phone, I managed to get underneath those and run away. I ran away towards the north, in the sense I initially wanted to. The man was quite tall and imposing, the object thrown away was a bottle of water. I left him to deal with the attackers.
I ran for a while, almost oblivious of what was around me. I kicked into some people, I got nasty responses, that only got my state worse. I could not believe what had just happened to me, I could not even follow my own thoughts. When I eventually slowed down and evaluated my situation, I noticed my clothes were a bit torn down and dirty. My mom called, but I could not answer, so I muted the phone. I looked all around me for potential attackers, also trying to come to my senses. I felt more or less broken. Like a rag old coat, thrown to the floor, for sweeping. Canceled. It also confirmed my disbelief into the reality of the supernatural, and it felt disappointing. I whispered: ”Lord, why has this happened to me? Why?”
I started walking slowly, lost in my pain. I was not physically hurt, but it felt horrible. I stumbled into people several times, I stumbled and almost fell to the ground twice. I probably looked drunk or on drugs to people. It was cold, a little rainy, but it was nothing compared to how I felt inside.
As the droplets of rain hit my dirty jacket, annoying me, I desperately wanted to go back and kill those three. Stab them in the heart. Or cut their heads out. Or, even better, spit their abdomens and let them die slowly. Them and those like them. As I dreamed this, stumbling on the sidewalk, a boy and a girl, holding their hands and smiling (probably high school students), passed near me. I gave them a death stare. They looked creeped out, I felt hatred towards them. Their faces became grim and started walking fast. I hated them too.
I reached Foișorul de Foc square. Few people around. The old water tower from the center of the square, that gave its name, was dark and silent. I stood next to it, saying in my mind: ”Lord, why has this happened to me? Why did You allow it to be?”
As minutes passed, I started saying: ”Why did you allow it all to me? Why? Why am I miserable? Why am I the lowest girl I know? Perhaps the lowest girl in the world?” Anger took over me. I remember clutching my fists.
I heard a girl screaming behind me. I looked, it was a teen girl, chased by attackers dressed up like the ones who got into me earlier. They grabbed her, but she started laughing. One of them started laughing too. Were the same who got me? Or has this trend become so widespread? My phone rang, my mom. Probably worried. But I did not care. The girl and the rest turned to look at me. They could come to me, so I started running towards Calea Moșilor. I did not look behind, but they did not follow me.
Reaching the communist boulevard that used to be an old street, like the ones I came from, felt like a relief, but also like cold water over a sleeping face. The old area had something of a magical forest in it, even if it was not very strong or very visible. The ten story apartment blocks boulevard felt like a deep, open wound in that area. As cars, trams and trolleys passed, my mind looked, very much, felt like a storm that brought trees and rocks down into a precipice. I was helpless and afraid. Helpless to be different, to be something else, to be someone else. And afraid or revulsed of anybody around. Or both.
As time passed, the memory of what I experienced less than a half an hour before grew, getting much stronger, feeling worse to remember it then it was to have actually lived it. ”Why, Lord?” I hated The Lord, I hated Him for allowing all, but not just for that. I also hated Him for leaving me alone and on my own. I desperately needed Him, I wanted for all to be right. But how could it be? I started crying and decided to cross the boulevard, for I wanted as few people as possible to see me. To prey on me, to feast like vultures on my dead soul. I wish them dead. I wished I could kill them, they were all guilty, but it would not have been enough.
I could have headed home, this meant going on Calea Moșilor, to Obor and then to Colentina. But I wanted to avoid people, and also there was a nagging thing in my mind.
I wanted it all to be finished. Soon. Suicide felt sweet. But also it felt like something was pushing me for it, and I did not want it. Something from inside or outside, I didn’t know. But it was like I was on death row. As I proceeded to walk into Dacia boulevard, I knew who felt the same as me, at some point. Someone who I could talk to now. Someone I hoped to be home.
Toamnei street was in sight. Things felt less alive, more silent, like a graveyard peace coming over them. People were still around, but less. Yet, it felt sweet. Almost like not wanting to die anymore.
Then I saw another person draped in a grey sheet, kept in place with belts. They crossed the street to the north, on the other side of Toamnei. This one was taller, more graceful, more imposing. Something in me kicked out to run away from them, but another thought arose, to get to them, and let this new creep finish me up, rob me, humiliate me, kill me if they wish. And so my miserable life is over in a way fit for it. I felt no longer capable of crying, no longer capable of praying, so I followed them into Toamnei, from a distance.
I felt attracted to this person, yet something in me screamed to run for my life. Yet, my desire for self destruction was stronger than this, at least for now. I started walking faster, as the fear got more intense. A humid wet breeze came from the north towards me, bringing something with it. Something that made me tremble. But I was determined to get what I want. Indeed, there was something alluring to them, but it was not that that drove me.
I even began to run, as the winter cold hit me in the face, as I ran. The person reached the crossroad with Mihai Eminescu street, near the Precupeții Vechi church. The church made me think of The Lord that, perhaps, He did not leave me. That He gives a sign. Not to do what I was about to do. I could barely say a prayer: ”Lord, if You are there, if You care for me, do not let me do this. Save me, somehow…” I gave a sigh, as the person stopped. I could not run anymore towards them, as I was only a few meters away from them. They stopped and turned around to face me.
This was no Human. Not at all. I could figure out the framework of a tall Human skeleton, draped in that sheet. The eye of the creature shone faintly behind the sheet, with a silver light. It looked into my eyes, into my soul. Yes, it was all true, all Sophie and aunt Odette said. I knew it then. I kept staring into those eyes, like hypnotized, lost in them. The creature rose right arm in the air, allowing me to see the skeletal hand underneath. Lights around went out and, as darkness came over, I thought I could see an even fainter light underneath the sheet. But I was not sure about that.
Coldness and death came out of the being towards me and around it, and it was not easy to resist the call to surrender. An old, beautiful, magical world was embodied in the creature, but a dead world. The creature whispered loud enough for me to hear on sharp, high stony voice: ”Viiiiinoooo…” (In Romanian ”vino” means ”come”.) What kind of voice was it I can not describe, but it was far from sounding Human. It reverberated somehow in the surroundings.
It reached both its arms towards me, inviting me to come. This was, in a way, what I wanted. Diving into a dead sea, in its depth, in there to swim like a dead, graceful, Mermaid. But something in me clangs on to life, to light. And that part started crying and screaming. I never thought I was able to scream like this. So high, so strong, like my scream tried to cover in power the voice of the creature. The second snapped something in me and I started running westward, on Mihai Eminescu street, towards Vasile Lascăr. The creature gave some sort of scream or shriek, that rumbled in my mind, as I started coming for me. Yet, that sound was a whisper in itself. Perhaps I felt it stronger then it was louder?
Lights behind me turned off as it came my way. But I ran, ran, ran. Much faster than I was ever capable of running at sports classes in school. Distantly, like coming from around, I heard similar shrieks. There were more of them around. The creature started making some other indescribable sounds, like loud whispers. I got an idea. Not a great one, hard to achieve, since I had to do this while running, but it was the only shot. I had to call uncle Aurelian, Sophie„s father, that I was around and in danger, hoping to get help. For that, I need to be faster than the creature, to be for a while out of its blackout reach, in order to call.
I managed to get to the crossroad with Viitorului street. A street with tram tracks on it. It usually had people on it, but not tonight. I soon realized why. Another creature came from the right, one from the left. They made those sounds, lights out around them. My hand shook as I got the phone from the backpack and their voices whirled like a storm wind: ”Viiinooo…..!” I dropped it on the pavement. I cried and my teeth started to chuckle, the darkness came close and its makers with it. But I managed to run again, run fast enough to avoid it going blank. It seems they did not chase very fast, fortunately.
I struggled to find his number on the phone, and almost dropped the phone for a second time. I would not have picked it up, if it did. But I did not. I heard making noises, I think they were talking in their own way, most likely, but I did not look behind. Another shriek nearby, it was at least one more of them. I managed to call uncle Aurelian. As seconds passed and he did not pick up, my hope faded, and I started praying, without even realizing it. I reached a small crossroad, not yet with Vasile Lascăr, when he finally picked up: ”Hello… Sidonia, how are you? What..” I was muffled, mixed with tears: ”Uncle, I am Mihai Eminescu, close to Vasile Lascăr… Those things, you know what things, are coming after me. Please help me, you or someone… Please! I shall get into Vasile Lascăr and towards your house, but I do not know if I can make it…” ”Hold on.. Someone shall come…”
I let the call opened, while I was running. They were getting close, it seems, because I slowed down to talk. One more step, and I shall be getting into Vasile Lascăr. People ran away, when they saw all this, I wondered how much they understood, if they felt the calling to shiny death in the air. Indeed, the whole horizon was like enveloped into some kind of non-physical mist, all around it started to feel dead, like it had been alive once and died. I know, it sounds weird for a house or a car or the pavement, or the sky itself to feel dead. Yes, the sky was dead.
I had made a mistake. A practical one, that my foes did not. You see, downtown Bucharest, the old historical parts, are a maze of streets, most of them small. The shapes are, usually, very irregular. There was a small street, called Traian Doda, that was at a right angle, between Mihai Eminescu street and Vasile Lascăr street. Looking now at the map, I can clearly see Traian Doda can work as a small shortcut, if you want to reach Sophie„s house from that side of Mihai Eminescu, through Răsuri street. Not easy to perceive this, unless you know the area and you are in a better mental state to make decisions, I was neither.
Running into Vasile Lascăr, I approached the end of Răsuri from Vasile Lascăr. I felt worse as I got close to it, I didn’t know why, I was keen on getting to Sophie’s house. When I was near Răsuri, the bad feeling peaked and then something very strong and very cold grabbed my right arm, making me stumble and crash the phone I still had in my hand due to inertia to the ground.
Indeed, it was a coldness that felt like taking away the warmth from your body, replacing it with the coldness of death. But it was also burning, at the same time, freezing through burning. I looked the ghoul in the eye, from up close and it felt like all my blood turned into ice. The bony hand was the only thing outside the veil, it was grey, like dirty with ash. It felt not like mere bone, but like some sort of stone. Those ruthless eyes drilled into my soul, I felt my eyes getting sore from being too close to it, as the creature grabbed me from my waist and pulled towards it. I screamed and kicked, but it felt like what was said about quicksand, the stronger you fight, the faster you sink.
Violent convulsions started, like I had been thrown in a freezer that started doing its job very fast of turning me into an icicle. The creature brought my head closer to its head, saying things in its own way I knew already, but this time very close. It felt like life giving through death giving. Or the other way around. I was falling down the precipice fast, I needed to close my eyes not to see those terrible, sublime silver lanterns from the eyes sockets of the skull behind the veil. I could not make any words but, as I was drifting away and a part of me got numb, another one started from the unconscious to work and understand what the being was saying, but my conscious self could not understand.
I soon heard the voices of the other beings, being close. I knew they shall take me away, never to be seen in the world of the living. At least not alive, anyway. I knew that, if they succeeded, I shall be worse than being actually dead. I knew it. I shall live an unnatural substitute for life, in constant torment and anguish. They started moving with me in their hands, I could not tell if they moved with me, as my conscious mind turned, slowly, dark. It felt that, if I get unconscious now, if I shall awake, somehow, I will be something no living person should ever experience, no matter how wicked they are. Their words and movements became rhythmic, like they were doing some sort of dance with me, passing me like a rag doll or like a ball to each other, like in a choreography. And their words were a chant. Yes, they were chanting, in a way I can even attempt to describe.
All I could say in my mind was: ”Lord, forgive me! Help me, please, I promise you I shall change! I promise I shall listen! I do not deserve it, but give me one last, one last one…” My mind was a second away from getting dark, when a noise, a thud was heard, like from a distance, and the whole ensemble made of me and the creatures shook. Then another. They shrieked with low voices, like in pain. I was dropped to the pavement, I knew it, but something softened my blow, like a pillow.
I was coming slowly to my senses, as the screams that felt like drilling into my skull through the ears got stronger. I became more aware of all, and I felt them moving away, with every new thud that started to sound more and more like gunshots. Yes, they were gunshots of some sort. I was able to open my eyes and noticed the beings being set ablaze, somehow, but they burned with bright blue flame. They moved away, but I was not able to move yet. One more shot and they moved away, towards Dacia boulevard, most likely.
As they moved away, I heard footsteps coming towards me and the silhouette of a woman dressed in black came to me, helding two weird, colored pistol-like guns in her hand. As she got closer and her features became visible, I realized this was not a mortal Human woman, but a monster woman. A dead woman. As vulnerable as I was, it felt like a lion had just taken away his prey from the hyenas for himself. All I could think was: ”Lord have mercy…”
Then I realized who this was. Yes, she was real too. And she was as scary as she was described to be, perhaps worse. My mortal being knew she was very dangerous, but something rejoiced in me. She placed the guns on her belt, came down to me and said in her hissed voice: ”Are you still there? Please, say something…” Underneath all the monster, there was something so gentle and refreshing, so warm, that it felt like a small miracle that I was able to reply: ”Yes..” ”Sorry to be hasty, but we need to get you in as fast as we can. I do not think you can walk, so I have to carry you. Understand?” ”Yes…” I mumbled.
I was grabbed firmly from the ground. ”Is this your phone?” It took a few seconds to understand what she meant and reply: ”Yes..” ”Ok, I shall take it.” The phone flew from the ground into her pocket. Yep, she had telekinesis, that was well known.
She felt a bit similar to those things, like being cold and dead, but I felt mostly something soothing coming from her inside, alive and refreshing. I felt like a child in her mother’s arms. I looked into those white, corpse eyes and felt a sweetness coming from them, and I felt like I wanted to be alive again. She even managed to caress my hair and whispered: ”You pour little thing.. What have they done to you…”
”That’s her, that’s Sidonia!” I heard the voice of aunt Odette. I turned my head and saw her running from the gate to us. I think it was Busolei street, where we met. She looked horrified at my state and started caressing me as well.
Then I heard a voice again, a voice of the creatures, from Busolei. Aunt Odette looked chilled into that direction and I heard the voice of the creatures saying something short towards us, something like some sort of code. Aunt Odette trembled, but Helena said: ”We need to hurry! There are several of them out there, and she needs help fast! Come one, we are close, let’s run!” And they ran towards the house. I felt a bit shaken, but it was ok.
The gate shrieked as it was closed and locked by Odette, and soon I heard the door opening and we got in. ”Don„t wake Artanis, careful.” said Helena, as she brought me next to a couch. Sophie was helding Artanis in her arms (first time I saw Artanis), she looked visibly shaken by the sight of me. Uncle Aurelian came close as well, he became pale when he saw me.
”Quick, scissors and alcohol!” asked Helena and my dad, complied, as Helena placed me on the ground. I was getting to my senses. ”Honey”, continued Helena, “we need to cut down your clothes, pray that they have not burned your skin, so that the fabric gets into it.” I took it literally and I prayed. Fortunately, although my body hurt and the places where I was held felt deeply sore and numb, they were able to detach my clothes from me. They placed me on the couch and Helena started giving me some treatment. I soon fell asleep.
I woke up on the same couch, in the morning. Sophie was sitting next to me, I was dressed in a nightgown belonging to her, I think. I felt bad, not very bad and, as the winter sun touched my face, I felt alive. One of the most marvelous things I ever experienced. Sophie realized I was awake, came to me and smiled: ”We scared us in a way we could not expect too last night… Your parents are on their way here, we had to convince them not to come for you during the night, as those things could have still been out there. You were so fortunate that Helena had just arrived and we just got those guns from our new friend.”
”Ferdinand?” I asked. ”Oh, I see that you read it all.” ”I did.. Forgive me for not believing you…” Sophie looked at me a little abashed, as I rose on my elbows: ”Where„s Helena?” ”She went home, she was very tired.” ”Ah…, ok…” Sophie smiled: ”What were you doing out there?” I gave a sob and started talking… And I talked, I told her what I wrote in here as well, but more chaotically and in more detail. About me, about my thoughts…” Sophie listened carefully and, in the end, as I broke down and cried, she hugged me. ”You should have talked to me. All those years. Not keep to yourself. You know, the two of us are more similar than you think… We have a lot to catch up to. The Lord loves you. Most people wouldn’t have had a chance in that situation.”
”Yes, He does. It was all my fault. But I am ready now to listen. I have decided to be a new person, from this day on. A new life has started. I shall not waste this chance. I promise.” As she chuckled, Sophie looked at me. ”What?” I said. ”You know”, she replied a little cheeky, ”I have a little thing to tell you. Helena feels some things are pretty accurate. We weren’t sure it was good to tell you, but now it feels very fit.” I smiled, as I already suspected what it was about.
”You said we didn’t share the same Elven heritage, since we are related through my dad, who is Human. And you were right, we do not share the same lineage. But, we do not know from where yet, you have a different lineage in you. You should have listened to your feelings. You are an Elf too. More specifically, an Oceanic Elf. I descend from Elves who lived on the Western Elvenland, it seems. You are not, you descend from Merpeople. You are a Mermaid, literally. In your Full Elf state, you would have a tail and breathe under water.” I was amazed, but I knew it already, in a way. Hard to explain why. Sophie gave me a hug. She added: ”You know, Helena also said that she never talked or interacted with a Mermaid before. And she really wants to get to know you better.”
This was, indeed, a new life. I praised The Lord, thanked Him, it is more than I could ever dream. But it was something I hopped in the back of mind. Something I always wanted to ask Him, but I never dared to.
After talking to aunt Odette and Sophie for a while, my parents came and took me home. I told them about some attackers, but I did not give them details about the last one. They took me to the hospital, but I seemed fine, mostly. My skin has frost-bite-like portions on it, still hurts, it seems my clothes protected me somewhat. It hurts a bit, but I am fine.
A few days have passed. I stayed up the next night, in my apartment, hoping those things can not get into apartment blocks or find it easy to. I proclaimed my new life, got new clothes, shoes, and jewelry, makeup, not sure if I shall dye my hair platinum blonde, since I am already a natural blonde. But I painted my nails blue, I wanted to do it for years. I did some makeup experiments to imitate photoshoots of models posing as Mermaids. Not too good at it so far, but it shall get better.
I think that now, in many ways, I am a normal girl. The ”grandma” is gone for good. I can not wait for my school mates to see me. Perhaps I shall get a boyfriend soon, I don„t know.
This is the second night at home of my new life. Nothing happened the previous one either to me and my family, in my apartment, or to Sophie„s family. I am soooo happy now, but I know I need to be careful, especially since I still feel some anxiety now. As I heard something at the window, I took my black prayer rope in my hand with sparkly painted blue nails and started saying the Jesus Prayer. The winter wind blew, rustling the trees. I live pretty near Plumbuita lake, which is one of the lakes created on the Colentina River, like Tei or Herăstrău.
As I said the prayer, I noticed some small lights in branches. I looked a bit at them, and they looked like small, floating candles. I kept calm and said the prayer ceaselessly: ”Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” They went down and away. Fortunately, I live on the eighth floor. I think it would be hard for the ghouls to get up here. We barricaded the front door and sealed all the windows. I managed to convince my parents to. Sophie„s parents contributed to this.
Morning came, we are all ok. I am not out of the woods yet, for sure. I have a feeling they shall come back for me and for all of us, somehow. I do not know when or how. I want to be as safe as possible here, perhaps some of you have some ideas on what to do next. I am really open to suggestions.
For now, take care, I hope we shall talk soon.
Bless you,
Sidonia
Update: Part 6