Rise of the Darkness

CHAPTER 02

Back in Time.

Calla remembered the stranger. He was the same person who met her 6 months ago. She had been searching him since then, but never found a single clue about him. And here he was standing, he hadn't changed a bit. She came back to her senses when she found him staring at her. She tapped on Sophie's shoulder who was still busy looking at things and admiring them.

"Don't go anywhere, I'll be back in a minute." Calla said to her niece.

"Go talk to your price, he's cute." Sophie said with a grin.

"Henry's not here Sophie." Calla replied in an annoyed tone.

"I'm not talking about Henry, he's not your Prince." Sophie replied and giggled. Calla shook her head and went to that strange man who was still drooling over her. To her surprise, she wasn't even uncomfortable with him staring at her. She stood right in front of him and glared at her.

"Who are you?" Calla asked him and tried to keep her voice firm.

"Really, that's the best question you could come up with?" The strange man asked with a chuckle.

"Pardon please?" Calla asked with a raised brow.

"What's in your heart Miss Calla Davis." The strange man asked.

"How do you know my name? Are you stalking me?" Calla asked.

" I'm not a cheap stalker, I'm a guardian." The strange man replied with anger.

"What? What do you mean with that? Guardian for whom?" Calla asked in confusion.

"The time will tell you and teach you everything about your future soon." The strange man said and raised his finger but this time, he pointed at Sophie. Calla looked at her niece who had so many pendants in her hands.

"Beware the darkness that soon will rise." He whispered in Calla's ear as Calla looked back at him but he was again gone. Calla was now confused with the hide and seek game he was playing. Calla didn't waste her time to look for him, she went back to her niece. Sophie made her choose one of the pendants. All of them were so beautiful but one of them caught her eyes. It was a blue crystal pendant with silver sparklings inside. Sophie gave it to the shopkeeper and asked her to pack it into a cute box. They paid for the pendant and went out. They did more shopping. Sophie sat on one of the ponies like a princess. So far the day was good and it made Sophie so much happier than Calla had imagined. It was almost dusk when they went back to their house. Sophie happily took all the shopping bags from her aunt. They opened the door and Henry greeted her from behind.

"Hey." Henry said.

" Hi. What are you doing here?" Calla asked.

" Just came to see you." Henry said.

" Hi Henry." Sophie greeted him.

"Oh hi. What are you doing? Can we go for dinner tonight?" Henry replied carelessly then asked Calla. Calla gave him a deadly glare.

"Baby take all this to your room. We'll check everything, I'll be there in a bit." Calla said.

"Okay aunt Calla. Bye Henry." Sophie replied and went to her room.

" What the hell is wrong with you? I've already told you about a hundred times that I can't go to have dinner with you. I can't leave her alone." Calla asked angrily.

" Who's asking you to leave her alone. I've told you to get a nanny for her." Henry replied.

" And I've told you that I can take care of her by myself." Calla replied.

"How will we be able to work like this? How will it work in future? If she won't learn to live with nannies or alone." Henry asked.

"Wait, what do you mean with living alone or with nannies?" Calla asked in confusion.

"You're not planning to adopt her." Henry asked and chuckled. Hearing the word adopt, Calla's anger rose and she could not hold it back.

"Adopt, what are you even thinking? Henry, For the love of God, she's my niece." She yelled at Henry.

"Her mother was your step sister, not your real sis…." Henry was replying but Calla didn't let him complete his sentence.

" That's enough. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be even here. You've said that once, but make sure that ain't happened again or I swear to God I won't think once for choosing her over you." Calla firmly said.

" That's what you're going to do now. You wanna babysit her your whole life. Then what about your work? It's growing bigger. Look at you. You're comparing me with that little witch…." Henry could not complete his sentence because a sharp slap made its way to his cheek. Calla slapped him hard enough that it left a mark on his cheek.

" You're sick. You dare to call her names? She's not my niece but my daughter, my family and my life. That strange man was right about you. You don't love me but my money and success. It was actually a mistake. I should have known better. A sick person like you can crave for money and fame only. GET

OUT AND NEVER SHOW ME YOUR FACE EVER AGAIN." Calla yelled at him and threw his ring on his face and he left. She felt so angry.

"How dare anyone think of my Sophie like that? She's my life and I can give up on anything for her happiness." Calla thought.

She splashed some cold water on her face, then went to Sophie's room who hadn't heard a single word. She was happily going through all the stuff she bought. Calla sat on the couch and was in her deep thoughts. She was pulled out of her thoughts when Sophie started singing her a song. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Sophie: Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday dear aunt Calla,

Happy birthday to you.

She gave her the box with the pendant she bought from the gala.

" Thank you baby, you remembered?" Calla asked

" How can I forget your birthday. You're my best friend and I love you." Sophie replied.

"I love you too baby and you're my best friend too." Calla said. They hugged each other, then Sophie went back to unpack all the things she bought, where Calla opened the box and looked at the beautiful pendant. Suddenly she remembered the man again who told her about Henry. Her heartbeat rose as she looked at her happy niece who was busy in shopping bags.

"I need to find him and ask him what he meant about beware the darkness and why he pointed to Sophie?" She thought.

Calla went back to the kitchen and cooked dinner for her niece. She was humming the lullaby Xavier, her step brother in law wrote for her. He used to sing it for her. Calla wasn't even born when her father died. Her mother took care of her and Mara. Calla was 5 and Mara was 16 when Calla's mother Sophie was diagnosed with stomach cancer. She loved Mara more than her own daughter, she didn't want to leave her like this. She set her up with Xavier Luke. He was a great man. After Sophie's death he took Calla in as well. He raised her like his own daughter and they both decided not to plan their family until Calla turned 18. Mara got a baby a year later. Calla was 19 years old by then. Mara named her daughter after her step mother who loved her like her own. The time when Mara was in labour, she got some complications and doctors asked Xavier to make a choice. He chose his wife. When Calla came to know about it she went to her sister, put her hand on her sister's baby bum.

" Hey little baby. Please don't leave me. I've been waiting for you for so long. I promise you I will take care of you and make all your wishes come true. Just come to me, don't leave me. I want to see you, hold you, cherish you, love you and give you everything you will ask." Calla said sobbing hard

Xavier held her hand and took her out of the labour room. They waited and Calla kept praying for both Mara and her baby. A baby cry made its way to Xavier's ears and he looked at Calla. Nurse came out with a beautiful baby in her arms.

"Congratulations Mr Luke. It's a girl and your wife named her Sophie." Nurse said.

Calla quickly stood up and looked at the baby who was now asleep. She was so beautiful like a flower.

" And how is my wife?" Xavier asked.

" Your wife is perfectly fine and so is the baby. Mother and baby both are fine and out of danger." Nurse replied.

" Can I see her?" Xavier asked.

"Yes she's asking for you." Nurse replied.

Nurse left and Xavier gave the baby to Calla. She first hesitated but then carefully took the baby in her arms. Xavier left to see his wife while Calla kissed the baby's forehead and said thank you.

After the dinner, Sophie went to Calla's room instead of her parents room. After her parents death she asked Calla to make it her room. Calla did as Sophie asked but she never left her alone. But tonight she wanted to sleep with her aunt again. Calla requested Xavier to set her room as Sophie's room. Since Sophie was born, she has lived in Calla's room. Calla took care of the baby, even though she took care of her at night. Mara tried to take Sophie to her room for nights but Calla never let her. She loved the baby so much. Calla helped Sophie to change into a comfy night clothes. She also changed into silky nighty and laid besides her niece. Sophie hugged Calla and Calla sung her the lullaby Xavier used to sing for her.

Uncle sun has gone to sleep,

It is dark outside.

But baby you don’t need to fear,

Daddy will always be by your side.

For the birds those sings,

And the stars that shine,

You are the only princess, my sunshine.

No monsters under the bed,

Daddy will always check.

No bed bugs will ever bite,

My princess will always sleep tight.

For the rain that falls,

For the fairies those fight,

You are the only princess, my moon pie.

Your smile make the flowers bloom,

Your eyes sparkle like glittery night.

Your heart is bigger than the ocean blue,

Your shining hair makes the world bright.

For the roads ahead , difficult to easy,

We will always together fight.

Daddy will love his princess Sophie,

The love of his life.

Soon Sophie was in her Wonderland and Calla kept on thinking about the strange man she met twice. She didn't know him at all but it still felt like she had known him for decades. He was drooling over her but she didn't feel uncomfortable. He whispered in her ear. She could still feel his hot breaths on her ear. She felt butterflies in her stomach as her cheeks burned by only thinking of how close he was when he whispered in her ear.

"Who is he? How did he know about Henry? Why did he point his finger at Sophie this time? What did he mean by he's a guardian?" Thinking about all those questions, Calla also closed her eyes and drifted off.