Singularity--Part II

Lisa was unnaturally attracted to things that others thought were not normal, or even ok. For long hours, she would go into the room where her elder cousin Lucy was locked after her misadventure. It seemed to most that Lucy had lost her mental stability. Yet, there was something in her that dragged Lisa towards her. She would sit on a stool outside Lucy's room and watch her for long hours- her head in her cupped hands- until someone called for her. Lucy never looked at her. She always looked downwards.

One day, she slowly raised her head and her expressionless eyes looked straight into Lisa's eyes. Lisa's heart throbbed like a castle gate being rammed by a battering ram. She fled the place. But she came back again, late in the night when everyone was asleep. She felt that a relation was beginning, and she didnt want it to end. She was eager to know something about the experience Lucy had. She came to the window and opened it. She was terrified again to see Lucy still looking at her, as if she had left her only a moment ago. She controlled herself this time. She relaxed and sat on the stool.

"Hi." Lisa attempted to start a conversation.

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Roby got up in the middle of the night for his usual restroom break. He came out of his room staggering down the corridor, when he saw a sight which he will never forget in his life. Lisa was on lying on the ground with her back down and she was moving her body up and down, in a pulsating motion ... she was arching her body upwards more and more... her eyes were closed very tightly... her mouth was wide open... she was letting out short forceful bursts of air... and she was profusely drooling. He yelled and trembling, he ran to his parents. He woke them up and dragged them to the spot. She was lying on the floor.. her long golden hair wallowing in her own drool, and the lips arched in a smile that dissappeared slowly... she lay peacefully on the floor, her body wet with sweat. They ran to her and called her, but of no avail- it seemed she had lost her consciousness. They tried sprinkling some water. It didnt work. Lucy was inside her room, with her head in between her knees as usual. They rushed her to a hospital where the docs told them that she was in a coma.

"What? How can it be? She is a healthy girl!" her father was baffled. He grabbed the doctor's shoulders and demanded," We had dinner together last night. And now you say she is in coma. How do you explain this?" And the doctor had no answer. He could and didnt want to believe that his hale and healthy daughter slipped into coma-- all of a sudden, just like that! There has to be a reason. Lisa's mother almost fainted at the news. There was no consoling her. They awere at a loss to explain to themselves, what just happened to them. No! This is insane! It is not possible! The doctors themselves understood very little of the case of course. They were apprehensive about keeping Lisa at the hospital when they were told about what happened to Lisa. So she was brought home and was taken care of at home.

Lisa's father brooded over the incident for long. He searched for a reason. And he found one ... one that suited him, though it was not far from the truth. Ever since Lucy was locked in that room, Lisa showed a weird interest in her. And Lisa was found near her room. She must be the cause of all this! No, She IS the cause of all this. And his face, devoid of colour, suddenly burst forth in redness, fountains of anger surging in his body. He went to the Lucy's room.

The only thing that saved Lucy from getting bludgeoned to death with the bare hands of that raving lunatic that he had become was the pity of Lisa'a mother who came running, hearing her cries of pain. There was talk of sending her to the asylum, but Lisa's mother didnt want the issue to come into the open. So, Lucy was thrown into the basement of the barn and her legs, chained. She was fed twice a day with the left-overs. Lucy was happy with her progress.