The Devil's Sweetheart

The revelation twisted her emotions like no reality could. Since yesterday, Leena has been thinking a lot about who could be the potential threat to Devin. Many people hit her brain, business rivals, relatives, friends, but she crossed all the names except one. Only one person's name was running in her head—Devin's grandmother. She assumed the evil witch had found Devin's first love and ordered Morvena to erase the memories. But this revelation, she can't believe it. She had seen Devin struggle. Why would he order to wipe his memories? ''Don't lie. Why would Devin do_''

''It's the truth, Leena,'' Winter admitted. 

''You know Devin?'' 

Winter's silence answered her questions. It was like an explosion of energy within Leena, hearing these shocking confessions. She dreaded to think whatever happened to Devin was more complex than she thought.

The monster in her head was clawing her brain, causing the ear-splitting headache. Someone behind her held her hand to support. She supposed it was Nick.

''Are you okay, Leena?'' Nick's eyes clouded with concern.

"I..I don't understand what's happening here.'' Leena's voice lost its edge.

''Don't worry. We will figure this out.'' Nick squeezed Leena's hand.

''Now that you know the truth, I will be happy if you leave this place. Don't let me call the security.'' Morvena attentively observed Nick's movements. She scoffed, watching him treat Leena like a delicate child. One real charmer she is! Five years back, she was, and five years after she is. 

''I don't see security around your home, though.'' Added Leena, a mischievous glint on her face. '' I am not leaving this place until you answer all my questions.'' 

''Then sit_''

''Morvena.'' Winter interrupted her cousin. ''Tell the truth. She has to know.''

Morvena started at Winter with a questioning look like she really meant it. ''Didn't I tell you what just happened yesterday? He will hunt us if he knows the truth.'' Enger's warning was ringing in her brain like a morning wake-up call.

''Who is he?'' Leena demanded. She intervened between their talks, but Morvena and Winter conversed like Leena's words didnot reach their ears.

''We can't escape from him all the time. The more we fear, the more he will threaten us. Five years back, I demanded you take up Devin's order for my personal gain. Five years later, I am requesting you. Please show Devin's memories to Leena.''

....

At the workshop..

Elias tapped Devin's shoulder once, twice, but he lay on the lounge chair, unresponsive. ''It started. He went into deep relaxation.'' Elias swallowed the drug and then turned to the team.''Set the timer. Let's go. Devin needs us.''

''Copy that! Timer set.'' The rest of the team adjusted their wristwatches and drank their respective drinks.

''Elias,'' Walter called his friend. ''Why didn't you tell Devin about the danger? That he might go into_''

''Our brain will always believe whatever you tell, Walter,'' Elias said, cutting his friend right away. ''Right now, we need to feed him the focus and starve him from the distractions.''

Walter nodded in agreement. ''I got your point.'' The mind will always believe everything you tell. What you feed your mind determines the next course of action. He felt a little guilty for sending Devin into his memories without revealing the secret. But it was a wise decision he made. Had he told him the truth, Devin's subconscious mind would undoubtedly attack him.

''Good.'' Elias smiled and glanced at the team. ''Ready, everyone?'' 

''Yes.'' When the team responded, Elias made a final check on the brain's simulating device attached to his chest. 

''Don't let the enemies surround Devin. Let's find the key as soon as possible and come back.'' 

''Yes.''

Eyes closed, breaths held, and everything went blank when Elias pressed the red button.

...

Leena stood in a large room, surrounded by spooky stuff. If not, her brain was too focused, she would be shaking like a leaf. The events happening around her were too much to think about. After Morvena and Winter's discussion ended, Morvena informed Nick to take care of Winter and brought her to this room. 'Why did you bring me here?''

 ''Drink this.'' Morvena passed on a small container to Leena.

''No_''

Morvena sighed. This girl! ''I didnot put anything in this. It's just a sleep-induced drug. All your questions will be answered. Please drink this.''

Leena hesitantly took the bowl and swallowed the bitter liquid with the utmost difficulty. A few minutes later, drowsiness was beginning to take hold of her. Soon, she collapsed on the bed, and just like that, everything went blank.

....

Wearing a full-length red dress so that the blemishes on her injured legs were not exposed, Leena stood in front of a parlor. She glanced up, stared at the name: Alien's tattoo design parlor. If her memory served her right, this was the same parlor she visited four years back. 

''I am wearing the same dress, I have bruises in my..'' She trailed off when the realization dawned upon her. It can't be! Why did I come back to the past? What about Devin? She looked around. The crowd who were just passing, suddenly charged towards her with weapons. Leena hastily turned to run, but a man caught her wrists. He was about to slash her neck, a pair of hands caught her, and threw him down.

Leena looked up in fear. It was Morvena. Within seconds, the men and woman who came to kill Leena were on the ground. Morvena dragged Leena behind a tree to hide her from other intruders.

''Who are they?" Leena panted as she asked.

"Your subconscious projections. Trying to defend you."

''What did you do to me, you weird woman.'' Leena began receiving strange looks from the people, but she was least bothered. ''Why am I back to this place? Did you alter the time?''

''Calm down, Leena. Don't attract the people. It's not good for you, and me as well. I didnot alter the time. We are taking a ride inside your memories.'' Morvena muttered in gritted teeth. She pushed the glass door and dragged Leena inside the parlor. ''Besides, I don't have a time machine to alter the time.''

''My memories?'' Leena was floored. ''How did we..'' She remembered drinking a drug. ''What the! I lost consciousness and landed inside my memories?''

''Yes, and don't scream. Let's go inside.'' Morvena guided Leena through the corridors. All the way, Morvena met several crazy creatures, and monsters straight away popped out of Leena's memory. Ants, as giant as hounds, a nine-tailed lion..a flying woman with claws..oh lord! Morvena stopped looking at them. There was even a ghost sitting on one of the corridor tables. Seriously, what kind of crazy creatures does she imagine? Is she always like this? She wondered.

They stopped in front of a door. Morvena keyed in the password, and the door opened. The room was empty except for a small chestnut box sitting in the middle. She walked inside, Leena trailed behind her.

Carefully, Morvena opened the box. Inside the box, there was a heart-shaped key. What surprised Leena was, it was not a physical one. A virtual key, floating in the air like how we imagine things or objects inside our thoughts.

It was a virtual heart-shaped key symbolizing access to someone's heart. Oddly, it felt familiar. ''The key.. It looks exactly like my tattoo."

''You wanted to know the reason you got a heart-shaped tattoo instead of a broccoli one, isn't it?'' Morvena could sense the truth slowly, bu surely dawning upon Leena. ''I didnot know where exactly to safeguard his memories. But then I didnot find a secure place other than inside you. So, I locked them inside your soul and hid the key in a safe place. No one other than you can wield the key."

''You are the key to his locked memories.''