Goodbye, Normal: The Contract begins

It's time to bring her home, now", a deep voice echoed in the dark . A tall, fair and muscular man smirked while sipping from his glass. His grey eyes turned red as he swallowed the drink. Another guy nodded and walked outside the room. "Happy Birthday ! Come home soon. I have a surprise for you". He sent an email to Iris sending good wishes for her 18th birthday.

Mr. and Mrs. Rowland's sat down on the couch in disbelief. Mrs. Rowland looked unhappy and nervous while Mr.

Rowland tried to calm her down. "Honey, don't worry! Our daughter is brave and she's gonna be fine, Mr. Rowland spoke, trying to comfort Mrs. Rowland. "Iris just turned 18. She's young , how can you be so selfish? She's our daughter and we have to protect her at all costs. How can you be so calm and positive when our daughter is going to... ", Mrs. Rowland cried.

"Ssh! Iris might hear you ", Mr Rowland suggested as he looked upstairs and back to Mrs. Rowland. "Let her hear us, after all she will know what is going to happen to her this evening. Why did it have to be this quick? Of all, why did it have to be my little girl? ", Mrs Rowland burst out in tears covering her mouth to suppress her cries. " Nothing can be done, we have to give away our daughter. We cannot break the promise ", Mr. Rowland sighed and softly patted Mrs. Rowland's shoulder.

"No", Mrs. Rowland stands up. "I will not give my daughter to that monster. I will protect her. ", Mrs. Rowland looked upstairs all determined. " Are You crazy? We can't do that. We can't fight them", Mr Rowland stammered.

Iris walks down the stairs.

"But... "

"Iris is here"

" Mom? Dad? What's up? ", Iris looked confused. "Our precious little is up ", Mr. Rowland screamed in joy. Mrs. Rowland wiped her tears away being unnoticed. Iris walked up to her parents and hugged them. "Happy birthday , princess", Mr. Rowland kissed Iris's forehead. She smiled back at Mr. Rowland. Mrs. Rowland hugged Iris and started crying. "Mom, what's wrong? Why are you crying?, she panicked. " They are all tears of joy because you have grown up so well, my dear", Mr. Rowland said. Iris smiled at Mrs. Rowland and touched her cheeks. "What about my present? ", Iris frowned and sat down on the couch folding her arms. " We have a surprise for you but before that dad wants to tell you something ", Mr Rowland sat next to Iris. He paused for a moment and looked at Mrs. Rowlands. As he was about to speak Mrs. Rowland's burst in, " No! Iris, we have to flee from here. We don't have time. Let's go ", Mrs. Rowland grabs Iris's hand and starts to drag her. "Mom, what's happening? Dad? ", Iris utters. Mr. Rowland tried to stop both from leaving.

"I will explain everything later. For how let's just leave". Mrs. Rowland opens the front door and looks horrified to find a well known figure standing in front of her. The figure greets both Mr. and Mrs.Rowland. He then looks at Iris, "Happy Birthday Iris". Iris is surprised. " Who are you? How do you know my name? My birthday? Mom- dad is he someone we know? ", many questions arose in her head as she looked at Mr. Rowland.

"I am Kyle. I am here to take you home"

" Home? "

"Please don't take my daughter. She's young and has many things she wants to do. Have mercy on us! ", Mrs. Rowland kneeled down and begged Kyle.

"What are you doing, honey? ",Mr. Rowland grabbed Mrs. Rowland by her shoulders. "It's late. We should head to the Mansion now or my lord will be furious", Kyle approached Iris . Iris stepped back. " Iris, my daughter! You have to go somewhere with him", Mr. Rowland spoke as he stared on the ground.

" Dad, who is he? What is this all about? Why should I leave? ",Iris stammered as she spoke. " Please don't ask any questions, just go with him. Dad and mom will meet you at the Mansion this evening ", Mr. Rowland stood up as he held Mrs. Rowland in his arms. He walked inside the house with Mrs Rowland who was still struggling and crying. The doors shut from inside and Iris stood watching her parents disappear behind the doors.

"Iris? Iris? Iris? "

"Hey Iris?"

"Yes"

"We should take our leave now"

"Okay", Iris forced a smile .

They got inside the car and drove away.

"Kyle , why am I being taken there? ", Iris questioned. Kyle looked at Iris's reflection in the front mirror and smiled and said, " It's all for the wedding." "What wedding? Who's wedding and why am I supposed to attend it? ", Iris angrily uttered. " Your wedding with my lord ", Kyle smiled. " What? My wedding? You're joking, right? How is that even possible? Dad and mom told me nothing about it? Look Kyle , you must have been mistaken. I am not the right person you're looking for. No, it can't be me",Iris panicked. "Please calm down, and it's true. Today is your wedding with my lord. Your parents are well aware of this fact", Kyle replied. "You guys are all mocking me, right? Is it some kind of birthday surprise? ", Iris giggled. "Umm, you're getting married to my lord..", He smiled. "My parents knew about all these? Why didn't they tell me anything ?", Iris looked at Kyle . She starts missing her school, her friends and her parents. She feels lost and betrayed. She feels like throwing a tantrum but holds back.

FLASHBACK

" Iris , what is wrong? Are you sick? You don't look well? Let's go to the infirmary first. I will report to the teacher later ", Zoey looked worried.

"But.. ". " Don't worry, I will keep the notes for you. Just take a good rest, get healthy ", Zoey patted Iris's head. "Thanks Zoey ", Iris smiles as she gets up from her desk.

"Just buy me snacks", Zoey winked and they both laughed.

FLASHBACK ENDS---------

Iris sheds a tear and looks outside the window to avoid Kyle who looked concerned about her. He plays the music to lighten up her mood but she is immersed in her thoughts, thinking about the old good memories.

FLASHBACK

"wow! It's great today. Let's skip school ", Zoey suggested . She was always excited and ready to skip classes. "What are you talking about? ", Iris raised her eyebrows. "Today we have a function in the school. Neither you nor am I participating. Let's just skip, come one nobody will know about it", Zoey shakes Iris's hand. She surrenders to Zoey.

FLASHBACK ENDS-------

Iris wipes off her tears.

FLASHBACK

"You think you'll skip school because we had a function and nobody would know about it? I'm so disappointed in you both. Zoey, you're the class monitor. Go and report to the Principal . You both deserve it", Teacher scolds and leaves. Both Iris and Zoey look at each other and laugh.

"we got caught "

"I told you it was a bad idea"

FLASHBACK ENDS-----

Iris missed her Best friend Zoey then suddenly her memories with her parents flashed back.

"Iris, wake up now! You will be late for school. I made your favourite dumplings for breakfast. "

"Iris, hurry up princess!! I will drop you to school."

"Princess? Princess? Princess? "

FLASHBACK ENDS -----

Iris was heart broken . She looked at Kyle and then looked in the front. They were passing through a forest. She takes out her phone from the bag and sends a message to Zoey that she wouldn't be able to attend classes today. Zoey calls her and she picks up the call .

ON CALL -

"Happy Birthday Iris !"

"Thanks, Zoey "

"What's wrong with you? Are you sick? I will come visit you after school".

"No "

"Why? "

"Actually, I am going to meet my relatives today with my parents. So, nobody is going to be home. Umm, yeah! Thats-thats the case"

"Okay! So there's nothing to get worried about? "

"Yes"

"Are you sure? "

"Absolutely! "

"Okay! Call me if anything troubles you and send me tons of pictures of your going to some great place eating good food and meeting handsome guys "

"Sure"

Iris hangs up the call.

She starts reading all the messages from her friends and relatives. She smiles. She opens her email and gets a heart whelming birthday message from a friend whom she's never met. But this person never fails to remember her on her birthdays. He's been sending her messages since she was 5. He would send letters to her post box but later he started mailing her when she was big enough to handle the device. She tried to find him but never succeeded.

They pass by a store and Iris asks him to stop. She tells him she needs to go to the restroom. She goes inside the store and asks the owner about the restroom. She heads towards the restroom while Kyle buys a bottle of water. Iris looks at herself in the mirror, in the restroom and thinks of calling the police or escaping from Kyle. But, she knew everything would go in vain because her parents were on his side. She washes her face and goes outside. Kyle is waiting for her leaning on the car and showing his muscular charms. Kyle senses something strange in the air. He asks Iris to hurry.

Someone grabs Iris's hand from behind. Iris turns back and finds a little girl. She smiles at her . Kyle rushes to Iris and pulls Iris towards him. He glares at the little kid. He looks furious. Iris is shocked. The owner rushes to the kid and hugs her. He begs Kyle not to hurt her and they won't tell anyone about him or Iris. Kyle drags Iris before she could react and drives away.

After sometime she asks him what was that all about. Why did he behave differently? And why the shopkeeper wasn't furious but begged him not to hurt his kid. He didn't reply to her and kept driving. After a long awkward silence he finally replied saying the kid is not normal, she could have hurt you. The owner knew about it so he wasn't offended about his behaviour. Iris asked him how he knew the kid would have hurt her. " I'm your guardian. I am smart ", he replies and giggles.

The strange smell keeps following them. Kyle is nervous but determined to take Iris home safely. A car suddenly bumps them. Two men walk out of the car. Kyle asks Iris to stay inside. They start fighting and Iris shelters herself between the seats. She hears howling which frightens her and when she gets up to look, she finds no-one around. Kyle is gone too. She walks out of the car . A hand touches her shoulders and she screams. But it was Kyle. " Iris, you never listen. I told you to stay inside the car. It's dangerous outside". She doesn't ask any questions about those men and what they wanted with them. They get inside the car and drive.

After an awkward silence, Kyle tells Iris that they had come for her. She was not an ordinary high school girl but a special person and precious to all. Iris doesn't understand what he meant by the special one and why all the strange things were happening to her. She bites her lips and folds her arms. It was cold suddenly. Kyle notices it. He asks her to open the box beside her. She does that and finds a black coat. It was a gift from her husband-to-be. She hesitates but wears it as it was getting colder.

"The coat kept her warm. His silence sealed her fate"

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