The Beast

"Anjinha is always the calmest beast in the room," her cousin used to say jokingly.

She had an awesome relationship with her cousins and aunts; they were very close during childhood and knew her intimately—the good and the bad. Anjinha wasn't the type to conform easily and possessed a ruthless refusal to follow others' rules. Her moral compass was strict, and she followed it without deviation. She disliked games and didn't play at all. When challenged, she solved problems in black and white, tolerating no trickery. Aware of her shadow side, she would use it if necessary, giving zero fucks to others' opinions.

She had an immense problem to solve. She looked for the one in charge of that situation. In the dream state, she found him and started to interact. Soon, she observed a familiar back-and-forth attitude: sometimes very caring, other times cold as ice. She also noticed a shadowy presence lurking in the background, and maybe more than one. Anjinha didn't like breadcrumbs; she wanted the whole damn exclusive feast. So, she decided to take a little vacation. She agreed with the family to babysit for a few days, packed a few clothes with money and documents, and embarked on a trip to the south.

Upon arriving in the next country, she decided to stay. She sent a text message—not telepathy in the dream state, but a real text—to the one in charge, stating the exact location. Nobody knew where she was except him. After a long journey, she arrived at the hotel, took a shower, and went to sleep. Before falling asleep, though, she posted a joke on social media. Almost immediately, the excruciating pain returned. She couldn't breathe; her heart hurt as if cracked, and it seemed someone was choking her. Listening to Gregorian chants at that moment, she managed to control her breath again. The pain lasted over 30 minutes before fading.

She was completely alone in another country with no one to help if needed, but she knew of the danger. She posted an image of a tarot card: Justice. She fell asleep and woke up only the next day.

The one in charge didn't come in person, of course. She then realized that the energy signature of Dr. Jekyll was identical to Mr. Hyde's; that strange presence now had a face.

She continued the trip and returned home very enlightened.

She was finally free to tell her story.