💎

Lying half-unconscious on the bare grass, I woke up in a deserted area. Birds were chirping loudly in my ears. I opened my eyes little by little as my vision was becoming clearer now. But I was awestruck to see a boy looking at me straight in the eye. Widening my eyes, my body sprang up quickly.

"You're awake," he said and quickly stoo up when I sprang up.

I tried to get up on my feet on own but I saw a hand stretched out to me. Staring at this stranger, I was reluctant to to gesture so he walked back with a chuckle.

"Suit yourself then." I only managed to get back on my feet after two tries as he watched me closely from two feet from where I stood up. Dusting my dress, I find his looks familiar. While I glared around curiously, he sighs and turns around.

"I'll be going now since you're awake," he announced before picking up a golden bow and arrow. He rummaged the area scanning around for something before he proceeded walking.

"Hey! Wait, who are you? Why did you save me?" I yelled and grabbed his hand. He turned and looked at me as if I was crazy. But he covered my mouth giving me a quiet stare after hearing noises behind him.

I widened my eye in shock as I tried to free myself from his grip. I stepped on his foot making him wince in pain. He quickly stepped back and looked at me angrily.

"Why did you do that?" he demanded while I rushed for any defensive weapon against him.

He looked as me laughing consistently instead when he sees me walking for a stick.

"You should put that down," he advised and arrested me in his arms before I could attack him. "I won't let you kill me!" I retorted while pushing him with all my strength.

He seemed surprised to my crazy reaction. Furrowing his eyebrows, he retorts, "I have no intention of killing you, he was," he complained trying to maintain his posture as we struggled on the grass.

He lets go and pushes me back. Stumbling on a toe, I looked up to him angrily. "Why did you bring me here then?" I exclaim before moving backwards in fear. He walked away to pick up his arrow and threw it directly at me.

"Aaaah!" I shouted but I felt nothing after squeezing my eyes. "Would you stop yelling? That was a poisonous scorpion," he said leaving me speechless as I saw a lifeless scorpion lying close to me.

He shook his head with a smirk before marching out. When I looked around, I got scared so I started running after him. "Wait for me?" I grimaced holding his hand tightly. He stopped walking and stared at me sighing. "Why do you have this?" I asked snatching it from him to study it.

His face changed totally until he started chasing me for it.

"That's none of your business," he criticized and took it back from me forcefully. He quickly brushed me out of the way so he could leave.

"Hey! You." I yelled which made him turn back. Glancing around the creepy forest, I rushed to stand beside him. "So you're gonna leave just like that?" I asked curiously frowning.

"If you're worried about going back, just go straight. You'll get to Christleville soon," he added and continued walking as if nothing concerned him. "Wait." I concluded before running towards him.

"You didn't answer me, who are you?" He replied sooner with a wink, "I don't have to answer that, or do I?" With a scoff, he resumed leaving.

"Why did you save me and who was he?" I asked standing if front of him with puppy eyes.

He sighed and stared in the skies,"Well, let's say it was a noble deed. And you should be careful if you walk around in the woods."

Smiling, I put my hands behind me and apologized, "Thanks." Before stretching my hand, he rested his bow on one of the trees and shook my hand after several thoughts. "Where are you heading?" I questioned as I walked along with him.

He stopped abruptly and answered, "You really like asking questions. I am going home and you should probably be doing the same before he attacks you again."

I shook my head smiling, "Not until you answer me. Who was that anyway?" He looked at me confused, "You don't know why he was after you?" I nodded. This made him more confused.

All of a sudden, the wind was hustling with unstoppable speed and the clouds became darker by every passing minute.

The ground was shaking and the trees were dancing violently, "You should leave, now!" he demanded scanning around. "What about you?" I asked but he insisted.

"I'll take care of that, now go," he yelled making me wonder. "One last thing, can I know your name at least?" I replied and walked back slowly.

He realized I wasn't leaving without it so he answered. "It's Max. Now, go." I smiled back at him before running towards the direction he told me about.

I ran as fast as I could recollecting every word he said and the attack staged against me. I took to my heels after I had taken a rest since it was dark by then. I hurried to my city to look for mom.

I could see from a far a thunderous atmosphere. Running with all my might, I finally reached the streets leading to my house.

Mom was already standing outside waiting for me. "Where were you Clara?" she asked looking at me angrily. I sighed and turned around without answering her. She quickly grabbed my hand and yelled at me.

"Didn't I tell you to stay at home? Why do you always disobey me?" My eyebrows furrow with het behavior.

"Because I'm tired of your nagging! You keep me cooped up in the house ever since I was little. I don't even remember ever having been to a school party before, not even my graduation!"

Nodding, I yanked her hand off and retorted, "I went to a party which I couldn't attend." I sighed forgetting that I had hurt my hand.

Before I knew it, she dragged me all the way from the streets to my room and locked the door. My eyes started to flicker when I shook the door knob. She had locked me up again?

"Mom! Why are you doing this?" A sudden urge overpowered me to ask this. Hitting the door, my palms even started to hurt. "You're grounded and don't ever go there again!" With those last words, she stormed out of the house to who knows where. "Where are you going "? I asked but I didn't get any response.

The house was very quiet. Mom was nowhere to be found. I wondered where she stormed off to furiously and why she was angry .

I had to get out of here, even though my hand was hurting. The door was locked closely and the key would surely be with mom.

"Think, think," I chorused while looking around. The room was getting dark especially because of the thunder storm, cutting off our power. I took a glance at the window and to my surprise,the rain was falling heavily.

I was very worried about mom so I grabbed the window sheets, tied it carefully and landed on the ground by holding unto the sheets.

Just as my feet felt the soft grass, I quickly ran towards the forest calling out mom's name but she didn't respond. My feet were hurting so much but I didn't want to give up.

"Mom!" I yelled but to no avail. Far beyond the trees I saw mom lying on the ground all wounded. But fortunately, she was still breathing. I rushed quickly to her turning her to face me. She was unconscious.

"Why did she come here?" I thought rushing out to call for help. I found one of my neighbors and called for help. He helped me to carry her back to my house and called the doctor immediately.

The doctor examined her and diagnosed few medications for her to take. "She will be okay," he concluded but looked confused.

"These wounds are not physical ones. Physical, she's okay, but where was she?" he questioned again but I had no idea. Shaking my head, he told me to take care of her and left.

I was worried sick all night thinking of what happened in just a day. When dusk fell, I got up to see how she was. But to my surprise she wasn't there. I checked under the bed and all the rooms in the house but I didn't find her.

I went to the garden and kitchen but she wasn't there too. I run into the woods where I found her but I didn't see her. It was scary and devastating to come here again but I had to find her. I left towards home. The television was on making me scared. The latest headlines was the suicide case of a woman around Liverpool streets opposite Papyrus Hotel.

The deceased was unidentifiable due to the destruction but only her ID was left. I recognized the person but I couldn't believe my eyes. It was committed at dawn according to the investigators.

Questions were asked by those who lived around there but all of them said they were asleep by then. I rushed out of the house towards Liverpool street to beseech what was happening.

Ambulance and patrol cars had gathered all around the body and "stay away" posters were structured around the spot. Many people stopped by murmuring. I found my way in between the people and when I got very close to the open, I found mom lying on the floor dead.

"Mom!" I yelled pushing those in my way as I run towards her but the policemen pulled me back. "She's my mom," I retorted retaliating their actions against me fiercely.

"Investigations are being carried out, please move away first," the head of department said showing his badge to me. I moved back vehemently with tears flowing from my eyes.

"Mom. You can't do this," I insisted fall on the floor. "Miss, we'll need your statement at the station, please come with us," said the police showing me the way to their patrols.

I sat in the car and remained silent in my grief. The cool air blew against my soft hair moving it up and down. The morning breeze made me shiver. I covered my body with my hands to keep warm. I drifted off to sleep not long when I suddenly felt a tap on my shoulder.

"We're here," he said ushering me into the questioning room. The press were already there surrounding me but they were told to leave. "So, how long have you known the deceased?" he asked with a clear of throat.

I turned facing him with anger. "What kind of a question is that? Don't you have a mother. She's been with me all my life," I demanded standing up furiously.

"Please be calm, it's all part of the procedure. So please resume," he explained telling me to sit. Holding my tears, I dropped my body on the chair.

"Yesterday, around 8:30 she was normal. I told her I'd be going out for a function," I started remembering how we used to laugh on every night about getting a date.

"To where specifically," he excused making me more furious. "Would you let me speak?" I ordered and he nodded a bit shaken.

"She only told me to come back early, and when I came back she was outside looking for me." I rescinded crying.

"And after that?" he asked while holding the chair. "I got missing. It was about to rain then."

He looked in a manner as if I was cajoling him. "And....after that?" he insisted unconvinced with my story of getting missing.

"She locked me up and left. I managed to escape and found her in the woods." He shook his pen jotting down some points and looked at me straight in the eye. "How did you know that she was there?"

He was right. Why did I go there? I thought.

Impatient, he demanded hitting the table, "Answer my question please."

"I don't know... I just had that instinct." I answered but he kept staring at me oblivious.

"Wait. Are you insinuating that I killed my own mom?" I retorted.

"Just answer my question, politely." He persisted standing properly.

"She's not someone who'd commit suicide. I brought her back to the house but she disappeared at dawn. What else do you want?" I coaxed getting on my feet. I couldn't hold my desperation anymore.

The interrogation room was calm and congeal all of a sudden. I began walking out.

"Wait. One last question. Did you notice anything strange sounds or?" he connoted sheepishly.

I answered sharply picking up my bag from his table.

"Nothing. I was too preoccupied trying to save my mom."

He nodded lightly and opened up the door for me. "Sorry for your loss. We'll update you on any progress."

I walked out sadly wiping the tears from my eyes. "We'll perform an autopsy and tell you when to come for her body."

Comment 🌸 Vote 🌸 Share

A/N- Sorry for keeping you in suspense. To understand the story more, you'll have to continue reading,as I'll provide gists with every update. Please comment and vote.