I stared out the window, sitting on the sill gazing at the fine orchard facing the house from its rear, casting an eerie shadow into my room as the sun was dipping in the horizon. My mind wondered back to the thought of the girl by the lake. Unknowingly I smiled, I kept replaying the part where I had a good look at her face, her ocean green eyes popping at the sight of me, the rhythmical movement of her soft pink lips when she talked, her caramel blond hair dancing to the gentle breeze waving through the orchard and across the lake, and then the expression on her face after I told her where I stay.
Frowning at the thought I kept trying to decipher the meaning of that look, or why she even reacted that way. I came up with absolutely nothing.
"Oh well it doesnt matter", I thought.
Moments later, I heard a knock on my door. I ignored it, but the person outside wasnt going to wait for me to answer and the door creaked open slowly as Bella came into my room.
Hi! Lunch is ready.
I did not reply.
Are you alright?.
I nodded.
See you downstairs then.
After she left I took my time before deciding to go downstairs, after which I could not ignore the growling in my stomach any further.
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After lunch, I kinda felt exhausted, like a 2-ton load was suddenly dropped on my shoulders.
Am going back to my room to take a nap, I said to no one in particular. I stood from the dining table and took my plate to the kitchen sink, then made my way upstairs.
I sat on the bed and picked up the photo of our grandmother sitting on top of my bedside drawer. How I wished you were here grandma. I know you would have believed me I miss you so much, I said crying.
That afternoon I cried myself to sleep, not minding anything that might happen.
At noon, I woke up to rattling sounds. I sat up on bed to see what was causing the sound. After scanning the room nothing of significant danger was in sight, so I got up from bed and walked towards the bathroom then I heard the sound again, this time coming from under the bed. Heart in throat, I tried to swallow but it proofed too hard of a tasks.
I took cautious steps to my bed, looking for potential exits on the way because I knew nothing I would use as a weapon could proof useful. Two feets away I bent down on my knees and pushed aside an empty box nearest to me, then I jumped almost 4 meters in the air when a rat ran out from under the bed in my direction. I released a breath I didnt know I was holding as I sat down on the bed watching the rat disappear into the closet. Thinking about what just happened I burst into fits of laughter, amused by how the rat scared the wits out of me, almost making me shit my pants in the process.
I need a distraction I thought.
After a while, I went downstairs to the living room where mom and Bell were seated and watching TV. Not a fan of soap operas, I then decided to go for a walk through the orchard to clear my head, see the landscape and maybe. Just maybe see her again.
Am going for a little stroll in the orchard I called out heading towards the kitchen where the back door is.
Ok dont be long honey mom replied.
I went through the back door to the backyard and went straight into the woods, halfway through I began to have this feeling that am being watched but instead chose not to look. The lake came into view and I headed toward the log at the bank and sat there.
Just staring into the horizon, watching the sun begin to set I heard splashing of water, as if somebody was swimming and looked at where the sound came from, only to see the water disturbed but nobody insight. I moved closer to the lake to inspect it when I felt someone push me in, the water rushed up to me and before I knew it I was deep down in the lake. I tried to swim back to the surface but it was futile. Something was pulling me down, my lungs were filling up with water as I was struggling to get free, I looked down below me and what I saw knocked out the remaining air in my lungs.
A female figure in white with a skull-looking face and bulging eyes held my right ankle with a bony hand, pulling me with her. I opened my mouth to scream only for the lake water to rush into my mouth muffling any sound coming out of it.
I kept struggling to get free but I couldnt. My lungs were constricting due to lack of air and too many water Im swallowing, my body began to convulse and I gave up all hope of surviving when all of a sudden I was pulled out of the lake and onto the bank.
The sudden intake of breath violated my lungs making me roughly cough out all the water I breathed in moments ago.
I raised my head to see my savior, at first my vision was blur but I could make out a female figure then I start to panic and began pushing my body away from the figure.
Jon its me, its me Julie!.
Julie?? I asked.
Yes, its me!
Now my vision is clear I could make out everything the way it is.
You saved me?!.... Thank you
Youre welcome But you should leave, its not safe. You are not safe she said standing from her kneeled position to leave.
"Wait! how did you find me? How did you know I was in the lake?
I saw you fall.
More like being pushed I said, to my astonishment she didnt look surprised at the least.
Why arent you wet? I asked seeing that she pulled me from my imminent death and shes not even wet.
No time for questions. Just leave, go she told me as she walked away leaving me dumbstruck.
Hey wait!.
I went after her through the orchard and I had that same feeling I had earlier that am being watched but I shook the feeling off, continuing after Julie, moments later I broke through the border of the orchard and our backyard but I couldnt find her.
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SOOOO, here is another update!!!
For those of us that did not notice. This is a second update of double updates.
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YOURS FAITHFULLY,
PRINCE ABDUL🤴