I couldn’t believe it. I thought I was dreaming. “This must be a dream!” I whispered to myself. I closed my eyes and opened them. My sister was standing in front of me. Becky ran and hugged me and couldn't help the uncontrollable tears that kept rushing down her cheek. Tears of joy and guilt I imagined. I didn't know how to react. I had mixed feelings.

My sister and I separated when we were barely seven years old. A loud sound woke me from a sound sleep one early morning and I saw myself in front of three strangers pointing their guns at me and my sister.

The fat one echoed with a loud voice ‘come out with the money or I'll kill them’ I was so scared that I hid my face under my pillow still wondering if l should cling to my sister or run to my mother’s room. But I was wondering where my mum was. “Didn't mum hear this man from wherever she is? What about dad? Is he aware of what is about to happen to us? I thought deep within me. Becky was shaking and panicking. She couldn't lift her face.

The next sound I heard was daddy's voice pleading ‘please don't touch them. I'll give you the money in a minute ‘ I heard the sound of drawers falling and books scattering.

He finally made his way to our room and kept a white, huge envelope on the floor in front of the man with the gun. I guess he picked the money and counted.

He shouted “is this all you could get? I'm going to teach you a lesson you can never forget, Lappy carry the child in the red T-shirt. Let's move” My sister was screaming “mummy! Daddy! but no one came to her rescue. My parents couldn't stand up from where they were kept. It was a horrible experience.

They left my room. Made their way out of our apartment and went like a bat out of hell. I jumped out of my bed screaming “ daddy! mummy! Mum was rolling in the pull of her blood. Dad couldn't stand because he was bleeding. I was confused and didn't know what to do. I ran out of our building and started shouting. After what seemed like ages. One of our neighbors ran into the house and asked me what happened. I couldn't utter a word. I didn't know where to start. I just pointed at the room where my mum was and she entered and screamed. I found myself crying the most.

She hastily made a call and in a few minutes, I heard the sound of a car, a man and a woman walked and carried mum first to the car and then came for my dad. When we returned from the hospital Mrs. Tom, my neighbor picked a few of my clothes and took me to their house.

I grew up always seeing my dad amid hoodlums. They would come to the house to drink and argue. Most times when he was drunk he would descend on mum and beat her mercilessly. We felt so helpless because we were very young to fight back.

I saw my neighbors and wished my dad could change into a better person. My mother loved my father so much that the last thing on her mind was to leave him. I loved my parents so much.

“Cynthia, dad promised me he wouldn't beat up mummy again. Why is he beating her again?” My sister asked me innocently as we helplessly watched him giving mummy the beating of her life.

She became unconscious and was rushed to the hospital. She came back the following morning and apologized to my dad for hurting him. It was crazy!

Life in Mrs. Tom’s house wasn't funny at all the first week. Each day I asked about my parent's state but the answers they gave me added to my frustration. The doctors kept saying that we should keep praying, that my parents had lost so much blood before they were brought to the hospital.

One fateful day, Mrs. Tom and her husband woke me up early in the morning and told me that my beloved parents had kicked the bucket. I didn't know what to do. I cried till all the tears in my eyes dried up. My sister was nowhere to be found and my parents were no more. Life wasn't fair to me, I thought silently

Minutes passed into hours, hours passed into days, and days into weeks, and my beautiful sister was still nowhere to be found. I gradually adjusted myself and became part of their family. Mrs. Tom wasn't anything less than a good mother to me. She registered me in a school that her children were attending.

I was given the same kind of treatment she gave her children. I lived like a princess. The only challenging moment of my life then was replying to numerous questions thrown at me by my friends regarding how my parents died, and who killed them. What the killers did to them and a whole lot. I couldn't answer all of their questions. I could only tell them what I saw.

My last days in grade eight were not funny at all. I became so brilliant and popular that Mrs. Tom's daughter, Tracy, who was my age mate, became so envious that some days she would not talk to me.

She hated me so much that I felt she wouldn't think twice to take my life if she had the chance.

We wrote our final Exams and got admitted to a good high school in Verde Valley High School. In Sedona. I was so elated and started working hard towards passing all my papers with flying colors. Mrs. Tom's daughter was not serious about her studies.

It was at this point in my life that I met Davis, a final-year student at my school. I was in our school restaurant, Needle Rock Kitchen, eating when I heard his voice. “Princess am starving may I join your table”I was astonished to see him already seated beside me.

I simply said “ Hi! Sure. Why not” He thanked me and ordered a pig and pineapple pizza. When his meal was brought to him, we started talking. We talked about many things but nothing in particular and decided to leave the restaurant and go back to our destination.

I thought I would never see him again but ‘no’. The next time I saw him I was dumbfounded. He was holding hands with Tracy and chatting like two love birds. When they saw me we greeted casually and I passed.

‘Thank God! It is Friday” I yelled in my room as I packed my bag ready to go home for the weekend. It was a long journey but finally, I saw myself walking happily to my new home.

I was enjoying myself trying to tell Mrs. Tom all my experiences in school when the doorbell rang and it was Tracy. Immediately I knew it was trouble. I welcomed her and packed my things into my room.

On Sunday night, we all were happy and retired to bed. I only woke up later in the night because I was so thirsty. I walked down in the new pink nightwear that Miss Tom gave me. Mts Tom’s room was very close to the kitchen, As I was entering the kitchen I overheard Tracy whispering to her mum everything that happened in school. I wanted to pass but when I heard my name I became inquisitive. I wanted to know what she was telling the mum about me. “Mum, I think it is high time we sent Cynthia out of our house. She is a bad girl. She pretends to be nice here but once you turn your back she stabs you” Tracy kept blabbing as her mom listened to hear all she had to say. “ Mum, do you know that Davis, the guy I told you about, seems to be interested in Cynthia? He has been asking my coursemates about Cynthia. Only God knows what she told Davis about me” Mrs. Tom didn't respond immediately. When she responded she said” Tracy I've always taught you not to jump to conclusions and hate someone without a vivid justification. I think you need to see Cynthia as your sister, not your enemy. I wouldn't want you to have issues with her” Mrs. Tom’s phone rang. She quickly picked up her phone and started talking with someone I felt should be her friend.