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"Wow, what a rich guy," Ariel exclaimed and hurried back home to tell her mother.
"Mother you wouldn't believe what happened today," Ariel said excitedly.
"Seriously? Can't wait to hear it," Lily said while placing a bowl of soup on the table in front of ariel.
Then she added; "I know you smashed those questions, my baby."
"Sure mom, trust me," she said excitedly, then she added;
"But mother you wouldn't believe the number of students sitted for the exam, we were so many."
"Remember, Ariel not all are writing under scholarship, as you are," Lily said while smiling.
"Yeah mom, I'm so lucky to be given this opportunity to study in the institution," Ariel said happily.
Lily smiled softly at her daughter, then she added;
"Of course my lovely girl, I'm so blessed to have a girl like you," and the both smiled at each other.
"Well mom, there's this cute rich guy I met today," Ariel said excitedly.
Lily's face turned sour on hearing the word guy.
"A guy, you said?" she stopped what she was doing and look at her daughter anxiously.
"Oh, don't give me that look look mom, his so cute, kind, rich and intelligent," Ariel said as she flushed.
"He?" Lily asked again
"Yes mom, he," Ariel replied while smiling.
"Come on Ariel, men are not good as you think they are, darling," Lily said softly.
"I Know mom but not all men are the same," Ariel added.
"There are things you don't understand sweetie," Lily said worriedly.
"What else should I understand mother?"
"Is okay eat your food," Lily said after hearing the response from her daughter.
"Men are heartless," Lily blunted
"But not all men are, mom," Ariel added
"What do you know about men?" Lily asked while rising her voice at ariel.
She took a dip breath and added;
"Your father left me because of another woman, can't you still get that men aren't meant to be trusted," she yelled, as tears rush down her face.
Ariel's heart sanked seeing how bittered her mother sounded.
"But you told me...that he passed away when I was still a baby," she said sounding so soft and weak.
"Why didn't you tell me th- the truth," Ariel felt hurt on knowing the reason why her birth father left her.
Lily sat down on the couch and began to sob.
"Because..... I never wanted you to know how he treated me."
Ariel face flushed red and tears began to fall from her eyes down to her cheek,
Then she walk up to her mom and hugged her tightly receiving the same gesture from her.
"I'm so sorry mom," Ariel apologize while crying along side with her mother.
"No baby, is not your fault, please don't say sorry, I'm really at fault for not telling you the kind of man you have as a father, I just don't want you to end up having someone like him."
Lily told her daughter while creasing her back.
Then she added;
"But is okay, you have me and i will make sure you lack nothing."
"Thanks mom, I love you."
Ariel whispered in her mother's ear causing her to smile, and said,
"I love you more, sweetheart."
They both remain like that hugging each other and light fades.
The clock stroke eight o'clock in the morning.
Ariel was still on the bed sleeping when her mother entered her room and kissed her forehead and left.
She woke up only to find the house empty.
Lily is a dry cleaner and also a house keeper who works for a wealthy family in OPA.
She leaves early in the morning and return late in the evening.
Sighs.....
"As lonely as always," Ariel whispered softly.
She went to the kitchen and found her food on the table, then she poured a glass of water and drank before she sat and ate her food quietly.
She then went to the bathroom and took her bath.
She came out dressed in a nice blue gean and a pink sleeve getting ready to leave, but suddenly remembered something, then she turned to get back to her room and
BOOM
Someone suddenly banged the front door, causing her to flinch, to her surprise she saw her mother in a devastated mood, breathing heavily while holding the door.
"Mom!!"
Ariel screamed and rushed towards her.
"What happened to you?" She asked curiously.
"Shish, be quite," Lily hushed her daughter.
"What?" Ariel curiosity couldn't help her and she kept on asking.
"Mom what's that?"
"Quiet down and follow me quickly," Lily half whispered to her daughter.
"Mom can you tell me what's going--"
"Quickly Ariel."
She quickly ran inside and took her little brown bag before returning.
"Follow me right away," Lily said to her daughter.
"Okay mom, stop fricking me out okay, just tell me what's going on," Ariel's sounded frustrated.
"I am not fricking you out," Lily whispered while looking out.
Then she added;
"We have to leave now," she was about to explain but something hit and broke the window.
"Oh my God! They are here," Lily exclaimed horribly.
Ariel looked up on seeing the broken glasses.
"Wh--what w-- was that? And w-- who are they?" Ariel asked while stammering.
"Quickly Ariel! I don't have time to explain now."
Lily said as she drag her daughter's hand and ran out of the house leaving everything behind.
They ran across the neighborhoods before running into the forest.
They continued to run, going dip into the forest.
Lily held tightly on Ariel's hand as she ran speedily.
"Wait mother," Ariel breathlessly said.
But Lily didn't slow down because she knows what was after them.
"Listen sweetheart, we have no time to talk about this but there are creatures chasing after us," Lily said hastily.
"Creatures?" questioned Ariel.
"Yes horrible looking creatures,"
Lily added.
"You told me they never exist, then why saying they are after us?" blunted Ariel.
"Yes I said that because I thought they don't?"
"Please stop this joke mom," Ariel said, now becoming serious.
"I am not joking with you," sighs... "Okay, why don't you turn and see for yourself," Lily suggested.
Ariel quickly turned and screamed her lungs out on seeing the horrible looking creatures running after them.
"Wha-- what thy heck is that mom and why are the chasing after us?"
she screamed out as she increase her pace.
"These are hybrid beast, they are very dangerous and evil."
"Hybrid what?" blurted Ariel with an audible voice.
"Oh please don't tell me that I'm in the fantasy world," she added.
They both continued running , while they beast chase after them with full speed.
"Why are they after us?".. Ariel cried out.
Lily stopped and looked at her daughter and uttered,
"Run."
"What?" Ariel asked confusedly.
"Just run ahead I will hold them off,
run and wait for me in the next town at your uncle's house, I will come there and pick you," she said hastily.
"What are you saying?" Ariel became more confused.
"What makes you think I will leave you here alone and go?" she asked while looking directly looking at her mother's eyes.
Then she added;
"Not now nor ever will I leave you mom, don't even think about that."
Lily's heart sank on hearing the sweet and caring words from her daughter.
But she can't let her stay, she knows what these hungry beast are capable of doing and know too well that the want her, so she can't let her daughter suffer the same faith as her.
"If I don't do this they will continue chasing after us, I can't let this dirty, hungry looking monsters come near my princess," she said softly while she keep on glancing at the hybrid as the keep running towards them.
"Listen sweetheart," she cupped her face with her hands "I don't want anything to happen to you, I swore to protect you with my life."
Tears began to fall from her eyes.
"Whatever happens here, do not let it get over you, I want you to know that I love you so much, be strong for me and do as I say, okay."
"M-- Mom, wh-- what--" Ariel couldn't form an accurate word as she kept on starmmering,
Tears began to flow like a river from her eyes.
"PLEASE STOP THIS MOTHER! Get up and let's go!" Ariel yelled out.
Ariel began to cry on seeing her mother not moving. Lily felt so hurt on seeing her daughter crying bitterly for her.
she took dip breath and said;
"Is me, they want and I don't want them to have you too, please go ariel, let me deal with them."
"Why do they want you?" she asked while crying.
Then she added; "They can have me if they want you."
Lily saw that her daughter is too stubborn to go and they beasts are approaching faster.
Then she decide to do what she has sworn not to ever do by unleashing her
MAGIC.
She then casted a spell on her daughter, causing her to stood paralyzed,
Then she carried her to the bush before hiding her behind a tree where the beast won't be able to see her.
"I'm sorry sweetie but I have to do this."
She placed her there and run towards the beasts.
"Mother, no no nooooo!!!" Ariel screamed up from her sleep trembling, as tears rush down her swallow face.