"Khalilah!" Someone was calling her in the distance, Khalilah turned in the bed, beads of perspiration forming on her forehead. "Khalilah, open the door."
She could hear the voice of Cherry and now she could hear her grandmother's voice as well; but it was as if something heavy was placed upon her even though she wanted to stand up, she couldn't move. She was unable to open her eyes as well, her eyelid weighed a ton.
"Khalilah, are you all right?" Grandma Rose's voice came through the door again and she knocked repeatedly.
"Is she still asleep?" She then turned her question to Cherry who shrugged confounded, Rose-Anne held her hips and wondered why the girl wouldn't open the door, and she was pale when she returned home last night. She had offered to call the physician but then Khalilah had promised she would be fine when she got some rest. "Do you think she is sick?"
"I don't know ma'am," she confessed and Rose-Anne pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.
"Just why the hell did she bolt the door?"
Just as they were discussing, they heard the keys unlocking, and the door open slightly Khalilah's golden eyes came into view, and a smile of relief touched Rose-Anne's face when she saw her granddaughter.
"Baby," She cupped the girl's cold face in her hands softly, she noticed just how much she had perspired even though the Air condition was working perfectly. "Do you feel sick?"
"No grandma." She croaked out before she cleared her throat immediately. "I am fine grandma, I just felt like a weight was pressing me, probably because I am tired."
"Are you sure you don't need to see a doctor?" She insisted but Khalilah shook her head.
"I am fine grannie." She said with a faint smile, trying to ignore the pain in her shoulders and back; she felt very tired and it was weird, Rose-Anne's eyes narrowed at her but then she shook her head in defeat.
If this is his will, then there is nothing she can do about it.
"Cherry, bring Khalilah some food, and painkillers," Rose ordered and Cherry nodded before walking down the stairs in a hurry. "You should get better, darling. Just when I thought I should throw you a welcome party, you are sick."
"A welcome party?" Khalilah's eyes shone, reflecting light like the sun, she held her grandmother's hands excitedly. "A welcome party for me?"
"Yes, Honey." Rose-Anne nodded her head, a faint smile brushing her wrinkled lips.
"Oh my," She ran back into the room, whatever fever she had disappearing. "I would get ready right away, ma."
"You seem very excited," Rose-Anne mentioned with a small surprise.
"Of course, I would be," Khalilah grinned childishly. "This is the first time someone is throwing a party for me, why shouldn't I be excited? Say, grannie, did you invite Robert?"
Rose-Anne nodded with a small smile on her face, as she watched Khalilah's eyes gleam in delight, Lord Olive better not mistreat this girl, and it would break her heart if Khalilah ended up like the rest of the other daughters who had been sacrificed to them.
Khalilah is the last one, after her, they would never have to give up their offspring again, for the good of the family, for the sake of everyone else… Khalilah has to go.
A kind child who gets excited just at the thought of food, a soft-spoken child who is afraid of hurting the feelings of other people, a beautiful child who worries… that's the kind of kind Khalilah is, not what her mother had told them.
"Grandma?" Khalilah's eyes narrowed worriedly, she stepped closer to Rose-Anne who watched her youngest granddaughter in admiration. "Why are you crying?"
"What?" Rose asked as she reached for her face, she was indeed crying, she sniffed and wiped her face with the back of her hands. "I'm sorry, it's just that you reminded me of Joe."
"Grandpa?" Khalilah asked as she stepped closer to him. "I'm sorry I look so much like him, it isn't my intention to make you cry."
"Nonsense, dear child." Rose-Anne giggled. "These are tears of joy and nothing else, ahem, get dressed and come downstairs, everyone is waiting for you."
"Alright." Khalilah wasn't fully convinced but she decided to let it go as well, with a warm smile on her side, hoping the warmth of her smile gets to her grandmother. She closed the door and went back in her room to put on a dress, Robert was attending and she felt the need to impress him.
She couldn't pick between the red dresses or the blue one, the red one was a bit revealing and would hang to her frame, the blue one was a bit loose and the color was too vibrant it wouldn't match her eyes.
She felt giddy just at the thought, she wanted Robert to look at her and be speechless, she chuckled to herself but the smile soon dissipated when she remembered he had a girlfriend.
"Man, this is boring." She tossed the dresses aside in anger selected her plain jeans and found a casual top.
And when Khalilah went downstairs, there was indeed a party going on.
There was a lot of food, it wasn't just Robert and the other workers from the cake shop that were present, even the workers in the estate were around as well. Grandma invited some of the townspeople as well, everyone was eating and music was playing softly in the back.
Khalilah felt her face flush in delight, she couldn't believe her eyes, all these people were here just for her sake, no one, not even one person had ever done this much for her, even on her birthdays. Coming to Grandma Rose-Anne's place is truly a blessing.
"Khalilah, you shouldn't be here… Go and enjoy your party!" Rose said as soon as she noticed Khalilah walk into the kitchen.
Khalilah had never been happier in her life, she enjoyed the party and got to meet a lot of new people from the towns, girls and boys her age. But it didn't matter how handsome or good-looking the boy was, or if they were the mayor's son, she could only look at one man in the room, Robert.
It was different with him, she felt an instant attraction to him, from the first day she set her eyes on him, and she had developed an instant crush.
But Robert was too much… He didn't as much as look at her, and whenever she got close to him, he would not look at her, he would stare down and he would answer her formally. So, Khalilah thought to give him some distance, she felt she was probably forcing herself too much on him.
"Khalilah," She turned slightly when she heard her name, her golden met with Robert's brown eyes, he stood in front of her with an unsure look on his face, and he nervously scratched the back of his head.
"Hey," she called slightly feeling her heart soar in her chest, this time he was the one who came to her. She got out of the chair and stood in front of him with an optimistic smile.
"I am sorry, I have been a bit distant I was just consumed by my thoughts."
"Ahhh… that's not a problem." The smile still plastered on her face.
"But I got something for you, I might not get the opportunity to give it to you again." He said with a small frown on his face, and Khalilah became slightly confused, she didn't understand why she felt as if they were treated as though she was going somewhere.
Linda also said she felt sad they were not able to optimize the previous night to it's fullest potential, she was pretty sad about it and Khalilah had to convince her that wasn't the only nights they had, and they would have more nights.
Her eyes shone brightly, when they caught sight of a golden half-moon pendant in his hands, she looked at him with those baby eyes and once more, Robert felt himself freeze, just by looking into her eyes, he felt even more pity for her and it was getting even harder for him to just stay quiet.
'Remember your sick mother, Robert." Madam Rosie had warned him. 'Lord Olive will never forgive humans.'
"Can I put it on you?" he requested as she nodded, she picked her black hair in her fist and raised it away from her shoulders, and he wore the beautiful necklace for her. He wanted her to at least one day remember how happy she was with them her, the time they might have shared may be little, but he wouldn't forget her for as long as he lives. "Welcome to the moonlight valley, Khalilah"
"I like it so much, thank you." She grinned again and Robert felt his heart twist painfully in his chest, he simply nodded unable to say anything.
But one thing was for sure, Khalilah was genuinely happy… At least at the moment.
The welcome party ended at 10 pm, it was optimized to the fullest this time around, and somewhere in Khalilah's mind, she couldn't shake off the uneasiness she felt.
Instead of a welcome part it felt more like a send forth party, but to where, what is everyone trying so hard to hide from her? It made her curious and worried, and it was even scarier because she was all alone in the estate now.
Everyone else went to their house, even Cherry who had never left the house in thirteen years took the night off, and Grandma said she had something important to attend to but she would be back before dawn. No matter how Khalilah thought about it, it was strange, they just popped out of nowhere and did a welcome party exactly three days after she arrived.
This was probably just her thoughts and they didn't mean any harm, but isn't a welcome party supposed to happen on the day she arrived? What's even stranger is Cherry, the housekeeper. She sleeps in the house and tonight after the party she took the night off, she went to her own house, when she doesn't even have a house in the town.
There was no one else not even a single bird, so late at night, she sighed, as she got up from the couch and walked over to the other one there was just this feeling that wanted her to run.
'I think I should have gone with Grandma or even one of the girls.' She muttered to herself. 'I don't think I can stay here alone, I don't feel right.'
No matter how many times Khalilah called her grandmother, she just wouldn't answer the phone, and fear began to creep into Khalilah's mind, a small scream erupted from her slightly parted lips when the house blacked out.