The kitchen Bathed in sunlight. Beĺla stands near the sink, glaring at Kaya, who looks uncomfortable but composed. Bella's posture was dripping with arrogance. The kitchen counter has a few dirty plates. Kaya stands nearby, having just entered the room. Bella scornfully announced,
"See what you cause you stupid big buffaloon fool. I don't understand why these plates are still here. What are we paying you for if you can't even do a simple task like washing the plates? If you had done the chores, grandmother would not scorn or lecture me with her annoying stories nor seize my make-up kits."
Young Kaya looks down, nervously fondling with her hands. She tries to speak politely, though her discomfort is clear. Kaya softly speaks, "I was just about to clean it, Miss Bella. I had to finish sweeping the compound." Bella rolled her eyes
"Sweeping the compound? Please. You should be able to do both at the same time. I don't want to see dirty dishes lying around. It's disgusting. Do it now or else." She flicks her hand dismissively toward the plate, her tone cold and condescending. Kaya looks visibly upset but remains respectful, trying to explain.
"I'm sorry, Miss Bella. I'll take care of it right away. I didn't mean to upset you." Kaya responded
Bella's eyes narrow, her voice dripping with disdain. "You're always saying you're sorry, but nothing ever changes! My friends don't have to deal with this kind of incompetence. Maybe you should go work for someone else if you can't handle a simple task."
Nia, who had finished her calls, overheard the entire exchange from the hallway and entered the room. Her expression is calm but firm, clearly unimpressed by Bella's behavior. Bella straightens up, startled by her grandmother's sudden appearance. Nia folded her finger into a knuckle and knocked Bella in the middle head.
"Oooooouch, that hurts," Bella cried, robbing her head in pain.
"And I will do it again. After all, I just told you a few minutes ago. You still dared to bully Kaya. You even call my stories annoying. Your father has done a terrible job. Now wash those plates immediately, and don't you ever bully her or anyone else again, Bella." Nia raised her calm, but authoritative voice.
"But Grandmom, she didn't." Bella cried out.
NIA cutting her off said, "I heard everything. That is no way to speak to someone who works in our home. Kaya is not here to be insulted or treated like she's beneath you." Bella folds her arms, her pride still getting the better of her.
Bella was annoyed. "But she didn't do her job properly. I shouldn't have to tell her how to do something so basic." Nia seriously knocks Bella's head again, but harder this time . "Oooooooooooooouch!" Bella screamed.
"What you should never do is belittle or speak to someone the way you just did. Kaya works hard to make sure this house runs smoothly, and you owe her respect. No matter how much money we have, that never gives us the right to treat anyone. like they're less than you. Learn to ask for it with kindness, not insults. Pride doesn't make you better, Bella. It just makes you blind to the value of others." Bella hesitates, guilt starting to creep into her expression, but she's still defensive. Nia turns to Kaya, offering her a gentle smile.
NIA calmly said, "I apologize for Bella's behavior. Thank you for all you do." Kaya nodded gratefully, giving Nia a small smile before quietly returning to her duties. Nia stood watching Bella do the dishes
Nia looked at Bella. "No phone or make-up kit for you today. You must apologize to Kaya, and you will learn that respect and humility are not optional, no matter who you are." Bella, feeling embarrassed and chastened, nods slowly.
"Okay, grandmom... I'm sorry." Nia nods, satisfied for now, though she knows this lesson will take time.
NIA quietly speaks, "Good. Now let's see you do better, although I know it's because of your phone, which is why you are saying you are sorry. You said my stories were boring. Well, since I was being nice, and you do not seem to like it. I have something that will change your mind and attitude."
"What might that be?" Bella asked, raising her eyebrow.
"Finish washing the plate, and I will show you."
Bella finished washing the plates. She walked into the living room. In front of her was a red velvet sofa chair with buttons positioned in front of a brown door. Moyo walked into the living room, and he said.
"Ok, that's surprising? That red chair was never in the living room. Where did you bring it from?"
Bella asked, "Was the door also there before Moyo?" surprised Moyo
"It is my latest invention," Nia replied.
"Invention?" Moyo's eyebrows lifted, shocked.
"I never knew you as an inventor or scientist."
"That's because you never bordered on asking how your father got to live in the States or how we became wealthy. You are so blinded by games, social media, and living big that you forget. I was once a young girl. Anyway, never mind. You too will take turns to sit on the chair. I am going to teach you an important lesson you are going to remember for a long while. Now, Rude Bella, let's begin with you. Sit on the beautiful red sofa," Nia ordered.
"OOOh OK," Bella gently sat down on the red sofa with a curious smile, thinking about what might happen. Suddenly, a candle turned on with light. Nia opened a book that displayed green holographic lights in the air. Nia's eyes reflected a glow, and she said.
"I invented these scientific chairs and a book called Captivating Tales by Moonlight to tell stories to orphanage children where kaya was from to experience fun, and you are going to experience the wonders of storytelling. As for you, Bella,'' She flipped the pages of the book and said,.
"I am going to tell you a story of the prideful horse." Nia closed the book, and suddenly the light in the living room went out in total blackout, and a green hologram was made visible. Suddenly, the chair transforms into a train track and began to move.
The door behind the chair opens with strong winds that startled Bella and Moyo like a horror experience about to happen, and Bella finds herself being pulled by a powerful force—like a roller coaster into the door. Bella panicked and screamed.
"Kkkkkkkyyyyyyyaaaaaa" stretching her hand to Moyo. Moyo, surprised, tried to reach for his sister. However, it was too late, as Bella on the red chair was yanked away and the door shut by itself. Moyo turned to his grandma.
"What have you done?"
"Be patient, Moyo. It will soon be your turn." Nia's eyes looked more serious than before.
"Kkkkkkyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" Bella's voice resonated through a dark tunnel. As she panicked, she saw a light at the end of the tunnel. In minutes, she finds herself thrown out of the chair into the light.
"Kkkkkkkkkkkkyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!"
Bella screams as she finds herself out in the air. She lifted her eyes in surprise as she could see an emoji yellow sun with dark glasses smiling in a sunny cloud filtering light into a beautiful kingdom.
"What the hell is this place?'' She shouted as she descended swiftly, aiming for the ground.
Screaming out loud while Free falls in the air, a cloud of colored bubbles gups her, and she finds herself inside a transparent water balloon bubble, suddenly descending into a fantasy cartoon medieval world. As she descended, a beautiful kingdom with castles was revealed before her.
"Wow, amazing," she said in surprise. Suddenly she hears a voice speaking through a water bubble.
"Once upon a time in forever, ever happy, wonder ever land. A white horse prided itself as the most beautiful horse in the land. Her name was Isadora." Bella could see a beautiful white horse with amazing eyelashes and a body suited for a princess.
"She often received compliments for her beauty and grace. At some point, the compliments got in her head, and she refused to let anyone ride on her back or even race, not even her master, Mr. Dan, who was a merchant selling horses who had a special ability to understand horse language, especially what they say through sign language. His ability had brought fame among all other horses in the town.
The merchant saw Isadora as a stubborn and proud horse, but since she was the beautiful face of his business that attracted a lot of customers to his horse business, he never did anything to provoke the horse.
The merchant, Mr. Dan, was afraid of Isadora because she controlled the other horses in his ranch by snorting at them. Whenever Mr. Dan shouts or disciplines her, she snorts, and Mr. Dan observes the strange behavior of the other horses. The other horses refuse to eat, sometimes gang up to beat him with their feet, or destroy their surroundings by damaging expensive types of equipment. This cost Mr. Dan huge expenses, and so Mr. Dan knows if he wants peace. He had to spoil Isadora to do anything and stroll around the town. However, no matter the pampering, Isadora refuses anyone to climb her back and ride her or even go on training, and the reason Mr. Dan observed via sign language because she feels it is only a king fitted to ride on her."
Bella looking at the group of horses in a ranch was transferred while inside the bubbles. She floated into a medieval city filled with people. She saw a normal brown, poor bruised horse with a heavy load on her back falling to the ground. People laughing at the horse and the master beating her up with a whip to get up.
"Get up, you stupid horse. I will have to sell you when I find a buyer, Sea Biscuits." Her master threatened.
"You should kill that horse. Nobody is going to buy that rejected disease of a horse with weak knees and legs. Hahaha. It's no news that no horse merchant wants to buy her because of her weak legs. Just sell it to the killers that will use it for meat to feed the lions." A man selling food stuff announced his opinion to the master.
Bella watched in the air inside the bubble as the master continued to whip and beat the horse as she tried to get up on her feet. The voice continued inside the bubble.
" This horse, whose name was called SeaBiscuit, was born by its mother prematurely before she died. As a resort, she was small, had a fragile, weak body, and was famous for her weak knees, which were not strong enough to support her body to walk properly or suitable to carry heavy loads."
Bella watched Sea Biscuit rise to her feet, and she saw Mr. Dan walking along with a few horses, and Isadora was one of them. People praise Isadora as she proudly walks past the crowd of people. Some sellers bring fruit like carrots and apples to Isadora, patting her back.
"Sea biscuits admire the beauty of Isadora. She wished she was as beautiful as her and had stronger knees to go into a race to be acknowledged by people who glance at her with one look and reject her.
Sea Biscuit's master was brutal to her. He beat and mistreated her, forcing her to carry logs of wood and heavy loads on her back when she was not strong enough to lift them. When she falls to the ground and people mock her master because of her. Her master would beat her, and she had no food for days."
One lovely day, at the market square. Isadora misbehaved, snorting on the strong horse that carried Mr. Dan, and the horse drew Mr. Dan off its back, falling on the ground, and ran away among the horses to the ranch.
Mr. Dan had an injury on his leg as the result of the fall. Sea Biscuits was tied to a log of wood while her master was away. She saw what Isadora did, and she felt pity for Mr. Dan, who was finding it difficult to walk at that moment. So Sea Biscuit walked to Mr. Dan, snorted at him, and bent her head down, indicating for Mr. Dan to climb up top of her.
"I thought you were the horse that was cursed for your weak knees. You want to help me despite your situation," questioned Mr. Dan.
Sea Biscuit looked at Mr. Dan and replied
"Yes, snorting at him." Sea Biscuit then assisted him up to her back. Picked up the minor loads with her mouth and took Mr. Dan to his ranch. While walking, Mr. Dan observed and noticed the weak body of Sea Biscuit. She was not any sort of horse but a legendary horse whose ability could command enemy horses to obey her in war. Even Isadora did not have such ability. He noticed that Sea Biscuit could run well when properly trained, treated, and well fed, as she suffered from malnutrition.
After Mr. Dan treated himself. He took Sea Biscuit to her master and to Sea Biscuit surprise. Mr. Dan paid twice as much as the normal price for a horse and bought her from her master, who was glad to sell her and began to treat her gently.
Mr. Dan fed her properly and began to train her on how to jump, walk, and run. Over time, Seabiscuit's fragile body sickness was cured, and she began to move about except for her weak knees, which needed more training. However, Isadora, at first, did not bother and instead mocked Sea Biscuit. After mocking, she began to bully Sea Biscuit with the other horses in the ranch.
Mr. Dan noticed the abuse and cold treatment among other horses and so kept Sea Biscuit separated from the rest of the horses, and he began to train her more and more, and she began to grow stronger and stronger.
Isadora, jealous, began to rebel and make other horses disobedient by not helping in lifting stuff for him. Rude to his customers and destroying things. Sea Biscuit always comes to the rescue, no matter how much the load is, to help Mr. Dan when the horses become violent and disobeyed.
Mr. Dan loves her. Among the powerful and beautiful horses, she was not welcome to the gang of horses headed by Isadora because she was branded as weak and hated and most especially disobeyed Isadora's commands.
One day, a farmer, Mr. Dan's brother, named John, saw Isadora sitting pretty and munching a red apple under a tree. Mr. Dan brought the farmer to her, and John asked, "Would you like to be my horse for a day to travel to other lands with my farm produce? Am sure your beauty will attract more customers from neighboring villages to the ranch."
Isadora replied, shaking her head mockingly, "No way. I am a beautiful horse. Not just any horse, but the most beautiful in the land. How will you reduce me to a work horse, doing hard labor on your farm? Don't belittle me." She will fling anything that tries to climb her back. Mr. Dan informs John of Isadora's words However,
"I don't mind going if you will have me. I would like to see the lands of another kingdom," Sea Biscuit smiled, advertising herself.
"She is a strong horse and will help you take your load anywhere," Mr. Dan commented. While Mr. John hesitated for a minute because of the rumor associated with her. Sea Biscuit carried Mr. John's bag with her mouth and lifted him on her back.
"Woah, aren't you a nice horse? Ok, I will rent this one for the trip," said the farmer.
"Trust me, Master Dan. I will treat him with care." Replied Sea biscuit. "Poverty is trying to win customers," Isadora sneered, mocking them and walked away.
Bella inside the bubble, amazed, looked at the trio moving to his house as the Emoji sun descended to night and the dawn rose.
Morning light spills over the quiet farmlands as John, a humble, middle-aged farmer, loads crates of fresh vegetables and grain onto his sturdy wooden cart. Sea Biscuit stands nearby, saddled and ready for the journey. The neighboring country of Karrath awaits, and with it, the promise of wealth from the produce. Patting Sea Biscuit's neck, he said,
"We've got a long road ahead, buddy. But by sundown tomorrow, we'll be in Karrath and back before the frost hits the crops. Let's get moving. I hope you are ready, right sea biscuit." Sea biscuit snorted back. John pulls himself into the cart, and Sea Biscuit begins trotting along the winding road through dense woods and open fields.
A day later, Sea Biscuits got to the beautiful town with its merchants and people dressed like Arabic Muslims. Mr. John tied the rope attached to Sea Biscuit to a wood while he exchanged the farm produce with a merchant. Sea Biscuit raised an eyebrow as he saw some group of bandits looking at Mr. John. Sea Biscuit became restless and tried to warm Mr. John but wouldn't listen. Transactions were peaceful in the city. Mr. John and Sea Biscuit got ready and began to return with plenty of money, bought some food stuff, and meat he did not have at home. He put the rest of the money in his bag, and their journey out of town began.
The sun starts dipping behind the hills as the road grows narrower and darker. Sea Biscuit ran fast unbeknownst to John, a group of bandits has been tracking him from the town. Their leader, Karrus, a tall, scarred man with a wicked grin, signals his men in the hills to surround the cart.
"This farmer looks like easy prey. Take him, grab his goods and money, and leave no trace." Karrus pointed his sword, whistling to his men. The group of bandits jumped out on their horses as they chased after them.