Beauty of a crystal

CHAPTER 27

"I personally think it's safe. Come on, I'll even hold your hand," Mona begged, gently tugging at Crystal's arm, coaxing her towards the edge of the formidable slide.

"But it's only meant for one person, and the birds are watching. I wouldn't want to embarrass myself in front of them," the voice of a timid seven-year-old Crystal quivered, her eyes darting nervously towards the avian spectators.

"Fine then," Mona said with a mischievous giggle as she swiftly scooped up Crystal and settled her onto her lap before launching themselves down the slide, the soft sand below cushioning their descent.

"Mona!" Crystal gasped in sheer terror as they hurtled downwards, her chubby cheeks flushing with a mixture of fright and embarrassment. "I told you not to!" she protested as they finally came to a stop, sprawled out on the sun-warmed sand.

"Oh, come on," Mona pouted playfully as she carefully lifted Crystal up, brushing the sand from her clothes with a bright smile. "Admit it, that was fun!"

"For you. You're crazy. Do you have any idea how high that was?" Crystal pointed back at the slide, her wide black eyes reflecting her disbelief and lingering fear.

"Whatever," Mona chuckled as they began making their way back home. "You know Mom is going to have a fit about your dramatic fear of heights."

"It's not dramatic!" Crystal huffed angrily as they approached the front yard of they house.

Their family wasn't wealthy, but they knew how to live modestly and find happiness. Crystal's father worked as a cheerful police officer with bright brown eyes, while her mother, a petite woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, dedicated herself to being a loving housewife. Crystal inherited her father's black hair, while her sister Mona inherited their mother's blonde hair and blue eyes.

As they approached the double house, its white exterior contrasted beautifully with the gray painted wood fence that enclosed the vibrant garden of flowers that her mother loved. However, as they drew nearer, a sense of dread washed over them. The once beautiful garden lay in ruins. The roses appeared to be trampled, and the small tangerine trees were engulfed in flames, their fruit still hanging from the charred branches.

"Mona..." Crystal whispered in fear as she frantically stared at the disaster in front of them.

"If mom asks. It wasn't me. " Mona spoke, her mouth wide open as they stared at the mess. "Come on, let's go warn her before she blames me," Mona muttered, tugging a skeptical Crystal behind.

"Mona," Crystal whispered as she stood behind her, refusing to move. "There are monsters in our home. It's not safe," she said, taking a step back in fear. But Mona had already started reaching for the doorknob, inches away from twisting it open.

"Relax, Crystal," Mona coaxed, placing a comforting hand on her
shoulder. "It's probably just some college kids getting bored." Crystal hesitated, her eyes darting nervously around. She could feel her little heart racing as she tried to muster the courage to follow Mona.

With a deep breath, she took a hesitant step forward, her senses on high alert for any sign of danger. Mona's reassuring smile did little to calm her unease as she warily scanned her surroundings.

"Come ooon. I gotta pee really badly, Crystal. " Mona whined, motioning for her to hurry up by doing the pee pee dance from a cartoon they both loved. Teen Titans. Crystal giggled at that. Her worries instantly disappeared with her big sister's hand holding her hand.

"Hey, can you do that fake crying thing so that mom will buy us pizza? It never works when I do it," Mona said with a mischievous grin. She let out a theatrical sigh, which made Crystal burst into laughter. "But you, with your cute face and wide eyes, you can totally pull it off!" Mona exclaimed, clapping her hands together.