THE ENCHANTED GROVE

Treasured Memories

Galdor dusted the heavy book and laid it on his lap. It looked very old and was torn at the edges.

" It is said here that this mirror has different abilities. It can show what is happening presently in another location or even events that happened in the past. One of it's best abilities was being able to communicate with other people in other locations. " Galdor said after reading from the book.

" May I ask a question? " I requested.

Ju-Ju was standing on the book reading along with the Wizard while I just sat in front of it listening to him explain the details.

" Yes you might ask. "

"You said the book can allow communication with people in other locations. "

" Yes. "

" Does that mean I can talk to my mother right now? " I was missing her already.

The wise man back in the village once told us;

" You never know what you have until you've lost it. "

I used to be angry with my mom for being so protective of me. She didn't let me play with the sand with the other children or explore into the forest. I envied the other children anytime I saw them running and chasing after each other.

The only time I was permitted to go out was when I went to fetch water in the morning or when I followed her to the village market. I had to stay back at home or occasionally visit the children of her closest friends in their houses and I mustn't go out.

Once when I was six years old, my mother left the house for the village market. She normally took me along with her but that day, she went alone.

I saw that as an opportunity and escaped from my house. I felt free and I played with the sand with the other children and we ran and chased each other with me trying to push away my fears of my mother finding out.

She eventually did and I was punished. That day I had cursed her under my breath and said I would never forgive her.

Those memories played in my mind as I sat in front of the big book and looked at the tree branch representing Aquaridge village.

I missed my mother and everyone in the village and couldn't wait to see them again healthy and safe.

Tears welled in my eyes and I wished the village wise man, as we called him, could see me come back after rescuing the village from danger. He would have being so happy and I could've seen him smile and tell me how much he was proud of me.

This wasn't the first time I was losing a loved one but I still felt the same pain I felt when I lost my dear father at the tender age of five. Although I was still little, his death was fresh in my memory.

The way it felt that morning that I woke up to find my father's lifeless body on the bed. It was unbelievable and I stood frozen there for hours.

My mother's sobbing was uncontrollable. She cried and even fell ill for days.

It all started when he fell sick. It was seen as a minor illness but it gradually escalated. He coughed blood and complained of serious headaches and body aches. All the medicine that was used on him failed to work. It only got worse.

I was still little at that moment and the sight of him groaning in pain was unbearable for me.

My father and I were very close and he made jokes for me to laugh every time. He liked to see me happy and I did to. He hated the fact that I was present to see him ill.

" Lyra, are you okay? " Galdor waved his hand to bring me back to reality.

I didn't realize I had gotten so lost in thoughts that I forgot my whereabouts.