PIECES OF A HARMLESS LIFE

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CHAPTER 5:

I gasped for air, feeling as if I was drowning,and for a minute I realize that I was somehow drowning in the darkness. Desperately trying to swim back to the surface where hope could be found together with safety. My arms were tired but I pushed past the exhaustion and put as much effort as I could at that time to keep on striving to hold on to my brink of hope, but my fingers were slowly slipping away from it. Fear thundered within me and in that time of panic and distress, someone grabbed my arm. I could not tell who it was until I was hoisted up. I was met by a sight that I could not believe.

There she was, Jasmine, in the same black dress dad had bought for her. It was knee-length with pleats. It painted her voluptuous body like a work of art. Her black ankle boots with some buckles were on her feet. Her flawless skin seemed to glow in a blinding light, as if she was some kind of angel. Her long, black hair whipped around her countenance in spirals all the way to the middle of her back. She smiled, the sweet, warm smile that she had and helped me to my feet. Her lips.painted a glossy light pink colour. Her hands were soft and warm, her brown eyes were shining with a type of intelligence that I had never seen before. All at once, she pulled me into a hug. A tear worked its way down my cheek. They were not tears of sadness, but of joy and relief. When we pulled apart, I felt the connection we used to have together when everything was just clear as crystal and life seemed bright and the world could not stop our relationship from blossoming into something beautiful and wonderful.

" I miss you so much," she said, her voice gently brushing across ny ears like a damp feather, " and I know you have a lot of questions. I do not have the answers to all of them, but this is not the appropriate time for me to answer those questions. I can't stay for long. In fact, this is happening by chance, the only reason this is taking.place is so that I can give you some instructions. Consider this as the first answer to a question that you are yet to ask. I know you remember the diary I used to have where I would write and draw all the occurrences I experienced, I need you to take it as your own. Whenever they happen to you, write or draw them in whatever form they appeared to you. Inside the diary you will also find some guidelines that will help you deal with them. Also, I need you to be careful with whoever you meet and associate with. Trust no one apart from yourself. So far, I can only assure you that you are special. And there is a reason for all these, but it is not yet time for you to know. Time is running out. Watch yourself. I need to go, but I promise you that I will return. In the mean time, keep me in your heart and I will never leave you. Hopefully, if things work out, we will meet again. I love you so much, and remember you are different and changes are coming. Just know you are not alone."

She starts to walk away as soon as she finished, but I take hold of her arm and ask the boiling question within me despite her earlier warning.

" Are you alive?"

Her eyes suddenly looked pained as a shade of worry flicks on her visage. She remains silent. I ask the question again. No reply; only a void of silence.

" Why won't you answer me?"

" I am sorry, Andrea," she replies, her voice barely a husk of a whisper.

Then, she disappears abruptly as she appeared and I continue to fall into the darkness now consumed by helplessness; an emotion I can not escape.