Remember To Forget

44

Alive by day
Eyes closed by night
Sleep in peace my children
For tomorrow holds your greatest delight

Fear not for the monster under your bed
Mother and father will always be here in your defense
Close your eyes my princesses, let your dreams fly like a bird

Lay your pretty heads down my treasures
Close your beautiful eyes to the night
As the goddess of the earth gifts you with the fruits of midnights pleasure.

The sweet, soft lullaby of her mother were the first words Laura heard as soon as she felt her family presence. The words were pale but she could feel it still. It's harmony slipped into her ears, her mother's voice cut through her senses as her father's whistles which gave tune to the lullaby sang to her depths.

Slow and steady, Laura's feet sunk into the earth. Her stride was careful and twisted in fear. Their safe arrival to Musabi Village with a rented car had been duly anticipated by Laura. The moment she had stepped down from the car, she had felt a certain wave of harmony that had almost made her dizzy.

A fence had been built around her village with a black, metal gate as it's only entrance, courtesy of her god - father. The neighboring village had vowed never to convey the land inorder to pay memorable respect to the people and their earth.
The moment her steps passed through the gate, her skin had began to crawl with anxiety as her eyes flashed through every condemnation.

The ground was charcoaled as the trees were dead. The atmosphere was filled with the stench of decay and damnation. She could feel Yinka by her side, he walked beside her almost unnoticeable.

Her eyes watered as her feet sank to the ground in a mindless jaunt. The dirt under her palm seemed to come alive as she wept in silence.

She wept for her people that were ambushed. She wept for her parents that had sacrificed their land for the riches of the gods. She lamented for her twin sister that had died in her arms. Her mind seemed miscible with the gauge of hurricane that overtook her thoughts and an aureole that cleared up her doubts.

Laura stripped her mind clear of it's own voice and listened to the voice of her people. She felt her mind open up to her hidden nightmares.

She and her twin sister had a slight case of astraphobia. She was scared of lightening while her twin Katherine was scared of thunder. Whenever it rained their mother would sing a lullaby to them while their father whistled a tune.

She remembered the garden where they played all day and the town hall where all the children would gather for old tales at night from the oldest elder in the village.

She remembered the dance festivals and how her sister loved to sing while everyone cheered her on. She remembered the stream where every child would fetch water and also swim till their eyes turned red and their skin seemed pale.

They were happy and satisfied, away from the outside world and it's demons. Till the night after the moon festival. Everyone had slept as they had savaged their strengths in dance and abundant delicacies.

Laura lost her will to the earth as every memory of the day that changed her life forever happened. She let Margaret show her everything she struggled to discover.

It was dark and loud, her arms were around her sister's torso, the lightening was as frightening as the thunder. It was the smoke that woke Margaret up, it sneaked into the room and raised a coughing spree.

"Katherine. Wake up!" She shook her sister up as she stared at the door. There were several footsteps then a scream.

Katherine woke up as the screams increased. The chants from heavens couldn't mask the shrieks which aroused from every corner.