Tragedy of the African Cinderella [Black Book3]✔

31.

Inspired by Emma Bale- All I want.

"Hey," Ace turned to a brunette with ear level short hair whose eyes reflected those of the rustling leaves. She was in a pair of sneakers and skinny damp jeans beneath a purple turtle-neck. A pang of familiarity immediately hit him but his mind was too foggy to think clearly.
The girl slightly tilted her head concurrently with a faint smile.

"Didn't know the wind would go as far as disrupting serene moments,"

"Huh?"

She tilted her chin to the piece of paper in Ace's hold, "That's a piece of my journal,"

"Oh, trust me it didn't disrupt anything,"

She smiled and walked closer, "glad to hear that," she eyed the name inscribed on the tombstone, "Death is really something else, huh? Sometimes loosing someone dear feels like loosing a part of you, your life. She was a good person, wasn't she?" She quickly turned to Ace who nodded sadly.

"Funny how the world is: the bad prevail and the good perish,"

From the way she spoke, she must have lost someone dear too but unlike his, her loss probably had nothing to do with natural death. Yet, she was right about the good perishing. Nora was the purest soul he ever knew and if death was human, she would still be living...well, so he strongly believed. Besides her stepmom and siblings who detested her, he couldn't think of any other soul do same.

"Sister?"

"No. No, my...wife," it sounded odd to say it out loud yet, agreeable.

The brunette smiled, "Mark and I planned on becoming husband and wife after we graduated,"
Ace couldn't see her face since she faced the tombstone but from the quivering nature of her voice, he could tell she was beginning to shed tears. "But his enemies didn't let that happen. They murdered him in cold blood on graduation eve like a sacrificial lamb and let him bleed to death," she sobbed.

"I'm sorry," was all Ace could mutter. The girl quickly wiped her tears as if it was taboo.

"No, I'm sorry for senselessly pouring out to you," she turned to him with a fake grin, "it's not going to make him come back or something," she sniffled before a wave of silence rushed in.

"She died of stage 4 glioblastoma," he began. It wasn't senseless to share grief, it was opening-up and healing yourself from that dead part of you. "She didn't live to fulfill half of her dreams. Even though I blame her for not battling against it, deep down I know she fought a good fight,"

"I'm sorry about it,"

Silence reigned yet again. Only the whistling of the wind and rustling of leaves could be heard in the almost dead graveyard.

"I'm Ace by the way," he introduced.

"I get to know your name, finally," Ace rose a brow causing her to giggle, "you're 'the silent' in the fellowship," she air quoted.

That's why she looked so familiar, "The silent?"

"Yeah, that's how I refer to you. You barely said a word since you got in,"

Ace chuckled, "well, I said paragraphs today,"

"So sad I wasn't there to witness,"

"You've been under the rain all along?"

"Not really. I sheltered myself at the graveyard keeper's shed for a while,"

"Oh, ok."

"Yeah, I had to be here today or never. I'll be leaving the city anytime soon. So..." she shrugged, "closure is what I needed before my departure,"

"That explains this then," he brought out the piece of the journal.

She nodded, "yeah."

"Can I keep this?"

"It isn't mine anymore. No need asking."

"Still, it's got your writing,"

"Fine, You can keep it. You look like someone who never gives up on a fight,"

I look like someone who's had no choice but to fight. He almost said.

He shrugged and carefully tucked the paper in his hoodie pocket.

"It was nice knowing a bit about you, Ace, however, I wish I got enough stay to know more, but it's time for me to go."

"We could walk out together,"

"That'll be great,"

The duo strolled to the gate making acquaintance. Occasionally, they'll stay silent with only the squishy sounds of their shoes in contact with the humid grass breaking past it. From a distance, Ace sighted his father who hadn't shaken a step from where he left him.

"This is where we part ways."

"We could drop you halfway through your journey home if you don't mind,"

"Oh no, thanks. I don't leave very far, I'll walk."

"Oh, your name, I didn't catch that."

"My name is Norah...Norah with the h." She released a heartwarming smile. "Hope we meet again someday." She waved and off she went.

END.

I don't know if I should continue Ace's own little story here or I should make a separate book but then, if I ought to make a separate book, it would be a short story too. Your opinions pls.

I might be missing in action during the whole of 2021.

Happy New Year guys.

Vote
Comment
Share