6 CHAPTER FOUR

AWAKENING PART ONE

The two women breath heavily, both not showing sign of backing out. Maja was trying her best to ignore the pain she felt on her shoulder, she knew there was Noway she could win against Atika. Atika was not only faster but was also stronger and older than her. The silence between them increased the only sound they could hear was their own heavy breathing and the cricket chirping. "Give up Maja, you can never beat me" Atika sneered. "I know but I will not let you get to senior sister. The wind whistles as the ladies stared at each other their hair was moving with the wind, they both ran towards each other sparks flew as their Knives clashed, Atika saw an opening, she kicked Maja in the stomach, which made Maja quickly fall back clutching her stomach as she grunt in pain, she looked down at Maja with a smirk of triumphs, " give up Maja, am warning you, I do not wish to hurt you. Maja laughed " like I will ever give up to a backstabber. She could see that Atika looked delirious, she just have to delay her a little more, she stood keeping a poker face not letting Atika see through her, she felt pain all over her body. She ran towards Atika's direction, Atika balanced her footing as she raised her know readying to give her a fatal injury, that should buy her enough time to find Belle. But something she wasn't expecting happened, Maja tripped over the broad branches and her throat went straight into Atika's knife, everything happened so fast, Atika couldn't react as she inadvertently stabbed Maja's neck, Maja was too shocked she could not make a sound as she saw her life flashed before her eyes, she never wanted to die but it was too late as she fell motionlessly to the ground. Atika was transfixed to the ground, unsure of what to feel or what to say as tears stung her eyes and her lower lips trembled, her legs gave up as she sat there weeping like a child. "Awww, I was enjoying the fight" A pale looking shirtless guy with a hat on his head and a scarf around his neck, he licked his lips as he went a bit closer to her. Atika jolted up as she stared at the unfamiliar man. "Is not everyday you get to see mermaids fighting. A piercing shrill laughter filled the forest making the owls and crows in the vascinity fly away. " Don't scare the girl Banju" A well built man with a gigantic Dada and was also shirtless showed up. He walked close to Atika. "Hi, am Rai let's talk business a evil glint flashed across his eyes.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FOREST.

Ohi eye balls constricted, small beads of sweat began to appear on his face. " Found you" she said with joy displayed on her face. Ohi head was still leaning on the tree, fear immobilized him. I love playing hide and seek, he could feel the evilness exuding from her body. Her sharp nails pierced his shoulder, Ohi screamed in agony, tears ran down his eyes. "Don't ever try to run from me Ohi" her face became dead serious. Ohi vision became blurry because of the amount of tears gathered in his eyes. Belle could not hide the snugness on her face, finally the nagging feeling she felt was gone. When Ohi ran away, she couldn't detect him in the forest, no matter how hard she tried, it was like something was shielding him away from her. She was really lucky. She found him leaning his head on a tree as he rested his eyes. Anger seethed through her whilst she was going crazy; looking for him, here he was resting. Bang!, a giant stone was used to hit her head, she screamed in pain as black thick slimy liquid came out of her forehead, Ohi used to opportunity to run while holding his injured shoulder, anger clouded her mind as the thought of turturing and tearing him to pieces ran through her head. But she had to present him to the queen. She ran really fast, grabbing Ohi's by the back of his neck as she flung him to a tree. Ohi coughed out blood, he felt so much pain that he could not scream nor cry, he passed out on the ground. "Wake up, you measly human" Belle roared, she stepped on his head but he didn't flinch or move. "Your really out cold, her menacing laughter filled the forest, she sang while dragging him, his head kept on bumping or colliding into branches and stones. " The queen will be so proud of me, she said daydreaming as she dragged poor Ohi along.

He opened his eyes, his laying on a hard and warm gravel floor, he sat up disregarding the probing pain in his head, he looked around to see broken houses and shops he got up from the road which had a very large zigzag crack on it. "Where am I"? He thought to himself, the pain in head was refusing to subside. " Your finally back", he heard a little voice coming from behind him, he turned around, he was not surprised is the little red painted face boy, he was alone this time. "What am I doing here, the last thing I remembered..... He heard a loud whistling sound in his head, Ohi held his head he is bellowed in pain and agony, terror filled his eyes as the memory if what happened flashed across his head, he felt like thousands of needles pricked his brain. " Calm down", the little boy said as he rolled his eyes impatiently. "My head, fills like is about to burst" he heard Ohi hoarsed voice as he knelt on the ground with his hands on his head. The boy frowned as he pinched between his brows. He dragged Ohi by the collar, "we don't have time for these, your close to dying, you should thank that protective bracelet. Ohi finally calmed down, he wiggled himself from the boy's grasp as he was being tired of how the boy was dragging him like he was a big pile of trash and the boy is way younger than him. " What do you mean by the bracelet protected me" the boy ignored him, Ohi didn't felt protected when Belle flunged him. They kept walking in the ruins, the transformers and street lights were all on the floor, he could see electric sparks coming out of some of the transformers, he could also see many broken equipment and shattered glasses, cars that have been crushed, scratched and abandoned by their owners. "What happened here", he turned to look at the boy walking beside him. " that's a story for another day" he finally stopped in front of the old looking hut. "Get in" the boy commanded not leaving a room for arguments. Ohi breaths out heavily and walked in, he was in shock at what he saw, it was him laying on a small bed, except this one had a white wrapper tied around his waist and the length of the wrapper stopped below his knees, he had a white tattooed drawing on the sun on the right side of his chest, a brown coloured bead on his neck, hands and ankles, he was sleeping peacefully he laid motionless except for the upward and downward movement of his chest indicating that his breathing. He walked closer to him, the boy's eyes flew open which startled Ohi. "Your finally here" his voice was calm and soothing.

The queen was seating on her throne looking down at the young mermaid that was pinned down by her guards, they violently raised her head up, so that their queen could look at her face, the young mermaid looked haggard and had a series of bruises on her face and hands. "Do you think you will, get away with this" the young mermaid yelled at the queen. Unlike them, she is still beautiful under the water with her blueish green fish tail being viable. "I already have dear, who can stop me" she smirked irritating the young mermaid as her face rested on her knockles. "I asked your mother for a simple thing; for her colony to fall under my feet with me as their new queen, but they refused" the queen said looking offended. The young mermaid sneered at her, "You can keep dreaming, you worthless hideous monster"...... Before the mermaid knew what was happening, the queen was already facing her as she smacked her hard, the mermaid could feel the metallic taste of her on blood and the pricking pain she felt on her cheeks, but she shook it off, her mother trained her to never show her pain or fear to her enemies. " You have no manner " the queen said looking at her nails. "My queen" Belle's voice got the queen's attention. "Look who I bought, she pulled the unconscious boy to show the queen, her face looked so joyful. " lock our guest in the cage" "your Majesty, her mermaid guards saluted her as they dragged the young mermaid away. " where have you been " the queen angrily yelled at her, Belle quickly bowed down "am sorry, my queen I just wanted to make you proud my queen" Belle's sounded so pitiful, she has a soft spot for Belle, the girl suffered in the hands of humans which made the girl a little bit deranged. The queen walked closed to her as her silver elegant floats in the water showing her slimy green legs, she held Belle's chin. "You should always tell me everything, you see and hear she calmly spoke to her. " am sorry my queen (she sobs as tiny hiccups followed), it was Atika she deceived me, she cried "Promise me you will never do anything without informing me" "I promise". "Atika (she hummed) what can I expect from a girl who has human blood flowing through her" Belle looked at the queen's displeased face. "Let me see the boy who is said to trap us" her hand went towards Ohi but a stone hit her hand with force, the queen groaned in pain as black slimy liquid came out of her hand blending with the sea water. "My queen" Belle swimmed close to the queen as she held the queen's hand. Ohi stood up, all the stones around their surrounding were now circling him like an orbit around it axis, the water around also rotated with the stone as it started to form a mini tornado. The queen and Belle took several steps back, shock evident in their eyes. "I won't die, I can't die not here, not now. He opened his bright brown eyes staring straight at them.

MINI DRAMA.

Boy: I want to tell you about the prophesy so listen carefully (he spoke down at Ohi).

Ohi:(anoyyed) You know that am older than you right speak to me with respect. (The boy and the little girl stared at him)

Boy: am hundred years.

(Ohi's mouth was wide open).

Ohi:What? (He said staring at the boy)

Boy: let's continue, I don't have time for these. Is very important you know about the Prophesy.

(ohi interrupted)

Ohi: Wait, I have another question

(Boy fumes in anger )

Boy: the prophesy *he said impatiently*

(Ohi continues).

Ohi: why can't you both shower, wear good clothes and stop walking around with red faces.?

Boy:because(stops to think) huh! Your right

(He drags the little girl as they started running towards the city ruins).

Ohi:wait, where are you going?

Boy: To take a shower and wear nice clothes

Girl: Yes, our body stinks and itches

Boy: and we are also tired of walking around with a red painted face. I mean who does that? ( they both continue running ).

Ohi: what about the prophesy.

(They were already gone).