Chapter 1- What's Wrong?
"Did everything go smoothly, baby?" Treasure nodded to her mother's question.
"Don't sulk sweetie, he will come back, its not like he's relocating or something...he'll be back." Treasure came to her mother's side and assisted her in preparing breakfast.
"Let me do it mom, leave it to me."
"You don't have to dear, just go and lay down for a while okay?"
Treasure shook her head in refusal. Treasure and her mother, Salome, lived happily together. Her father Philemon died when she was 15 years old, he was one of the best dad anyone could ask for. He died being attacked by some hoodlums, he was shot multiple of times but the one Treasure couldn't get off her mind was the hole in his head.
They weren't rich neither were they poor unlike Neil's, whom came from a well to do family.
The only difference was that Neil's father left them and got married to another woman. So Clauda became the breadwinner of the family and thanks to Neil, he made her even more happy by lifting her burden with his scholarship.
Clauda and Salome were very close just like Treasure and Pamela, Neil's sister. They were both age mates, the difference was that Pamela was an outgoing young lady, carefree and loud while Treasure was the quiet one.
Sometimes Pamela spoke on Treasure's behalf. She was always there for her.
Done with the cooking, Treasure ate and chatted with her mother before heading for her room. Falling with her back to the bed Treasure sighed. She looked to her left and admired a cute picture in a picture frame on her side table. It was a photo of Treasure and Neil embracing each other.
Treasure smiled at the fond memory. Picking it up, she brought it close to her face as she stared lovingly at it.
Placing the picture frame on her chest she closed her eyes and not long after she fell asleep.
"Treasure! Treasure!! Treasure!!!"
Treasure snapped out of her dream world as she blinked rapidly to clear the drowsiness from her eyes.
Treasure was about to get out of bed when her mom barged in with pale face and worry filled her eyes.
"Quick! Clauda collapsed and was rushed to the hospital! Pamela called me just now to inform me that she had a heart attack like before...."
Treasure's eyes widened in shock and fright, she zoomed out of the room past her mom all the way to the front door. Running to the main road she stopped a taxi and luckily she got one, she couldn't even think straight....she even left her mother.
Trying to calm her racing nerves, Treasure inhaled and exhaled deeply. It took ten minutes before they pulled up in front of a private hospital. Jumping out of the cab, Treasure threw the money at the driver and rushed into the hospital. She didn't even realize she paid the driver less.
She found Pamela on the tiled floor wailing, Treasure's heart pricked at the state of Pamela. She went to meet her, embracing her tightly as she tried to comfort her.
"Its gonna be alright, she'll be alright..."
"No!!! It won't be alright....it will never be alright again, it won't Treasure!" Pamela was in a sorry state, people passing pitied her.
"Why...what's wrong? What's the matter? Did anything bad happen to mom?" Treasure didn't want to think negative, she believed Clauda would be alright but what Pamela said next paralyzed Treasure, shutting down every working cell in her body.
"NEIL'S DEAD...his plane crashed shortly after they left the airport...."
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"Hey! You girl...where's the rest of my money?!" A man charged in on the motionless Treasure. He pushed her slightly to face him but she fell to the ground like a lifeless object surprising the man.
"Get the hell out of here! Can't you see we're lamenting?!" Pamela yelled crazily at the man, shocking him even more.
"Do you want money? Fine...take....take it!" Pamela removed four dollars and threw it in the man's face, surprising him further.
"Take it and leave! LEAVE!!" Pamela screamed, leaving her with a hoarse voice as she kept crying. Treasure couldn't even tear up. Everything shut down including her tears as she laid on the cold tiled floor motionless. Pamela shook Treasure, calling her name and pleading with her to get up.
"What happened? Pamela...Treasure...God please not Clauda!" Salome prayed as she approached them perplexed.
"Pamela? What's going on? How's Clauda?" Pamela tried to talk but choked on her words and sobbed painfully.
"I....I didn't want...want him to go....I didn't...I felt bu...burdened...I..."
"What are you trying to say Pamela? Talk to me please!" Salome grew impatient.
"My brother..." Was all Pamela said, Salome scrunched her eyebrows in confusion but it later smoothened as her brain cells jolted.
"Wh-what! What do you mean? What happened to him...Pamela talk to me...what happened?" Salome burst out, her voice was loud as she shook Pamela's shoulders.
"He's...dead." She whispered, she was exhausted already. Her heart hurt alot. Salome's hands dropped as she froze. Salome didn't even notice when her daughter stood up and left the hospital. "Treasure?....Treasure! Treasure!!" Salome frantically searched for Treasure because she knew this wasn't the best time to leave her alone. Because she knew deep down that Treasure could do something stupid, so she rushed out of the hospital.
Her eye colour alone rhymed with what she was facing, it was lifeless and cold, no emotion or feelings. She let her feet lead her anywhere it wanted.
Walking for almost five minutes, her feet stopped in front of a beautiful large bridge built over a river. Staring at the bridge a tear slipped from Treasure's left eye and she strode towards the bridge, running her hand along the bridge wall until she halted at the middle of the bridge.
Shutting her eyes tightly, Treasure let out an ear piercing scream of agony as she called Neil's name and fell heavily to the ground, letting out all the tears she held back.
"You promised! You said you'll come back, you PROMISED!" Treasure kept wailing until someone embraced her in a warm hug. At first Treasure was taken aback, thinking it was Neil but it turned out to be her mother.
"Inhale sweetie, inhale...take a deep breath and let it all out...yes, let it all out my baby girl...don't hold anything back."
Treasure let everything out as she grieved Neil's death with all her heart but it wasn't enough. It didn't heal her damaged heart, nothing could make her feel better...nothing at all.
Her world...her joy...her everything...
HER NEIL WAS GONE FOR GOOD...