1 Hello! Friend! How have you been? 1

In a dimly lit kitchen, a pot of water boiling over a gas burner could be heard and a young lady watching over it but seemingly in deep thoughts. The passing of a flashing image brought her back to her senses and she noticed the boiling water. She lazily stretched her hand up to the middle shelf of her kitchen cardboard and removed a paper box of Oats meal and opened it. She poured the oats into the water before turning to hum the song that was playing in the hall.

Finally turning the light on, her face was now revealed. Leaning against the kitchen cabinet watching over the boiling oats, she had a complicated look on her heart shaped face. Her hair looked messy and unkempt and the long yellow dress that fell to her feet covered her entire body up leaving only her face and arms.

The passing flash of a person caught her eyes and she swiftly picked a pack of stony salt on the table and fetched a good sum into her hands. Her gaze turned cold and emotionless as she stayed focused on the next moment of the body. When she was sure of its next step, she tactfully threw the salt in her hands its way and a shrew cry could be heard as the body of a girl fell to the floor.

''You heartless wench, did you really have to throw salt at me?''

''I wasn't the one who asked you to distract me. Get lost before I throw more salt on you'' she said to the girl.

Frowning displeased, the girl stood up and shrugged her shoulders, ''fine, I will go and find someone who is willing to help. What is the use of your gift if you can't even help me out? I hope you never get rid of your curse''

Looking nonchalantly at the pale ghost, she replied, ''right, I almost forgot I've been cursed. Thanks for reminding me'' she put on a pair of hand gloves and took off the pot from the fire before turning the cylinder off. She then picked a small bowl and poured the oats into it and sent it to the hall before going back to remove a container of sugar and a jug of milk from the fridge.

Nicole poured a bit of milk and a tablespoon of sugar into the oats and sat down and relaxed on the couch as she took a spoonful of the oats. The satisfaction that came from eating made her lips to spread into a natural smile. Nicole rarely smiled but when she did, she seemed to be a cheerful person and her beauty could be seen each time her dimples entered deep into her cheeks when she smiled or laughed.

''Who said living alone is a bad idea? I feel so free and I get to eat whatever I want. Mmm this is so sweet, my oh mine''

She made exaggerated sounds as she ate her food but her good mood was suddenly cut short when her phone started buzzing nonstop on the table. She glanced at the incoming call from her mother and frowned.

''Talk about bad timing!!'' she murmured before pressing on the answer button.

''Nikki, I called to…''

''I will be there, Miss Betty, rest assured'' she interrupted her mother's long speech before hanging up. She tossed the phone aside and picked the bowl of oats and started eating again.

…..

Right about the same time, an ambulance pulled over at the City's hospital entrance and a man in his early thirties got down from it along with the paramedics. They were transporting a woman who had being shot to the hospital.

Two nurses rushed out with a stretcher and lifted the almost lifeless body of the woman from the ambulance into the stretcher and hurried inside the hospital while the man followed. He held unto the woman's hand tightly afraid to let go as they sent her into the ER.

''Just hold on baby, you will be fine'' he kept saying, as if assuring the woman but he knew deep down, those words were more to assure himself. At the door to the operation room, the nurses stopped him and sent the lady inside.

The man paced around the hallway to and fro anxiously whiles murmuring to himself, ''she will be fine. She is going to be fine''

Two hours later, the door to the operation room opened and the doctor and two nurses walked out. Seeing the man seated desolately, the doctor didn't know how to break the news to him.

''Dr. Randy, how is my fiancée?'' he asked as soon as he saw them. The two nurses walked away leaving him alone with the doctor.

''Mr. Ankrah, I'm sorry. We lost her. We did our best but it was too late by the time she was brought in here'' the doctor broke the news that threw the man into a rage. For a while, his body stiffened and as if been poured with cold water, he stood on the same spot, his mind blank.

''What did you just say?'' he asked and chuckled, and tussled his chestnut coloured hair. He shook his head and pointed at the door to the operation room, ''Dr. Randy, are you kidding me?''

''The bullet was deep and you didn't bring her in early enough. I'm sorry Leo'' Dr. Randy didn't want to sugar-coat his words; he knew he had to be ruthless in delivering the news. Leo slumped on the bench and clasped his hands together, ''we did our best. I'm sorry for your loss, Leo''

''No, what do you mean you tried your best? If you tried your best, then where is my fiancée?'' he asked and laughed as if everything that he was hearing wasn't true. He couldn't accept it.

Meanwhile inside the operation room. The said lady in question stood next to the operation table watching the body that looked like hers. She felt a cold shiver and stepped back a little asking incoherently, ''what am I doing there? why am I laying there when I am standing here?''