SCRAPING THE SCARPS

"It's so cool!"Micky yelled.

Ricky was stuffing Miracle fruits into his mouth while Micky was gulping down tamarinds which were previously too sour for his own consumption, the new sensation of sweet in place of sour was a wow factor to them.

I looked at Nicky and asked why she wasn't joining them since for the first time, they were eating healthy, she shook her head and said,"I don't want to, but I'll keep watch, I know something bad will happen soon."

I didn't know whether she looked into the future or it was just that obvious because the acids were still acids and soon, they experienced hyperacidity in their bellies and moaned in pain till she made the fluids float out through their gullets and them puke it out.

Alexa was so proud of Nicky, but mad at Micky and Ricky...and at me.

"How was I supposed to know letting the kids go wild will end up in an imminent disaster?!"I balled.

She frowned at me then asked,"Why are you so childish at times?"

I shrugged after Micky nodded, frowning at me.

Alexa told us that she was traveling North with her family and just came to tell us, she wanted to go to the Gambaga Scarps as there was something she needed to do there and I sent them on their way.

With Curtis's, Catherine's, Nicky's, Micky's...and Ricky's...with everyone's help they got there in a matter of seconds.

When they got there, the aboriginal people were already waiting for them and welcomed them warmly but Curtis frowned when he saw some men eyeing Alexa in... undesirable ways.

They were given a room and there were already people prepping up the space.

It was a clay hut with a thatched roof with an ironically cool and large interior and four windows towards the Cardinal points.

Despite all of this, Curtis and the kids dropped their jaws and were even more surprised that Alexa happily accepted the room.

Curtis couldn't walk under that thing so he pulled Alexa aside then asked,"Why did you accept it? You know we could make much better rooms with our lights."

"Oh so you think these people can't build properly?"She asked sceptically.

"That's not what I'm saying, I just think the kids won't be comfortable."

"The kids or you? Curtis, this is our chance to leave the comforts of the city and let the children just feel nature, who knows, they might like it here."

"No they won't."

"Tell that to them."She said, pointing.

Curtis looked at the kids, who were already socializing with others, under the hut.

He groaned then said,"Fine, but I wouldn't be able to sleep just so you know."

"Doesn't matter, I need you awake anyway."She said.

With a smirk, he asked,"Why? Do you want me to do something with you? To you?"

"What? No, not tonight."

After literally tearing his bubble apart, limb from limb, she said,"We are going to have to scout around the Savannah with the hunters."

"And all of this is because of a... feeling you have?"

She nodded then he continued, concerned,"Have these feelings come before?"

She nodded but continued,"And they have never been wrong."

"But why didn't you tell your family?"He asked.

"I didn't want to worry them, besides, Alex already knows and if there was something wrong, he would have done something about it."

He then kissed her forehead and said,"Then I trust you."

She smiled.

***

"So Phyllis..."Said Alex,"...this is..."

"Ama..."She said with a deadly frown on her face.

He was surprised as he hadn't told her her name yet.

Ama had a wide grin as she said,"Hello old frenemy."

"Wait, you know each other?"Asked Alex, totally oblivious.

Phyllis just nodded then was about to leave when Ama asked,"Why? Not even a kiss to the mother of your boyfriend's child?"

Phyllis immediately lost it and lunged at her but Alex caught her in time as the usually calm and seductive woman was now screaming and struggling in a state several lightyears from calm.

Ama seemed scared then begged Alex to take her away which he did.

He took her to the living room and asked her what was wrong but Phyllis rather described Ama with adjectives so soul crushing, they could kill the child.

He just waited for her to calm down, then slowly hugged her and lifted her onto the couch then asked again,"What happened between you two? Why all the hate? And why did she call you frenemy?"

Phyllis looked at him and he gently wiped the tears he had already sensed on her as she said,"It was she and her clique, when I was in highschool, they always hated me for some reason and did their best to make my life miserable till one day, they went so far as to...to get my sister raped to death."

His heart skipped a beat as he asked,"Really? But how do you..."

"I know it's her, who else would? You must believe me, it was her, and now, she's trying to take you from me too."

He hugged her again then asked,"Do you hear that? It's my heart and it only beats for you, don't worry, you'll never lose me."

She placed her hand on his chest as she listened to the steady beat of his heart then she calmed down and whispered to herself, him sensing,"I'm sorry Emilia..."

He kissed the crown of her head and said,"I'm also sorry."

He heard screaming then dashed towards Ama's room where she was rolling on her bed and throwing things out of order...

***

"Wait! We shouldn't go out there alone!"Yelled Nicky.

"Aww stop being such a party pooper!"Yelled Micky.

"Yeah, besides, the kids from here are with us."Ricky said.

"But we haven't asked mom and dad...woah."She said.

"What? Woah..."Said Micky.

"What is it?! Wow...okay, seen it..."Ricky said and left.

"But I have to take a pic first."He came back and said.

They were on one of the plateaus, overlooking the skyline and it was breathtaking.

One of the boys jumped down, followed by two more and Nicky knew her brothers will do so without a second thought.

She screamed for them to stop, but they both went down with their lights, including Catherine.

She on the other hand, couldn't use her light to help her in anyway she could think of.

She looked down into the never ending depths of greenery below and was a little scared till a boy, about her age with dark red skin, chocolate brown eyes and the darkest hair she had ever seen, falling to his back in curls, stretched out his hand towards her.

She felt timid, all the training she had undergone was for self defense, not for plunging yourself into an obvious death, but she placed her hand, trust and life into his, as he slowly pulled her to the edge and fell backwards.

She took a deep breath, then jumped down...