Chapter 3 NIGHT MARES

"I swear mum didn't do it" came Purity crying bitterly.

"If not you then who" mum said wiping me thoroughly "You keep on disgracing us, now everyone is calling you a thief"

"Am not a thief mum" I said in between tears "...ask Hope "

"Shut up, you never learn to admit your mistakes" mum yelled landing the cain on my soft fragile skin.

"Mum is true, they're only accusing her" Hope more like whispered, he was also afraid who as a child wasn't afraid of cain but he had to defend his sister one way or the other.

"Then why was she the only one accused and besides I thought I warned you two not to go to the park without me or your dad" her mum furrowing her brow staring at the two children intently.

"We...we were just passing by" Hope lied. He didn't really know what was on the adult mind before them.

"You were just passing by when the toy got missing right?"she said in sacacism."Let's just wait till your dad comes home. You didn't even ask for permission" She palmed her face staring at them disappointed. For sure she expected more from them.

"Mum please don't tell dad" I cried more, I knew if dad hears what happened today my situation is gonna get worse. He was very strict and am pretty sure I'll go on hunger strike for the next four days.

"I surely will" mum said looking pleased with her self.

"Mum please just pareon her, we promise to be good from now henceforth" Hope pleaded on his knees giving mum those cute puppy eyes of his.

"There's no way am falling for those silly tricks" I noticed a bit that mum voice had surely calm down and the rising tension in the room had died off. At once I knew she was going to forgive us.

"Don't worry mum when I grow up I'll make it up to you. What do you want a car ? A big fancy house? I'll get them all for you, just promise us you won't tell dad" I suddenly stopped crying believing my mum will buy my bribe.

"...mum am also gonna get you something, how about a large estate all to yourself." He described the estate using his hand to demonstrate how large it was going to be.

" We are gonna clean our room, go to bed early and be good children" Hope also added.

The angry mum who seems to have totally calmed down smiled at her two adorable children.

"Okay, I promise I won't tell dad as long as you keep to your promise." She began, signalling them to take a sit "but to be honest I don't like what happened today and I don't want you guys to have a bad reputation at this young age. If this repeats itself I'll tell you dad, okay"

"Thank you mum" we said together hugging mum. She fondly gave us one of those her sweet light peck and smiled. Suddenly everything changed it was as if we were in another apartment. The place was dark, so dark I could hardly see my own body.

"MUM!!!" I called out but no replied came through.

"HOPE!"

"DAD!!"

"Anyone please?" I cried out. I got really scared that I covered my face with my palm and screamed out my lungs. Again, I felt the place changing and this time I found myself running. I was so exhausted but this urge to run kept me going. I ran so fast and was pantin heavily, I could hear my heart breathing fast but I had to run. I had this feeling that soon everything will be over, what surprised me was the fact I couldn't see my front it was covered with dark clouds. I felt my energy draining quickly from my body.

"Purity you're strong not a weakling" i heard a faint voice speaking " Go on, run fast"

"No matter how fast you run you'll always back down"

I heard another voice this was discouraging me. My mind told me to ask who it was and yell at the person. I also wanted to ask why was I in this stupid race and when the fuck is it gonna end. I ran like my whole life depended on this stupid race. Then I slowly turned my back to see what I was running from but nobody was there. The only crazy thing was that the ground, the whole distance had covered was not there instead the ground was breaking heading to where I stood. I got really scared now why was this happening to me. I couldn't keep up and found myself falling to the abyss of darkness. Falling quick to my death, darkness swallowing me I closed my eyes to my death. I waited for it to come but felt nothing, I opened my eyes and survey my surrounding ther was no land, the place was void. I heard a soft yet familiar voice calling unto me.

" Purity?"

I opened my eyes not really surprised to see the owner of the voice. It was sister Bridget, the house mistress. She stood at the door entrance staring at the sweet little child in her front.

"Are you having bad dreams" she asked arching her brow. I declined there was no way am going to tell her about my horrible past. I looked up at her she was still staring at me. "Why don't you join the others for prayers" she suggested unsure of what to say next.

Her chubby old face staring at me. She was about 76 years old, wearing a black long gown with a little touch of white at the top, her head covered with some kind of a funny looking cap with a chaplet round her wrinkled neck.

"Am busy" I stated "Sis Janet thought it would be lovely if I helped the girls arranged their bed for the next two weeks"

Sister Bridget stared at the room her eyes travelling round every object. It was a very large hall with 16 beds, eight by the right and eight by the left directly facing each other. There was a shelf by the end of the room where the girls kept their books after learning. Each of the girls had a small looking bag where they kept their clothes and personal items. Sister Bridget knew immediately that Purity had done something wrong but decided not to ask. She was just worried over the child cause the girls here where more than the boys, thereby making the girls hall more than the boys. She wondered if the child won't miss a whole class while trying to clean the room for good two weeks.

"Tell me child, did she say the whole girls room or just your room" she asked cause they were over 80 halls each belonging to the girls.

"I don't really know " I replied. " she wasn't specific "

"Now hurry up and join the others while I help you clean the room" she offered politely.

"Ma...but"

"No buts" she said sharply "run along child , is that not breakfast bell ringing...you won't have want to miss that right " she asked

"Yes ma'am...thank you " I smiled giving Sister Bridget a warmly hug before running off to the cateferia.

Sister Bridget smiled at the child everything around her was filled with an unknown air of mystery, even how she got here remain a mystery to everyone. She was beautiful no doubt with a soft creamy brown skin, her curly hair packed in ponytail leaving few tendrils on her face. Even though she wasn't British she was well accepted here. Her sparkling black eyes sparkling most when she laughed which she hardly does. She looked quite okay for a fourteen year old child. She was definitely going to grow into a beautiful woman and even in their graves her parents must be very happy to have a beautiful daughter like her. Although, Purity claims that she knew her parents but she never talked about them or what happened to her after they died like how she got here from Africa. She concluded that the child must be going through a lot. She signed dusting her hand after arranging the last bed in Dorm A12 (That is Purity's room).