Our first encounter

Those that pass on might find peace but what about those that are left behind? What about the pain, how will they be able to forget all the memories and everything that they would have shared? The more memories they have, the more the pain and also the less they heal, such that some people will not be able to move on but remain stuck in that time when they lost their loved ones for the rest of their lives.

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(Back to the story)

On the other hand, with all the drama that had happened earlier, Anne didn't even notice she didn't hear or see anything though everything happened right before her eyes. Her mind had taken her back into the past and she began to have flashbacks. The events of the past were so vivid that, everything that had to do with the present was shut. She was taken six years back, to that moment we had our first encounter:

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(Six years ago, Tasha narrating)

During that time my life was more than difficult, I was facing problem after problem. The bad thing with problems is that one attracts another and sometimes they could happen at the same time, and these were not giving me time to think, breathe, or rest such that I got so much tired of it all. I had a tenant (Aunty) whom I used to stay with at that time and she was trying all her best to be there, but that wasn't enough. I had just the most important person in my life, was still recovering from a heartbreak, my best friend had betrayed me, fought with relatives from both sides, and had also lost my only investment. I had, had enough so when Aunty was still sleeping, I snuck out of the house and visited a place where my mum and I used to visit. This place is a river that is surrounded by some spaced leafy trees, it's like the trees were planted in a certain pattern to create something almost a circle like 5 meters from where the river was. As for the river, it has very clean and clear water, the breeze around that place is the most refreshing ever. I got to the place and sat on the spot where mum and I loved to sit together. It is a huge flat rock that can accommodate both of us, we could sit together, with our feet in the water and she would tell me stories about her life and other stories. Once I sat on the rock, the memories began to hit me so hard, I had thought I was going to calm down once I visited the place, I thought maybe I could feel her presence and be comforted but the memories made the pain that I had so overwhelming. With burning tears gushing out of my eyes, I stood, looked into the sky, and began to curse my life, shouting screaming, and swearing at God, questioning my existence as well as everything that had happened and was also happening in my life.

On the other hand, Anne had always had a habit of strolling especially when her mind will be so muddled or whenever she felt like she was facing too much pressure. At that time a lot was happening around her and she decided to walk without any specific destination, without her noticing she reached the location of the river. In her eyes, this was the most beautiful place ever, although she was not in favor of trees or anything green, the scene in front of her was so eye-catching. She felt like she was witnessing a painting in real life. On top of that, the songs that the birds in the trees were singing were so calming and so was the breeze that could be felt from a distance. The river was so quiet and calm that one couldn't notice which direction as well as the rate it was flowing. The reflection of the morning sun was so sparkling and very enticing. Whilst she was still admiring the beautiful scenery that was in front of her, something then caught her attention.

On my side, after I was done pouring my heart, swearing, and cursing, I then sat down. There was this heaviness inside me and, I could see my future full of darkness, I was so much tired and worn out. Finally, an idea then came to my mind, I couldn't swim and rather than just sit and wait for my expiration day in misery, I then decided to just make everything quick. End it all, and bury it all, that's all that came into my mind, I walked around the river, looking for the deepest part, and the moment I found it, I didn't hesitate and I instantly jumped into the water.

Anne on the other hand was noticing all my movements which is what had caught her attention. From the distance she was standing, she couldn't tell if I could swim or not, she couldn't see if I was struggling or not. Though I had struggled for a bit, it didn't take time for me to start drowning. Anne thought maybe I wanted to swim, however, after minutes without seeing any sight of me that's when she began to realize that something was off. Although she wanted to brush everything away, from what she had seen, I wasn't wearing anything suitable for swimming, even if I was, I had taken too much time under the water. Without thinking twice, she rushed towards the river, removed all the valuables, gadgets, and anything that wasn't water-resistant on her, and then jumped into the water. I was almost reaching the bottom of the river and it was also not hard for her to get me out because I was unconscious, maybe 50% gone. She took me out of the water, opened my airway, and checked for breathing for about 10 seconds. She then noticed that I had stopped breathing, and seemed to be no hope but she decided to try her luck. She began with the five rescue breaths, followed by CPR, and chest compression. For quite some, I wasn't responding but she wasn't going to give in so easily, also she had called for an ambulance. Later on, that's when I was brought back to life, gasping for air and vomiting water and that was way more painful than drowning. In a few minutes, an ambulance arrived and I was taken to the nearest hospital. I spent the whole day getting treated, I had too much water in my body and I needed to spend some time in the hospital. After 2 days, I woke up and found Anne sitting close to my bed.

(Putting down her phone) "You are awake, how are you feeling?"

I didn't respond, I was so mad at her.

(Worried) "Should I call the doctor for you?"

Her voice was so irritating, I also didn't have the energy to argue with her. I was thinking about my failed plan and the next step. I just closed my eyes with the back of my head on the pillow.

"Are you hungry?"

(No answer)

"Are you hurt somewhere or do you feel any discomfort?"

(No answer)

"You are so pretty."

"I'm very straight," I said with my eyes closed.

"So am I. So you can speak? What's your name?"

(No answer)

"Where do you stay?"

(No answer)

(Sounding interested and curious) "The more you do not give me answers, the more I feel like bothering you…"

(Annoyed) "Take me back to where you found me, I am a water spirit."

"A water spirit that was almost killed by her habitation, hehe how funny."

(End of Flashback)

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(Back to the present)

Just the name water spirit brought Anne back to reality.

(Standing and wiping her tears) "Water spirit huh?" She said smiling.

For some minutes she just zoned out, within a few minutes she felt a great loss creeping inside her heart which led to the increase of her rage. In a moment she was back to reality and began to throw things all over the house. She began to curse and swear, shouting Scar's name. She began to break anything that she could, it didn't matter how much valuable the item was, she didn't care. In an instant, she had turned into a beast as well as very violent. The couches, dishes, windows, and anything you may think of were vandalized. After she got tired, she went to the small bar that was in the house which is the only one that she didn't think of vandalizing, and began to drink her sorrows away.

On the other hand, Ghost began to give out instructions.

"The mission's code has changed from Red to Eclipse (whenever a mission's code turns into eclipse it means it has become way more dangerous, and risks will be higher than benefits). From the call that Anne received earlier according to what we all managed to hear, everything is not well with Tasha. I will contact doctor D later for more information but right now we have a lot on our plate. We have brainstormed enough so first things first. Our first mission is to kidnap doctor Flo…"

(More than surprised) "What!!" Said the other 3.