The unforgettable Incident

"Really? A diamond necklace!" I shouted with so much delight.

One thing I liked about the necklace is that it has a frame pendant, and I opened it. It was a picture of my mum and I. Mum made it special.

      "I love it, thanks so much daddy thanks mum, I love my gifts."

      "I'm glad you love them, now you are going to wear them today," she said.

      "Mum, is there any occasion today?" I asked looking so inquisitive.

      "Well you will get to find out, meanwhile Jane will come and get you ready" and they left.

      Jane came in almost immediately after they left. Jane is one of my nannies and my favorite too. She treated and handled me with so much love and care.

      "Now Meena, it's time to take your bath," she said as she came forward to help me undress.

      "What's the time?" I asked.

      "It's 10:15 am"

      "Wow, I woke up late"

      Out of elation, I couldn't sleep until I dozed off finally at a late hour.

      I finished preparing with the help of Jane. She styled my hair, I love it when she styles my hair and this seems to be the best of them all.

      Standing in front of the mirror, I looked my best today. Thanks to mum and dad. The gown looked so outstanding with the necklace too.

      "Now let's go Meena baby" as she fondly calls me.

      As I walked down the staircase of our mansion, I was so astonished at my sight.

      "Happy birthday!!" Everyone chorused.

Have never been this excited. It was a big moment for me. I came down and I found myself tearing up in joy.

      I searched for my parents with my eyes and I saw them at the edge of the hall, and there was a big-sized cake with four steps. I walked slowly towards them, with tears welling up in my eyes.

      "This is amazing, I can't believe this. Mum, dad I can't believe you did all this for me"

      I almost burst into tears but no, I held it on remembering I have got lots of guests staring, cause all eyes were on me, well, what do I expect. I was the celebrant.

      "And how were you both able to arrange this overnight? All these beautiful decorations weren't here yesterday," I said looking surprised.

      "Anything for my little princess, I will do anything to always see you smiling for daddy," dad said throwing his hands and inviting me for a hug.

      "Come on daddy, I'm now a big girl stop calling me little" and everyone burst into laughter.

      "I love you, Dad," I said while giving him a tight hug.

      "I love you mum" I turned to hug mum.

      Who would have thought that that was the last hug?

"Alright alright, enough of the emotional moments it's time to cut the cake" dad finally shipped in and I let lose of mum.

      As I placed my hands on the knife, the unimaginable happened.

      A group of assassins stormed in placing everyone in shock and they all started running, the guests were not the targets so they didn't bother going after any of them.

      "Run! Run! Meena, Gabriel take her away from here fast!" My dad shouted.

      Gabriel was one of my dad's bodyguards and handyman, the strongest among all the bodyguards. Dad cared for my safety more than his for assigning him to me.

      "Dad no no no! I'm not going without you and mum" I cried

      Gabriel already swept me off my feet before I could even utter another word and ran so fast, he was really fast. The last thing I saw was mum running in our direction with some other bodyguards to protect her. Gabriel was so fast that I lost sight of them immediately.

We took an escape route, my dad built it for a matter of urgency and safety such as this.

As we went through the tunnel which would lead us to a graveyard that's like five kilometers away, we heard a gunshot multiple times. At first, my heart skipped, but I didn't want to believe what my mind was telling me.

      We ran out of the graveyard, and boarded a taxi which took us to one of our safe houses in another city Beldine, it was a long drive and I ended up falling asleep.

       I woke up feeling so dizzy and nervous at the same time. Found me on a bed in one of the rooms in the safe house, suddenly I felt a presence and I looked beside me. Gabriel, dad's most trusted bodyguard.

      "How long have I been sleeping? Where are my parents?" As the thought of my family flashed immediately?

      "For over 6hours," he responded as he looked down.

      How could I have slept that long? I checked my time, it was already 8:30 pm

      "I ask again, where are my parents? They should be here by now"

      "I'm sorry Meena..." with a cold voice still was not able to look at me.

      "Gabriel! Where are they?"

      "Dead"

      "What do you mean dead" still don't want to believe what I was hearing.

      "They are gone," he replied.

      "They are gone? Gone to where?" I kept asking, trying to hold back my tears.

      "Meena" he called out my name in a calm pity sad voice as he lifted his head and his gaze met with mine

      Now I can see those words were heavy for him to say too. I saw in his eyes a sad soul. Sad face of one who just lost his master.

      "No, no, nooo! but how? The guns... the gunshot, the multiple gunshots. But no this can't be, dad has lots of guards to protect him, yes he does."

      More like I was going insane while Gabriel grabbed me and held me to his chest, there I screamed and cried my eyes out till I fall asleep.

      Gabriel took me to nanny Jane's house in Ajip, another town in Beldine city. Happens to be that Jane is from Beldine, that's why Gabriel brought me to that safe house so that he could easily bring me to Jane. Where else would I go if not her place? As a kid, I wouldn't be able to take care of myself, and not when everything was done for me by nannies. My grandparents were also murdered two months before.

      Who are these people? Could it be the same people who murdered my grandparents, murdered my parents too? If they want all my family wiped then I must be a target too, I kept on wondering.