Ready, steady, go

[Let's get started ready steady go]

 Adelia and Lagon watched Yima open her eyes abruptly after they took turns slapping her face, lightly. 

 "It's too early for class." Yima groaned as she turned around to face them. "What are you doing here?" She asked after moving away from them in shock.

 "We're here to pick you up. Meet us outside in a few minutes, wear something black." Adelia said.

 "A source of light too." Lagon added and both him and Adelia tip-toed out of her room.

 "You'll find a flashlight above your drawer. Bring me something ghostly." Lilith said before yawning and covering her head with a blanket.

 "Thanks." Yima took everything she needed and rushed out of her room. She had a gut wrenching feeling that something bad was about to happen but that didn't stop her feet from walking towards their agreed meeting place.

 Lagona and Adelia were scanning their surroundings making sure no one was outside. 

 "Where are we going?" Yima whispered.

 "Shopping. Here this is your list." Yima took the piece of paper from Adelia that had a list of people's names from different houses, where they wanted them to go shopping and what they wanted from that place. 

 "This is stealing!" Yima yelled and Lagon covered his hand on her mouth. 

 "It won't matter if we take those things because two days after they always replace it with something new." 

 "Will you cause trouble?" Adelia asked with narrowed eyes. Yima shook her head.

 "Let her go." Lagon followed her instructions. 

 "We'll split up to collect items from easy targets, after that we'll meet up at the owl's stretch and team up to collect from the tougher or difficult targets." Lagon explained with excitement bubbling in every word he spoke.

 "How many difficult targets are there?" Yima asked him.

 "Two, tears of fallen gods dress shop." The same place where she had seen that dress, "and the other one is a surprise." 

 "See you later, the last one to arrive at the owl's stretch will go alone to one of the big two." Adelia said and she disappeared into thin air. Lagon saluted before flying away with water rushing out of his feet. 

 Yima stood there watching the spaces they had once occupied. She took a glance at her first target and began running. 

 She remembered seeing the tiny house when she was trying to convince Cordelia into showing her the best places in Ngula.

 The lights were still on and three shadows could be seen in the living room window. They belonged to people who had extremely long hair. 

 She jumped the fence that surrounded half of the house and tip toed towards the back door. She turned the door handle slowly and when it clicked she waited a few seconds to hear if the owners of the house had heard anything. 

 The voices coming from the living room were still full of happiness and laughter. 

 Letting out a shaky breath she pushed the door open, it didn't make a sound. 

 She looked at the list and wanted to scream and rip her hair out. The item that had to be stolen was the living room table. 

 She marched out of the house and stood a distance away with a hand on her forehead. She needed to think fast. 

 "Mom, there's someone outside." A small squeaky voice called out freezing Yima's bones. Unable to move she watched as they all approved her. 

 "Please come in, we have enough food to share." The woman who had to be the mother said.

 "Don't be scared, we won't hurt you." The little squeaked.

 Yima agreed and walked behind them as they all re-entered the house. They led her to the living room where the table she was supposed to steal sat proudly at the center. 

 "Would you like your meal with or without juice?" Yima thought for a moment before replying.

 "With juice please and thank you." 

 "Where are you from?" The husband asked her.

 "Likanu." He smiled and looked away.

 "Do you have a family here?" The wife asked as she placed Yima's food in front of her on the table. The woman's silky long hair fell to cover her face. 

 "No, I left my brother and parents in Likanu." She sipped her drink. 

 "Why are you here?" His voice got a little stiff.

 They knew what she was here for so there was no need to lie.

 "I came here to steal something that's desperately needed." The wife's eyes grew with concern and Yima smiled internally but externally she frowned even deeper. 

 "Who needs it?" The man's voice got softer.

 "My boss, he said if I don't take it to him then he'll kill my family." Yima said and the woman's eyes drifted to her daughter who was sticking her feet in her mouth and her eyes started watering. 

 "What were you sent to steal?" The woman asked as she rubbed Yima's back sympathetically. Yima tried not to reveal that she was smiling like a Cheshire cat.

 "This table." She hit her head on the table in false sorrow and cried crocodile tears. 

 "You can take it." The woman said immediately but the man was still hesitant. 

 "I don't think-" he began but was interrupted by his emotional wife. 

 "Put yourself in her situation. If it was me and Aanya?" She wiped away her never-ending tears, "would you let them kill us!" She screamed. 

 "Ok, fine. There's no need to get all worked up about it." 

 Yima left the house accompanied by Aanya's father. He carried the table for her and she led the way to the owl's stretch. 

 "After this is all over, you are free to come and visit us anytime." 

 "Thank you." 

 Two shadows were making out at the front of the owl's stretch and Yima cursed. 

 "Took you for-" Lagon kept quiet after he noticed that she had company.

 "These are my friends." Yima introduced.

 "Hello." Both Adelia and Lagon said awkwardly.

 "You two can come and visit anytime too. I wish you guys good luck in getting your families safe." He put the table down and left after giving each of them bars of candy.

 "I'm impressed." Adelia said as she inspected the table making sure it was the right one. 

 "Dead girl, welcome to the family." Lagon said.

 "Dead girl?" Yima narrowed her eyes on the lovers.

 "You have the lines on your nape. It means you only have three more lives left until you say goodbye to the world." Adelia explained.

 Yima walked away, even with her knees weak she headed towards the place she had hoped she would never have to visit again. 

 Her mind was racing with questions. 

 "Where are you going?" Lagon screamed at her.

 "My next target!" She screamed back. 

  It didn't take long until she was standing in front of the house she had called beautiful. There was nothing beautiful about it now. Because in her mind she could only picture the broken windows and blood stains that she was about to decorate it with.