Lilian_Nkunga

"Kelvin... If I leave, Zula will kill everyone," I said in a shaky voice, before breaking down into sobs. I closed my eyes and allowed the tears to flow freely. If I were to leave, then my previous experiences would come to pass.

"What are you saying? You don't have to be a hero! Someone else can do that!" His voice was already rising. "I don't need a hero... I-I need my sister," he pleaded in a small broken voice. 

Hearing his pained voice shattered my bruising heart into a thousand pieces.

"I love you all," I managed to say.

"What? NO!" he screamed but I cut the connection.



***



A ritual has governed Aromes since its existence.

Every fifty years, the first born child of a family has to face Zula and die.

This year, Xena is chosen.

The morning after her eighteenth birthday, she wakes up to meet her home island devoid of all its inhabitants; including her family. She searches everywhere for all the people but she is unable to find them anywhere. The situation is hard for her to comprehend. At first, she thinks its a joke. She hopes its a prank. She refuses to believe that she has been abandoned. Until she finds the first dead body. The dead mutilated body of her father.

Then she starts hearing and seeing things that aren't meant to be. Horrifying screams, a manic creature, a cloaked figure that only comes when she takes off her glasses.

Only then, does she realize that there is no escape and her inevitable death patiently awaits her.

ALONE: Retold

"I'll be heading to the garden now," my mum announced. She gave Kelvin a peck and blew me a kiss –as always –then she left the room.


It felt like a trap set for me by my parents to get me and my brother talking. Looking at Kelvin, I didn't think he wanted to talk to me. He ate his food in silence and never for once glanced up at me.


His brows were creased like he was deep in thought but he didn't utter a word. It scared me.


I resisted the urge to run. I wasn't made for all this drama and tension.


What if he and mum, already planned how to kill me?


Mum didn't hate me that much. She probably considered me a burden –enough to not want to physically touch me– but she wouldn't want me dead.


What if Kelvin thought killing me will be the perfect prank ever!?


Enough now. I was just over thinking the situation.


I helped clean up the table and I proceeded to wash the dishes as soon as Kelvin stood up.


"Leave it, Xena. Let me do it," Kelvin announced from behind me.


Last Day (2)