THE DREAM

In a very dark and thick bush, Alex, Peter, David, and Samson are being dragged by some armed men covering their face with a mask. Ella's parents and grandparents scream for help from Ella as they were looking at her standing opposite them but she is very motionless.

"Ella please help me!" Alex screams and cries.

"Don't just stand there watching us, do something!" Mr David adds.

"If you can't help us alone, then ask for help from that lady standing there." Mr Samson says pointing to Vivian.

Ella looks at Vivian and whispers "please help me."

Instead, Vivian moves close to her slowly, stretching her hands out to strangle Ella. "There is no help for the helpless." She whispers still taking some steps forward to Ella.

"Don't do this ma'am, please just save my parents and grandparents." Ella whispers moving backwards to avoid Vivian.

"I will put an end to you all today." Vivian says loudly and hasten up her steps, she finally catches up with Ella and strangles her. "Die!" She yells.

All Ella could do was to pinch and hit her arms then later murmur saying. "Please save me."

But Vivian didn't let go, she strangled her until she passed out.

Ella wakes up covered in cold sweats. She shivers in fear and asks in her mind. "What sort of dream is this? What kind of message is it trying to pass? Miss Vivian strangling me?" She tries to think of the dream if she could try to understand the meaning when she hears Lola's voice.

She rushes down the stairs with her jotter and pen when she heard Lola's voice. She thinks she might have just heard wrong, it was barely 8am. Would she really be here at that time?

"Good morning baby girl." Lola greets warmly and embraces her.

"You are already awake!" Malik exclaims.

"What's wrong? Did she sleep very late last night?" Lola asks.

"She didn't sleep at night, she slept at the midnight." Malik answers.

"What?" Lola asks and looks at Ella. "You need to get enough sleep, short sleeps are not good for your health."

Ella bows her head and writes. "Your voice woke me up."

"Really? That mean you didn't sleep deeply, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?" Lola asks as she observes her.

"Do you want me to call my do for you?" Malik asks too.

Ella shakes her head and writes. "I am fine, I will sleep later in the day."

"I got you a color book that would help you relieve stress." Lola says with a smile.

"That is good for you, it will make you feel better." Malik adds.

Ella writes again. "Thanks you so much ma'am, let me go and freshen up. I will be right back."

"Please do not freshen up, go back to sleep. You slept around 2am, you can see your brother is still sleeping. Kids should always rest well." Malik says trying to persuade.

"Yes Ella, you need sound sleep because of your present condition." Lola adds too.

Ella bows her head and writes "I had a very bad dream, since then I have been unable to sleep."

"Really?" Malik asks.

"Tell us about it." Lola requests.

Ella writes. "I had a dream that I witnessed my parents and grandparents death. That they were screaming for me to help them, but I couldn't do anything. So I asked Miss Vivian for help, instead she strangled me."

"The dream is nothing, it's probably what you were thinking off before you slept last night." Lola whispers and pats her head. "Go upstairs and freshen up."

Ella nods and walks out of the sitting room to obey Lola's instructions.

"Are you thinking what I am thinking Lola?" Malik asks as he follows Ella with his eyes until she vanished.

"Yes, she can't sleep alone anymore. Those nightmares can put an end to her entire morale." She replies.

"But she can't sleep with me or Shamim, it's advisable to sleep with someone of her gender. Isn't it?"

"Yes." Lola nods. "And the only option she has now is me."

"What will you do now? Will you start sleeping here?" Malik asks.

"That is all I can do, as it is at the moment."

"What about your husband? And what about what we discussed yesterday?"

"Yes." Lola sighs. "Let's go to your room to discuss about that."

"Alright dear."

The both of them walks into Malik's room and they sat at the edge of the bed looking at each other.

"When I got home yesterday, our gate keeper came to ask me what happened earlier the day, he told me our maid had packed all her belongings and left." Lola explains.

"You don't mean it, so what was the I don't care attitude for?"

"My husband actually sent her packing."

"What? He sent her packing after taking full advantage of her?" Malik asks very annoyed.

"The man I married is nothing but a monster." Lola whispers. "When I told him about the divorce, he starts threatening me with my political ambition. Saying he will make sure I never win the spot."

"But where is all these coming from?" Malik asks calmly. "Why is he bent on taking advantage of everyone around him?"

"I have no idea on that too. I told him that I want to be happy and he said my happiness won't sustain me. He even asked me why I didn't choose happiness over money when I met him. He told me he picked me from the slumps-"

"Please stop, I don't want to hear any more of it." Malik says annoyed and pained.

"Please listen to me, you are the only one I can share my feelings with." Lola pleads.

Malik closed his eyes and sighs. "It just pains me so much that you have to suffer like this. With what you are saying now, I am sure you couldn't get him to sign the divorce papers. You will still have to live with him for how long more? Aren't you tired already?" He nags.