LEGEND OF THE EMERALD

"Where I'm I? She asked rhetorically looking round her unfamiliar and strange environment in fear.

"GABRIELLA" she heard the whispers of her name echo in the strange forest as she shook in fright.

" Who...who are you?" She stuttered as she began to hear a violent approaching sound. Without being told, she took to her heels running as fast as her legs could go.

She could feel the presence of her adversery behind her and she increased her pace. Soon, she reached a cliff. It was er end point and looking back, she saw the face of the creature chasing after her to be very scary and acting on impulse, she jumped off the cliff with a scream.

"Arrrrrrh!" Gabriella screamed and jumped off the bed.

"It was a dream" she said out loud to pacify herself, panting heavily. It had appeared to be so real to her that she could still feel her legs shaking.

She cleaned the beams of sweat off her forehead as she reached for the bottle of water on her bedside stool. Gulping the whole content, she tossed the empty bottle aside. Feeling a bit relaxed, she sat back at the edge of the bed and unconsciously glanced at her alarm clock standing right where she had taken the bottle of water from.

It read 5:26 as she sighed and rubbed her temple. It was still quite early and she would have still be in bed if not for the nightmare.

After few minutes of sitting, she felt a lot better and decided to start her day. Getting up from the 🛏️ bed yet again, she went into the bathroom for her normal morning routine. Minutes past and she came out looking refreshed. Soon, she was all dressed up in a long sleeved emerald flay gown stopping right at her knees. Her long thick and black hair held back with a white hair band. If there was anything Gabby considered a burden it was her hair. It's extreme length and thickness was what annoys her most.

Gabriella was what you could describe as a perfect definition of beauty. Her skin spotless, smooth and almost as white as snow. Her facial features was worth dying for.

She made it out of her room and down the stairs into the silence of the sitting room and once again, she wish she had a sibling.

Her phone bussed in her pocket as she brought it out discovering a new message from a contact named Fred.

"Happy birthday to the queen herself. I wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday and I hope I achieved that though. See you later birthday girl" she read the message as a smile lingered on her lips. She had totally forgotten her own birthday.

Stocking her phone back into her pocket, she made a journey to the kitchen. Since she was awake, she decided to save her mom the stress of preparing breakfast. She went for the neatly arranged apron hanged on the kitchen array and picked one which she wore over her dress. She set to work immediately and soon enough, the sweet aroma of omelette and toast bread filled the atmosphere.

She took the meal to dinning and after setting the table, decided to go invite her mom over. She was already metres away from the table when suddenly she sensed a glass was about to fall of the table and within the blink of an eye, she was back at the table with the glass in her hands. She stood dumb staring at the glass in her hands in confusion. How did she get back to the table that fast and saved the glass? How did she even know the glass was about to fall in the first place when her back was literally turned to the table? She let out a chuckle that held many meanings. Was she hallucinating? She glanced at the glass in her hands and with a gulp gently placed it back on the table. Maybe she had not at all left the table in the first place. Yes. That was it. That was the only logical explanation she could think of and was forcing herself to believe it.

"Gabby?" She gasped in fright as she was taken aback by the voice of her mother.

"Oh dear! Did I startle you?" Her mother asked seeing the way her daughter had shook.

"It's fine mom. Don't worry about it." She said regaining herself.

"I was just about to come to your room" she added as they both took their sit.

"You know, it's really been a while since you last prepared breakfast. What's the occasion?" Her mother asked dishing out the meal as Gabby only shrugged. Her mother suddenly gasped dropping her spoon and putting a hand over her mouth.

"OMG! It's your birthday today. It totally skipped my mind. Happy 20th birthday dear." Mother said

"It's my 21st birthday mother" she corrected with an eye roll

"Wait you're now 21?" Her mother asked and she didn't fail to notice surprise and nervousness in her eyes.

"Yes. Is everything ok mom?"she asked seeing the look on her mother's face

"Of course everything is alright it's just that time flies it was just like yesterday when you were so little" she said and gave a weird laugh.Gabby nodded and sighed as they continued the rest of the breakfast in total silence. They finished their breakfast and Gabby was set to leave for school with her handbag over her shoulders.

" Mom I'm off" she said looking towards the stairs as she made to leave.

"Wait. I've got something for you." Her mother stopped her as she came down the stairs with a small rectangular box with her.

"This is for you." She gave the box to Gabby who collected it and opened it revealing a shiny emerald bracelet. It looked old, but still held it's beauty.

"Wow!" She muttered.

"Beautiful right? I'll help you put it on your wrist" she collected it from her and fixed it on her wrist.

"I love it mom thanks." She said sincerely smiling at the bracelet

" You should get going" her mother said as she kissed her on the cheek. Saying bye to her mother, she hit for the road riding on her bicycle. She was half way through when she suddenly started feeling strange. The feeling was so strong that she had to stop riding. A little boy with school uniform was headed for her direction and it was as if he was the source of the feeling because it grew stronger the more he drew nearer. She could sense a strange aura coming from him and the word DEATH was ringing in her head. She let out the breath she didn't know she was holding when the boy had past.

"What's wrong with me?" She muttered and continued her journey to school.

On her arrival, the first person her gaze caught was Fred. He was standing among the few people looking like he was awaiting someone. He finally saw her and his face lightened with a broad smile. One he only has on when he sees her.

"Hey Ella!" He called out on getting to where she stood parking her cycle.

"Good morning Frederick" she said calling his full name. Something she loves doing.

"Happy birthday"he said holding out a tiny jewelry box which she collected and opened with a smile. Her smile broaden on seeing the beautiful pair of diamond earrings.

"Thanks Fred but, you shouldn't have bothered. This must have cost you a lot" she said the obvious.

"Nah! Just a few dollar bills. It doesn't really matter ok? Let me help you with it." He said collecting it from her and helping her fix them on her ears.

"There you go. Perfect" he said admiring the earrings.

"Thanks!"she said gratefully.

" I think we should start heading to class now. You know lectures begins soon" he said and held her hand as they headed to class together.

Frederick cortex is the childhood friend of Gabriella. He is a handsome fair young man with a well built structure and good height. He was just slightly taller than Gabby. They were very found of each other. Inseparable and doing almost everything together. Once it had rumoured in their school that they were lovers because of the closeness.

Soon, it was midday and time for lunch. Fred had earlier promised to treat her out and she won't dare refuse. They both went to an eatery some miles away from school and settled for a meal.

"So, what are your plans after school?" He asked sipping his cola drink as she just shrugged.

"Well, I'll just sit at home and work on my assignment. You know it's kinda tough right?"she said also sipping her drink as he scoffed.

"Really? I mean it's your day for crying out loud can't you be less boring? Gosh! You should......" He was cut short by the screeching sound of a vehicle followed by a scream. They both snapped their head to the direction of the sound and behold, a car just ran over someone. They immediately rushed to the scene that has already started attracting crowd as Gabriella almost fainted. Her eyes almost pooping out of its socket. It was the little boy she saw on her way to school lying in the pool of his own blood.