TALE OF A CHANGELING

CHAPTER 1 No! No!! No!!! Ugo exclaimed as she immediately jumped up from the wooden bed in their thatched hut, looking so pale and terrified, while she turned continuously around the hut, beside Ugo on the old wooden bed is her aged grandmother Omali, whose sleep has been interrupted by her granddaughter's scream. What is the problem dear, did you have a nightmare? Grandma asked with a concern on her face. Ugo couldn't say a word out of fear, this time around she was throbbing in fear, she tried to speak but couldn't, she tried again for the second time but it fell abortive, it was as if she had gone dumb. Her fears increased she suddenly broke down in tears, Grandma approached her, covering the little space that was created between them on the wooden bed and she placed her two hands on Ugo's hands and asked calmly, You had the same nightmare again? Speak to me Ugo, Omali Commanded. It was as if Omali hands have soothing medicines in them which went directly into Ugo's heart and released all of her fears and her lips were set loose. She immediately replied, Yes mama it's the same dream again, I kept on seeing this same boy and girl lying close to each other in a pool of blood. Ugo paused and looked closely at her grandma to know what her response will be, but the old woman didn't say a single word rather she was lost in her granddaughter's story. Ugo, after waiting for ages with no reply from her grandmother continued. Mama, the dream tonight turned palpable and horror, the boy and girl vanished and I found myself lying in the same spot where the girl was lying, and I was lying in a pool of blood. These last words of Ugo struck Omali like a lightning, she became still like a statue and muttered continuously pool of blood, death, pool of blood, death.