CHAPTER THREE
1082 Words
"She probably hates me for this. I would've known about this earlier."
Lyra thought to herself, still wondering about Sarah's state of disappointment and where she would be.
"Emma" Ella took a step back and leaned against the tree, putting down the bundle of firewood she held and placed her hand over her chest, "Why, you seriously frightened me."
Emma's lips curled upwards, revealing a warm smile that seemed to radiate from her face. Her hands, delicate and graceful, were intertwined with one another as if they were holding onto a hidden secret. It was clear that she had a lot to discuss with Ella. The air around them seemed to hum with anticipation. Ella extended her arms for a hug, and Emma gave in "I've missed you"
"He is tall, dark-skinned and filled with moments to cherish, each word from his lips is full of melody, his smile sends butterflies to my belly. I wish for nothing but the rest of my life with him"
This was Emma's description of Jeff to Ella, her best friend.
"Wait, who are you talking about? Do I know him?" Ella was lost and wanted to be in the same phase as Emma, so she asked
"Jeff, he's new to Moonvale. You must have heard others talk about him but haven't seen him in person. Come, I want to go and meet him. You should come with me."
Joy filled her soul as almost all she uttered was done while she held her breath, she pulled Ella towards her direction with her left hand insisting she follow her to meet Jeff.
Ella resisted the pull "Emma", she shouted.
With Ella's voice echoing, Emma's mind snapped back to the present, the intensity of her emotions cursing her momentarily losing touch with reality, her voice laced with genuine worry, looked at Ella and asked "Did I hurt you?" her eyes scanned Ella's hand searching for any signs of physical discomfort.
"I have things to do. As you can see, there's a bundle of firewood here I need to take home."
Emma glanced at the bundle of firewood resting beside them and let out a long sigh of weary "I promise to help you once we return, meeting him won't take the whole day he stays in Moonvale, not outside of it".
Her voice held a note of assurance to convince Ella, but Ella's response was firm, her voice filled with determination "No, some other time Emma" picked up her bundle of firewood, her grip tightened around the worn-out branch walking in the opposite direction, her voice fading into the air.
"She seems uninterested. Did I do anything wrong?" Emma thought to herself, walking alone with her thoughts in the other direction.
"Jeff", Emma called out to Jeff, standing behind a packed van filled with already cut wood. She was trying to get his attention because he was busy cutting wood. He couldn't hear her. The place was filled with noise from axes pounding hard on wood.
She then picked up a stone and threw it in his direction. He looked up to the direction where the stone was coming from, and the sun reflected on Emma, making it almost impossible for Jeff to see her face, so he walked to where she hid to get a clearer view of who it was, Emma jumped out and hugged him.
Jeff's curious smile deemed, his forehead furrowed, it was as if he was almost disappointed to see her.
"Jeff", her eyes widened in shock.
"You can't look me in the eyes?"
Is he not my Jeff? Concerned thoughts went through her mind.
You're engaged, are you not?
He asked her and wasn't interested in her reply. His mind was already back to his work.
Her mind already had pangs of disappointment.
"Wait, hear me out," she said, holding on to his shirt, her voice trembling.
You should get going before you are caught here with me. I have no business with you…the news of your engagement to Moonvale's richest man is on everyone's lips. I'm sorry I went too far kissing you. It shouldn't have happened. I mean no harm to your family or mine.
He struggled out of Emma's grip.
This was cut short as there was a loud noise coming from the heart of Moonvale. Jeff finally got away from Emma's grip and rushed ahead of her to see why there was so much noise from the villagers.
Emma ran behind him. After reaching where the people of Moonvale gathered, she heard rumors amongst the villagers.
"She stole her sister's lover"
"Where is she coming from?"
"She is about to shed crocodile tears"
All this came from the villagers as they made their way to reach the scene. Lucian, her dad, appeared in front of her, ushering her into where everyone's eyes were fixed, still in the most confused state of her life and asked
"Dad, what's going on?
Her gaze locked with Lisa's and she saw a deep grief reflected on her from Lisa's eyes, still desperate to know what had drawn such a large crowd. She tried to silently mouth a question to Lisa, hoping for a clue about her connection with Lisa. It was abrupt as their eyes lost contact.
Suddenly a realization struck her; "Sarah". The memory of their last heated argument with their mom, Lyra, flashed through her mind as this was the last time she saw Sarah.
"Where could she be?"
Panic surged through her veins, she scanned through the crowd searching for any sign of Sarah, her mum holding her then murmured with grief.
"a wolf had chosen Sarah as its first prey, the hunters found her body".
She turned to where the voice came from. Her tears were upon Sarah's lifeless body, and squeezed Lucian's hand out of shock, tears shimmered in her eyes and covered her mouth with her right hand, unconsciously releasing a scream of disbelief.
"Sarah!!!" Knelt beside Sarah's lifeless body
"why?"
"I'm sorry, please Sarah."
Nothing her tears could do. Her dad, Lucian, picked her up.
Sarah's body was taken back to their house for dressing and burial.
Moonvale hasn't had an attack by wolves in years. This attack was unusual and Sarah's scar was different from the regular wolf attack.
Emma was taken aback by the unexpected voice that echoed in her ears,
"So sorry about your sister. I wish things didn't end this way."
expressing condolences to her sister.
"Who could this be?"
- Writer
