The Sheenite

Kids; the Sheenites on Earth✓

3:00pm.

I watched Vanessa being ushered into her limousine. The security guard gently closed the door before he walked to the back seat and the car started, driving off. Other cars followed behind as escorts and some before them, leading the way.

I always did this everyday, I had to ensure Vanessa was safe.... for goodness sake she is soon to be Queen!

I walked home. It's been my law since I started school to walk home. Dad never liked it, but it was my decision. It helped me relax and reflect on myself on how my day went. That wasn't actually the only reason, I always helped school kids cross the road. Untill I do this, i wouldnt say I had a fulfilled day.

"Everyone cling to me." Sapphire said as the kids surrounded her. All clinging to her in one way or the other. Some held her bag while some clinged to her clothe, many held her hands

"1...2...3... let's go! Walk slowly, don't push your friends, be careful." She said as they crossed the road.

"Thanks a lot Sapphire!" the kids chorused on getting to the end.

"Don't mention, just be careful out there okay?."

"Okay! Bye!" They all Chorused while some waved as they walked away. Sapphire waved back and stood, smiling to herself. Kids always had a way to get to her. She continued her journey as she walked home.

As she got home, she saw Katie, her neighbour's child standing before her house. On seeing Sapphire, she started running towards her with her arms wide open.

"Katie! Where are you.... going?" Mr Hart chased after her but stopped on realising who she was running to.

"Sapphire...." he thought and exhaled. Sapphire lifted Katie into her arms.

"There you go little angel, how was school today?"

"Cool! Atleast I didn't cause any trouble today." Katie replied playing with Sapphire's hair as she walked to Mr Hart.

"Good day Mr Hart..." Sapphire greeted handing Katie over to her dad.

"I guess Katie is giving you a hard time?"

"Yes, she's really giving us a hard time." Mrs Hart answered from behind as she walked up to them.

"How are you doing Sapphire?" Mrs Hart enquired.

"I'm doing great...Mrs Hart, thanks."

"Sweetie, you shouldn't run off like that." Mrs Hart said rubbing Katie's back.

"But I don't wanna take my bath!"

"No! You have to take your bath otherwise, your gonna stink." Mr Hart said walking towards their apartment with Katie still in his arms, his wife followed.

Sapphire stood smiling to herself as she watched them leave. This is my neighborhood. Here, we only know how to take care and watch out for ourselves. It was more like one big family that lived in different houses because one apartment wouldn't contain all of us. As I thought, I heard the screech of tyres behind me.

"The Johnson's family."

Mr Johnson came down from the car and hurriedly rushed to the other side to get hold of his daughter, Pearl, who had already come down and took to her heels.

"That's enough play for today Pearl, otherwise, you might fall and hurt yourself and that will break daddy's heart." Mr Johnson said as he caught Pearl and lifted her into his arms.

"Sorry Daddy."

"It's okay darling, just promise me you'll be a good girl when you babysitter comes around okay?"

"But I don't need a babysitter." Pearl said.

"I know, but it's just so, someone could watch over you since your mom. and I aren't going to be around. please?"

"Okay Daddy." Pearl said as she wrapped her tender hands around her dad's neck.

"Awwwn! My baby misses me already. Don't worry I'll be back before you know it, I just need to go attend to the emergency that came up in the office okay?" Mr Johnson said as he pecked Pearl on the neck.

"Okay." She answered and loosed her dad off her grip.

"Good day! Mr Johnson!" Sapphire greeted as she waved to them.

Pearl gasped.

"Darling Sapphire!!" Pearl screamed on seeing Sapphire and jumped down from her dad's embrace and ran to her.

"That is my pretty damsel!" Sapphire said lifting Pearl into her arms.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine darling Sapphire, I've missed you". Pearl said playing with Sapphire's hair.

"I've missed you too Pearl."

Mr Johnson walked up to them.

"How are you, Sapphire?"

"I'm fine thank you."

"Daddy, does this mean I don't get to have a babysitter?"

"Well if Sapphire doesn't mind?"

"Darling Sapphire!" Pearl corrected. It was obvious that "darling" was Sapphire's tittle from the kids.

"Darling Sapphire." He said.

And Sapphire chuckled.

"I don't mind Mr Johnson. And besides it's been a long time I played with Pearl."

"Uhhuhh!"

"Okay, I'll get going then...Oh! Let me get her school bag from the car." Mr Johnson said and hurried back to the car to get the bag.

"Here." He handed the bag to Sapphire and pecked Pearl on the cheek.

"Bye."

"Bye! And you can stay in your office if you want." Pearl said in a loud voice so her dad could hear her. Mr Johnson smiled and got into his car and drove off.

Immediately, they heard screams from behind. It was Katie. She ran towards Sapphire as her parents chased after her.

"Go to your left! To your right!..." Pearl directed Katie on which way to run to, not until Katie's mom caught her.

"I don't wanna take my bath!" Katie yelled.

"Don't be stubborn Katie! Stop giving me a hard time!" Mrs Hart yelled as she pulled Katie but Katie held onto Sapphire's legs.

"I'm not going to take my bath, except darling Sapphire baths me!"

Mrs Hart let go of Katie as she placed her hand on her head really mad.

"Calm down Lori." Mr Hart said as he placed his hands on his wife's shoulders.

"Well, if it's okay by the both of you, I would love to help Katie take her bath." Sapphire said.

"Sapphire, how long would you spoil Katie by doing everything she wants?" Lori asked

"As long as I can."

And Lori heaved a sigh.

"Thanks so much Sapphire, I will just take Lori out of here so she doesn't explode." Mr Hart said as he wrapped his arms around Lori's shoulders and walked to their apartment.

"Please don't forget to bring her homework!" Sapphire said while Mr Hart gave her an okay gesture.

Sapphire dropped Pearl back to the ground as she bent facing Katie.

"Katie, you should stop giving your dad and mom a hard time. They really wanna take care of you, but you make them feel as though they aren't trying their best or working up to expectations. Promise me you'll be a good girl from now on?"

"I promise darling Sapphire." Katie answered with her face down.

"It's okay, I just wanna correct you. Now stop giving me that sad face and smile for darling Sapphire!"

And Katie grinned widely making Sapphire laugh.

"Yeah, that is a wide smile." Pearl said.

"Okay girls, let's go!" Sapphire said and took the both girls by hand walking home.

The door was locked, it was obvious her parents weren't back from work. Sapphire lifted the door mat, took the key underneath it and opened the door. The kids ran in overjoyed.

"Look how jumpy you both are..." She said as she dropped her bag on the sofa.

"Come take off your clothes, you need to take your bath."

And they both ran to her while she took them upstairs to her room. She offed their clothes and helped them take their bath. She wore them her shirt after drying them up, it covered them like a gown and they felt satisfied putting on their darling Sapphire's shirt.

"Hmmm, you both smell nice." She said tickling them while they laughed.

Sapphire took them downstairs to go prepare lunch. They were both at the dinning room playing. Although Sapphire was preparing their meal, she didn't take her eyes off them for once, she couldn't afford them to get hurt.

The door bell rang, it was Mr Hart. He came to give Sapphire, Katie's school bag. After they had lunch, Sapphire took them back to her room to help them with their homework. Her door opened.

"Hey Mom! Welcome."

"Thank you. You left this downstairs." Mrs Brenda said as she dropped Sapphire's bag on the chair.

"Good day Mrs Brenda." The kids chorused.

"Good day darlings have a good time with your darling Sapphire!" Mrs Brenda said as she left the door.

Few minutes later, they were done with their assignments and Sapphire placed them into their bags. The door opened again. It wasn't Mrs Brenda this time around, some friends came to join them. Jennifer, Amanda and Heather.

"Darling Sapphire!!" They all yelled as they jumped on the bed embracing Sapphire.

"How are you guys?!"

"We are fine darling Sapphire!"

"Now I guess our pack is complete."

And the kids cheered clapping.

Downstairs.

"I'm sorry for the disturbance Brenda, it's just that Jennifer has been on my neck, I couldn't object this time." Mr Harry said.

"I still don't know how Sapphire gets to control those kids. I mean they are just too much." Mrs Jeremy, Amanda's mother said.

"Well, I don't know how she does that either..But she loves doing it so who are my to stop her. So you all should stop feeling as if you are burdening us in anyway. Really, it's fine. That's why we are neighbours, to help each other."

"Thanks so much Brenda..." Mr Caleb Heather's dad said

"Umm.. I guess Davis isn't home from work yet?"

"Yeah, but he is on his way."

"Okay, we'll leave then."

"Okay." Brenda said as she walked them to the door.

"Darling Sapphire, please read us a story." Heather requested.

"Please."

"Please."

They all pleaded.

Kids always had their way in making Sapphire do what they wanted. It was so hard to reject them.

"Okay, which should I read for you?"

"The Sheenite!!" They all choused.

"Aren't you guys tired of hearing that story, I mean, I read it to you almost everytime." Sapphire said getting up from her bed as she took a book from her drawer, boldly written on it was Sheenite.

"It's not about how many times you read it, it's about how you read it." Jennifer said.

"Yeah! It always feels as if it's the first time we've heard you read it to us." Heather said as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Okay..." Sapphire sat on the bed. I'll read you the sheenites, so everyone get ready.

And the kids adjusted to the most comfortable positions they could take.

"Once upon a time, there lived a family called Sheenite. The sheenites lived at the outskirts of a great empire. They were so powerful..." Sapphire read with so much charisma that the children couldn't take their eyes off.

"and yet harmless. Harmless because they could never hurt a human but rather their job was to protect them. The sheenites were the most beautiful creatures on earth, and they were all females. They where never meant to have anything with a human, so in other to avoid anything going wrong, they all wore mask that allowed only their eyes to be revealed. One day, on the princes birthday, a Sheenite with the name Jupiter, snuck to the palace to go see how the outside world looked like. She hid as she watched and enjoyed the celebration. At the coming of dusk, Jupiter decided to leave for home, no one should find out she left. But it was too late, the prince already caught sight of her.

"Who art thou oh! Mistress. And who dares enter into the royal quarters without due permission for it is same as invasion." The prince said as he brought out his sword.

"I plea that the prince withhold his sword, for I come in peace."

"No one ever backs a royal, turn around and show yourself." He answered putting back his sword.

"I beg that the prince takes his attention off an insignificance like me. For I am a Sheenite, and it will be wrong to face a mortal."

Immediately the prince guards brought out their swords to fight who defiled their princes orders, but he raised his arms gesturing them to stop.

"No one defiles a royal decree, however I will be merciful unto you. This is a royal decree, turn around..."

"Oh my! The most interesting part of the story is getting closer!" Pearl said excitedly.

"Darling Sapphire, please read a little faster." Katie said eagerly.

"Well, I guess you all don't want me to read then." Sapphire said closing the book.

"No!!!" They all choused.

"Katie and Pearl can be big mouths, please be merciful unto them darling Sapphire." Jennifer mimicked how Sapphire read while everyone laughed.

Sapphire couldn't help but open the book.

Jupiter turned around with her face down.

"Take off your mask."

"I dare not my prince." She replied falling to her knees.

"please spare me, for it is an abomination for a mortal to see a Sheenite's face."

"But I'm no mere mortal..." The prince said moving closer to Jupiter. "I am royalty." He said and lifted her to her feet holding her chin. He tried removing her veil, but an invisible force held him.

"Stop it, for a Sheenite is never known to hurt a human." Immediately Jupiter stopped and the prince pulled her veil away. Her hair poured over her shoulders. Jupiter rose her head up and her eyes caught that of the prince. Immediately, she was drawn to him, she couldn't take off her eyes.

"Give me the honor to know thy name, damsel?"

"Jupiter. My name is Jupiter your honor."

"She answered and disappeared!!!"

The kids chorused as they clapped in excitement.

"Read on! darling Sapphire, I'm getting anxious." Katie said.

"Okay, here I come!"

After that encounter, the prince thought of Jupiter day and night of when he will set his eyes on such a beautiful damsel. He would have given a royal decree of her search, but he couldn't, she was a Sheenite. The Sheenites couldn't be seen with a human. So all he could do was pray that he might come across her again. On one faithful noon, in the woods, the prince while taking a walk, saw Jupiter.

"It gladdens my heart to see thee once again my love."

"Awwwn!" The kids exclaimed with sparkly eyes.

"I am not worthy to be called the prince love, I wish the prince rephrase."

"No one deserves it better than you." The prince said as he took off her veil and embraced her.

"For who is mine is mine."

At this point, the kids were already yawning drowsily.

Sapphire heard the door creak open. She guessed the kids parents were here for them. She was a little angry, they would have stayed a little longer.

"Well, Sapphire is reading some bedtime stories to the kids, so I guess we should all wait till they fall asleep." Mr Hart said to Harry, Lori and the rest of the parents.

"Oh! Brenda, your daughter is such a darling, I can have my rest when I get home. Making Katie fall asleep is a really difficult task." Mrs Hart said.

"I can relate to that." She replied.

"Okay, since you're not all in a hurry, you should make yourselves comfortable, while I get us some champagne!" Brenda said.

"Oh! That will be perfect Brenda." Lori said as she sat on the welcoming sofa.

"Davis you should come let's have a toast!" Brenda called out.

"Seeing Jupiter and the prince were inseparable and Jupiter was already with child for the prince, a royal couldn't live outside the palace, so the king abolished the law and gave the Sheenites freedom to live a normal life. Prince Emilio and Jupiter got married and they lived happily ever after."

At this point, the kids were already asleep, she had been reading to herself all along. The door creaked open again as their parents walked in.

"Oh, they are sleeping so peacefully." Mrs Jeremy whispered while she carried Amanda into her arms. The other parents carried their kids and thanked Sapphire before they left.

Sheenite. That was the only thing Sapphire knew about her being extraordinary. She was a Sheenite. Who would have known that the popular bedtime story "Sheenite" they always read would be real. Kids were the sheenites on earth, they always made her do what they wanted her to just do. And most of all, they were so beautiful and had all the characteristics of a Sheenite. Powerful, beautiful and harmless. The room suddenly felt so empty and lonely, Sapphire burried herself underneath her blanket. She definitely heard her mom call her, it was obvious so they could have dinner, but food wouldn't fill the emptiness she felt inside. She felt eyes close and then she fell asleep.

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