Memories of Azura

Crown Princess of Rosso

I just laughed at her and she told me to head to the camp first. I shouldn’t have left. I should’ve waited for her to finish that call. I should’ve stayed with her but I didn’t. I reached our tents and saw everybody waiting by the fire.

“Where’s your sister?” I hear dad ask as I placed the twigs beside our tent.

“She’s making a call. She said I’ll head first so I can bring you the …” Dad and grandpa immediately shoot up from their seats and ran into the forest without even letting me finish.

My mom asked Aunt Meredith why the men are acting weird so Aunt Meredith told her about the animal attacks that have been happening lately. She said it was horrible, and grandpa was just worried.

An hour passed and it wasn’t just grandpa that was worried; we all were. We were all looking for Tamika and Aunt Meredith’s Labrador found her phone far from where I left her. The night passed and the phone marked something horrible might have happened to her. The morning came and her yellow jacket approved my hypothesis of her death.

A week passed and the police was no use in finding her. That’s what my mom and dad used to say. Grandpa then didn’t expect more. He knew Tamika was already dead. It may sound like I’m a bad sister but when I saw the phone; I knew something bad happened to her. She never lets her phone out her sight. It’s like an organ or an extension to her arm. She even holds it close even if she’s asleep. And when I saw her jacket that matched mine, I knew she was dead. I knew we could never bring her back. By then, all I wanted the police to do is to bring her back to us while she’s still recognizable.

A month passed and I was already sick of the papers and the people trying involve themselves. Our house sounded like the church when there’s no mass. It was like that for many days until mom and dad started fighting. Tamika was dad’s favorite because they both love outdoors. I was mom’s favorite because I’m more of her doll and she’s used of taking care of me because of my asthma.

I knew dad was blaming me for Tamika’s death and the thought of it hurts like it was just yesterday. Sometimes I pray that it was me who got lost in the woods instead of her. In that case, life would still go on for both of them with my sister fulfilling every parent’s dream of having the perfect child.

I wiped the tear away before Ebony could notice. I think she really did notice and she just pretended not to. I admire how she respects my privacy. We went out as I dismissed her.

7:00 PM

Sitting there alone in the garden made me feel like I’m in a play. I was just an ordinary high school student with an ordinary life and the moment I met this guy everything goes haywire. My friends started dying one by one, I got stabbed and I miraculously lived. Sometimes I wonder if I really am still alive from everything I’m seeing.

I shook off the thoughts of everything that happened within these days. And when I thought things wouldn’t get more personal, I heard footsteps behind the fountain. It was the crowned head from Rosso. It was Miss Lena in a stunning red ball gown. I recognized her onyx crown but there was more that ignited my recognition. It was her fair skin, her beautiful brown eyes that matched her perfect straight hair and her freckled cheeks.

“Lily?” Her name involuntarily slipped out of my mouth.

“Lucy,” Her soft, caring voice just answered my inquisition.

She ran towards me and I met her half way. Tears we’re pouring out from our eyes as we enclosed each other in a tight embrace. I broke off the hug to study her. She looked a little older; she looked like she was already in her early 20s. I wanted to ask her what happened. I wanted to ask her why it happened. I wanted to ask her so many things but her serious gaze shut me up.