Her hair raised on the grip, she was just like a shaking pine and a loud groan came to her throat. She was so uncomfortable because she always had this feeling of her being watched. In seconds, icy fingers gripped her arm in the darkness and she let out a shrill cry into the mist.
It was there and then it had gone, the sharp glimpse of yellow eyes. She was so scared that she let out a squeaky sound. She was frightened, but she was here for a reason and she must achieve what she came for whether or not something was lurking in the shadows.
She was known as the queen of beauty, the most beautiful. But she was not always like this, instead she was ill formed and ugly looking. All it took was for a curse in disguise of a blessing to turn her life all around. She made a deal with the devil and now she either had to live with it, or look for a way to get rid of this curse which has made her life so miserable.
Adunni, who wouldn't know Adunni. The ugly duckling who became a princess overnight. One who was once spat upon now became the queen of beauty. A help from an old man was all it took for Adunni to become as beautiful as she is now.
She met an old man in her earlier days. She helped the old man and in return, he helped her and granted her the wish of being the most beautiful person in the world. She wished for it and now she had to deal with it. She asked for him to make her beautiful, for him to make her never age, she wanted to be young. Unknown to her, it was a curse in disguise. Now, she has lived for five thousand years and she wouldn't die. She's tired of living. She has seen her children give birth to their children and also give birth to their own children too. And she has watched every single one of them die because she wouldn't age.
Adunni had to live so many years with voices inside her head, voices so devoid of any emotions. She traveled so many years, explored the world and now, she was exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to go to the great beyond.
And that is why she had to go through this journey of traveling to Orji, her village to seek help. She didn't want the beauty again. She wanted everything taken from her. And now, she was in a dark forest not knowing her faith.
" Go back my child", a soothing voice said.
"I can't go back," she countered.
"I can't go back," she repeated.
"I won't go back until you take this curse from me. This curse cannot be my destiny, it can't be my faith. I wish for this cup to pass me by. This cup of unending sorrows, I want quit"
"I am sorry, but there is nothing I can do. You have gotten what you asked for. Live with it"
"I have lived with it for five thousand years now," Adunni cried. > "I do not want to continue living in the shadows. I want to be free. "
Then suddenly, the air turned black all around her and it felt as if she was falling into a pool of darkness.
Waking up, she wondered where she was. Am I in heaven? What happened to me?, She wondered. Has my wish finally been granted?.
She suddenly felt light as if a heavy burden had been lifted off her and immediately, she turned into a pool of ash.