C9 It's not a dream

It all appeared surreal, I stood for a moment to process the entire spectacle that had just occurred in front of my eyes before moving toward the heap of leaves that was once radiating beyond the natural light emanating from the forest. I picked up a few leaves from the pile and examined them, the leaves held nothing unusual, they were still in a regular condition. I held my fist tightly together and squashed them in my hands. Out of irritation, I threw the crushed leaves back onto the heap, hoping to discover something out of the ordinary that would brighten my spirits after I had been cut off from the forest's enchanted world.

And then it hit me, ...the object that had fallen from the light, where was it?. With fervent expectations encumbered to my chest, I lunged for the stack of leaves and searched for them thoroughly, hopefully, if I found the object it could diminish the questioning atmosphere that was dwelling richly in my lungs.

Where could the object have disappeared to, it was not that small to go imperceptible, after much searching while tossing a good number of leaves into the open and amassing silt at the brink of my fingers, the object eventually chose to let me find it.

It was a necklace with a full moon-shaped pendant, its pale grey color that looked just like the moon radiated brilliantly, I took the necklace and inspected it carefully; it had a slight crack that ran from the middle to the top of the necklace, I couldn't quite make out what it meant, an expensive-looking necklace that must be worth a lot wherever it came from, falling from a mysterious light, I just knew I had to keep it...the voice told me to keep it. I dashed it into my left pocket and skipped all the way home with the widest smile spread across my cheeks. Gehal was never going to believe this.

The evening was still very young when I got back home but Aunt Veke wasn't having any of it.

"You know you shouldn't stroll alone at night young lady," her tone was surprisingly a bit vibrant.

"But it's barely dark yet," I retorted.

"Where's your sister?"

"I don't know, isn't she home?" I questioned back.

"Didn't she go out with you?" Her face had started to develop a slight scowl

"Oh, oh yeah she did, so silly of me to forget," I raised my open palm and smacked my forehead, pretending to forget.

I knew she could sniff out the rat but I kept on with my act, turned out Gehal had smuggled out of the house too, Aunt Veke thought we had snuck out together and I had returned home without her.

"I think I might just have to place a curfew on you both, you're getting way too comfortable with fabricating events and truant attitudes."

Truant attitude? I was trying to take a break and get away from myself and I wouldn't have to fabricate anything if Gehal could quit her fibs and make me cover up for her whenever she messed up.

"I am truly sorry we're putting you through all of this Aunty, I had left the house with Gehal but while coming back, I had walked faster than her." The lie didn't come out the way I had put it in my head and that made my teeth clench in anxiety. I didn't want Aunt Veke to lose trust in us, .....especially me.

Her brow raised at the lie, I bet she was wondering if I had thought that she was that stupid enough to take in the gibberish I just spat. When I was about to rectify my words, the door dashed open and Gehal sauntered in casually like she owned the entire universe.

You jerk face, you don't know the amount of trouble I would have gotten in if you had spent another minute out there...I thought to myself.

"And where might you be coming from, young woman?"

"Aunty I told you I left her behind while we were walking." I tried signaling to Gehal hoping she would catch on but her outlandish brat wouldn't even look in my direction.

"Why did you leave me behind, yes? You didn't want to answer when I called after you and you appeared to be hallucinating again."

I was astonished by Gehal's response but I was too disoriented to react, so I just remained there motionless. She walked in and stood in front of me placing both her hands on my shoulders, again as she spoke.

"Are you alright now?" She almost chuckled when she saw the look on my face.

"Hallucinating again?" Aunt Veke questioned me, showing genuine concern on her face.

Was I? I didn't know, the incident that took place in the forest made me question my mental state but the feeling of the necklace I'm my pocket banished the thought.

"Yes, she has been acting weird lately, Aunty can't you see it?" Gehal took up the question.

"Why, we need to see a doctor about that sweetie,"

"No no, she's fine, she just needs a lot of rest that's all, don't you Ivy?"

"Oh uhm I...yes, I'm a bit stressed, and I need all the rest I can get."

Darn! Gehal was always two steps ahead of me, how does she even come up with such fallacies?

"Poor girl, do you need me to do anything for you?"

"Gehal take her upstairs to her room while I mix my herbal tea for her."

She hadn't finished talking when Gehal took my hand in hers and dragged me all the way upstairs.

When Gehal had shut the door I didn't hold back from pouring my heart out.

"If she brings the herbal tea, you're going to take it!" I exploded.

"Ew no, that thing tastes worse than grass, just flush it down the sink,"

I chuckled slightly, "Worse than grass? So you must be some sort of herbivorous animal to know what grass tastes like hunh?"

She chuckled back and pinched me gently in the arm.

"That's not what I meant you butt face, I'd die before that thing gets to my lips. "

"I hope Aunty is by the door listening to you now, I can't imagine what she'd do to you." We both laughed out hard clutching our stomachs.

That was how weird our love for each

other was. Calling ourselves repulsive names was our way of expressing our love for each other, we had our differences, but those were on very rare occasions, we still joked around a lot and looked out for each other's back. I guess that's what twins are meant to do for each other, it's not like there was a guidebook that tells you how siblings' love works, ours was a perfect spectacle and nothing could ever separate our bond...I hoped.

"Where exactly did you disappear to?" I said when our laughter had died down.

"Don't know, someplace," she shrugged.

"What do you mean, someplace, was it a boy?" I winked,

"Yeahh," she cupped her hands and winked back.

"Sarcasm?"

"You know it.." She poked me playfully and I returned a wide smile.

"You wouldn't believe what I saw in the forest earlier today,"

"The forest, you were alone in the forest?"

"Yes, but I..."

"Are you crazy, why would you go into the forest alone, haven't you heard stories about what happens in there?"

"So do you want to listen to me or you're just going to lecture me some more?"

"Alright, spit it out. " she snuggled closer to me.

"I think I must have come across some portal to a magical realm,"

"Woah, that's sick,"

"I know right..."

"Did you happen to come across some unicorns too?"

"Gehallll!"