MOVED

VERA'S POV 

I turned back hesitantly, taking a few steps forward, I paused right on my tracks.

A chill wind blew past me, leaving goosebumps on my frail body.

Slowly, I stood still, slowly rotating my body in a 360 to where the scene of mother and daughter flashed across my face.

Staley, I stared deeply into the distance, my gaze unwavering and focussed. Tears flowed freely as the cold wind kissed my cheeks.

"Hey, kid!" I was pulled back into reality. I turned to the direction the sound came from.

My head snapped abruptly towards the direction I had just turned from.

I felt a brittle palm on my skin, turning to see it was an old woman.

"Good… Good evening ma'm," my lips arched slowly, trying to spell out the words.

"Evening, child," A wide smile crossed her lips, letting her wrinkles knot tighter.

I stood calm, in shock, slightly tense but still firm.

"Are you lost? I saw you standing here for over 5 minutes, so I came to check if all was okay," her wrinkles knotted even more.

"No ma'am, I'm not lost, just in need of a little direction." I said as my fingers curled around my dress.

"Alright, dearie, where is it you're heading?" She questioned, raising the arch of her brows.

"Uhmm… Waltwit street," I blurted.

The old lady's gaze never left my face, almost like she was studying a specimen. Searching her pause frantically, she brought out something similar to a squeezed paper.

"Here!" She said, placing a dollar note in my palms.

"No ma'am, I can't possibly take this," pushing back the notes into hers.

"Nuh… uhh, child, you will take this and Walwit street is just ahead. Go straight and take the first curve you see by your right."

"Thank you, ma'm," The softened expression on my face made her smile.

"Now take care of the child," patting the back of my hands, as she clasped my palms together.

I walked further straight ahead, as thoughts of the old lady lingered. Taking a glance of the wrinkled dollar note in my hand, I unflabbed it, raising it up to the sky, I brought it closer to my face.

"5 dollars… My mouth formed an 'O.'"

I was so excited that I turned back to find the old lady and thank her properly. But she was gone already. In no time, I stood in front of the first turn by my right.

Without any doubt, I walked in and saw the sign boldly written Waltwit street. The thought of seeing Emelda and how we'll finally be together brought me so much joy as my already weak feet paced faster with so much energy and speed.

Turning to look at every building I passed by, my mouth gaped in disbelief, seeing how peculiar each of them looked under the night sky. "Woww," my eyes widened seeing a cylindrical house with a colossal 3 story structure.

Not all the houses were as fascinating as this, but I wouldn't mind leaving my family here. "Even if it's the smallest building," I chuckled.

Passing another building, My eyes fell on the number displayed on it. "Block 12…" So Emelda's House is just 2 blocks away.

Skipping happily, I finally stood in front of block 15. Feeling my heart almost leap out, I opened the bottle of water Miss Rose gave me, hastingly gulping it down, I tossed it into the bag. My stomach growled, but I completely ignored it. I stood on the front porch, wanting to ring the bell but I suddenly pulled my hands away.

"Uhhm… Hi Emelda, it's me, Vera." Slapping my hand across my face, "huff."

"I didn't get her anything," I could see the sudden gloomy appearance I had on, through the reflection of the shiny door knob.

Looking at the treat from the orphanage, my heart suddenly lit up. "Okay, 1… 2… 3… go," I rang the doorbell but got no answer. Silence followed after 15mins, pushing the button rapidly this time.

The door finally creaked open, slowly but steady. My heart rate increased as my heart glimmered with excitement. "Yeeee," I squealed without waiting for the person to fully reveal themselves.

I jumped on the woman. "Hi Emelda, it's Vera, I'm finally out of the orphanage and I brought you an egg sandwich, and guess what," I winked at my supposed best friend, who happened to be a middle aged lady standing in front of the porch.

With my waist still slanted to the side and the bag of goodies still hanging out in the air with my arms stretched, my right eye's still winking non.

The woman paced back in surprise, with one arm reaching the broom by the side, she pulled it slowly to herself, her gaze not leaving me. She stared at me, her face contouring with shock, confusion and disgust. "What replica of a zombie, is this," She muttered lowly but audible enough for me to be pulled back to the present.

In realization, I jolted backwards. "Uhmm… I'm sorry, I was looking for someone named Emelda, my best friend, she directed me here," I said, shoving the paper into the air.

Looking into her eyes I could tell how disgusted she was. The way her brows furrowed and her eyes retracted, almost like she had seen something terrible. Becoming more conscious, I looked at my skin from side to side, I could see how things were and how pale I looked. My hair wasn't its finest either, feeling my face, I realized the skin around my eyes was already sunken. "Do I really look that terrifying," The thought flew through my head.

After keeping silent for so long, her voice echoed through my ears.

"There's no Emelda here…" She said abruptly.

"But… I muttered, slowly. But nothing really prepared me for the bombshell I was about to hear.

"Look kid, we bought this house from the owners three years ago."

It felt like a certain force drained the color of me… My face turned white.

"Moved?"

After a long silence, I finally spoke.

“Do you have any idea where they might have moved to?”

“No idea kid,” She

said with her fingers curling on the handle ready to close it anytime.

“Please, wait…