Chapter 4

"The police are doing everything they can to find the children, so we ask the parents to please take it easy your children will be found and returned to you soon" the principal of Starlight Academy reassured the parents in his report, in the news station.

Anthony held his grieving wife in his arms; she has been crying for 2 days ever since she heard the news that her daughter and her classmates has gone missing. It hasn't been particularly easy for Anthony himself but he has to be strong for his wife.

"Oh Lord please protect my Elle, protect my child please" Anna sobbed out

"She's safe Anna, our daughter is safe and she'll return back to us" Anthony said, not sure if he's reassuring himself or his wife

____

"Now now if it isn't the children of Starlight Academy" A voice in the dark called out to the children, "I happen to hear that you all haven't been doing well" He said as he dragged out a chair and sat down, the children immediately recognized the voice as the one that visited them the other day.

"Well I came to give you guys a chance, so you can either make a choice that will save you or... I'm sure you know what" the man said as he removed from the mask that covered his face and the students gasped out of shock.

"Now now don't be so shocked, I heard one of your classmates ain't here, any idea where she is?" He asked them while looking closely at each of them, when he got no response he smiled.

"Alright then, let's get Straight to business. Well you see I have nothing against you children neither do I want to hurt you all, but I need you for my work you see, I need young and agile youths so why not use you?" He stood and started walking round the children, and they scooted closer to each other, trembling in fear.

"Now don't be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you all yet. Your choices will determine your fate" he stated and sat back down on the chair "you all are faced with two options now, ork for me or not. But rremember for each choice you make, there's a price for it" he concluded and the children passed a quick glance at each other.

"W.. wha..what type of work do we have to do for you?" one of children voiced out the question, looking at anywhere but him.

"Well.. nice question, you see it's nothing much. Just something that requires a little bit of nature change. I'll give you time to think about it, see you later then" he concluded and strode out of the place, leaving the children to curse their fate.

___

"Elle please.." Ruri begged Elle, they have been on it since yesterday, after explaining everything to Elle, she refused to do it.

"I can't Ruri, half of the creatures here don't even support me. I have no idea how to do any of these things you said I'll have to do, it's too much for me" Elle said tired of talking already, she's not ready for this, she is not sure she can do it and to top it all off she doesn't even believe what they are saying.

"But you have us Elle, we'll put you through you just have to be ready to learn"

"That's the thing! I don't want to learn, I don't want any of this.. I just want to go home to my family, to my school, my life!" Elle shouted

"Well there will be no life to return to if we lose Elle" mamock shouted, fed up with the little girl's attitude.

"There's no guarantee that if I eventually go with what you guys suggest we'll win, so I might as well go spend the last days with my family"

"You can go then, leave! Get out! You are worse than your predecessor" Mamock shouted as anger coursed through her "and to think I thought you were better. What are you still doing here? Leave!" she snarled.

"I told you they are all the same mamock, all the same" they turned to the direction of the voice and it was Rus, standing there looking at Elle with anger evident in his eyes "it's always the innocent looking ones"

"I don't care what you all say, if the battle really means the end I might as well spend it with my family" Elle said and turned to leave, convincing herself that she did the right thing "I didn't do anything wrong, I made my Choice, common Elle don't feel bad, don't let their words get to you" she muttered to herself.

They all stood there watching her walk away, but all of a sudden she stopped and they began to hope she finally came to her senses but "how do I get out of here?" Elle asked them with embarrassment, she looked down and started twisting the ring on her finger.

"The same way you came" Ruri replied curtly

"If I knew the way I came, I wouldn't be asking questions now will I?" Elle said with an eyeroll

Mamock exhaled deeply to calm down, "your first five teardrops will unlock the door"

"I seriously have to cry?" When she got no response she just nodded and walked away, she tried to cry but no tears came out "oh common! The one day I need my tears they aren't coming out".

But then, the same ray that appeared the day she came here appeared and she covered her eyes "I don't remember crying"

"You aren't the one that opened it, I did" Rus said, "and I didn't open it for you,I did it for myself so that I won't see your pathetic self again. You can go"  despite the insult, Elle just felt glad she could go back home.

"Thank you" she said as she walked through the door.

"Ow ow ow!" Elle said as she fell on the door, "well you didn't have to hurt me!" She shouted at the door before raising up her head expecting to meet the camp forest but instead she found herself in front of her house.

She immediately rushed to the dood "mum!! Dad!! Open the door!!" Elle yelled as she knocked on the door, she raised her hand to knock again when the door immediately opened.

"Elle??" Her mum said slowly with shock all over her face 

"Yes mum it's me!" She called out happily

"But how? You were kidnapped right? How?"  She asked looking skeptica

"Mum, aren't you happy to see me" she asked puzzled at her mum's reaction.

"No that's not it! It's just that when we went there you weren't there.. we thought you were actually kidnapped"

"Went where mum? What are you talking about?" She asked and looked at her mum quizzically.

Her mum immediately covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes "it's nothing baby, come in I've missed you" she said and dragged Elle in with a hug

"Sit down baby, I'll get you water" she rushed in and got her a glass of water "here drink up, I'll go call your father"

Anna quickly pulled out her phone, "Anthony she's back, my daughter is back" she said, her voice cracking a little from crying

"What? How?"

"I don't know I'm just as confused as you are, come home quickly" and she ended the call.

"Honey, your dad will soon be here go and freshen up" Elle nodded and went to her room to take a proper bath. After taking a bath she headed downstairs but, she heard her parents talking so she stopped and evesdropped.

"Where did she say she was?"

"I didn't ask... She really wasn't there when you went?"

"She wasn't, that's why I thought she was kidnapped but.." Elle stood puzzled at the conversation

"Well, let's wait for her then" Elle took that as her clue to go downstairs, when she got down her father immediately hugged her.

"Where have you been Elle?" He asked while hugging her tightly

"It's a long story dad, can I eat first?"

"Sure, let's go to the dinning table", the three of them went and sat down in the dinning table, Anna served the food and they all ate quietly.

"So tell us Elle, what happened"? her dad asked when they were done eating, Elle cleared her throat and started narrating everything to her dad.

"...after she fell into the ditch, I started crying but then..." She paused, her parents wouldn't believe her, she won't even believe herself.

"And then what?"

"Oh yes, I cried but I realized crying won't solve everything, so I ran away" she lied.

"Why didn't you come home instead?" the father asked not buying the story.

"I wasn't thinking straight dad, I just ran at the moment" she lied again

"I see,thank God you are safe baby"

"Thanks Dad, I'll like to get some rest now" she said and went up to her room,but she paused at the stairs when she heard her parents talking.

"She's lying Anna, I can feel it she's not telling us the whole truth" Anthony said.

"What do you think she's hiding? She knows nothing" Anna defended her daughter.

"Or else." Anthony said and Anna paused when she understood what her husband was hinting at but quickly shook her head

"Don't say such a thing, it can't be." She said quietly

"It better not be" Anthony said and left the house

Elle was confused at her parents' discussion, her mind began to think of numerous things they can be discussing about, but she quickly shook her head I'm with my family now, I should spend time with them and nothing else she thought as she walked up to her room and slept off.