PROLOGUE

Prologue

Note: For some of you who have already read this story before, this is a newly added part. Enjoy reading!

The place was dark yet filled with noise from the rumbling drum and whispering of spectators around. An innocent, young girl was staring closely at the creature slowly arising from the deep, wide hole. The people around cheered  vigorously as  it showed itself fully.

"Baba, what is that thing?" the kid, being carried by her father, asked. She stared at her dad as he opened his mouth to answer, however, her ears were clogged with noise and it hindered her from hearing the exact words he said.

"Can we bring it at home, dad?" She shifted her eyes at the center to watch the creature while it flexed its muscles to go up.

"Baba, Moma, is it looking at me?"

Her parents became disturbed and adamant upon hearing their daughter's word. They turned to see it for themselves and got alarmed upon verifying that the creature was indeed looking at their direction.

The father swiftly excused his family from the crowd and hid his daughter from behind. 

"Where are we going?" the kid asked. 

The father placed her in one corner and let her sat on the monoblock." Just stay here, okay? Don't leave, we'll just stand where we can see you."

"But why?"

"Because you've gained much weight, your father's energy got drained," the mother joked. "He'll just gather some more energy, okay? Stay here and don't leave," she said and kissed her daughter's forehead. The kid nodded and so her parents returned and stood somewhere where they could keep an eye at their daughter. 

The whirr became louder and louder as the creature approached and crawled in between the oblate's feet. It snaked around the lady's still body. The kid was curious about what's happening yet she chose to stay where she was, following her parents' order.

Meanwhile, while everyone's eyes were seemed to entertained by what they were seeing, a group of teenage girls approached the young kid's direction. They pleaded her to go with them outside and so she agreed. They brought her to a quiet and dark corridor where they revealed their true colors.

"What are we doing here?" the kid asked.

The teenager who appeared to be the leader of the group approached closer and carefully touched the lower hem of the young girl's black dress.  "Who chose this dress for you? It's beautiful!"

"Is it?" the kid's eyes sparkled in gladness. "My Moma gave me this."

"The dress is beautiful, but it'll look amazing if I'm the one wearing it. Mind lending it to me?"

"No. This is mine," the kid pouted.

"You know what? It doesn't fit you! Don't waste its beauty on you," one of the spoiled girls barked from behind.

"Yeah, right. Dresses like that should be worn by Eliana, it'll serve its beauty right.

Eliana smirked and rolled her eyes at the innocent, teary-eyed kid she was bullying.     

 

"That dress's beauty will only be stained by your ugly and awful attitude, so don't even think about it," a boy, probably 7-10 years old showed up from the shadows.

The kid looked up to him with hope.

"Excuse me, and who do you think you are?" Eliana stepped closer to the boy and mocked him. One of her friends whispered something to her and it made Eliana change the tone of her voice.

"Oh–" she uttered, raising her palms up. "If you want to be this girl's savior, then, I'll leave her to you," she said and excited backward, not permitting pride to leave her face.

"You okay?" the boy asked without any emotion.

"Yeah, thank you," she responded and flashed a smile. 

The boy eyed the kid and before long, turned his back without responding.

"Wait— May I know your name?"

"Maxine!" the mother called. "Hon, I found her," she anounced on the phone. "She's safe. Okay, we'll see you later at the lobby," she said and ended the call. She ran to her daughter's side and kept her in a tight embrace. "We've been looking for you, where have you been?"

"Sorry, Moma. I left without asking permission," the innocent kid said. 

"It's okay, baby, just don't do it again, okay?"

She nodded and looked for the boy who saved her, but she had seen no trace of him.