" You know i can make it be beautiful like this all the time." The voice came again. This time a realization hit into shanty's mind. She wanted to ignore it, but it persistent. No it can't be. This beautiful scenery can't be ruined again. She thought. She wanted to move but she felt as if glued at the spot. She slowly turned her head and a chill ran through her body at the sight of the source of the voice. She opened her mouth to shout but nothing came out. Her legs started shaking and she felt strength leaving her body. It's not the first time this is happening but she just can't control the fear. Right infront of her stood a stranger. Not really a stranger but she has become part of her life. She remained staring with a blank mind.

" When will you stop acting like a weakling?" The girl said her smiling face changing into a serious one.

" I told you to get used to me. Am not here to hurt you" She added. Shanty remained standing without saying a word. Although she got relieved alittle but the fear was still there. She turned and started walking away. After walking some distance, she came face to face with the girl. This time she was not frightened because she knew it. She turned and faced the other direction but she was there.

" Can't you just leave me alone? I told you am not interested" Shanty could not hold it anymore. The girl did not do anything but kept looking at shanty. At close range someone could notice a smile at the corner of her lips. Shanty took this time to study her tormenter. She was just her age or maybe older by one or two years. Her flowless white skin and blonde long hair that fall down beyond her behind danced freely to the direction of the wind. Her eyes were deep glistering clear. And her facial features were as if everything were placed accordingly without interference. She was beautiful.

" Are you a lesbian?" Shanty was startled before collecting herself.

" Ahh... Wait! What?" She asked annoyed after mastering the content of the question.

"Why would you say that?" Is this girl crazy how could she ask me that? The strange Girl read her minds and smiled.Before replying.

" Because you are drooling over me". Only then did Shanty realize her doings. She was truly lost in checking her out.

"Don't worry, am going to be with you always" the girl added. What did i just hear? Always?

"Please can you just let me be" Shanty begged. But instead of the girl softening to the plea, she was more angered and she took a step. Shanty was terrified. Did she just move? Is she not going to give up? "Ohh Goodness! This can't be true. Am just hallucinating. There is no way she has moved. Does that mean she's accepted?'

The girl smiled again. " Yeah you're right. I just moved. And now it's just a distance of one metre between us"

That only meant one thing. She was given a go a head to associate with shanty. And it's only shanty's concet she was waiting for. And also it was going to be hard for shanty to refuse her for long.

" Why can't you just listen to me for once? You don't even want to know my name. Am...."

" Just stop blabbering. I told you am not going to accept and i don't want to know your name either. Are you deaf?" Shanty interrupted again not giving her a chance to finish. She was fuming with anger. The girl was shocked by the outburst but she was happy. Shanty after realizing what she just did was engulfed with fear alone. She just angered her. She was now going to end the distance between them. Yeah it was really frightening but that's the fact. If the strange girl gets angry she will make a step. And one step meant a distance of one metre.

" Don't, don't take astep, stay away from me." Shanty said frantically while shivering. To her shock the girl did not move but just smiled at her.

" You know you can't control that likewise to me." The girl said shoving her long hair sideway . Shanty sighed in relief but it was not long lived because of what she heard next.

" But i can ask for permission to." The stranger added.

"No. Don't you dare do that" .

"And what if i dare? Huh? Are you able to control that?" The girl asked with pride. She looked at Shanty and could not hold the laugh at the amused face she saw. Fear engulfed Shanty again. But she could not move.

" Leave me alone. Just go okay. Go away from me and i won't help you" Shanty shouted. Her body was now dripping of sweat. The girl loughed even louder and disappeared.

"Shanty...Shanty ... Wake up sweetie" Shanty woke up with a start. She heard her mother's voice and spotted her sitting at the side of her bed with a worried look on her face. Oh it was just a dream. Shanty sighed.

" Is the same dream again, right?" Her mother asked. Shanty just nodded her head and sat up.

"Morning mother" She greeted with a smile. Her mother did not reply but just stared at her with a concerned look.

" Mother, it's just a dream. Why that look" Shanty could not take it anymore. She's the one having the dream but the one feeling the pain is her mother.

" What kind of a dream is that? For a whole month having the same dream everyday? " Her mother asked. Shanty thought quickly the way to calm her.

" Stop exergerating it, its not even a month. Just some weeks. And besides am not hurting anywhere". She said.

" Just shut your mouth. Be ready we are going to see the priest and that's final" Her mother said and walked out of the room without giving her time to refuse. Shanty just sighed and walked to the bathroom. She walked out minutes later with a towel around her body and proceeded to change. She thought of what to wear. Normally, she could have just put on any cloth if not going to church was there. After ransacking the wardrobe for sometime, she decided on a simple dress that slightly covered her knees.

She got to the dining and found her mother already sitted having her breakfast. Her brother and cousin were nowhere to be seen. Probably still sleeping. She took her food and started eating throwing side glances at her mother. Why can't she just let it slide?.

After sometime she straightened up and looked directly at her mother. The latter noticed and posed.

"What? Don't even think about it. Am not changing my mind" her mother said. " And Don't talk, hurry up and finish your food. We can't bear to miss the bus". She added and went to the kitchen. There's nothing Shanty could do. She just focused on her food. She somehow understand her mother. It's not easy for what she has been through to raise her and her brother single handedly. She just sit and watch her. She regret telling her about the dream. But she could not hide it either because her mother caught her countless time shouting in dream.

It sometimes buzzles her too. Why her? She can't get it at all. She has been having this dream for almost two months now. Fast it was faint but it became vivid as the time passed. She only told her mother two weeks ago and she regrets it. If only she could be strong enough her mother would not be worrying.

What frightens her most is that when she has that dream it feels like real and not a dream at all. She was startled by the ringing of her mother's phone. She wanted to take a look but her mother already took it. She can't even remember when her mother came back to the table. " I will answer it just finish up." Her mother said as she took the call.

"What, travelled..... When? .... When will he be back? .. ok.. thanks"

She ended the call and turned to stare at her daughter. What kind of trouble is this? Did the priest had to travel today of all days?

Shanty felt the stare and looked up to meet her mother's troubled face.

" What's it again? Who was on the phone?" She asked with curiosity.

" It's brother Benard. The priest travelled and will be back in a week's time" her mother explained.Shanty was overjoyed. Yes she's tired with this dream but she just can't think of getting help from that priest. Maybe if it was someone else. She is saved. She thought.

She met her mother's piercing ice and said quickly.

" Mom I will be ok. Besides one week it's not that far."

Her mother was irritated by her attitude. She turned and started her way to her room but stoped on the way.

" Till then you will be sleeping with me in my room" She said and without turning, she proceeded to her room. Shanty was shocked and wanted to say something but met the bang of the door.

She just sighed and turned back to her food. How could a 19year old girl be sleeping with her mom? She was deep in her worries when she was startled by a voice from behind.I turned to see my cousin Ashley coming down the stairs with my brother. They were actually arguing about a movie series. I turned and finished my food before exiting the dining room to my bedroom. Actually Ashley and I don't talk or associate that much as normal cousin sisters. We are much of strangers and everyone minds her own business. This only happened two years ago after the tragic death of her parents. We used to be more like twins although she is two years older than me. But since the incident, Ashley changed completely and together with my ways, we hardly associate. But it's totally different with my quick-witted young brother Dexter.