THE LIVING GODDESS (EPISODE 2)

(THE LIVING GODDESS)
EPISODE 2
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At the early hour of that morning, Mr Clifford's living room became a staring contest avenue because nobody could speak again. They had different things in mind which had been bothering them except Mrs Rose, their step-mother. She was a woman with a kind heart, and most of all, very fun to be with. It's so unfortunate that ever she married Clifford, no offspring has come forth from her. Therefore, she had no choice but to take care of the twins as her own children after Angelina, their biological mother, died after delivery. The twins were only five years old when she came into the family. She has been the only mother they knew and loved.

Nevertheless, when Chiquitita noticed the gaze from her sister, she became pissed off and said in a harsh manner, "Stop staring at me like that, Bella! What's your problem!? You've been like this since you woke up from sleep! I don't like it, Please, Stop it" she turned to Eric who never left the door. "Thank you for the information, but we are not wanted by any gun men. Moreover, nobody is a goddess here"

"No, Tita" the father interrupted. "We must listen to him" he moved forward to her like a scared civilian who was about to be killed by a soldier. His eyes opened widely while his lips trembled along with his innermost spirit. They detected not only unspoken secret from his body movement but also fear. He wore a complete pyjamas which he tied across his waist in a way his boxers and some hair on his chest become obvious in the eyes of every being. On his jaw was some gray beards mixed with blacks, even the hair on his head had the same mixture. He was a man on his late fifties.

However, seeing his body movement, Isabella gradually moved towards her step-mother. Though she could be stubborn but had a delicate heart. Hence, she's scared of any little thing. Mrs Rose held her hand and said to the husband, "You're scaring this children. They are not the only twins around this part of the town, so they must not be the victim of the so called gunmen"

"You don't understand" the husband turned to her. His voice became more serious and scary. Eric used that opportunity to lock the door and closed the window curtains. He glanced at the wall clock; 3:45am.

"Understand what, father?" Chiquitita asked.

"My dear I have spent all my life protecting you girls from harmful men especially the day you were born. I don't know why but I have had it in mind that they are people after your lives"

Chiquitita stepped forward. "What happened the day we were born?" she smoldered.
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FLASH BACK
Clifford, in his late thirties, cried like a baby on his way back from the hospital after losing his wife, Angelina. The time hit 11:30pm at night. The baby twins rested in two different plastic baskets with handles. The voice of their cry could be heard by any neighboring resident. Some thought a baby had been abandoned on the street by slay queens as usual, but that wasn't the case. Street light illuminated the arena where Clifford walked sluggishly with the baskets. Already, people had gone to bed. Suddenly, a man bursted out from nowhere with his face covered. Clifford stopped when he noticed the man blocking his way.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he asked him.

"I want the babies" the man replied.

"Why?"

"You don't know who they are" the man brought out a gun instanly. Though before he could shoot the babies, Clifford had dropped the baskets then attacked him. As they struggled on the ground, making sure no finger pulled the trigger, a lady ran out from her house and took the babies away. That was Rose....
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CONTINUITY
Mr Clifford continued, " The man had to run away after I took the gun from him" he looked at his wife. "That's how i found your step-mother too" he added.

The living room generated another tranquility after the short story. The twins, especially Chiquitita didn't want to believe it, so she smiled and walked to the inner part of the room, close to the flat screen television. "Why would somebody want us killed?" she asked.

"I have no idea!" The father replied.

"I guess it's because both of you are goddesses! Look at how beautiful you are, like a marine spirit!" Eric replied hilariously with a clear demonstration of beauty.

"Keep quiet!" Mrs Rose rebuked him. "My daughters are nothing but God's handiwork, not some marine spirits"

"If there is anybody wanted, it should be Tita not me" Isabella spoke out to her twin sister's surprise.

"Why would you say that, Bella?" Chiquitita glared at her.

"So you don't know?" she stepped forward, glaring back at her like two shegoats about to fight with their horns, while others stared at them with tension, confusion, frustration and anticipation. Eric had to take a seat to feed not only his ears but also his eyes. Isabella continued, "Tita, you have been the one making magic, solving problems like the second Christ. Where do you think such powers come from? The last time I checked, you calmed a stormy forest and was called a goddess"

"Are you insane?" Chiquitita provoked. "I know there are things I have done without knowing how but not this one you just said. Where did it happen? And.. and.." she looked at the father. "I'm not a goddess, father" she concluded almost with a breaking voice.

"You are a goddess or some kind of witch" Isabella retorted.

"You are the witch, Bella!"

"Both of you should keep quiet!" The father rebuked them because they were about to set the house on fire with ranting. It had always been like that when they get upset. Just as the father wanted to continue, another sound came from the door. It wasn't a bang rather a normal knock, but they assumed it to be a loud banging due to fear. The sound even got Eric running to the man of the house. All glanced at the wall clock before gazing at the door. The time was sharp 4:00am. Who could that be? All wondered.

"I guess they are here for you" Eric told the twins.

"Nobody is here for anybody. We have not gone contrary to the law of the city neither have we offended anybody" Chiquitita moved forward to open the door but the mother held her back.

"Please, my child, it might be dangerous" she said.

"Listen to your mother" the father added. As the man of the house, he walked to the door and asked, "Who's that?" Nobody responded, so he had to gradually open the door to see a middle aged woman almost dressed like a mad woman, shivering in cold. "Who do you want, woman?" Mr Clifford asked her.

"Please, let me in. I'm freezing, and i heard gunshot. I'm so afraid" the woman requested.

As a Christian, Mr Clifford allowed her inside then locked the door. At the sight of the woman, all became dumbfounded. She looked odd, more like a cretin. She tied a wrapper over a torn top. On her feet were bedroom slippers, while her hair was something one cannot write home about.

"Honey, who's she and what's she doing here?" Mrs Rose asked the husband. Before he replied, the woman interrupted by stepping closer to the twins, staring at them closely.

"You two resemble an old friend of mine" she began while the twins looked at each other. The woman gradually turned then continued bitterly. "She was my best friend who married for ten years without a fruit of the womb. She was later introduced to a marine goddess who promised to give her a child but in one condition; the condition that the child will serve in her kingdom.."

All stared at the woman as she kept telling a story that wasn't asked from her. Though they believed she was insane until Clifford asked her saying, "What was your friend's name?"

"Angelina" she replied. Everywhere became mute again. Mr Clifford directed his eyes to her daughter to see the image of his late wife in them. In that process, tears ran down from Chiquitita's eyes.....
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TO BE CONTINUED.