Dream lover

It was a dreary Monday morning when my parents dropped me off at school before heading to work. I waited anxiously for them to pick me up after school, but as the day wore on, no one came. Panic set in as I wondered why my parents had not arrived. A sense of unease gripped me as I stood alone, watching the other students being picked up by their families.

It was then that Aunt Bella, my mother's closest friend, appeared and took me under her wing, guiding me home. As we neared our house, I noticed a somber mood hanging in the air. People were gathered outside, their expressions grave and sorrowful. I could sense that something was terribly wrong.

Approaching Aunt Bella, I inquired about the visitors at our home. She hesitated for a moment before gently breaking the news to me. My heart sank as the realization washed over me - my parents were gone. The world around me seemed to blur as I struggled to comprehend the magnitude of my loss.

Aunty Bella, who was walking me to my room, started crying. I became scared and asked if something was wrong. Through tears, she apologized, saying she was sorry.

"Why should you be sorry, Aunty Bella?" I asked, feeling confused.

Aunty Bella replied, "Your parents are not home, Mirel."

I turned to look at her, wondering why she would be at our house while my parents were not around.

"I don't understand. Where are my mom and dad?" I asked, tears already filling my eyes.
"Why is everyone here except for my parents?" I asked.
"Your parents are gone, Mirel," Aunty Bella said tearfully.
Tears rolled down my eyes, and I asked Aunty Bella where they had gone because I couldn't believe the fact she said they were gone.
"Your parents are dead, Mirel. I'm so sorry," Aunty Bella continued to say as she cried.
I couldn't say anything because everything felt like a dream to me.
"How can my parents be dead when they dropped me off at school earlier and promised to come back?"
I was bitterly crying and asking Aunty Bella, but she only told me to calm down and said everything was going to be fine soon. I just couldn't believe that my parents were dead.
Days passed, and my parents were buried after a week. I moved to live with Aunty Bella since she was the only family left to me after my parents. Aunty Bella was like a sister to my mom, which is why I didn't mind going with her because I thought Aunty Bella would treat me like her own daughter. However, it was the opposite when I got to Aunty Bella's house.
Aunty Bella had a son named Max. Max was the only child of Aunty Bella, who was a single mother. He was loved and spoiled by his mother.

Unfortunately, Aunty Bella didn't give me time to grieve the loss of my parents before she started mistreating me. Life with Aunty Bella became a living hell since I moved in with them. I was tasked with doing the laundry for her son and herself, the dishes, and cleaning the house. Aunty Bella treated me like a complete stranger with no love or compassion. I cried every night in my room, missing my parents dearly.

It was a month after my parents passed away when I made the decision to return to school. I woke up early that day, completed all the chores, and then informed Aunty Bella about my desire to go back to school. However, Aunty Bella replied that I would have to work in order to pay for my school fees. I felt that Aunty Bella was being too harsh towards me, so I decided to have a conversation with her to understand why she was treating me like a stranger.

I walked to Aunty Bella's room and found her on a phone call, so I waited until she was done.
Then I spoke up, "Aunty Bella, I have something to discuss with you."
"Go ahead," Aunty Bella answered without looking at me.
"Why do you treat me like this? Have I done anything to make you hate me so much, Aunty?" I couldn't say much because I was already crying.
Aunty Bella looked up at me, "I didn't kill your parents, Mirel, neither did I tell God to take them," my aunty responded harshly.
"I did you a favor by bringing you to my house, so please don't make me regret it," my aunty said while looking away.
Her words hurt me deeply, and I cried so hard. Aunty Bella shouted at me to leave her sight, and immediately I ran out of the house in tears, not knowing where I was going.
I ended up going deep into the woods behind my aunt's house. It was sunset, and I couldn't find my way home because I had gone too deep into the woods.
I kept walking into the woods until I saw a small, crispy wooden house in the distance. Curious, I decided to approach and see if anyone was inside. Upon entering the house, it appeared empty, so I chose to spend the night there since it was already dark outside.

As I explored the house, a light suddenly appeared on the other side of the room. I cautiously moved closer to investigate, and that's when I saw something unexpected.

To be continued.......