190: GONE ARIEL’S POV [FLASHBACK CONTINUES] As the clock struck midnight, I stood on the grand steps of our mansion, watching the sky explode in a kaleidoscope of colors. Lukel and Janice, my precious children, stood beside me, their faces aglow with wonder as the fireworks painted the night sky. Lukel pointed excitedly at a burst of red and gold, exclaiming, “Mom, look at that one! It’s like a dragon breathing fire!” I chuckled, feeling a swell of pride and nostalgia. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Each firework tells a story, just like the year we’ve had.” Janice tugged at my hand. “Mom, will this year be as magical as the fireworks?” Her gaze was fixed on the dazzling display above. Kneeling down to Janice’s level, I gazed into her eyes, filled with warmth and love. “Darling, every year is what we make of it. Just like these fireworks, we can create our own magic and light up the darkness. Let’s make this year the most beautiful one yet.” The fireworks continued to illuminate the sky, casting a soft glow over our mansion. The air buzzed with the sound of crackling fireworks, blending with distant cheers and laughter welcoming the new year. As the grand finale approached, I held Lukel and Janice close, feeling their hearts beat in rhythm with the explosive display of light and sound. We stood together as a family, united in our love and shared experiences. With a final burst of color lighting up the sky, the fireworks concluded in a spectacular display, leaving behind fading sparks that slowly dissipated into the night. A quiet fell over the grounds as the last echoes of the fireworks faded away, the gentle rustle of the wind in the trees filling the air. Lukel’s joyful whoop broke the silence as he hugged me tightly. ” Happy New Year, Mom! I love you!” Tears of joy filled my eyes as I embraced Lukel. “Happy New Year, my dear boy. I love you more than words can say,” I whispered, my heart brimming with love for my children. Janice joined in, wrapping her arms around us. “Happy New Year, Mom, Lukel. I love you both so much,” she said softly, her voice filled with emotion. Under the watchful gaze of the stars and the fading embers of the fireworks, our family stood together, our hearts intertwined in an unbreakable bond. Welcoming the new year with hope and open arms, we knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, we would face them together because we were one. [END OF FLASHBACK] TWO GONE 2/3 And that was it the lovely moments spent with Lukel. They were all in my head; I could remember each scene and each word spoken. How he smiled, how he cried, how he was so lively, how we laughed, the games we played. Oh, the memories now how was I going to continue to live with this pain etched in my heart? I still couldn’t believe that Lukel was gone and that little boy was gone. That adorable kid was gone, and that marvelous son had left me. Why did this have to happen to me? Why did the pain have to strike me hard like this? I made a promise to protect my children, to keep them safe, and to make sure they don’t fall into any sort of danger. But I couldn’t keep that promise; it was all my fault that my little one had to leave this world. And all I could do was drown in tears, getting washed by the pain. Because life now would be filled with so much darkness, and my heart would continue to bleed. Losing a loved one was painful, but this was really intense. It seemed like I was going to be ripped apart and torn into pieces. The heart had been shattered already. Now I could just see what life had installed for me. Or was there still a reason to live? Yes, my Janice was here, and I wasn’t going to let anyone touch her. I braced myself, putting on the armor of confidence and bravery. Now, I had decided to be strong and firm in this situation. If Mason thought he was going to take my daughter away from me, he was mistaken. My daughter was now my world, since she was the only one I had left. I would make sure no harm came her way. I quickly rushed to my car and drove to where I had left Janice. Luke kept on calling me, so I had to block his number. Janice was standing outside, tears falling down her face, sad and broken by the news of her twin brother. It was the same feeling here, but what could we do? Absolutely nothing. We would just have to live our lives according to what we see–the things that came out. “Janice, get in the car,” I told her. She shook her head. “No, mommy, I don’t want to go anywhere. I want my brother back. “We all do, but right now, I need to protect you. If Lukel were here, he wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to you.” “What’s the problem, mommy? Are some people after us?” “Something like that. That’s why I want the both of us to go somewhere far from here. And we need to do that tonight; if not, it’s going to be too late.” Janice kept staring at me, not saying anything. “Please Janice. Do this for my sake; I’m not going to let anything bad happen to you. So please, enter the car.‘ After some seconds, Janice finally nodded, and she got into my car, sitting next to me. “I love you so much, my baby,” I said in hushed tones, kissing her forehead. I started driving, and yes, I was leaving this city and this state. If possible now, I should be leaving this country. I needed to be somewhere far from here. Somewhere, they wouldn’t be able to find us. 190: GONE But as I was driving, I looked in the mirror and noticed some cars were driving behind me, and it looked really suspicious. I drove with speed; they matched my pace, following me till one of the cars finally got in front of mine. I stopped immediately; we were now at a bridge. Two men walked to my car, pointing guns at me and Janice. “Get out, now!” They snarled I refused to listen to them, so they opened the car doors and forcefully dragged me and Janice out. “Mommy, who are these people?” Janice cried out as they held her forcefully. I couldn’t bear to see her in pain. “Let her go!” “Shut up, Ariel.” A voice rang through my ears, and when I turned to look at who it was, I saw Harriet. She had a baleful smile on her face, and she was holding a pistol. Just taking a look at her made me sick. “Where do you think you are going?” She asked, slowly moving her fingers on her gun. “That’s none of your business. You better let go of us now.” “And you think I would do that? Oh, come on, Ariel, I thought you were better than this.” “Mason sent you, didn’t he?” “Well, he did. I’m the one who’s going to kill that child of yours. Payback for you ruining my life.” “You were the one who wrecked your own life. Don’t put the blame on me.” “Shut up! You snatched Luke away from me. And now I’m going to snatch your daughter from you.” I glanced at Janice, and she was extremely worried. “Mommy, please, don’t let her take me. I don’t want to die.” “Shut up!” Harriet snapped at her. “Harriet, please. You don’t have to do this.” “Too bad, Ariel. You can’t change my mind.” The man holding me let go, pushing me to the edge of the bridge. Harriet didn’t hesitate to fire a gunshot at my stomach. “Mommy!” I heard Janice screaming as everything began to fade slowly. Harriet shot me for the second time, causing me to fall from the bridge, right into the river.
