Skin as gorgeous as the rays that come with sunlight, long thick hair like the hair braided by Mother Earth on land, stature like an athlete ready to run a marathon.
"Donny, come over here," Isabella called her dog. She held her dog close to her bosom while she tiptoed quietly into a bush near the playground close to the stream, trying her best not to make any sound. She tiptoed very carefully towards where Austin and Joseph were playing football.
They were both very focused on the game they were playing and didn't hear the rustling sound coming from the bushes close to the playground.
Boom!!!
Isabella jumped out with so much energy, landing on the ground smoothly with her dog wrapped around her. She let go of her dog so the little puppy could play in the sand. Immediately Isabella burst out, they got frightened and everyone ran helter-skelter. Joseph ran south into the bush Isabella came out of. Austin went sideways and fell into the stream. Isabella fell to the ground and started laughing very hard.
When Joseph saw the animal that scared him was only a little puppy and a girl, he came closer with anger and began looking for his friend but didn't see any trace of him. Joseph asked Isabella,
"Hey you! Where is my friend?"
Isabella snubbed him and stood up on her feet. He repeated again,
"Young lady, did you see my friend?"
"Your friend? How am I supposed to know who your friend is? I don't know where your friend is."
Donny started barking as she noticed the stream rushing and making churning sounds. Isabella looked at the stream and noticed something very strange but didn't really get what was happening. Joseph turned to leave when he heard Austin's voice,
"Helppppppppppp meeeeeeeeee!!! Someone should please do something, 'cause I'm drowning!"
"Hold on Austin, I'm coming!"
Joseph hurriedly took off his shirt and dived into the stream but got stuck with Austin. Isabella threw her puppy in and went inside also. Isabella went to Austin first, then pulled him out of the stream with the support of Donny and brought him to the shore. Isabella went in to bring Joseph out also.
Austin lay dead. She went close to him, hesitant at first to put her lips on the lips of a stranger; she did it regardless. She gave Austin CPR — he had swallowed a whole lot of water before she came to his rescue. Isabella sat on the sand very close to Austin, observing his every movement to know if Austin would respond to the CPR she had just given him — but no response.
Joseph, lying on the sand exhausted, watched his friend struggle for his life with fear that his friend was gone. Donny, who was sitting beside Isabella, jumped, climbed on Austin's belly — and he coughed out some drops of water. Isabella stood up, staring at Austin while he slowly opened his eyes and saw Isabella looking at him.
Then he asked, "Who are you? Why are you staring at me in that manner? Where is Joseph?" he asked while touching his head and struggling to get up.
Joseph snapped, "I'm here, bro. How are you doing?"
"I'm good, just having a terrible migraine."
"Who is the lady here? And what is she doing here?" Austin asked again, curious to know who the lady was.
Isabella answered, "I am Isabella, your new heroine. I just saved your life and the life of your friend," Isabella said with so much confidence and pride.
Before Joseph could shut her up, she had gone inside the bushes with her dog again and was out of sight.
"That girl is such bad luck," said Joseph.
"How can she scare us, land us into trouble, and still have the audacity to brag that she saved our lives? Who does that?" Joseph lamented in anger and pain.
"Calm down, Joseph. At least we are both okay — that is the most important thing right now. So let's get up and go home before my mum starts looking for us. It's getting late already."
The boys both stood up from the sand, picked up their footwear, wore them, and went home.
As soon as they got close to the building that leads to the next street before Albert Harrison Street, someone began calling them, running profusely towards their direction.
"Joseph!!!" the person shouted again.
"Who is it that is calling you?" asked Austin.
"It may be one of these girls around here that has a crush on me — you know how they are," Joseph said, feeling his silly self. Austin didn't really mind his silly joke. They both ignored the call and kept on walking.
The same person called again, but this time the voice could be heard clearly — the voice sounded feminine but a little bit hoarse like the voice of their friend.
"Joseph!!! Austin!!! Are you both deaf?"
They turned back, saw the person and got to know it was Elena. Austin hissed and continued walking home. Joseph paused and told Austin they should greet her. Austin refused on the grounds that he was late and his mum would be very angry at him if he got home before his dad.
"Your dad won't be home before us. You're just scared of getting into trouble and besides, sparing two minutes of your time won't affect you in any way."
"You think? If that's what you think, I suggest you stay back and attend to your friend. When you're done, you know where to find me."
Austin left them and continued walking hurriedly to his house.
"Why is he being unnecessarily mean?"
"He is not being mean, just that we had a long and terrible day. Nothing much."
"Hmmm, so because he had a bad day, he can't just at least say 'hi' to someone? Your friend is mean and rude, just accept it."
The chit-chat was beginning to piss Joseph off.
"Okay, maybe we will talk some other time please. I don't want Austin to get home before me."
"Okay then, see you some other time."
He ran along so he could catch up with Austin.
"Austin! Austin!! Austin!!! Don't be in a hurry, wait for me please."
He stopped for a while, waiting for Joseph to catch up with him.
"You're supposed to have gotten home already, you silly boy," Joseph said, breathing profusely.
But Austin ignored him and continued walking down to his house. They were almost home now when a Lexus 360 blew its horn from behind in alarm so they could excuse it to pass.
"Are you sure that's not one of your father's cars?" asked Joseph to Austin.
Immediately, Austin ran in fear as fast as his legs could carry him, leaving Joseph behind, and went to his compound so his dad wouldn't get in before him.
Joseph walked down to Austin's father's mansion and fell on the ground laughing out loud. Austin, who was already inside, peeped through his window to know what was going on in his compound — only to find Joseph laughing like a hyena. He rolled down his window.
"Hey Joseph, why are you laughing? Is my dad back?"
Joseph continued laughing, then paused, cleared his throat and said,
"Yes, my son, your fake dad is back," and continued laughing.
Austin hissed and closed his window. Joseph was still laughing when he heard a loud horn from outside. He stood up, still laughing, and went to open the gate. As he was opening the gate, he saw Mr. Albert. His laughter immediately disappeared.
"Good evening, sir. Welcome back home," he stuttered, struggling to make a complete sentence.
Mr. Albert Harrison wound down the glass of his car.
"How are you, boy? Where is Austin?"
"He is inside his room, sir."
Mr. Albert didn't say another word, rolled his glass up and drove inside, straight to the garage. Joseph hurriedly went to meet him at the garage before he came down and offered to help him carry his luggage. Mr. Albert signaled him not to bother and carried his luggage himself.
The maid opened the high iron door at the entrance of the mansion so Mr. Albert could come in.
"Welcome, si
r."
He handed his briefcase and files to her and went inside. The maid followed suit.