Owl City - Vanilla Twilight

Perfect - Hedley (lyrics!)

Flip Chart : Chapter Nine

Riley had make his way towards the front porch, followed by Ezekiel behind his back. However, Riley was caught in surprised for the car that had approached and makes itself comfy by the front porch of Riley’s property, was not Eva’s. Riley tries to get a closer look at the driver…but what stunned him more was that lady by his side…..she was Eva. Riley stared hard towards them however he carefully makes himself out of seen from both of them. Ezekiel keeps himself few feet away from Riley…as he could perceive another brawl is brewing up. Riley decides to let it go at first, as he realized there was nothing unusual between them…however, things was not on his fair side….when that man had eventually plant a kiss on Eva’s left cheek. Riley looks away, in disbelief and from the side of his intense look, Ezekiel knew….he was fuming with jealousy and rage

Right after Eva had stepped out from that vehicle, Riley remains numb with his fist clenched tightly by his side. Soon, the car had left their front porch and that’s where Riley begins to interrogate his wife….making Ezekiel feel uneasy and quiver about this whole incident.

“What happen to your car?” question Riley.

“It stall halfway though my journey. Thankfully Lance was around to drive me home.” replied Eva casually.

“A perk on your face….is that necessary ?” asked Riley cynically.

“Oh! Come on Riley……stopped being a child. That perk is harmless.” exclaimed Eva with annoyance in her tone.

“No matter what…..I’m still your husband! Let me remind you in case you have forgotten.” snapped Riley.

“For goodness sake Riley…then act like one! Don’t make a fuss over nothing.” cried Eva as she pushed herself away from Riley’s grip. Riley almost looses his composure, when suddenly his eyes caught Ezekiel’s fearful stare. Riley released Eva's arm and let her enter into their home...while Ezekiel still standing just by the palm potted plant, looking stunned with teary eyes seeing all this happening right in front of his eyes.

"Eze, come on in....it's getting cold out there." utters Riley soothingly, as he tries not to make Ezekiel feels uneasy about the little argument which he had with Ezekiel's mum.

Been back in his room, Ezekiel knew...it just doesn't end there, the argument still carries on.....until he heard a loud slammed of a door and a car engine starting up. Ezekiel, ran over towards his window..as he peeps behind the thick Victorian curtain to catch a glimpse of the runaway car...and he had guess it right...Riley has left...not knowing to which bends of road he might be heading next. Oh! How he hated his mum! Slamming back onto his bed, with sore in his eyes due to the crying which he had force himself not to...Ezekiel struggles to shut his eyes to sleep. “Have I make the right choice of coming here…or was it a mistake that might drop me off the cliff?” thought Ezekiel to himself….before finally he managed to doze off till the quarter rest of the night.


The loud endless knocking of the door had almost makes Ezekiel jump out from his skin, as he woke up in a startle manner. With annoyance in his guts, he was left with no other choice, as he put on his t-shirt and run his fingers into his scuffle mass of hair….with his eyes hardly open. He stretch himself before he got off from his bed. With a final yawn, he managed to walk towards the door…to welcome the culprit who had intrude the rhythm of his sleeping pattern.

“Riley?!” cried Ezekiel astonished when the first thought that he had in his mind…..banging onto his room door like that is his mum.

“Surprised? Goodness me….it’s almost eleven…and you are still in your slumber land?” asked Riley wryly with a grin.

“Thanks to you guys….I had hardly any sleep.” retort Ezekiel, as he went back inside his room to grab his towel and his new pair of fresh clothes. Riley follow behind him and as usual, he will stood by the side table where Oasis’s bowl was place and with his dreamy eyes, he will stare at Oasis with interest.

“How old is your turtle?” asked Riley curiously as he dug his fingers into the bowl and gently begins petting Oasis smooth lime green shell. Oasis was not used of being touch or cuddle by strangers, therefore his natural reaction was to stow inside his shell.

“Twenty eight!” replied Ezekiel with a grinned.

“My age?” asked Riley as he had his sight glued on towards Oasis with amazement.

“No silly….he’s forty. My grandpa had him even before I was born. I guess when my dad was only two years of age.” said Ezekiel with a genuine smile.

“Wow! He must have meant so much to you.” utters Riley as he continue to pet Oasis on his tiny head…as Oasis begins to get used to Riley’s friendly gesture.

“A precious keepsake of my late grandma which has been pass down to her by my late grandpa of course…therefore now I feel that Oasis is my new responsibility….a duty which I had set myself not to forsake. “ said Ezekiel as he shrugged his shoulder.

“Good luck!” cried Riley amusingly.

“Yeah! Thanks buddy…..I really need that!” chuckles Ezekiel.

“Oh! I’m saying good luck to your turtle.” said Riley with a grinned.

“Ho! Ho! That hurts!” utters Ezekiel with a frown. However deep inside his mind, Ezekiel knew….he had found his new source of delightfulness and enlightenment….from Riley’s warm and outgoing attitude.

“Look, Beast or whatever thing you are, I know you do meant well of saving me from that witch but I had almost got her throat.” snapped Sapphire as she struggles to stand in the midst of the thick dried leaves where the Beast had thrown her onto. The Beast makes a tiny growling sound that seems to come out in between his tongue and throat as he nods his head several times. “I wished, I could figure out what you had meant to say….but I don’t speak monster language.” retort Sephira with annoyance.” snapped Sephira as she struggles to stand in the midst of the dried leaves. Suddenly she felt a sharp agonizing pain from the lower left side of her chest. Sephira held out her hand to hold on to her wound which she was not aware of until then. The warmness of her blood begins oozing out from her wound, had begins to weaken her spirit of moving ahead with her obstinate mind of pursuing with her mission. A mission to slay Dhaleya once and for all. Shephira struggles to stand on her feet, with her hand still holding on to her battered skin. It seems a tiny stone, had managed to pierce through her armored shield and immerse itself right through her delicate flesh. The Beast notice the agony of the stinging pain which Sephira was enduring at that moment and he begin to become fully concerned about this. Sephira been a natural hard headed person, force herself to make few step ahead away from the Beast, when suddenly she fell on her knees as the piercing pain is killing her soul. Her vision becomes bleak and her mind gets blurry as she fell unconscious within the Beast’s arm.

The tentacles of the hideous looking creatures had wrap itself all over Sephira as she fought hard to catch her breath…deep within the cold dark ocean. She was alone and she knew that death had overcome her. Suddenly, she heard her name was called upon several times and then she realized she has been transit out from the merciless ocean but was brought into a hot barren cell instead. Sephira woke up in a startle motion as she begins to feel frantic and anxious about the recurrent nightmare which had been haunting her ever since Luth’s death. This horrifying nightmare, is just like a message or an omen for her to be aware of. Unconsciously, she held on to her injured flesh and then she realized that, she has been place inside a home of some sort of an aristocrat being. The massive bed which she was laid upon, was beautifully covered by the most magnificent embroidery bed covered that she could ever imagined. And the night gown which she was wearing was make from the finest silk. And her wound has been carefully bind with bandages with some smell of herbs been place onto, hoping to heal her injury. “Don’t tell me, the Beast was daring enough to undress me?” thought Sephira to herself. “Ney! A Beast like that would only fit to live in that dark and dense forest…it is just impossible for a creature like that to be living in such a lavish state.” cried her inner voice of several assumptions. Sephira carefully hopped off from her bed and put on a pair of woolly sandals, which has been place right beneath under the side of her bed. After putting on the warm sandals, she decides to phase around the humongous room that’s seems to be fit for a King’s living. “Am I in dead or what?” thought Sephira to herself in a wonder. Suddenly, she saw a huge portrait which was beautifully hang right above the fireplace. What amaze her….it was a significant portrait of a young beautiful couple….embrace within each other’s arm with such a pure genuine innocent love. Sephira came closer towards the fireplace, to get a clearer picture of that portrait. The young lad was definitely one of a charming man with an aura of a distinctive majestic poise in him, that Sephira had never came across before…..however, she simply could not figure out the portrait of his precious Queen, it seems the features of her face was faded….but Sephira knew….she must be a Beauty. Sephira stood on her hind feet as she gently glide her fingers onto the portrait of the King…when suddenly she stood froze as her heart race hard within her chest. “Could it be the tal,e which Luth has been telling me about.... is real?” thought Sephira to herself as she stared hard towards the picture. “Is it possible that Beast is King Ashlan himself?” wonders Sephira again.

“You are awake?” cried a voice that had cause Sephira almost losses her balance….however she was lucky enough, to caught hold onto the side of the fireplace to maintain her position. Sephira turn to face that voice and she was surprised when she saw it was an old lady with a warm smile on her face, that had actually startle her. “Thank God, that night gown really fits you beautifully.” said that old lady again as she place a tray of food onto the side table. Sephira remains speechless….not knowing what to say or do. “I’m sure you are famish…so I bring in some food for your supper.” utters the lady kindly. Yeah, Sephira stomach was burning hole of hunger…but she tries not to gobble up all of her meal and makes herself looks silly….especially not in front of this nice gentle lady. Creeping slowly towards the side table, where her meal has been place, she took her seat by the stool and held on to the spoon to scoop up the warm tantalizing soup. However, some thoughts came into her mind and she place back her spoon on the table by the side of the bowl.

"May I know....where am I?" asked Sephira, as she had her eyes fixed intently towards the lady.

"You are safe from harm." she replied shortly and Sephira knew that lady was in a hurry to leave, a sign of not wanting to tell her the real truth.

"That portrait.....he's King Ashlan...am I right?" asked Sephira, as she stood by the table.

"Missy, your soup is getting cold now...so please do have it now!" exclaimed the lady, as she hurriedly left the room and to Sephira's horror, she heard the door has been locked from outside.

"Hey! You can't locked me in! Hey...let me out!" yelled Sephira frantically as she bangs the door, as hard as she could with her fist. Sephira stopped abruptly, when the pain on her wound begins to react due to her aggressive behaviour. Sephira sank by the door, with tears of anger forming in her eyes. "Luth!" she cried, as she slowly stood on her feet, and phase around the room while she anxiously search for Luth's armour and his sword. To her relief, she realised all her treasured belongings has been neatly place by the long couch. Sephira came closer towards it and held on to the armour close to her heart as she begins to wept gently. Suddenly, she heard a terrifying howl from the distant wood lands. Sephira pace nearer towards the window, as she took a peep from the window, to catch a glimpse of that poor creature, which seems to be in so much distress and pain. And true enough, her notion was telling her the truth, it was the Beast indeed, as he ran amok right in the middle of the shrubs in such a piety manner. Sephira could sense, he was in so much pain and dismay. "Ashlan!" she whispered his name. The Beast continue to howl and hit his fist hard on the ground....and Sephira knew, she can't had her sight on him at that point of time....cause it's killing her soul. Suddenly, a tiny glass bottle with the pink rose bud, which has been carefully seal in it, fell from one of the side pockets of the armour. Sephira gently picks it up and look closely towards the beauty of the rose bud itself....! This glass bottle which she had managed to steal from Dhaleya, it seems to be telling her a thousand hidden tales. "Why was this harmless rose bud meant so much to Dhaleya, does it got to do with you Beast?" thought Sephira to herself. Sephira soon saw, another petal had loosen itself from it's stalk and fell to the bottom of the glass bottle. Sephira hid the bottle inside her armour as she walk closer towards the portrait of King Ashlan and his beloved Lady. 'I simply can't just sit around here and do nothing." thought Sephira to herself. Looking hard towards the glass window, that stood brilliantly with it's magnificent lace curtain been hang around it, Sephira begins to think hard....and without thinking twice....she took one of the huge flower vase, which was made of thick oak wood....and with all her might she threw it against the window, causing the glass to shattered into thousand million pieces. Sephira could feel her a tinge of pain from her wound, but she would not care less...cause she was not ready to be kept as a prisoner, by anyone. The howling stopped and she knew, she had definitely grab his attention, cause that was part of her plan. Suddenly, she heard a sound of a strong stride of leaping feet, hovering above the roof....and she knew it was him. Sephira almost lost her breath when the Beast had jump right in the middle of her room from the broken window. With his bulging fiery eyes....he had his intense glare on her, as he came closer nearer towards her. Sephira took few steps backward until she came upon Luth's sword and drew it out from it's sheath. She trembles, as she held it right in front of the Beast. Just one strike, she knew....that's the end of the Beast, but she just do not have the heart to do so...! Suddenly, the Beast bring the sharp blade of her sword closers towards his head...a sign of contemplating suicide it seems. He wanted her to slay him...! Fear sets in her eyes as tears begins to well and stream on her cheeks. "No, it can't end this way, I belief...there's a way out from this curse...I belief." cried Sephira as she threw her sword away and held out her trembling hands and gently caresses the Beast rough scaly skin of his face. The Beast closes his eyes...as he was simply mesmerizing by her tenderness...a touch which he had once felt. "Luth is right....you are indeed King Ashlan...! A tale of a century ago.....! You are hurting Beast..and I know how that feels....to lost the love of your life....that precious someone who has been cruelly taken away from us." utters Sephira remorsefully. " Yasmeen almost wanted to continue with her reading, when suddenly her mobile phone rang.

Upon seeing the caller her heart sank....as she was expecting Ezekiel to call her. "Yeah!" she retort as she answered her phone. "Iman, what's the news?" snapped Yasmeen.

"How have you been?" asked Iman, Yasmeen's sister, a year younger than her.

"Got nothing to do with your life." replied Yasmeen as she walk down the stairs and headed towards the living room.

"Yas, dad is asking about both of you." utters Iman remorsefully.

"After what he did to mum." snapped Yasmeen again. "Just tell him to get on with his life and don't bother about us again."

"Yas, you have been unfair towards our father!" cried Iman on a brink of tears.

"How about him? Does he cares?" asked Yasmeen furiously.

"Dad, had did all he could to save our mum from her terrible debts due to her drinking and gambling acts." cried Iman as she tries to remain calm with her emotion.

"She had learnt her lesson well....but you and dad left when she was striving hard, as she tries to pick up the broken pieces." utters Yasmeen with tears in her eyes. "You left....both of you, leaving her cripple by her past mistakes and emotion..and it was me, who had to see to this all. You know, how hard it was? You will never understand....and so is dad!" cried Yasmeen. "All the promises which dad had made to her...telling her, that things will be just fine...is just a bunch of lies."

"Yasmeen, dad loves you....and so am I. No matter what, you are still my sister." utters Iman tearfully.

"Thinking that a star was just within my reach....and as I try to embrace the significant beauty of it...at last it was just a reflection from a mirror." cried Yasmeen. "Do get that picture right!" continue Yasmeen, as she shut off her phone and threw it onto the coffee table. Yasmeen covered her face as she begins to wept silently. She could remember...it was just like yesterday....all the crying and wailing of her mum begging her dad to stay....but he left, taking away half of her mum's spirit, taking away Iman....and never even once turn to look at her again. Her mum had make a terrible mistakes in her life....Yasmeen knew, it was an addiction....that's obviously needs help. Her mother's debts, which has been kept unknown from her dad was exposed cause one day.....their home was attacked by the debt collectors. Her dad was left with no other choice but to work extra hard, as a labourer in a machinery company....just to pay off her mum's debt. But he does not do it out of love or with sincerity....he does it to protect his daughters..and Yasmeen knew...all the sacrifices which her dad has to endure. Her mum become depressed about this whole deal....and her soul was fighting hard...for the terrible addition...it was painful. However, her dad was not helping or supporting her mum emotionally...all he does was to spite her with sinister words and remarks...that had definitely kills her spirit. When finally, all the debts has been cleared, he pack his, Iman's and Yasmeen's belongings, ignoring his wife pleading for mercy and forgiveness. Without a single word spoken, he drags his two daughters out from their home, however Yasmeen just simply refused to barge into the cab, which her dad had called upon. She remained numb and confused...her heart was tearing apart...not knowing which path to choose..or which bends of live she should be heading too...! It seems her inner voice was telling her to stay..stay by her mum's side. Yasmeen let her hand off from her dad, as she rang back into her home and went straight into her mother's arm. She had chosen her path....her destiny, is to be by her mother's side.

"Yasmeen, it's almost dinner." called out her mum gently.
Yasmeen didn't realised that she had been taken way back towards her past until she heard her mum calling out to her as it was about time for dinner. She wipe her fallen tears off from her face as she had ber back straight agaisnt her seat.
"Yasmeen, I've cook your favourite dish...macaroni with cheese melt." said her mum. "Have you done your prayers Yasmeen?" asked her mum with a smile. Yasmeen look at her with full of love...but her eyes was tearing up again. "Yasmeen, what's wrong?" asked her mum Sharinah with alarm. Yasmeen shakes her head as she tries to bring out a smile on her face.

"I feel thankful and blessed to have a mother like you." utters Yasmeen, as she came closer towards her mum and embrace her.

Sharinah held on to her daughter with so much love in her heart...."You are my little indeed, my little princess. "