SAMANTHA MEETS EDWARD

She kept walking deep into the woods as perspiration had already dampened her skin, her silky dress was now making her feel sticky and cold. 

Her face was painted with worry and the lines on her forehead became more obvious. She didn't care if she walked into the deepest forest and probably got eaten up by a wolf or some wild animals. All she could think of was how to save her.

 She wasn't just going to give up so easily so mumbled and prayed to find her safe and unscathed. Millions of thoughts streamed into her head; what if she finds her cold body on the ground and probably with blood stained all over her? what if a lion or a snake or a…oh no! 

"This can't possibly happen. Sam, you have got to keep going."

Those words one tells to herself by herself are indeed more powerful than any words. She became strong again.

She forged ahead without looking behind her while everything around her now seemed gloomy. She didn't know the exact direction she should follow as there were numerous routes to take in the forest.

 The tall trees formed tall skyscrapers and canopies overhead not allowing the sun rays to lighten that part of the forest. Birds were chirping-croa…croa and more leaves kissed her face unexpectedly. Perhaps, she was too focused to flinch. Her long black hair magneted twigs to itself as she tirelessly yanked saplings aside. She wished that she had never asked for freedom. Staying locked up was at least better than being lost in the forest. She has never gone too deep into the forest before.

Her mum had earlier warned her and her little sister-candy about how dangerous the forest could be so the least they thought of doing was roaming the thicket without knowing that the end of the thicket marked the beginning of the forest. How was she certain that candy would go too deep, to the extent of endangering her life. Yes! the forest was attractive and always inviting but it was 'dangerous' like her mum had pointed.

It's indeed dangerous for a little girl like candy to wander alone in the forest. 

Candy was just twelve years old, her face was nothing like round but oval shaped with her pair of green eyes and not so pointed nose fitted in well with her full lip. If she could only see any blonde hair in a ponytail hairstyle, that's candy.

Suddenly, Her foot stumbled upon a thick black object as the adrenaline in her body rushed into her throat. 

"Fu*k!" She swallowed when she realized what lay before her. 

"Oh no! Candy!" Her heart accelerated and her eyes narrowed at different angles of the forest. 

She lifted the object and her eyes widened in bewilderment. This couldn't be! The thick black object was exactly the same as candy's jacket and it lay on the ground. Could it be…Oh no! She had to find candy before she got hurt. 

Even if deep down she feared that herself might as well get into trouble because she had no weapons and had no fighting skills even if she saw any to hold onto. Her heart throbbed in pain at the thought that something bad had happened to candy.

 What will she tell her mum? Will her mum ever trust her again? A feeling of guilt filled her heart for not being there when her little sister was in trouble.

She forcefully shoved away more saplings that obstructed her view until she saw the sun rays peeking into the forest through the sky. A soothing breeze blew across her face as she gaped, mouth dropped.

She just stood transfixed in the spot, surprised that somewhere like this existed in the world. She fell into fantasy forgetting where she was. She had always dreamed of seeing the beautiful endowments of nature and this was it.

Even Adam's Eden can't be compared to such a magnificent place she has just seen. There were no trees to form skyscrapers but rather filled with flowers. One could mistake it for a flower field.

Different kinds of flowers flourished stratifically inviting many butterflies to perch on it. 

The sweet smell of blossomed flowers hypnotized her for some minutes causing a light of hope to settle across her face.

  "Sam." A soft voice jolted her back to life. The next moment, a young girl jumped into her embrace. 

"Candy!" She wrapped her arms around her even without seeing her yet.

"Sam, I am so sorry I put you through all this." The same voice, soft and tender echoed in the forest. 

The two were now staring into each other's face though candy had to look up to Sam while she spoke. 

"I'm glad I finally found you, dear." She said amidst tears. Tears of joy of course.The happiness. No! Joy and happiness radiated from Sam's face. 

She finally heard this sweet voice again. What would be her fate if she didn't find her. 'Oh no! Don't even go there', she thought and smiled while cupping candy's face with her palm. The smile on candy's face that moment was so obvious like she wanted to spend more time in the forest. Sam had lots of questions running through her head at that point but they had to hurry back home before dusk would catch up with them.

They were about to start a conversation when a figure appeared behind them. Sam's mouth dropped. She was going to run away with candy but the latter got her even more astonished. They should be running from that figure before them. 

Yes! She was going to run away with her but candy remained in the same spot without moving. She wanted to yell on top of her voice and scream as well so that they would run with all their energy but she got a smile from candy instead. She still couldn't fathom why candy was smiling at her while she should be on the run. She couldn't look at the figure anymore as goosebumps had engrossed her.

She squeezed her eyes closed while her heart accelerated simultaneously. "Lord please save us now from this monster." she mumbled. Candy read her lips and figured out what she was saying. 

"He's not a monster, Sam." Candy said in her calmest tone. She focused her gaze on Sam's face as if waiting for her to digest everything immediately. 

"How would you know if he was? He is extraordinary." Sam sluggishly and reluctantly blinked her eyes as her thick black lashes fluttered simultaneously. 

"He saved my life." Candy replied. 

OMG!

What in heaven's name has she seen today? She was having mixed feelings of fear, bewilderment and insecurity yet candy feels secured around this monster…no! Human? Extraordinary human. She has never seen such a human in her lifetime. He was so charming and cute.

 "He's just like us, Sam?" Candy explained and watched Sam shift her gaze towards the figure who now raised his brows nonchalantly and gave a winsome smile.

"He is Edward." Candy said as if she knew Edward too well. 

"Edward…" Sam repeated and her lips curved into a smirk. 

She admired his curly black long hair which danced gloriously on his fine toned collar bone. He wore a dark green shirt-unbuttoned, exposing his muscular chiseled abs on top of an oxblood trouser. 

He noticed the way she stared at him, too much like she wanted to eat him whole.

A deafening silence reigned in the atmosphere and it was only what seemed like the chirping of birds that broke it. 

Edward hasn't spoken since Sam found them. She was just surprised. He wanted to speak but he couldn't open his mouth. He was still surprised by this beautiful lady's attitude. Not so surprised though because candy's reaction on seeing him was more dumbfounding. That moment she called him a monster flashed into his memory again and he just waved it off. It seemed like they had spent the full day standing in that spot as the sky began to turn gray.

"Th…a..nk you for u...mmh saving candy's life." Sam stuttered and slowly twirled the tip of her blouse.

"I will take you two to your home. This place is not safe for you." He replied and breathed in hard. 

As if he was trying so hard to keep the demon inside of him tamed. No one uttered a single word until they arrived at the center of Western Hosbon. The area had quite a number of houses owned by humans as there are only a few humans left because some blood suckers have killed half of the humans and more might still come in the future. 

They stopped at a house that was made of wood. Its windows were framed with glass and the stairs were covered with carpet-wine red color. What captivated him more was the pool near the medium-size garden emanating a cool and fresh breeze into the atmosphere. Candy gave him a tight hug before they climbed the stairs and entered the house while Edward left. Candy just sat on the sofa like a worried hen while Sam hurried to the window to peep through it but she was late not to have seen him leaving. She longed to hear candy narrate everything to her.