CHAPTER EIGHT ‘Ziyah’

“I'm sorry for yelling at you even though you've been nothing but good to me. So.. can you please stay at my house.. To work as a cook!” 

Cameron froze for a moment but I could see the tiny smile already spreading throughout his face, “Are you serious?”

I pretended to be annoyed and started shoving the heavenly pancakes into my mouth, “If you don't hurry and eat I might change my mind”

He smiled back and we ate breakfast together. From that day onwards, Cameron and I became friends. We did everything together and had fun, such as exercising together, going on strolls but despite all of these. I felt the urge to explore more things in the outside world.

I had gone to the outside world once and it was really dangerous, Cameron even got hurt but I felt there was something more for me out there.

These days though, I kept retrieving memories about my past.

In my memory, there was a friend I had who was a green snake but could morph into the figure of a human being like me. When she was in human form, she was mostly dressed in green leaves with a bunch of flowers on her head making her look like a fairy. 

Also I had really cool magic! I could summon snakes whenever I was in trouble. I could even eat whatever I wanted by snapping my fingers.

After remembering that part of my past I asked Cameron how to use the magic and he promised he would teach me when I gave birth because using magic when pregnant wasn't good. However he showed me a few cool tricks of his that included, picking flowers from behind my ear and throwing a plate on the ground without letting it break. It was really cool!

I was really happy! 

My pregnancy was now six months and my bulging stomach was evidence the girl would be big but I was kinda scared. How could I give birth to a child alone?

In those stories I read, doctors, nurses and sometimes, midwives would help with the delivery of the child but here. I had no one to help me. Well, except Cameron but he couldn't help me though.. he was a man. It would be inappropriate.

Today, Cameron was caressing my hair as we were talking about the name to give our child.

“If it's a boy let's call him Timi” Cameron said but I immediately argued, “If he's called Timi then he'll grow to be timid, I think Jarrod will be a great name”

Cameron suddenly froze, looking at me suspiciously for a moment before asking, “Why Jarrod? Does it remind you of something or someone?” he cautiously asked arousing my suspicion.

Was he hiding something from me?

“The man sounds cool. It makes me think of a handsome, strong, intelligent and-”

“-Stop” he cut me off while letting go of my hair before marching to another direction while yelling, “We will not be naming our child Jarrod!”

I shrugged. Was he jealous our child would be more handsome and bear a cooler name than him?

I smiled touching a beautiful fresh red rose by my side. In the blink of an eye, the red rose turned black and melted in my hand. I froze unsure of what just happened.

Suddenly a long green snake appeared in front of me. It looked like the one I saw when I first got here.

This time, I wasn't scared when I saw it. I wasn't sure why.. maybe because it looked like the snake I was familiar with in my memory.

“Ziyah” I said remembering the snake in my memory. Was this really her?

The snake hissed and crawled over my arm but I made no move to stop it. It was as though I was in a trance.

“Master” it replied with a bow. I was supposed to feel surprised or shocked but for some reason, a smile appeared on my face.

“It's being a long time” 

Instantly, it crawled further near me and wrapped itself all over my arm.

“Master! It's been five hundred years! I-i missed you so much! I'm really sorry I didn't come to you soon. I had trouble finding you. After Queen mother banished you from the clan i lost my rank and was thrown to the lowest realm to guard the spirits of our ancestors. I couldn't take it so I immediately came to find you, I searched for you for four hundred and eighty years. If not for.. erhm, Cameron then I probably wouldn't have found you. Cameron told me you lost your memories and if I stayed too close to you you would be frightened but it seemed you've regained your memory. Even your powers are coming back”

For some reason, I relaxed when Ziyah spoke despite it been a lot of words “I've not completely regained my memories, only a few with Cameron and you in them. Ziyah I don't remember how I ended up here but when I woke up, the only person I saw was Cameron and I was already pregnant by the time I woke up. It's really confusing, can you help me?”

Ziyah crawled near my hair while hissing, suddenly she bit the area near my neck. It didn't hurt much but it tingled, “Why'd you bite me?” I asked touching the area and I felt blood.

“Master sorry for doing that without warning, I feel there's going to be danger near you soon. And if you're in danger, I can sense it and rescue you since your powers are not completely back. About your memories.. Master, you have to be careful, it seems someone deliberately stopped you from remembering your past-” suddenly she stopped talking and his behind my back, “Cameron's here! I gotta hide”

“Why?” I asked but never got a response. Instead I heard Cameron's footstep get near.

I stood up from the ground and dusted off my clothes looking for Ziyah but she was no longer here.