Chapter 5 THE WOMAN OF MISFORTUNE

It was a lonely and sad evening for Gisella. She sat on her bed with her mother's ghost beside her, crying and famished since no one was ready to make her some food since morning.

" Mum?" She called " why won't dad believe me(sobs)I'm so hungry as well. There is no food in the house for me.", she cried and grumbled her face. Her stomach had already started hurting due to luck on food.

" My stomach hurts so bad, mum. It lacks food–Ouch...", she cried in pain. Fiona instinctively rose to her feet.

" You'll be fine Gisel, let me get you some food.", Fiona cried worriedly.

" No, mum, they'll see you. Don't go.." She mumbled.

" Don't worry, honey. I'll be right back.."

She turned to leave for the kitchen but the door suddenly slam open with great force. They both gazed at the door expectantly. And to their surprise, Natasha entered angrily, with a scornful look and threw a deadly gaze at Gisella which made her panic at her sight.

" What–do–you– want in my room? ", she asked trembling with fear.

Natasha sneered, laughing. She moved towards Gisella and held her jaw with great force.

" Stop it, please, you're hurting– me" She helplessly cried,,struggling to free herself. Natasha chuckled at her words.

" And I will do even worse if you dare open this your stupid mouth to say anything about me to your dad ever again" She warned, her eyes burning red with furry. "Who do you even think you are?– Your dad's savior or what?"

She laughed with a scarcastic glare, as she lossen her grips over Gisella and moved satisfactorily around. Gisella kept watching her in fear.

" Your dad is mine and there is nothing you or anyone can do about that. No one can take him away from me either...Soon..(laughs) everything will be mine...And don't you ever think of getting in my way..or else...you'll join your bitch mother in her grave together with your dad.."

Gisella turned and looked at her mother who was standing helplessly beside her. Natasha laughed and spoke up again.

" Gisella dear, such bad manners you got." She scoffed. "You didn't introduce your lovely mother( Fiona's ghost) to me....", Natasha called. Gisella and Fiona looked at each other shocked. Natasha laughed and walked towards them.

" Don't be so surprised dear. I can actually see you, Fiona because I'm just like you and a soothsayer as well. (giggles) Such a great mother and daughter bond you got over there." She snarled. " I can see how helpless you are feeling now. But don't worry, I'll take good care of your family for you..I promise..."

She uttered sarcastically and left the room, laughing.

Gisella hugged her mum, trembling as fear engulfed her.

" Mum?" She cried. " I'm so scared". Gisella held on to her mother's ghost.

" Honey.... ", Fiona called amidst tears and drew her daughter into her bosom.

" Mummy is so sorry dear– I'm so sorry I couldn't stay to take care of you..."

Gisella kept crying till she slept off.

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NEXT MORNING

Antonio stood in the hall busily making arrangements for his up coming marriage with Natasha when Gisella approached from her room.

" Dad? – Dad" She happily called, descending down the stairs.

" Gina, please get these items for the marriage ceremony– I need it ready by tomorrow. You know the ceremony is in three days time. I don't like any shabby work done. Do you understand?"

Antonio called to Gina, ignoring her daughter's call.

Gisella stood beside her father and held his hands, playfully.

" Dad, I was calling you " She lamented. "Please I want you to take me out to the park today – It's gonna be so fun" She giggled.

" No,Gisella. I'm very busy– can't go with you, today".

He uttered without looking at her.

"But dad, you've never taken me out before and no one wish to take me out as well" She cried. " Just this once please dad– just for today...", she made a grumpy face.

" Can't you see I'm busy?", he yelled angrily at her. Gisella panicked and tears rolled down her eyes. He had never shouted on her in such a manner before and this really hurt her so hard.

" Leave my sight, now. Please ", Antonio shouted at her. She turned swiftly to leave amidst tears and saw Natasha standing at the end of the stairs. Frightened by her sight, Gisella turned towards the door and left the house in tears.

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PARK

HOURS LATER

Gisella got to the park and sat on a bench under a tree at the end of the park. She kept watching the other children, playing with their parents happily. She noticed a girl playing alone on the seesaw and moved towards her.

" Hey, can I play with you?" She cried and the girl nodded with a broad smile.

" Yes, please help me with the seesaw. Can you push it?." The girl called.

Gisella smiled and started pushing the seesaw gently. Just then, the girl's mum approached. She suddenly roared with a wolfish glare, seeing Gisella with her daughter.

" Hey, cursed girl– get away from my daughter.", a voice called from behind.

The woman got to their end pulled Gisel, landinf a heavy on her chick, making her fall to the ground.

" Witch..", she cured. Her daughter felt bad as she watch her mum treat Gisel so badly. She suddenly rose to her defend.

" But mum? – we were just playing, nothing else" She cried but her mum swiftly shut her off.

" Shut up, Pearl– Come on, let's leave here." She exclaimed, pulling her daughter away.

Gisella sat on the ground crying profoundly.

" Hey, why are you crying?" a voice called beside her.

" Leave me alone, please" She pleaded, not looking up. He tapped her which made her raise her head and her teary face just met with a young ghost boy.

" You can actually hear and see me?" the boy queried. She dried her eyes as she spoke up.

" Yes, silly head. I can definitely ear and see you because i'm neither deaf nor blind." Gisella exclaimed indifferently.

" I always see people come here with their children to have fun. I wish to join them but no one ever noticed me expect you." He cried happily, helping her up from the ground.

" Why? , what are you and where are your parents?", he asked, searching around for Gisella's parents.

" Don't worry looking for them. I came alone..", she cried with a pouted face.

" oh, i see" He smiled. " I'm Ransford and you?

" I'm Gisella..." She answered.

" Gisella– nice to meet you" he said.

" Niice to meet you too" She greeted him. " Hey, wait, – were you serious of what you said earlier on? Can I really play with you?" She asked and the boy nodded his approval.

" Cool, come, help me with the seesaw.."

Gisella sat on the seesaw and he starts pushing it gently. They chat and laughed heartily while playing.

Some of the parents at the park saw her playing ,chatting and laughing all by herself. They grimaced at her and cursed.

" Such a wired and cursed child. She's so evil – can't believe she killed her mother just at her birth.."

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It was already evening and Gisella was nowhere to be found in the house. Antonio searched everywhere possible but still no sign of her. He rushed down to the kitchen, tensed.

"Gina?! ,Lizzy, have you seen Gisel anywhere?" He asked, worriedly checking the time.

They both gazed at which other expectantly with quizzical eyes.

" No, sir, but I'm sure she might be playing in the garden..", Lizzy finally replied after she was sure Gina had no idea.

" She isn't there, i was just returning from there", Agnes cried.

" What? Its almost 9pm. where is she then?– i've already checked her room and the whole house...", Antonio exclaimed.

" Sir, maybe she went to a friend's house..", Agnes uttered.

"Don't be so dumb, Aggje, we already know she got no friends– so where is she?" Antonio queried.

" Maybe she left for the park– I heard her talking about the park in the morning," Natasha replied.

"Yes, yes, honey, you're such a genius" He exclaimed, turning to Gina.

" Gina,you guys should go check that place" he ordered.

" who? me? – I can't go meet that scary, cursed child. I'll just die at the sight of her.. ", Agnes murmured.

Gina and Lizzy threw a deadly gaze at her, making her chock on her saliva.

" What's wrong with you, Agnes...",? Antonio queried. She continueously coughed.

" Oh, nothing boss– we were leaving. "

She took the lead towards the door, Gina and Lizzy quickly followed suit, chuckling.

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PARK

It was already dark in the night. Gisella sat alone with her ghost friend ,Ransford in the middle of the park.

" Won't you go home, Gisella? – everyone had already left", Ransford asked worriedly.

" No, i don't want to" She instinctively answered which made him stare at her, confused

" why...?" He asked.

" Nothing, I jist don't want to– come on, let's go to your place, i'm really hungry.. " She grumbled.

" Are you sure about this ? – you really want to go with me..?", Ransford asked ,surprised.

" Yeah, I want to eat with you... ", she smiled. " Why do you look so surprised?" She wondered.

" Oh, nothing– come, let's go"

In few minutes time, Lizzy, Gina and Agnes arrived at the Park but couldn't see any sign of her.

" Where could she be.....", they chorused.