My enemy My mate

One could begin with the dust, the warmth and the rosy thorny ornamental vines. One might even begin with the whiff of crumbling fruits hurled by the flank of the road where Musca domestically hummed and green keen-bellied lizards bobbed their orange domes while lingering in the sun. But Annie Bradford did not notice these – instead she stared at tatty bed she sat on. Hoping for a better day she will leave the disastrous orphanage.

The only time she could remember being happy was the day they had visitors who came to check the children in the orphanage when she was seven. The director of the orphanage gave them pleasant food and care. But that was a long time ago, and now even that memory was fading.

Annie Bradford stared at the grey wall in her awful and tatty bedroom. The walls were pretty thick, and she had a window open. She could still hear the noise made by the director of the orphanage.

"It's time to sleep, bed now! If you are not in bed in 20 seconds, you will be beaten." The 'wicked crone of the west' (The director of the orphanage) was authorized.The 'wicked crone of the west' was really the director of the orphanage.

The children hated her because of her narcissistic behavior.

She had her murky hair squeezed into a roll and a huge wart resting upon a pointed nose. It has been three years, Annie had been spending her rotten life in the orphanage with 'the wicked crone of the west' Until this faithful day her life changed. She was adopted by Nadia, her mother's friend and started a new life her.

Annie experienced a luxury life in Nadia's house with her maids, Raine, Katrina and John. The life she has been hoping for, the life she has been dreaming for... Three years of successful adoptive relationship between Nadia and Annie.

Nadia decided to take Annie and her maids out for swimming. Nadia has been taking good care of her maids ever since Annie has gotten to the house. She took them as her family. Nadia's maids was happy to see Annie with them. They are all happy. "Today, we should all go swimming at the beach since it's a nice hot day. And also we have been on out electronics lately. I mean myself and everyone else." Nadia whispered as she was talking to her only family members.

Annie and her maids. "Yes, I think that will be better, or what do you think Annie?" Katrina said. "I think, it will be good to take our little damsel out to the beach." John explained.

"um Mom, I don't know how to swim very well. I do the pooch paddle."

Annie replied as she looked into her mom's face. "Don't worry my dear hun. I will teach you fast. Okay!" Nadia said with

a smile. "Okay mom, it's sound cool, when are we going?" Annie asked. " Will there be enough food stuffs? How about pretty girls on the beach?" John asked.

"Sounds good. Raine, are you bringing food?" Katrina asked. "Yes, I'll do the cooking. That's what I love doing." Raine replied "I think, I'll need a vitality suit, just in case I went drown, cause that will be bad." Annie said.

"Where is the sunscreen? Annie's body will burn up and I don't want that left boo bear?" Katrina muttered as she put her hand on Annie's shoulder. "Yea, whatever you say Katrina." Raine said.

"Can we just go now?!" Annie murmured.

"Yes, dear, let's go." Nadia muttered.

They all went out, piled in a car and went to the beach. When they got there the ocean was gloomy and stunning. It was blue. Annie stood in amazed as the water hit her, she doesn't know how to swim really well, cause in the orphanage they didn't have any pool or go out for swimming.

But Katrina gave her a floaty toy and a big vitality suit. Now she won't be able to be drown. Katrina held her hand and went into the water. "Brrrr the water is damn

cold." Annie yelped. But Katrina submerged her under water and back up to make her really cold.

She then floated on top of the water, she was really scared cause she didn't know how to swim. Nadia and Raine came

over and swam deeper in the water. "Oh no! Where did they go?" Annie yelled. But then something terrible happened, the vitality suit fell apart and she went under.

"Oh no, Annie!!!" Katrina yelled as Nadia and Raine came towards her to save Annie... "Annn- nie!!!" Nadia yelled."OMG!" John screamed. "Somebody stopped her!!" Raine cried out... "Please save her, quick save her!" Nadia yelled in shocked.

"I'll go." John said as he went under the water but he saw Annie passed out under water.

He grabbed her and brought her up over the water. He dropped her on the ground.

"Oh no! OMG! Is she ok! She has passed out!" Nadia, Raine and Katrina yelled as they tried to save their little Annie.

"Quick take her to the beach CPR Hemlock, I don't care about the money, just save her!" Nadia muttered. "Okay, don't worry, I'll go, she will be fine." John replied. "I'll go too." Raine said "Me too, I can't allow anything to happen to my little damsel." Katrina whispered.

"I'm sorry, Annie, I shouldn't have allowed you to enter the water." Nadia muttered as she touched Annie's body with tears on her face. Every one them was shocked to see little Annie in that oblivious dilemma.

"OMG! All I see is water everywhere! And I can see spots in the water. I can't breathe. I think I'm gonna die. As I passed out I thought maybe I saw John coming to get me but I wasn't sure. Where is everybody?"

Annie muttered in shock as she saw a big while light from behind. But

she can't believe what she saw a man who came from behind.

"John! Is that you? Where am I?" Annie yelled. "Hey, Annie, my lovely daughter, I'm your dad. You are in between heaven and hell." The man replied."My dad? I don't have a dad. What am I doing here?" Annie asked?

"My dear daughter, I'm your dad, I'm dead. But you were too young

then. I lost you and your mother. You are unconscious, that is why you see yourself here. It's your choice now. You can go back to your new family or come to heaven with me." The man explained.

"You are my dad, I have been lounging to see." Annie said as she tried to hug her Father but he stopped her. "My dear, you have to choose now before it's too late." The man replied.

"But.. But I love you, I will to be with you, I also love Nadia and my new family... I don't want to lose you again." Annie murmured. "If you die now, your new family will be unhappy beyond compare.

But if you go back they will be happy." The man explained.

"Okay, but if I go, will I see you again?" Annie asked. "Yes, when you die, you will officially come to me." The man replied.

"Okay dad, I'll go back." Annie answered as everything went blank.

Few minutes later, Annie woke up choking as she coughed and John was pressing her stomach really hard. "Stop it, you are hurting me!!!" Annie yelled. "OMG!!! You are alive! I thought we lost you. You weren't waking up. Thanks goodness, you are awake, no more pressing on your tummy." John mumbled.

"Oh! My little damsel, Thank God you are alive, I thought I will lose you forever." Nadia whispered as she tried to hug Annie. "Let me check your heartbeat to see if it's beating normally." Katrina

grumbled."Thanks everyone, I'm okay now." Annie answered. After the incident at the beach they all went home for dinner...

Few months after the incident, Nadia and her maids were in the house discussing about Annie's birthday. She is gonna turn 9. "Annie gonna turn 9 in a week now, This is so exciting, cause it's her birthday with us. What do you think we can buy for her?" Nadia asked.

"Yes we will have to do something for her, so that she can have a great birthday. I think we should take her out on a trip." Katrina muttered.

"It's good, I agree Katrina, but I don't want her to go to beach again, I can't what happened few months ago to repeat itself." Nadia explained. "Where do you think we should go, John?" Katrina asked.

"We should take her to Disney land, then throw a little party for her." John explained.

"I think, that's a good idea, she can go with her friends too." Raine

Whispered. "Okay, we can get her friends and go to Disney land because it's big."

Nadia said. "It's sound good, let's book tickets, after that, we come back for the

party." Katrina explained.

"I think we should surprise her with gifts also or what do you think?" John asked. "Yes! That's good too, I will do something about that." Nadia replied. "Yeah! Let's keep it a secret without telling her." Katrina said.