18 YEARS LATER...
★IRIDESSA'S ROOM★ 8 PM...
Iridessa entered her room with a pretty smile on her face. She closed the door and twisted around with a little dance, her blonde hair wrapped in a bathroom towel and her night robe flowing along with the breeze coming in through the window as she danced. The weather outside was dark and stormy, meaning it might rain tonight.
"It's the middle of summer, for goodness' sake," she groaned, staring at the desolate street of their neighborhood. A lightning bolt struck, forcing her to close her windows.
She walked towards the mirror, staring at her reflection.
"Who's gonna be 18 in two days?" she winked.
"You, honey!" her mother replied from where she stood.
"Mother!" Iridessa laughed. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Long enough to notice how beautiful and gorgeous my Dessa has turned into," Mrs. Billy smiled.
Iridessa smiled and twisted her waist once again.
"I know, Mummy," she smiled and pecked Mrs. Billy.
You will always be my baby, Sarah chuckled and walked away...
***
Sarah entered the bedroom and sat down beside her husband, her face sad and eyes reddened...
"Hey!!!!... Are you crying?"
"Those are tears of joy!!!!" Sarah muttered and wiped her tears. "I still can't believe it's eighteen years already..."
"And you did an amazing job raising her... I'm proud of you!!!!" Billy kissed her forehead and pulled her into a tight hug.
"Honey!!!!" Sarah whispered, breaking the silence. "Do you think we should tell her?" Sarah mumbled.
"Tell her what?" Billy frowned.
"The truth!!!!" Sarah snapped. "Don't pretend; she will find out one day..."
"She will understand. Remember what the old mysterious lady said?" Billy muttered.
Sarah sighed and nodded.
"Come here," Billy hugged her. "I'm just scared," Sarah muttered.
"Everything will be okay!!!! I promise."
"What if she has to go away?" Sarah gasped...
"Iridessa will grow up one day to be on her own and raise her own family; it's bound to happen...
"What if!!!!!!!.....
"Shhhhh," Billy placed a finger on her lips. "I love you!!!!" he muttered and caught her lips. Sarah moaned into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck...
*********
Iridessa slept soundly, but her sleep was short-lived. She found herself in a strange environment, surrounded by darkness...
"Hello!!!!" her voice resonated through the empty woods...
"You're the key!!!!!" a voice said from behind, startling Iridessa, who immediately turned back and came face to face with a mysterious lady with piercing blue eyes....
"Who..... Who are you?!" Iridessa stuttered. The mysterious lady smiled, turned around, and walked away...
"Hey!!!!" Iridessa called out and ran after her. She immediately stopped and faced Iridessa; the once beautiful smile on her face was replaced with tears and sadness....
"Who are you?" Iridessa asked...
"You're the key!!!!! I await you to free me," she muttered...
"The key?!!!!!.... What key?" she asked, but the lady suddenly vanished...
Iridessa woke up, rubbing her eyes. "Was I dreaming?" she thought, but it felt so real. She muttered and stood up from the bed, walking towards the mirror, her hands trembling as she stared at her reflection...
"She wants me to free her!!!!" she whispered to her reflection. Suddenly, her phone rang, startling her...
🗣️*** "Hey, bitch!!!!!" Glow, her best friend, yelled...
"Dessa***.. Easy, babe, you're gonna destroy my eardrum," she rolled her eyes...
🗣️*** "What are your plans for your big day, bestie!!!!" Glow grinned from the other end...
"Dessa*** "It's not even morning yet!!!!"
🗣️*** "Want me to come pick you up tomorrow?"
"Dessa***... Jeff is picking me up," Dessa blushed...
🗣️*** "Okay!!!!!" Glow muttered, and they talked about some random stuff before ending the call...
"I'm not gonna let some stupid dreams get in my way," she muttered and entered the bathroom.
★★★
Iridessa stepped into her room, decorated with posters of Cardi B, V, and RM of BTS. On her bed lay different flavors of chocolate and candies, and a family portrait hung on the wall, adding extra beauty and warmth.
She twirled around, admiring her hot, long, and slender legs. She reached for her phone, and that was when she heard the voices.
"Billy," Sarah whispered, her voice trembling.
"You okay?" he asked.
Sarah shook her head. "I had a terrible dream the other night," she paused and scanned the room. "A strange woman with piercing blue eyes appeared to me and requested that we tell Iridessa the truth once she clocks eighteen," she mumbled.
Billy's eyes widened, terrified. He shook his head and looked up from the newspaper in front of him.
"I never thought a day like this would come; it happened the day I brought our Iridessa home....
"Our daughter?!!!!... Are you still calling her our daughter?
"A lady with piercing blue eyes appeared to me and requested we name her 'Iridessa.'
"Wait?... Let me get something straight: you hid this from me for eighteen good years?" Sarah yelled...
Iridessa's heart skipped a beat as she flung the door open, but her parents were not in sight...
"I heard their voices," she thought.... "Am I going crazy?
"We have to tell her the truth as soon as possible," Sarah mumbled...
"You will do no such thing," Billy glared...
"Remember the words of the strange woman; she doesn't belong here..."
"What strange woman?"
Billy and Sarah turned in the direction from which the voice came, and there stood Iridessa, tears streaming down her face...
"How... long... have you been standing there?" Billy stammered...
"And how much did you hear?" Sarah gasped...
"What strange woman?" Iridessa yelled out in tears...
"We are not your parents," Sarah blurted out.
"That's enough, Sarah!!!!!"
"What are you talking about?" Iridessa swallowed.
"We can explain!!!!" Billy muttered and made to touch her.
"Don't touch me!!!!!" Iridessa yelled and immediately ran out into the dark, isolated street....