Contd from Part 1: https://steemit.com/fiction/@sandzat/the-evil-beauty-short-story-part-1

....................She was the most beautiful, kind-hearted, smart, and hard-working child I knew. And as the days passed, I loved her more and more. It was only when she was about fifteen that I first felt a hint of uneasiness regarding her. By then, she had mastered almost all the arts, smart that she was, and there was not much I could do for her anymore. So, I settled into the role of a doting mother and continued to love her any which way I could. 

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PART 2

That first time she came home looking dazed, she locked herself in her room for nearly a week. Saying nothing. Not a SINGLE word! And even though I was tense and curious, I didn't question her. I knew she would come out with it in her own time. 

I left food outside her door so she wouldn't go hungry. I hoped she understood how much I loved her. 

I'd always find the food gone, so I knew that she was still in there.

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Shizelle - The Awakening

She decided to do it! 

To jump off the bridge! 

She climbed over the railing, took a deep breath, held her arms in the air and dived downwards... 

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She had met the orange-robed old man about a year ago. She was instantly impressed with his spiritual wisdom, tone of voice, simple clothes, and his general manner with everybody surrounding him. Very soon, she become one of his sincerest 'disciples'.

He had looked deep into her hazel-coloured eyes. “You need to believe it in your heart first.” And she had believed him. Because he in turn made her believe in herself - in what was her true self. 

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 Doubt inundated her mind as she fell towards the water. How could she have been so stupid? What if nothing the old man had said was true?

Soon, she might also be joining the countless youth that had leapt from the same bridge and had their lives tragically cut short by their stupidity.

Slicing through the ice cold water, she blacked out instantly.

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"She's waking up! She's up!' A little girl's voice, filled with excitement disturbed her. Shizelle opened her eyes and looked around. Nothing. Black? Darkness. 

She didn't panic. She wiggled her toes, they wiggled, she danced her fingers, they danced. 

She lifted her head, her head was in the air. 

She tried to move, her body moved. 

She blinked a few times and her vision gradually improved until she could see perfectly again. 

"Wamah?" 

The little girl turned to look at Shizelle. "What did you say?" 

"Wamah?" Shizelle painfully realized that she had lost her power of speech. She tried once more. "Wamah?". 

She meant to ask, "Where am I?" 

Tears stung her eyes as she realized that there was no going back. She had made her call. She was going to chase her dream. No matter what it cost her. 

She got up, gently pushed the little girl away, and stumbled home.

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"Your first fight will be with the element water," the orange-robed old man had informed her. "You have to believe in yourself mind, body and soul before you take the plunge. Know that you will lose one of your five senses for sure and you might not even survive, and if you do, you will be in for a very long and incredibly tough journey ahead. But persist and you will definitely get your heart's desire in the end!"

Her heart's desire was to not only control her five basic senses but gain five more unheard of in humans, namely infrared vision, echolocation, magnetoreception, electroreception and something new called somnus conscientia. When she explained this to the old man, he assured her that she could acquire these senses and more but she was going to have to perform some very daring feats, push her body beyond its limits and prove herself to each of the five elements: water, air, earth, ether and fire.

Shizelle was no stranger to pushing her body and mind to the limits. She wanted to see how far both could take her in this world. She was only fifteen but she had plans. Incredibly big plans! She wanted to be the strongest, smartest and most powerful woman in the whole world when she grew up. She was willing to go to any lengths to achieve that. 

And she had the right attitude when it came to consequences. Her mother had taught her well over the years. She was intensely grateful to her. She knew her mother loved her more than anything else in the whole world. And was patience personified with her. 

Even now, she could hear her leave a plate of food outside her door.

Shizelle wanted to rush into her mother’s arms and sob her heart out. But she wouldn’t. Not now. Not yet. And probably never. She couldn’t bear to think of her mother getting upset.

And upset she definitely would get if she knew what Shizelle was up to. Or if she were to never speak again!

-----To be continued-----