LEONARDO(LEO)

I kept on tossing and turning in bed, I couldn’t sleep. I woke up and took out my laptop to watch a movie, as I was busy connecting my computer to the internet, I heard a cry of a baby outside but I ignored it. A shadow appeared next to my window. I stood up from my bed to check if there was anyone standing by the window but there was no one.

Me: wtf is going on here?

Once again, I heard a cry of a baby which was strange, how can I hear a cry of a baby and see a shadow by my window at the same time? I went back to my bed, plugged in my headphones and watched my movie. While I was enjoying, I saw female figure in my room but there was no one besides me. The baby cried louder, I removed my hadphones and walked into the living room.

 Indeed, there was a cry of a baby outside, I went to the front door, my eyes landed on the basinet that was placed on the stoep with something that was wrapped in a white cloth and it sounded like a baby. And I believed it was a baby. Before I could touch it, I felt a hand on my back, which made me jump of and scream. It’s not like I was scared it’s just that it caught me off guard ok. Wouldn’t you react the same way as I did?

Gran: What do you think you are doing Leo? Didn’t I teach you not to go outside in the middle of the night when you were young?

Me: You really scared me grams…

Gran: Serves you right, what are you doing outside in the middle of the night?

Me: I heard a cry of a baby and I decided to check…

Gran: What if it’s not a baby? We are in Africa Leo, people do crazy things. Let’s go inside now.

Me: But Gran what if this is a baby? And he/she needs us?

As I was busy talking with my grandmother, I felt something heavier on my back. I could hear voices just that I couldn’t understand what they were saying. 

Voice: … Leo can you hear me? Just take her in she needs you.

Me: who are you? And who needs me?

The voices stopped I couldn’t hear anything, they were making me behave like someone who is insane…

Gran: Leo what are you saying? Who are you talking to? 

Me: No one.

Gran: You see. Let’s just go inside before anything happens

I attempted to go inside but I heard the voice again and the baby cried louder. I returned and took the baby into my arms, my grandmother just stood by the door looking at me. When I pulled the clothe from her face, she looked so cute, I had never seen such a beautiful baby in my entire life. My eyes landed on the crystal neckless that was on her neck which was so pure and attractive, her hazel eyes landed on me, she gave me a cute smile which I couldn’t resist.

Gran: Let me see her…

I showed her the baby she couldn’t stop smiling. Somehow, I was scared what if she is not a real baby?

Gran: Lets go inside its cold out here…

Me: Are you sure about this?

Gran: What do you mean?

Me: You didn’t want me to open the door, nonetheless let’s just take her in…

We walked back to the house with the little one in my grandmother’s arms. But who on earth would abandon such a cute baby at our doorstep? Somehow, I was happy to have found the baby before anything had happened to her, a girl child must always be protected.

Me: So, what’s going to happen to her

Gran: She will spend the night here then tomorrow we can take her to the police station, am sure they will find her parents.

Me: Maybe we should keep her here with us, I feel like she was destined to be here with us.

Gran: I think you are hallucinating maybe you should go to sleep

Me: Fine by me. Goodnight.

Gran: Night…

I went back to my room defeated I thought my grandmother would put up any suggestions regarding the baby. Within an hour of being in my room I could hear her cry right from my grandmother’s room. I ignored her cries, then forced myself to switch off the light in my room, just as I was about to climb into bed, I saw a female figure at my window. I quickly checked out but there was nothing, which was creepy for me, once again I ignored it, my eyes landed on the glass that was on my study table, it kept on making sounds indicating that it was going to fall.

Me: For fucks sake what’s going on here?

I kept on staring at the glass with fear written all over my face, until it stopped, I climbed on my bed but it was too dark for me and it felt creepy too, I kept the lights on for safety.

I felt someone shaking me, forcing me to wake up, all I wanted was to close my eyes and sleep. That was the most important thing I ever needed, since I ended up sleeping with the lights on because of my phobia.

Within few hours of falling asleep I heard something fall, I was scared to open my eyes and see what fell. I held on my blanket too tight, I am a big guy but I also have my moments.

 That was one of them, still nursing my fear someone threw something from the window and it hit me on my back. I could feel hot air coming out from my nose, I couldn’t move nor speak all I wanted was to sleep and never wake up in that bed.

I felt a cold breeze in my room, somehow my window was also open. I was reluctant to open my eyes.

Me: I don’t have a choice than to check what’s going on this room. If I die its fine.

I whispered…

As I opened my eyes, everything seemed normal to me. My window was not open, the glass was still on my study table. Everything seemed normal to me, but somehow it was weird because I felt the cold breeze in the room when I was sleeping. I walked out of my room and went straight to my grandmothers room. I knocked and she let me in.

Gran: What’s wrong?

Me: Insomnia

Gran: That’s strange, I thought you already fell asleep.

Me: I know.. how is she?

Gran: what can I say, when you were not here she was crying but now that you’re here, she’s quiet.

Me: That’s weird…

Gran: I feel like if you leave this room she will start crying, why don’t you sleep on the couch.

Me: The couch is too small for me

She gave me a dead stare, deep down I was also scared to go back to my room, but I didn’t want to go to my room also…

Gran: I feel like something is wrong in this house, I have never had this feeling before. And if you take the couch at least we will also take turns. 

Me: alright then…

She went to her wardrobe and took out one of her shawls and gave me, I went closer to the baby she wasn’t sleeping. As I attempted to touch her, she gave me one of the cutest smiles and extended her little hands to me so that I could pick her up. I just looked at my grandmother who just shrugged her shoulders…

I tried to ignore her, but her cute face turned into a frown, I picked her up, she kept on smiling at me, she cupped my face with her little hands, her pendant started glowing I was drawn by the beauty of her pendant. I felt my grandmother touch me on my face, I guess she didn’t see what I saw.